Utahns Wish to See Themselves in Sloan

Posted by James Seaman on April 01, 2009

Jerry Sloan celebrated his 67^th birthday over the weekend. He has spent nearly a third of those years directing the Utah Jazz. Manning his post on the sideline, night in and night out, Sloan has become much more to the people of Utah than just a basketball coach. He has become an icon, a symbol of what Utahns want to see when they look at themselves in the mirror.

Sloan represents the mythical western hero. At his best, the man is earnest and stoic, a yeoman farmer who understands the value of an honest day’s work even amid the clutter and noise of a tainted world. Sloan is also human and, in truth, as imperfect as any of us. He curses like a sailor and once earned a seven game suspension for shoving an official. But for all his flaws, Jerry Sloan still stands for the cowboy ethic that Utahns wish to believe about themselves.

Sloan would rather spend his time getting the job done than promoting himself. Perhaps for this reason, he’s never won the NBA’s Coach of the Year award. Some coaches win the honor for exceeding expectations, but Sloan’s consistency has essentially excluded him from ever meeting that qualification. Truly dominating performances—like the Jazz produced in 1997 and 1998—can also secure a coaches status as league’s best. But the award went to Pat Riley with the Heat, then to Larry Bird with the Pacers, both men already legends and household names. Sloan, of course, is the last person who would complain publicly about not winning Coach of the Year, regardless of how much he deserves it.

Following Utah’s 64 wins in 1997, Sloan and Phil Jackson appeared in separate interviews with NBC as the two men prepared to coach their teams in the NBA Finals. Jackson wore his expensive suit, charmed the camera, and played coy in his typical, manipulative fashion. Sloan wore a John Deere hat in his interview. The contrast spoke volumes about the two men, and about the way Utahns perceived themselves against their Chicago counterparts. After Utah lost its showdown with the Bulls, as they would again the following year, Sloan returned to work as if the fleeting national spotlight hadn’t affected him at all.

Even during the worst times, Sloan has guided the Jazz with clear eyes and a steady hand. In 2004, Sloan’s wife and high school sweetheart, Bobbye, passed away. I remember wondering if Sloan would walk away from the Jazz (and who could blame him). Instead, he stayed on as head coach. While basketball had always meant a lot to Jerry Sloan, now it seemed to mean everything. And yet the following season saw the Jazz riddled with injuries and gave Sloan the only losing campaign in his remarkable Utah run.

Through triumph and turmoil, Jazz fans have watched Sloan carry himself with the same pride and dignity every night for over 20 years. In that time, the man has become more than just a coach to those who follow him. Utahns want to see themselves as especially hard working and honest, fueled by an all-in-a-hard-day’s-work, cut-the-crap ethic. In truth, this probably doesn’t exist in Utah any more than it does anywhere else. But even as Utahns commute to work in their SUVs and mini-vans, living an urbanized lifestyle and enjoying all the comforts of climate control, the myth of the cowboy—the independent, hardy, western maverick—endures. And Jerry Sloan embodies that ideal, one that, whether real or imagined, Utahns long to see in themselves.

8 Comments

DeronWilliamsforPresident on April 01, 2009 said:

What a great post. Really good read after that game last night. I feel like everytime he gets thrown out of the game he’s saying what all us fans are thinking.

Annie Whittaker on April 01, 2009 said:

Awesome post James! And thanks for the yeoman reference. If I was a drinker I’d take another shot.

Boondock Saint on April 02, 2009 said:

James….simply brilliant. With all the superstar egos and firing coaches at the behest of players it is nice to have a coach that does cut through all the crap, tells it like it is and doesn’t care about what ESPN, TNT, or anyone else says. The guy just wants to play ball and that is something that, in my opinion, a lot of “league elite” have long since forgotten.

Linda McFarland on April 02, 2009 said:

One of the best blogs this year James. You’re right when you alluded to the fact that Sloan stands behind his players. If he thinks one of them was wronged then he will go to the point of getting kicked out to stand up for them. With most of the other coaches, when they argue with the refs it doesn’t seem like it is because they think one of their players has been wronged, it is because maybe they won’t get a certain point.

jessielou on April 02, 2009 said:

Amazing post James. Thank you!

John M and Kathy M on April 02, 2009 said:

Good points James! Sloan has no favorite players. Consider the fact that Carlos was dispatched to the bench in recent fourth quarters. Sloan may be the most objective coach in the league. He simply coaches to win, regardless of public or player opinion. The guy would be great as a juror – toally focused on the facts and outcomes and devoid of bias.

Scott L Ritchie on April 03, 2009 said:

I agree with the others who have responded to this fantastic post. Coach Sloan has stuck to his guns and weathered times both good and bad. He still tries to teach the game and exhorts the teams to compete for a full 48 night-in and night-out. Whatever the results he never quits and never makes excuses.

As for the Coach of the Year voters… they are all a bunch of (insert Coach Sloan’s favorite sideline word here) and have gotten it wrong too many times to count. Coach should have at least 3 and more like 5 in all honesty! Some so-called Jazz fans (bandwagoneers) have said he is a dinosaur and that we need a new coach for the Jazz. I say let the man coach until he decides he has had enough. He has earned that right!

Sadly, that day is approaching. We know he has signed another 1 year extension. I just hope he is able to go out on a winning note and not with the sour taste that must be in his mouth today. I know it is in mine. When he finally hangs up his hat. so to speak, this Jazz fan will sorely miss him.

srchn

JayD on April 06, 2009 said:

Amen Scott , I think that most of us will miss him . I agree that he has been deserving of that COY award , and I think that he better get it this year for what he has accomplished with all these injuries .
I too hope that he can go out with a title to his long list of accomplishments .
I will stand by him for as long as he wants to coach the Jazz .

Leave Your Comment

How do I get an avatar for my comments?
It is easy and completely free. Just go to Gravatar.com and sign-up with your email address. Gravatar is globally recognized, so your avatar will show on every Gravatar-enabled website or blog.