NBA Season Thread

[NJTank]

Frank did a good job when he first took over but the cuppard is bare now and a change needs to be made, just changing the voice in the room sometimes helps, and at 0-17 something had to be done.

[Wasatch]

Frank did a good job when he first took over but the cuppard is bare now and a change needs to be made, just changing the voice in the room sometimes helps, and at 0-17 something had to be done.

The same thing needs to be done with the Jazz, they need some new blood in there that can motivate and relate to the players of today!

[NJTank]

It happens even to the best coaches, I think the Yankees this season would not have won the Series with Joe Torre.

[DEAD!]

Frank did a good job when he first took over but the cuppard is bare now and a change needs to be made, just changing the voice in the room sometimes helps, and at 0-17 something had to be done.

Am I the only one trying to figure out what a "cuppard" is?

[Jigga]

Frank did a good job when he first took over but the cuppard is bare now and a change needs to be made, just changing the voice in the room sometimes helps, and at 0-17 something had to be done.

Am I the only one trying to figure out what a "cuppard" is?

I think a cuppard is a that thing they wear to protect the family jewels from errant elbows and funny bounces. I think since tNak mentioned voices changing and all, he must mean all their cuppards are bare because they don't have any balls or something like that.

[The_Admiral]

Look at the glaring paucity of results. Pin it on his ass for sure. "Overachiever" doesn't necessarily mean good.

You really think another available coach would've done, or will do, a better job with that pile of crap? Frank's (Lawrence, not Tank) a quality coach, likely a better coach than several other head coaches in this league. The season's lost, and this only sets them further back. Dumb move from a dumb organization.

Frank did a good job when he first took over but the cuppard is bare now and a change needs to be made, just changing the voice in the room sometimes helps, and at 0-17 something had to be done.

The same thing needs to be done with the Jazz, they need some new blood in there that can motivate and relate to the players of today!

No they don't; that's stupid. They need someone who's really good at coaching basketball, which Jerry Sloan definitely is. It's not his job to "motivate and relate" or take the team out for pizza and ice cream or whatever. Besides, given that Jerry Sloan has been a constant in the league, it's rather dubious to paint him as some out-of-touch doddering old cracker who can't be taken seriously. He's fielded very good teams in the last three years that have had the misfortune of running smack-dab into extremely good teams. The Jazz don't need a "new voice" and they'll only get it on Sloan's terms.

[DustDevil61]

No they don't; that's stupid. They need someone who's really good at coaching basketball, which Jerry Sloan definitely is. It's not his job to "motivate and relate" or take the team out for pizza and ice cream or whatever. Besides, given that Jerry Sloan has been a constant in the league, it's rather dubious to paint him as some out-of-touch doddering old cracker who can't be taken seriously. He's fielded very good teams in the last three years that have had the misfortune of running smack-dab into extremely good teams. The Jazz don't need a "new voice" and they'll only get it on Sloan's terms.

I completely agree. It's hard to find a consistent coach as he is; he is the reason the Jazz came just short of making the playoffs in 2003-04 [aka, Year 1 ASM (After Stockton and Malone)] when abolutely nobody expected them to do anything. He's the reason why Stockton, Malone, and Co. did so well over the years and he's the reason why the Jazz have done well in the last 3 years. As you let the likes of Deron Williams, Paul Millsap, Kryolo Fesenko, Eric Maynor, Wes Matthews, etc. mature while keeping Jerry around, Utah can only get better in the years to come. It's just a matter who fits, and ultimately wants to play, in Sloan's system. I still believe that there are a lot of younger (and veteran) players that will work for Sloan's system, and that will remain the case for a few years to come.

However, not even Jerry's tenure with the Jazz can last forever, and I think they should be considering Adrian Dantley (whose retired #4 jersey hangs in the rafters at the Building-Formerly-Known-as-the-Delta-Center) as his replacement, as he even said so when the Jazz retired his jersey. The guy has said that

, so to see the Jazz give him a chance at coaching could turn out to be a wise move. However, with what Jerry Sloan has done for the team over 2 decades and only have 1 losing season with a pair of .500 seasons is pretty friggin' good. When Jerry leaves the Jazz, he will do so on his own time; he will not be shown the door as long as the Miller family owns the team.

Mainly, the "new blood" I've mainly been referring to with the Jazz cencerns the players. Main things on this agenda are to let Harpring retire and fill his spot in, and trade Carlos Boozer for someone like Chris Bosh. However, the way Boozer has been playing recently [averaging about 20 pts., 10 reb., and playing defense (!)] has made me eat my words in large part. I'm not talking about the coach; I'm mainly talking about the players when it comes to "new blood."

[DustDevil61]

That said, I'm feeling sorry for the Nets. Also, seeing the T-Wolves beat the Nuggets and the Grizzlies beat the Trail Blazers on each of their own floors reminds me that the Jazz aren't the only team that I'm aware of to lose winnable home games.

[Jigga]

Look at the glaring paucity of results. Pin it on his ass for sure. "Overachiever" doesn't necessarily mean good.

You really think another available coach would've done, or will do, a better job with that pile of crap? Frank's (Lawrence, not Tank) a quality coach, likely a better coach than several other head coaches in this league. The season's lost, and this only sets them further back. Dumb move from a dumb organization.

That roster is certainly a "pile of crap" for sure, but you bet your ass I think another available coach would've done/will do a better job than that pile of crap coach they just jettisoned from that pile of crap organization. I guaran-damn-tee Byron Scott would do a better job in NJ. Firing Frank doesn't set them further back at all...where the hell were they going with Opie? It's never the wrong time to get rid of a guy that isn't right for the job. Keeping the pile of crap coach around just because you know the roster sucks? That's the dumb move.

[The_Admiral]

So that 2007 team that implausibly won a playoff series against a vastly superior team, he was along for the ride on that? Or do you think Bostjan Nachbar and Mikki Moore could've risen to even greater heights had Byron Scott still been coaching?

[Wasatch]

No they don't; that's stupid. They need someone who's really good at coaching basketball, which Jerry Sloan definitely is. It's not his job to "motivate and relate" or take the team out for pizza and ice cream or whatever. Besides, given that Jerry Sloan has been a constant in the league, it's rather dubious to paint him as some out-of-touch doddering old cracker who can't be taken seriously. He's fielded very good teams in the last three years that have had the misfortune of running smack-dab into extremely good teams. The Jazz don't need a "new voice" and they'll only get it on Sloan's terms.

So you don't think Sloan's lost his touch at all with the players? Are you a local or out of state fan of his?

I completely agree. It's hard to find a consistent coach as he is; he is the reason the Jazz came just short of making the playoffs in 2003-04 [aka, Year 1 ASM (After Stockton and Malone)] when abolutely nobody expected them to do anything.

I completely agree with the above!

He's the reason why Stockton, Malone, and Co. did so well over the years and he's the reason why the Jazz have done well in the last 3 years.

Well ya, he's part of the reason but he also fielded some amazing teams in the 80's and 90's. You can't honestly give the coach most of the credit when he had two of the best players ever at their positions underneath his wing, can you?

As you let the likes of Deron Williams, Paul Millsap, Kryolo Fesenko, Eric Maynor, Wes Matthews, etc. mature while keeping Jerry around, Utah can only get better in the years to come. It's just a matter who fits, and ultimately wants to play, in Sloan's system. I still believe that there are a lot of younger (and veteran) players that will work for Sloan's system, and that will remain the case for a few years to come.

I agree, Sloan is a great hard nosed coach who usually gets the most out of "no name players" but really, I think it's time we get a younger coach in their like Tyron Corbin or Jeff Hornacek who'll let the players play, instead of limiting their natural abilities!

However, not even Jerry's tenure with the Jazz can last forever, and I think they should be considering Adrian Dantley (whose retired #4 jersey hangs in the rafters at the Building-Formerly-Known-as-the-Delta-Center) as his replacement, as he even said so when the Jazz retired his jersey. The guy has said that

, so to see the Jazz give him a chance at coaching could turn out to be a wise move.

Funny, I've never heard Dantley's name even mentioned as a consideration for the head coaching job when Sloan leaves. Why? Because it?ll never happen! You do realize Dantley had a very strained relationship with Frank Layden and Larry H. Miller himself, don?t you? Why do you think it took so long for the organization to retired #4 when they could have easily done it 15 years earlier? It took Larry Miller a long time to even open up about the issue.

Mainly, the "new blood" I've mainly been referring to with the Jazz cencerns the players. Main things on this agenda are to let Harpring retire and fill his spot in, and trade Carlos Boozer for someone like Chris Bosh. However, the way Boozer has been playing recently [averaging about 20 pts., 10 reb., and playing defense (!)] has made me eat my words in large part. I'm not talking about the coach; I'm mainly talking about the players when it comes to "new blood."

1) Harping will retire but by holding out, he'll save the Jazz a lot of money! 2) Boozer is in a contract year, he has to produce, so this latest success of his isn't that big of a surprise for me, and although I'd love to see them trade him for Bosh, you have to realize that's a total pipe dream!

[Jigga]

So that 2007 team that implausibly won a playoff series against a vastly superior team, he was along for the ride on that? Or do you think Bostjan Nachbar and Mikki Moore could've risen to even greater heights had Byron Scott still been coaching?

Quick, send him to Springfield! He won a playoff series! Gold statue! Star on the Walk of Fame! Let's name a street after him. Give me a freaking break. The guy was over his skis as a coach, pure and simple.

[The_Admiral]

I still disagree. Whichever team snatches him up will be better for it.

Sloan is a great hard nosed coach who usually gets the most out of "no name players" but really, I think it's time we get a younger coach in their like Tyron Corbin or Jeff Hornacek who'll let the players play, instead of limiting their natural abilities!

Jeff Hornacek? You want to depart from the coaching philosophy of Jerry Sloan by hiring a notorious redass who both played under and coached under...Jerry Sloan? What are you even thinking?

[BigEd76]

6ABC in Philly is reporting Iverson to the Sixers is a done deal and will be announced tomorrow morning

[Wasatch]

I still disagree. Whichever team snatches him up will be better for it.

Sloan is a great hard nosed coach who usually gets the most out of "no name players" but really, I think it's time we get a younger coach in their like Tyron Corbin or Jeff Hornacek who'll let the players play, instead of limiting their natural abilities!

Jeff Hornacek? You want to depart from the coaching philosophy of Jerry Sloan by hiring a notorious redass who both played under and coached under...Jerry Sloan? What are you even thinking?

What do you mean redass? That doesn?t even make sense! Just because Hornacek played under Coach Sloan doesn?t mean his style will be identical to it, which is exactly my point! Hornacek has been a shooting coach for the Jazz for many years now and he?s been able to help a lot of the young players, and even Vets like Kirilenko get their shot back. Hornacek relates really well to players and has the type of image that would fit right into the organization. When Sloan does depart, some say they could just promote Asst. Coach Phil Johnson but he?s like Jerry?s twin brother on style, and I think that would be a bit redundant. I?m in no way knocking Coach Sloan?s style but his time is near its end.

[The_Admiral]

While no two coaches are identical, it's hardly a reach to surmise that a tenacious guard who played and coached under a similarly tenacious guard is going to bear quite a resemblance in coaching philosophy. It's not foolproof, but you can get a pretty good idea of what a head coach's style is going to be, at least in the beginning when they're working with a blank slate. Notice how tenacious redliners like Avery Johnson and Scott Skiles translated into similarly redlining head coaches, or how preternaturally talented superstars like Magic Johnson expected everyone else to do what only he could do. With that being said, I'm going to safely bet that Hornacek would bear quite a resemblance to Sloan, arguably his biggest mentor, as a coach. I think he could be a fine coach. Stockton, too, if he felt so inclined. But if you're talking up Hornacek as a Sloan assistant who "fits into the organization" while simultaneously clamoring for an organizational paradigm shift, you've gotta pick a lane.

"Relating to players" isn't in the job description. That's not what NBA coaching is all about, like all that Vinny Del Negro "I'm gonna take the kids out for pizza and ice cream" crap. All you have to do is not be a complete asshat like P.J. Carlesimo as far as interpersonal goes.

[rams80]

I still disagree. Whichever team snatches him up will be better for it.

Sloan is a great hard nosed coach who usually gets the most out of "no name players" but really, I think it's time we get a younger coach in their like Tyron Corbin or Jeff Hornacek who'll let the players play, instead of limiting their natural abilities!

Jeff Hornacek? You want to depart from the coaching philosophy of Jerry Sloan by hiring a notorious redass who both played under and coached under...Jerry Sloan? What are you even thinking?

What do you mean redass? That doesn?t even make sense! Just because Hornacek played under Coach Sloan doesn?t mean his style will be identical to it, which is exactly my point! Hornacek has been a shooting coach for the Jazz for many years now and he?s been able to help a lot of the young players, and even Vets like Kirilenko get their shot back. Hornacek relates really well to players and has the type of image that would fit right into the organization. When Sloan does depart, some say they could just promote Asst. Coach Phil Johnson but he?s like Jerry?s twin brother on style, and I think that would be a bit redundant. I?m in no way knocking Coach Sloan?s style but his time is near its end.

How? Has he taken to appointing children as assistant coaches? Was Chuck Amato seen pacing the sidelines? Sloan has been able to navigate through the dramatic cultural shifts that the NBA has experienced since 1988 with nearly consistent success in as unlikely and unattractive a place as Salt Lake City, Utah, and you think the game has passed him up?

[Wasatch]

While no two coaches are identical, it's hardly a reach to surmise that a tenacious guard who played and coached under a similarly tenacious guard is going to bear quite a resemblance in coaching philosophy. It's not foolproof, but you can get a pretty good idea of what a head coach's style is going to be, at least in the beginning when they're working with a blank slate. Notice how tenacious redliners like Avery Johnson and Scott Skiles translated into similarly redlining head coaches, or how preternaturally talented superstars like Magic Johnson expected everyone else to do what only he could do. With that being said, I'm going to safely bet that Hornacek would bear quite a resemblance to Sloan, arguably his biggest mentor, as a coach. I think he could be a fine coach. Stockton, too, if he felt so inclined. But if you're talking up Hornacek as a Sloan assistant who "fits into the organization" while simultaneously clamoring for an organizational paradigm shift, you've gotta pick a lane.

"Relating to players" isn't in the job description. That's not what NBA coaching is all about, like all that Vinny Del Negro "I'm gonna take the kids out for pizza and ice cream" crap. All you have to do is not be a complete asshat like P.J. Carlesimo as far as interpersonal goes.

I?m simply saying that Hornacek is a fine coach who seems to reach the players on a different level than Sloan, hence why I think he could motivates the players better than Sloan. Don't knock the guy down before he actually has a shot!

Sloan has been able to navigate through the dramatic cultural shifts that the NBA has experienced since 1988 with nearly consistent success in as unlikely and unattractive a place as Salt Lake City, Utah, and you think the game has passed him up?

That's great and all but that doesn't mean we should assume that he'll be able to reach the newer generation of players like we have now. It's a fact that he's had a hard time motivating these guys during the game to the point where they've gotten lazy, then they have to bust their asses in the final minutes to try and catch up.

[The_Admiral]

I'm simply saying that Hornacek is a fine coach who seems to reach the players on a different level than Sloan, hence why I think he could motivates the players better than Sloan. Don't knock the guy down before he actually has a shot!

Reading is a skill: I'm not knocking him at all, as a matter of fact I said "I think he could be a fine coach." However, my assumption is predicated on the fact that he has served his apprenticeship under one of the greatest coaches the league has ever known, and with that will come significant overlap in philosophy. That's a compliment. He'd be an awful coach if he didn't take cues from Sloan.

It's a fact that he's had a hard time motivating these guys during the game to the point where they've gotten lazy, then they have to bust their asses in the final minutes to try and catch up.

Is it a fact? I'm always extremely wary of the M-word. They're grown men out there. They don't need some coach screaming in their faces to "motivate" them like it's a college game. You're just projecting what you want to see on the natural ebb and flow of a basketball game because you've crafted the dubious narrative of Jerry Sloan, Inadequate Motivator. Sloan's been a notorious grinder since the 1960s. If he felt he didn't have that drive anymore, he would've retired.

[Wasatch]

It's a fact that he's had a hard time motivating these guys during the game to the point where they've gotten lazy, then they have to bust their asses in the final minutes to try and catch up.

Is it a fact?

I know where you?re going with this; anything can be argued on whether it?s a fact or not. Let me ask you this though, have you actually paid attention to the team this year and how they?ve performed during the first 42 minutes of a game versus the last 6?

It's a fact that he's had a hard time motivating these guys during the game to the point where they've gotten lazy, then they have to bust their asses in the final minutes to try and catch up.

IsI'm always extremely wary of the M-word. They're grown men out there. They don't need some coach screaming in their faces to "motivate" them like it's a college game.

I'm quite aware of this, but if the players aren't inspired by the coaching style, let alone the coach himself, what's going to give them the confidence they need to go out there and make the right play? That?s great if you want to take on the mentality that players shouldn?t have to lean on their coach because they?re ?grown men?, but I for one think a coach?s job is to give his players confidence in their game, rather then confine them.

You're just projecting what you want to see on the natural ebb and flow of a basketball game because you've crafted the dubious narrative of Jerry Sloan,

Not quite buddy. I actually follow the team quite a bit, do you? It's almost because Sloan has the Hall of Fame status and has done a great job in the past, you assume he'll continue to get the most out of his playes for many years to come. Tell me why that is!