Comments on: It’s about time http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/smith/2008/03/05/its-about-time/ An NBA basketball blog Fri, 05 Dec 2008 04:24:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Mark Welling http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/smith/2008/03/05/its-about-time/#comment-45 Mark Welling Sun, 06 Apr 2008 15:55:44 +0000 http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/smith/index.php/2008/03/05/its-about-time/#comment-45 I don't know what you guys are talking about ISIAH THOMAS is clearly the COTY!!! He took a team of over paid players(of which he signed/traded for), and got more wins than any Knicks fan thought possible. He changed his coaching style: He started to show up late to practices, just like his players; he was involved in off the court issues(multi-million dollar lawsuit) to make the players feel more at home in New York; and he has perfected the look of doom and despair on the sideline(a look he really tried to master while bankrupting the CBA). If you use the logic of making Scott or Adelman COTY(producing more then what was expected of them), then Isiah SHOULD be given it for not being fired(and for still just being alive considering all the wackos in New York). Everyone thought he would be fired, he isn't...COTY. In reality J. Slo did a great coaching Job this year, and is deserving(as he has been for 19 out of 20 years) of COTY. He won't win the award though. First, to win an award like this the team needs to campaign for it to happen. Much like the Blazers did for Brandon Roy by sending out free Ipods(that they renamed I-Roys) to people selecting the All-Star reserves. Second, Sloan has many people in the media that don't like him. A lot of that has to do with some ex-players. I can't imagine that Marc Jackson, a player that tried to start a player mutany and is now working for ESPN/ABC, will be throwing his vote or support to Jerry. Lastly, the COTY is like the MVP award. Different people have different opinions about what the award means. In the case of the MVP, some voters think it should go to the best player, while others think it is the player that means the most to their team, and others make the argument for the player that put a team on their back making them better. This confussion leads to errors in the awarding of the trophy. The COTY award has turned into, "Wow, we the all knowing sports writers thought that team was going to be awful and they weren't! It must be coaching" award. The Jazz now, like the Stockton/Malone version, are looked at as a very talented team where coaching isn't needed. Yet, they aren't talented enough to have the award given to Sloan for 'handling egos.' I am glad that J. Slo doesn't care about the award. That is what makes him into a great coach. I don’t know what you guys are talking about ISIAH THOMAS is clearly the COTY!!! He took a team of over paid players(of which he signed/traded for), and got more wins than any Knicks fan thought possible. He changed his coaching style: He started to show up late to practices, just like his players; he was involved in off the court issues(multi-million dollar lawsuit) to make the players feel more at home in New York; and he has perfected the look of doom and despair on the sideline(a look he really tried to master while bankrupting the CBA). If you use the logic of making Scott or Adelman COTY(producing more then what was expected of them), then Isiah SHOULD be given it for not being fired(and for still just being alive considering all the wackos in New York). Everyone thought he would be fired, he isn’t…COTY.

In reality J. Slo did a great coaching Job this year, and is deserving(as he has been for 19 out of 20 years) of COTY. He won’t win the award though. First, to win an award like this the team needs to campaign for it to happen. Much like the Blazers did for Brandon Roy by sending out free Ipods(that they renamed I-Roys) to people selecting the All-Star reserves. Second, Sloan has many people in the media that don’t like him. A lot of that has to do with some ex-players. I can’t imagine that Marc Jackson, a player that tried to start a player mutany and is now working for ESPN/ABC, will be throwing his vote or support to Jerry. Lastly, the COTY is like the MVP award. Different people have different opinions about what the award means. In the case of the MVP, some voters think it should go to the best player, while others think it is the player that means the most to their team, and others make the argument for the player that put a team on their back making them better. This confussion leads to errors in the awarding of the trophy. The COTY award has turned into, “Wow, we the all knowing sports writers thought that team was going to be awful and they weren’t! It must be coaching” award. The Jazz now, like the Stockton/Malone version, are looked at as a very talented team where coaching isn’t needed. Yet, they aren’t talented enough to have the award given to Sloan for ‘handling egos.’

I am glad that J. Slo doesn’t care about the award. That is what makes him into a great coach.

]]> By: Sloth http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/smith/2008/03/05/its-about-time/#comment-43 Sloth Sun, 30 Mar 2008 02:33:25 +0000 http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/smith/index.php/2008/03/05/its-about-time/#comment-43 jerry sloan has certainly deserved COY many times just not this time. right now it is a toss up between Adelmen, Rivers, and Scott. i think sloan deserved it over sam mitchell last season, it was clear by how the jazz performed in the playoffs compared to the raptors. and sloan should have won a championship in 98 because when MJ hit that gamewinner he got open by pushing off Jeff Hornacek,but the refs swallowed their whistles and did not make the correct call cuz they felt bad for MJ. Sloan has deserved COY many times, just not this one. jerry sloan has certainly deserved COY many times just not this time. right now it is a toss up between Adelmen, Rivers, and Scott. i think sloan deserved it over sam mitchell last season, it was clear by how the jazz performed in the playoffs compared to the raptors. and sloan should have won a championship in 98 because when MJ hit that gamewinner he got open by pushing off Jeff Hornacek,but the refs swallowed their whistles and did not make the correct call cuz they felt bad for MJ. Sloan has deserved COY many times, just not this one.

]]> By: rob http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/smith/2008/03/05/its-about-time/#comment-41 rob Tue, 25 Mar 2008 21:40:17 +0000 http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/smith/index.php/2008/03/05/its-about-time/#comment-41 well.. i'm not going to say i'm not a jazz fan (I am.) I'm also not going to tote on about how deserving Sloan is for this award year after year (look back at his records.. he has had 2 losing seasons his entire career as a head coach (1 in chicago, 1 in utah.. 22 seasons as a head coach in the NBA.. ) now, sloan never has the most talented players (aside from John and Karl, look at the role players on those teams.. Shannon Anderson? Adam Keefe?.. yeah Honacek was legit, but no where near as deep as the Detroit and Spurs teams of late) this Jazz team is very young (reminicent of the 88-90 Jazz teams.. could be a rematch of that piviotal WCF between the Jazz and the Lakers in the late 80s) they probably won't come into their own until next year or the year after that.. the point is.. Sloan has weathered a lot in Utah.. i remember a few years back in fact it was a "season preview" video put out by the local jazz TV crew looking to rebuild after Malone and Stockton stopped playing.. they said they wanted to build a team like Dallas (which at the time had Nash/Nowitzski tons of great role players and the same coach ) the Jazz's long term goals at that point was to stick with the same guys and work our ways back to the top.. and we're on that road now well..

i’m not going to say i’m not a jazz fan (I am.) I’m also not going to tote on about how deserving Sloan is for this award year after year (look back at his records.. he has had 2 losing seasons his entire career as a head coach (1 in chicago, 1 in utah.. 22 seasons as a head coach in the NBA.. )

now, sloan never has the most talented players (aside from John and Karl, look at the role players on those teams.. Shannon Anderson? Adam Keefe?.. yeah Honacek was legit, but no where near as deep as the Detroit and Spurs teams of late)

this Jazz team is very young (reminicent of the 88-90 Jazz teams.. could be a rematch of that piviotal WCF between the Jazz and the Lakers in the late 80s) they probably won’t come into their own until next year or the year after that..

the point is.. Sloan has weathered a lot in Utah.. i remember a few years back in fact it was a “season preview” video put out by the local jazz TV crew looking to rebuild after Malone and Stockton stopped playing.. they said they wanted to build a team like Dallas (which at the time had Nash/Nowitzski tons of great role players and the same coach ) the Jazz’s long term goals at that point was to stick with the same guys and work our ways back to the top.. and we’re on that road now

]]> By: Eric Ginsberg http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/smith/2008/03/05/its-about-time/#comment-40 Eric Ginsberg Sun, 16 Mar 2008 13:02:38 +0000 http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/smith/index.php/2008/03/05/its-about-time/#comment-40 COTY COTY

]]> By: Eric Ginsberg http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/smith/2008/03/05/its-about-time/#comment-39 Eric Ginsberg Sun, 16 Mar 2008 13:02:11 +0000 http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/smith/index.php/2008/03/05/its-about-time/#comment-39 Jerry Sloan for COTY Jerry Sloan for COTY

]]> By: Bill http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/smith/2008/03/05/its-about-time/#comment-38 Bill Thu, 13 Mar 2008 02:15:07 +0000 http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/smith/index.php/2008/03/05/its-about-time/#comment-38 Rick Adelman is the coach of the year. Took a defensive team and made them an offensive team. Kept the rockets winning without yao. No coach has done a better job coaching his team this year than Rick. Rick Adelman is the coach of the year.

Took a defensive team and made them an offensive team.

Kept the rockets winning without yao.

No coach has done a better job coaching his team this year than Rick.

]]> By: McFly http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/smith/2008/03/05/its-about-time/#comment-37 McFly Wed, 12 Mar 2008 16:35:22 +0000 http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/smith/index.php/2008/03/05/its-about-time/#comment-37 Sloan SHOULD have won after the 03-04 season. This team should have probably won 20 games-- and that's without even considering the Jazz used 18 different players that year due to injuries!! This was probably the worst roster in NBA history to have a WINNING RECORD! FRANCHISE PLAYERS: Andrei Kirilenko Matt Harpring Raja Bell Carlos Arrojo YOUNG STUDS: Mo Williams ( rookie season- under 5ppg ) Sasha Pavlovic ( rookie season- under 5ppg ) Curtis Borchardt--- WHO? Raul Lopez-- Where is he now? AND LETS NOT FORGET---- Ben Handlogten Michael Ruffin Paul Grant Keon Clark Mikki Moore Greg Ostertag Jarron Collins Gordan Giricek Tom Gugliotta DeShawn Stevenson Sloan SHOULD have won after the 03-04 season. This team should have probably won 20 games– and that’s without even considering the Jazz used 18 different players that year due to injuries!! This was probably the worst roster in NBA history to have a WINNING RECORD!

FRANCHISE PLAYERS:
Andrei Kirilenko
Matt Harpring
Raja Bell
Carlos Arrojo

YOUNG STUDS:
Mo Williams ( rookie season- under 5ppg )
Sasha Pavlovic ( rookie season- under 5ppg )
Curtis Borchardt— WHO?
Raul Lopez– Where is he now?

AND LETS NOT FORGET—-

Ben Handlogten
Michael Ruffin
Paul Grant
Keon Clark
Mikki Moore
Greg Ostertag
Jarron Collins
Gordan Giricek
Tom Gugliotta
DeShawn Stevenson

]]> By: Junior http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/smith/2008/03/05/its-about-time/#comment-36 Junior Wed, 12 Mar 2008 05:59:08 +0000 http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/smith/index.php/2008/03/05/its-about-time/#comment-36 Sloan is a great coach don't get me wrong but he definitely doesn't deserve it this year. I would have said yes last year but this year it has to go to Byron Scott or Rick Aldeman they have done terrific jobs with their respective teams. Nate McMillan should also make some noise this year to. Sloan is a great coach don’t get me wrong but he definitely doesn’t deserve it this year. I would have said yes last year but this year it has to go to Byron Scott or Rick Aldeman they have done terrific jobs with their respective teams. Nate McMillan should also make some noise this year to.

]]> By: Chucky http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/smith/2008/03/05/its-about-time/#comment-35 Chucky Tue, 11 Mar 2008 18:40:25 +0000 http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/smith/index.php/2008/03/05/its-about-time/#comment-35 I agree with this mostly, but some of it is just wrong. Memo has been taking the ball to the hoop more now than ever before. In fact, his outside shot took off when he started powering his way down the lane. He has been hitting on far more 2's than 3's and his accuracy in every regard has gone up. Deron routinely plays solid defense on the best point guards. He has owned Chris Paul, and outplayed Nash and Kidd most recently. His defense is not Kobe level, obviously, but he is FAR from a no-show on defense. The same is true for most of the other players. You can't just continually outrun teams in this league, you have to play defense to win. The Jazz play a team-defense that works. It generates defensive rebounds that lead to excellent executiong at the other end. Don't underestimate them. The Jazz may just run away with it all this year. I agree with this mostly, but some of it is just wrong.

Memo has been taking the ball to the hoop more now than ever before. In fact, his outside shot took off when he started powering his way down the lane. He has been hitting on far more 2’s than 3’s and his accuracy in every regard has gone up.

Deron routinely plays solid defense on the best point guards. He has owned Chris Paul, and outplayed Nash and Kidd most recently. His defense is not Kobe level, obviously, but he is FAR from a no-show on defense.

The same is true for most of the other players. You can’t just continually outrun teams in this league, you have to play defense to win. The Jazz play a team-defense that works. It generates defensive rebounds that lead to excellent executiong at the other end.

Don’t underestimate them. The Jazz may just run away with it all this year.

]]> By: Carl http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/smith/2008/03/05/its-about-time/#comment-34 Carl Tue, 11 Mar 2008 17:46:53 +0000 http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/smith/index.php/2008/03/05/its-about-time/#comment-34 Sam, how about touching on some Kobe/Jordan comparisons in a future blog. In my opinion you are the best NBA columnist in the business...been reading you for years, and while I've moved from my beloved Chicago I still pick up the Trib from time to time to read your columns. Sam, how about touching on some Kobe/Jordan comparisons in a future blog. In my opinion you are the best NBA columnist in the business…been reading you for years, and while I’ve moved from my beloved Chicago I still pick up the Trib from time to time to read your columns.

]]>