Looking Ahead
‘Jerry in 89′ (Andrew D. Bernstein - NBAE/Getty Images)
Looking towards the future is something that is often forbidding, but at the same time encouraging. I am twenty years old. Twenty years ago, the New York Giants won another Superbowl XXI, President Reagan signed a missile reduction agreement with Gorbachev, “Walk Like an Egyptian” was the number one hit, and Full House, Married with Children, and Star Trek: The Next generation all premiered. Can anyone else name what happened twenty years ago? If you are reading this blog then it is pretty significant to you. Frank Layden retired, paving the way for the longest tenured coach in major league sports with a single franchise to begin his epic career.
Jerry Sloan has had a remarkable career, becoming the 4th most-winning coach in NBA history, and taking our Utah Jazz to the NBA Finals, twice. He has always been one of the front-runners for coach of the year. He is one of the most respected people in the industry.
So what’s next? Hopefully a championship, hopefully a Coach of the Year award, and hopefully NO retirement. But we have to accept the facts, sooner or later the Sloan Eon will end. It will be terrible. There will be a lot of tears, but we have to look towards the future. Who will be our next coach?
Some say Phil Johnson. Named one of the NBA’s top assistant coaches, Phil Johnson has an impressive resume. He has “one up’d” Jerry Sloan since in the 74-75 season, he won the Coach of the Year award. But, many people think that when Jerry Sloan goes, he will go too. Which, if not Phil Johnson who? Perhaps Jeff Hornacek. He is a hard worker, has so much knowledge in terms of mechanics and fundamentals, and he is adored by Jazz fans.
I hope Jerry never retires, but when he does, who will replace him? No matter what, they will have big shoes to fill.
3 Comments to “Looking Ahead”
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I’m glad to see positive comments about Jerry.
I hope we see Jerry Sloan sticks around for a few more years, but I think it would make more sence to hire one of the current assistant coaches that actually do this each day such as Phil Johnson, Ty Corbin, or Scott Layden.
Jeff is a good guy but he is not really a coach. He comes to town and gets credit for things from a media standpoint but I find it odd that the people really doing the work as mentioned above dont get the lime light as the media gives Jeff Hornaceck who is in town sometimes but not really even a coach. It is very misleading and if I was one of the current assistant coaches I believe I would have had enough of him taking credit for all of their hard work every day and many nights of the week.
I must also say shame on Kevin O’ Conner or Larry Miller for allowing this farce to continue. It is truely a slap in the face of those coaches that are doing all the work. Jeff has probably worked out some deal where he is probably getting paid more to do his celebrity gig than they are paying the assistants and trainers to do all they do each and every day!
I also saw an interview the other day where Jeff was acting like he trained Korver on the three point shot. Hello. If I recall, he came trained in that area.
Lets give credit where it is due.
Thanks
I enjoyed your blog on Coach Sloan. As I understand it, he has already signed up for next year which is unusual. Usually he says he will go home to his tractors and think about it. Those who do not appreciate Sloan and his tight run ship will realize how good he is once he does leave (which I hope is a long way off).
I imagine I will hear from Ernest on this blog but why Ernest isn’t the email address you give a correct one??
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