I’ve worked in organizations where instead of using energy to innovate and solve problems, everyone from the top down spends that energy covering their backsides, posturing and justifying their existence. It’s a crippling disorder, and it can spread like cancer once it infects an organization. I hope that’s not happening with the Jazz organization, but I’ve see some disconcerting signs over the past year from people up and down the Jazz totem pole.

I will definitely support the Jazz, but there’s a limit to what any fan will do if it doesn’t seem like that commitment isn’t being reciprocated. And to me, spending all this money doesn’t fall into the category of commitment — the Jazz had their hand forced. The next 12-18 months will tell me everything I need to know about what kind of organization the Jazz will become under new leadership.

“You know, we thought we were headed in the right direction, if you watched the first three quarters,” Williams added. “We didn’t shoot the ball well (34.1 percent in the first half), we didn’t score well (37 points through two quarters).

“But the thing is, we were getting stops. Defensively, we were getting stops. We were helping each other out. We were able to force turnovers and get out and run a little bit. All until that fourth quarter.”

Theoretically they could get an “A” and still lose.

Exhibit A: Since last summer, Kevin O’Connor has gone on the radio and essentially thrown up his arms and said, “There aren’t any players out there who can help us.” What? I think you mean, “I’m not capable of getting any players who can help us.” KOC passes the buck to the coaching staff to suddenly make a fundamentally flawed team a championship contender just by “getting older.”

Exhibit B: Sloan said during pre-game of the Dallas tilt that it’s not his job to motivate players. I constantly hear him talk about how his players just seem to want to cash a paycheck, and then he makes a laundry list of things that aren’t his job? Seriously? Jerry, it IS your job to motivate players. It IS your job to call timeout, make adjustments and out-scheme the opposing coach. Sloan passes ALL the buck to his players.

Exhibit C: Boozer plays yet another garbage game and then blames the refs for calling touch-fouls on Dirk? Look if they’re calling touch-fouls, then get your money’s worth and lay the big German out all over AA Center’s hardwood. Boozer passes the buck to the officials.

Exhibit D: Greg Miller comes out in the home opener and basically threatens Jazz fans by saying the team will always stay in Utah IF fan support remains high. Greg, that cuts both ways. Fan support will be high if you put a good product on the floor. Greg Miller passes the buck to the fans.

The buck WILL stop with the fans is something doesn’t change, because they’ll vote with their wallets and eyeballs.

The 3rd quarter comes around and I am hoping the Jazz will show me why I am a fan. I see the light! The Jazz are continuing to play D and now shots are dropping. D-Will is starting to heat up and our bench is going to work to. Wesley who? Oh Wesley Matthews showing our Vet’s how to get the job done. AK running straight down the paint. Fes comes directly into the game to block a shot. We are up to 4 1/2 cylinders pumping and I am thinking this is the road play we fans have been waiting for!

4th quarter… O M G. I think Bolerjack called it the best when we saw the 16 point lead wither down to 12 then 10. Bolerjack said ‘If your a follower of the Jazz your probably having a hard time sitting in your seat right now…’ and he couldn’t have been more right. I grabbing my hair and rolling on the couch. Then I saw Dirk do the same play, then the same play, then the same play. Give it to Dirk at the top of the Key, make Okur come out of the pain, try and work the foul, oh Memo’s off balance blow by him, oh a man stepped up dish it out. We all know how that ends.

Those 4 1/2 cylinders got clogged by that nasty gunk that was discharging out of Dirk and it let the complete engine failure and there was no one carrying a triple-A card on the Jazz team. It was like a new team entered the game in the fourth quarter on both sides. On one side you have team Dirk who finally got hot which we all know is a consistent shooter. While on the other side the Jazz starters left the building and their shells were there to hope that 16 point lead could have won the game out.

Final thoughts of the Jazz’s performance:

1. Hell of a job coming from Fes and Matthews off the bench. (Do they sell fesenko jerseys in medium? or at all even?) It seemed like these guys going into the game having to earn their time have an edge over our starters. It seemed like they weren’t trying to make things so complex, just wait for the opening and don’t miss the open shot. Matthews blowing by his defender twice, and working his way to the foul line as well. Fes I see more hustle in you then anyone on the team, I am pretty sure you can run the court faster than Memo and Boozer, keep up the solid effort.

2. If the Jazz don’t learn how to close-out games its going to be one LONG season. There was great hustle for 3/4 of the game, but like the original blog says, if you can’t play 48 minutes then teams that can and do will eat us up. Hopefully *fingers crossed* it will be a learning lesson for our guys and we can get better at playing like we did in the 3rd quarter for an entire 48.

Four games, three 4th quarter meltdowns. Ugh!