True Blue Jazz

We have a new home...The Bloguin Network

2008-11-10T21:15:00.003-07:00

True Blue Jazz is very proud to announce that we have joined the Bloguin Network.

Our new and vastly improved blog can be found at www.truebluejazz.com

The new site will have our most recent posts along with the ultimate Jazz fan forum. Anyone can come and participate in the Jazz talk at True Blue Jazz. Don't worry though, you'll still be able to access our old site right from the new site. The very best of Booner, Hammy, Pick-n-Roll, Horny, Scrum and CB Jack will remain on My Utah Jazz.

So please update your link to the new True Blue Jazz!

How do you say "Damnit" in Turkish?

2008-11-10T14:06:00.003-07:00

Do you want to see how the Jazz will look next year with only one big guy? Watch these next four games while Memo goes home to Turkey. This could turn out being a bad road trip with both D-Will and Memo being out. Lets see if Milsap can earn his paycheck for next year and the Boooze can be a super-duper star for a few games.

On a more serious note, I hope everything is okay for Memo and his family. I love that the Jazz as an organization allow their players to be family men first and basketball players second. I hope they all realize how important that is. Hurry back Memo.

3rd Edition Blogger Power Rankings - At The Hive

2008-11-10T09:09:00.001-07:00

<<hive-large.jpg>>
Hello Blog fans. The NBA Blogosphere is back again with another edition of the Blogger Power Rankings.

This weeks rankings are being hosted by At The Hive. A great Hornets blog. (Sorry I just threw up a little in my mouth after I typed that.)

Please go visit them and drop some comments about why D-Will is better than CP3. They just don't seem to get it.

http://www.atthehive.com/2008/11/10/657666/blogger-power-rankings-wee

Here are CB Jacks rankings and comments.

Lakers         Week 3 and I am already bored of them being on top.
Celtics         Their young guys have attitude...I like it.
Jazz            Another let down at MSG. Will adding D-Will move this team higher in the rankings?
Raptors         SLEEPER ALERT SLEEPER ALERT. Celtics should be worried.
Cavaliers       Too bad the Kings men won't be able to put Lebron's hope of winning a
                championship in Cleveland back together again.
Hawks           Pinch me please. This can't be for real. No Josh Smith? Bring back the old Hawks.
Magic           The Man Child continues to dominate the east. This team is on fire.
Hornets         They'd be undefeated with Deron Williams...
Pistons         A.I. proving to the world that he is old.
Rockets The Dream (Shake) just turned into a nightmare.
Suns            I have nothing to say about the suns.
Knicks         D'Antoni may have awoken a sleeping giant.
Trail Blazers   ROYverated
Bucks           Not bad for a bunch of guys who pretty much suck.
Pacers         Granger is playing like he wants an All-Star bid.
Nuggets Chauncy will help....them become a 9 seed.
Kings           How much is Vegas losing now that they are winning?
Spurs           Parker will save the day! Wait...he what? Uh oh.
Grizzlies       Mayo is making a great case for R.O.Y.
Heat            Still WADEing with the bottom feeders
76ers           I told you so.
Bulls           Deng. These guys suck.
Mavericks       They don't deserve to be this low. But someone has to fill this spot.
Thunder         Almost put an amazing comeback together against the Jazz.
Nets            Train wreck.
Warriors        Thanks Monte. We owe you one.
Bobcats Felton got some revenge on Paul. Loved it.
Clippers                2nd best team in LA
T-wolves        Had my hopes up. Then flushed them down the toilet.
Wizards Agent 0? Not even 007 could save this team.

#1,000 for Jerry Sloan

2008-11-07T22:33:00.005-07:00

I know we've heard about Jerry Sloan milestones for the last few years. There have been too many to keep track of. But this one is a little different.

Jerry Sloan won his 1,000th game with the Utah Jazz tonight.

I've not been a huge Sloan fan, but any basketball fan (including Dave at The Dream Shake) has to admit that Jerry Sloan is a first ballot Hall of Famer and will go down as one of the top 5 coaches of all time.

It appears Jerry has loosened the reigns a little and is giving his young team more opportunities to show their abilities. He does regret one thing. Not playing Deron Williams more as a rookie. It's okay coach, I think that turned out pretty well.

Jerry has coached from the Reagan administration,

to the Obama administration.

Most coaching wins with one team:
1. Jerry Sloan 1,000 Jazz 1988
2. Red Auerbach 795 Boston 1950-66
3. Gregg Popovich 633 S. Antonio 1996
4. Red Holzman 613 New York 1967-82
5. John MacLeod 579 Phoenix 1973-87

My favorite thing about tonight was during the post game. A reported asked Jerry if there were any games that stood out in his career.

Jerry's response? The losses.

Classic Jerry Sloan.

Video of the win from ESPN .

First Half = HOLY CRAP!

2008-11-07T20:18:00.001-07:00

Not gonna lie, I did NOT expect that kind of performance from the Jazz.

Thunder stats:

8 made FGs
21% shooting
29 points

Jazz stats:

21 made FGs
56% shooting
58 points

Also...29 rebounds! I suppose that's what happens when the other guys miss 20 shots.

Look for lots of Fess, Kofous, Almond, and CJ in the second half.

Where you at Texas?

2008-11-07T10:19:00.002-07:00

Just a gentle reminder to our "big brother" state down south.

Utah currently owns Texas. Period.

First the Rockets. Now the Horned Frogs.

Who's the little brother now?

(and I am not talking about BYU)

Paging Mr. Williams

2008-11-06T08:49:00.006-07:00

I like the way I look in suits!

OK, I admire what the Jazz are doing with 2 backup point guards and last night was certainly a good win, but its time to for D-Will to get back. We got 8 points, 10 assists, 2 rebounds and 5 turnovers from the PG possition last night, not too bad. And for the season the PG position is averaging 10.5 points, 9.5 assists, 2.5 rebounds, 2.25 steals and 3.25 turnovers all very respectable numbers for sure. But, D-Will by himself last year averaged better with 19 points, 10.5 assists, 3 rebounds and the same turnovers so obviously we are statistically better with him playing.

Last night was the first game this season that I really felt like the Jazz needed Deron's offense. Actually more than that, they needed his deisire and will to win. His no effing way we are losing this game mentality to kick in sometime before the last 6 minutes of the game. It was good to see Booze and Ronnie Brewer get the fire late in the game, but it was almost too late and I don't think that D-Will would have let it go that long. Come back Deron and come back soon.

A few random thoughts about the Blazers: I dont think that Oden is going to make that big of difference when/if he gets back, seems to me that his ceiling is going to be something like Dikembe Mutombo. Joel Pryzbilla played that center spot awfully well last night. Brandon Roy is stud, lets trade CJ Miles and Ronnie Brewer and Morris Almond for him straight up. Lastly I dont think that this team is going to be that great for a few years. They have no low post offensive presence, Lamarcus Aldrige is a jump shooter and Greg Oden is certainly not going to fill that role. If the threes are not falling, they are dead.

Good win by the Jazz, it was nice to see Memo hit a 3 for the first time this year and it came in a very clutch spot as we would expect. Also, it seems like the Jazz are fouling less so far along with taking care of the ball more. I am going to do a little research on that soon and see if its actually better.

Random Jazz Notes for 5-November-08

2008-11-05T13:24:00.001-07:00

Here is the latest Jazz notes floating around the NBA.

-ESPN has Boozer ranked very high in their current MVP Race. Vote for Kirilenko for 6th man of the year (I can't believe I just typed that)

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/awards?page=awards-081104
CB Jack: Can there even be an MVP race 3 games into the season?

-Paul Millsap is "Not consumed by minutes or money matters"
http://deseretnews.com/article/content/mobile/1,5620,705260641,00.html?printView=true
CB Jack: Yeah he may not be consumed, but we as fans are.

-The inevitable Hall of Fame process has started for Stockton and Sloan.
http://www.sltrib.com/jazz/ci_10904019
CB Jack: Sloan's acceptance speech would go something like this "Thanks…what the hell am I supposed to do with this?"

-Blazers Edge breaks down tonight's game. I think they really like the Jazz up there in Liberalville.
http://www.blazersedge.com/2008/11/5/654197/game-4-preview-blazers-vs
CB Jack: I think they really like the Jazz up there in Liberalville.

-The Utah Jazz will honor their Olympians tonight.
http://www.nba.com/jazz/news/0809_jazz_honor_olympians.html
CB Jack: Boozer should only get to be honored the last 15 seconds of the ceremony once it's basically over. That might make him feel more deserving of any credit.

The First Ever Jazz/Blazers Young Man in an Old Man's Body Team

2008-11-05T12:07:00.010-07:00

In my research of tonight's game between the Jazz and Blazers I could not get over the fact that Greg Oden looks like he could be Lebron James' Dad. The dude claims he is 20 but by the looks of his pics, he can't be a day younger than 62. With that in mind I began researching a few other Jazz/Blazer players who fell into the same category. You know, the old "I look a lot younger than I am look." Or, the "I will never have to show my idea....ever, look." So, in an effort to continue my un-insightful, worthless posts I present to you the First (and most likely last) Ever "Jazz/Blazers Young Man in an Old Man's Body Team."

Center: Greg Oden

"Which one of you said I look old?"

Power Forward: Bill Walton.

I was going to write a witty caption about the beard, the hair, the bandanna, the shirt, the set of arms that make me look like Karl Malone, but I really think I would just be wasting my time. The picture says enough. The pic shows a 23 year old Walton.....had he not gained 100 lbs and the red hair turned gray I would have sworn it was taken yesterday.

Forward: Thurl Bailey

Are you a twenty-something man wanting to look more mature? Consider this recipe:

One Pair of Large/X-Large Vintage NBA Approved Goggles
One Mustache
Crew Cut/Flat Top (Either will work)
One pair short shorts. (If they reach half-way down the thigh, they are too long)
Under the short shorts add one pair of Team Logo Spandex
One Pair Mid-Size Striped Socks
One X-Large Soft Knee Brace (Hard Brace with Metal Poles to add 10 more years)

Guard: Clyde Drexler

I'm going to be honest, although I know a lot of you will judge me for watching this, Clyde looks exactly the same in this photo as he did when he appeared on Dancing with the Stars. I guess all the humiliation you go through being the 20 year old with a receding hairline pays off when you turn 50 and look exactly the same. Who's laughing now?

Guard: Ron Boone

This picture is almost scary. The man has not aged since this pic, taken in 1932. (With the exception of the shaved head...which I think makes him look more mature.)

So, there you have it, The First Ever "Jazz/Blazers Young Man in an Old Man's Body Team." If you have others, feel free to share them in the comment field. Be sure to tune in and root for our Jazz tonight. We need all the help we can get to regain our dominance over Portland.

Booner

Bloggers Power Rankings - Week 1

2008-11-04T20:29:00.002-07:00

The dilusional fans that are the blogosphere have once again put their collective heads together to give you the Week 1 Bloggers Power Rankings.

Thanks to The Lakers Nation for hosting this weeks results.

Find the Power Rankings here.

How on earth did the Jazz fall? Did we not win without Deron Williams? Oh well, better to fly under the radar right? Let us know what you think of the rankings.

Man-sap

2008-11-03T23:03:00.004-07:00

32 min, 24 pts (15 straight in the 4th Q), 8-12 FGs, 8-8 FTs, 9 RBs, 2 asts, 1 blk

'Nuff said.

Pre-Game Power Rankings Update

2008-11-03T20:27:00.001-07:00

Looks like someone at USA Today decided to NOT sniff glue before updating his rankings:

USA Today: 5 (+8)

ESPN.com: 7 (+2)

Hoopsworld: 6 (+2)

NBA.com: 5 (same)

Sports Illustrated: 7 (-1, Pistons and Raptors jumped ahead)

High: 5 Low: 7 Average: 6

A Little Less "Thug" in the Thuggets

2008-11-03T11:21:00.004-07:00

Iverson just got traded to Detroit for Chauncey Billups, Antonio McDyess and some 3rd round pick who will be waived immediately. My initial reaction is that the Nuggets are going to be more balanced and steady, but less explosive and the defense should be a bit better. Overall this move should put them ahead of Portland in the division rankings and make them a better rival for the Jazz.

The Way Too Early In The Season To Really Mean Anything Stats

2008-11-03T08:27:00.002-07:00

I know its really, really early in the season and you can not tell much about this Jazz team after just two games, but I am going to try to anyway based on the stats. The only real surprise to me in these rankings is where Ronnie Price ended up. All of the other stats and team ranking seem to be right on after 2 games worth of data.

The Team Stats:

Offensive Efficiency: The Jazz rank third in the league in points scored per 100 possesions and 8th in average points per game. Not a big surprise here, the Jazz are an offensive machine and should be in the top 3 all year. Obviously the Jazz will get better with D-Will as well.

Deffensice Efficiency: The Jazz rank sixth in the league in points allowed per 100 possesions and 3rd in average points allowed per game. Can they keep this up? That is the NBA Championship question for sure. If they can keep both of those stats in the top 7 of the league I say yes.

The Player Stats:

The Good-
According to Hollinger's PER stat rating the Jazz have 3 players in the top 25 of the league. Boozer is coming in a #3, Brewer is at #21 and AK is at #25. Only San Antonio can equal 3 in the top 25 right now. You have to assume that D-Will will end up a top 25 player as well. I dont see AK and Brewer staying in the top 25, but they should be in the top 50 quite easily. The early returns for Ronnie Brewer look like all of the shooting practice and weight room work are paying off. AK is doing a little of everything and despite the constant questions about not starting he seems genuinely happy to playing as a 6th man.

The Average-
There is a pretty big gap from AK to the next Jazz player, but this next group is playing right around average for league according to the PER stats. Memo comes in at #133, Kover is at #142, Milsap is at #144 and Brevin Knight is at #160. If Memo can find his shot he should move up. Korver, Milsap and Knight seem to be right where they should be in the middle of the pack as role players.

The Bad-
Ronnie Price comes in at #242, which I don't think is reflective of his actual play on the court. He isnt really that bad and the team seems to better with him on the floor than Knight. His 1-9 game againt Denver is holding him down. CJ Miles is the last rotation player for the Jazz coming in at #254. I hope that CJ is better than this, he is certainly getting paid to be better. At least we have Harpring coming back to take his minutes and then maybe we can package CJ and Morris to the Sonics for some draft picks or spare parts.

I should point out that only 288 players qualify for this stat based on their playing time being more than 6 minutes per game. So no ranking for Almond or Fes.

I think that the Jazz are off to a good start and that we can take these wins and stats for what they are. While we have been missing D-Will our opponent has been missing their best player as well so I feel that the results of the games are close to what they would be with everyone healthy.

Almond "No" Joy

2008-10-31T12:15:00.002-06:00

See ya later Morris, we hardly new you. The Jazz have decided that Morris Almond no longer has a place with the team and have declined to pick up the option on his contract meaning that he will become an un-restricted free agent next year. The SL Trib reports that the Jazz are seeking out a trade as well so there might be more to this story. Hopefully the Jazz just trade him for a future pick somewhere down the road or package him with some other loose parts for something with a little more valuable. I say we play GM for the day and post your best trade options including Morris Almond.

I would do one of two things here. Trade Almond for a future first round pick and hope that the team you send him to gets bad. I would look to trade him to someone like Detroit, Dallas or Phoenix who are going to have to go through some re-building years soon so you might get lucky with them bottoming out when you get their pick. The second trade I would explore is Almond and Harpring for a decent back up big man. I would move forward assuming that the Jazz are going to be able to re-sign Boozer and Okur, but not Milsap and try to get someone to fill that void.

Kyle and Dwayne sitting in a tree....

2008-10-30T20:48:00.003-06:00

Deron isn't the only one getting the big endorsements.

I wonder why they didn't choose Michael Doleac to represent the Caucasians?

Just 'cause you have a nickname doesn't mean you fit in, Birdman

2008-10-30T13:02:00.004-06:00

It’s FINALLY back!!! Jazz basketball! Well it was great to get our first win! I agree with Hammy, that it didn’t have all the luster without DWill and Carmelo but it was good to see the Jazz back in action!

My observation from last night was how bad did you feel for the white, very goofy Chris Andersen! He knows he is playing for the McThuggets and has too keep up with his appearance! During the offseason he did a lot of work, not on his game skills but body art! He spent countless amount of time in his favorite tattoo parlor trying to make himself fit in with the team! When his mother was asked about his offseason work she mentioned he “looks like a human coloring book.” Interesting take!

At least he has the background history that the GM of the McThuggets looks for when finding NBA talent (suspended for two year after the 2006 season for breaking the drug policy of the NBA) So maybe we shouldn’t feel so bad that he may not be fitting in! I am sure him and his fellow THUGS A.I, Carmelo, and lets not forget THUG LIFE himself K.Martin, have a lot to talk about on trips home after losing to the Jazz.

We could not have started out with beating a more disliked team by Jazz fans (Well at least by me). Lets keep it rolling and I hope to see DWill back on the court soon. Turn over fest last night! Good thing the McThuggets had the same problem!

Video of Black Out

2008-10-30T12:44:00.001-06:00

The Deseret News has a great video of the Jazz Black Out from last night's game against the Nuggets.

http://deseretnews.com/video/1,5563,600,00.html

Long live the Allan Parson's Project...

I thought they did a good job of keeping it fun, yet not thuggish like you would expect at the Pepsi Center.

The Wait is Finally Over. Game #1 vs. Nuggets!

2008-10-29T00:01:00.000-06:00

If you're like me, you've been waiting patiently for almost 6 months. Waiting for THIS...

Now, we all know that Deron will be watching from the sidelines, but that's no reason to not be totally amped up for the game!

-------------------------------

Game #1 vs. Denver Nuggets

The storyline for this game will no doubt be the absence of both Deron Williams for the Jazz and Carmelo Anthony for the Nuggets, who is serving a 2-game suspension for drunk driving. While Deron is the heart and soul of this Jazz team, I think Anthony is a bigger loss. The Jazz have depth at every position and can satisfactorily replace DWilll; Denver, on the other hand, will be hard-pressed to replace Anthony's 25.7 points and 7.4 rebounds, especially since they gave away their best rebounder and defender in Marcus Camby (who we'll see plenty of this weekend). Denver finished in the 8 seed last year and was handled easily by the Lakers in 4 games. The Jazz finished 4 games ahead of the Nuggets and won the season series 3-1 while scoring an average of 120.8 points per game.

This is essentially the same Jazz team as last year, aside from the Hart/Knight trade (YES!) and the addition of Kofous. Denver sent Camby to the Clippers for peanuts and lost Eduardo Najera to the Nets via free agency. Nene is back and so is the Birdman (the Nuggets' team preview can be found here).

Denver just doesn't seem all that threatening anymore. We beat them last year when they had a lot of talent, and they are not as good as they were then. The Jazz should win this going away, but look for Denver to fight pretty hard for the first 15 minutes or so. The combination of differing styles of Ronnie Price and Brevin Knight in the PG spot should make things difficult for the Nuggets, despite Allen Iverson's massive talent level (unfortunately, he can't score all their points...or can he?)

The line is Jazz by 7, I'll take the Jazz 105-96, but it'll be a 15 point game in the 4th quarter.

Be sure to head over to The Nugg Doctor and give them a little good-natured trash talk.

Jazz vs. Nuggets - Game 1

2008-10-28T22:51:00.002-06:00

Can we officially say that after the Jazz win this game Wednesday night that the Northwest division crown will be all wrapped up? I say yes we can, go ahead and put a fork in Denver, they are done. Unfortunately we are missing the two marquee players in this one so it might have a bit of an extended pre-season feel to it. D-Will is out with an injury and Carmelo is out with a case of being stupid. Way to keep it real Carmelo - you make 12 million per year, call a freakin cab or limo when you get drunk. Better yet, have the party at your house, I am sure that it is more tricked out than any bar you are at. Its time to start being a grown-up now Carmello.

On to 10 predictions for the game.

1 - Allen Iverson will go off for 40 but he will do it on 10-35 shooting and 12-15 from the line.
2 - Carmello will try to go out and get drunk after the game, but will not be able to due to the low alchohol level of Utah beer.
3 - Carlos Boozer will grab 20 rebounds. Who is going to stop him? And with AI jacking up 45 shots there will be plenty to get.
4 - Ronnie Price will dunk emphatically on Kenyon Martin.
5 - Does Kenyon Martin still play? (I know that is not a prediction, but is there a worse contract in the league than Kenyon Martin? Maybe Nene?)
6 - Ronnie Brewer will score 12 points in the first quarter on 4 dunks, 1 circus shot and 2 freethrows. Get ready for Ronnie Brewer Jazz fans, this is going to be a season full of ooh-aah dunks.
7 - The Jazz will score 120. In fact, I think every team in the league might score 120 on Denver this year.
8 - D-Will's ankle injury will get replayed about 25 times making all Jazz fans throw up a little in our mouths each time.
9 - AK will flirt with a triple double. The lack of defense by the Nuggets fit his helter skelter style perfectly.
10 - The lights are going to go out for pre-game introductions for the first time in Jazz history and Jaron Collins will trip over Kosta's feet further delaying his comeback from the horific off-season golf cart accident. Hurry back big fella, we need you.

All said, I for one can't wait for this game and season to get going. It has been a long offseason of torment and what ifs and its time for a season of redemption. I am a little bummed that game one is missing some of the flair with D-Will and Carmelo being out, but either way its game time and this is our year.

LABallTalk Team Blog Voting Results

2008-10-28T22:40:00.002-06:00

True Blue Jazz was voted the #1 Jazz blog on the net.

Thanks to all of you who actually went and voted for us.

Big props to the other Jazz blogs who participated.

SLC Dunk
All That Jazz
The Cowhide Globe

We are honored to share the same passion of Jazz basketball with you.

Skull Betrayal Dude = Fearless Love?

2008-10-28T14:38:00.001-06:00

<<boozer family.JPG>>
Eric Neel of ESPN put an interesting article together about Carlos Boozer and his son's sickle cell anemia. Good article. The title at the top is just slightly creepy.

I would love to type a quick editorial praising Carlos for being a great person. But there is a part of me that just won't allow me to do it. I won't go into details, but it's the result of something I saw first hand.

I wish Carmani the best in his healing and growth process. I hope having his family back in SLC puts Carlos in NBA mode and he is able to capture his regular season dominance and transfer it to the playoffs.

Here is a link to the article.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=boozers

Matt @ Hardwood Paroxysm LOVES THE JAZZ!

2008-10-27T23:59:00.002-06:00

I had to type that just to get a stir out of him. Finally a website he can't control.

Though you TBJ fans might like the Season Preview of the Utah Jazz over at HP.

I have to admit, he brings it...and he brings it hardcore. I actually agree with his assessment of AK. Matt hates the Jazz. True Blue Jazz hates the Rockets and Nuggets. Booner hates his man nippers. It's all in the circle of life. It's okay to disagree.

SLC Dunk didn't find it funny at all.

I really don't care either way. However I did ask Matt personally to reconsider one of his comments. I know he's a Hornets fan and I can't wait for the back-and-forth we'll get when these two teams meet in the post season.

Let the Jazz ripping begin!

(Please visit Hardwood Paroxysm and let him know your thoughts so he believes me when I tell them there is a Jazz Nation.)

Wow, we even got a follow-up article. Not every fanbase can say that.

Bloggers Power Rankings - Preseason

2008-10-27T22:50:00.005-06:00

Ryan at Hornets247 had a great idea this off season and decided to put together a group NBA bloggers and do a weekly Power Rankings. True Blue Jazz was happy to participate. This will become a new weekly segment throughout the season.

True Blue Jazz is excited to host the Power Rankings in November and February. These are the best and brightest NBA bloggers on the net. Surprising enough, not every blog put "their" team in first. I must admit that the Power Rankings are probably the most legit I've seen (next to USA Today...not). Perhaps this is because there are multiple people from every team involved.

I won't spoil the surprise and tell you where our boys in blue ended up. You'll have to visit Hornets247.com and find out for yourself. Feel free to leave a comment on his site and represent for the Jazz fans. We are currently getting slaughtered over there. Well...I am at least.

Power Rankings Roundup: 3 days until tipoff

2008-10-27T10:38:00.004-06:00

ESPN.com: 9

Sports Illustrated: 6

NBA.com: 5

Inside Hoops: 5

USA Today: 13 (WTF!?)

Fox Sports: 6

HoopsWorld: 8

High: 5. Low: 13. Average: 7.4

Game on in 56 hours!

Northwest Bloggers Season Preview

2008-10-24T14:01:00.005-06:00

Jeremy at Pickaxe and Roll put together a nice little survey for all of the Northwest Division bloggers to participate in. The results are back and I wanted to share them with you.

Let's just say it was a Utah Jazz love fest. You will find my comments after each question.

1. Who will be the Newcomer of the Year in the Northwest Division?
Greg Oden – 69.2% (9 votes)
Kevin Love – 15.4% (2 votes)
Mike Miller – 7.7% (1 vote)
Rudy Fernandez – 7.7% (1 vote)

CB Jack: That's some pretty stiff competition you got there Mr. Oden. Where is Brevin Knight on
this question?

2. Who is the most overrated player in the Northwest Division?
Carmelo Anthony – 46.2% (6 votes)
Carlos Boozer – 15.4% (2 votes)
Kevin Durant – 7.7% (1 vote)
Al Jefferson – 7.7% (1 vote)
Andrei Kirilenko – 7.7% (1 vote write in)
Jeff Green – 7.7% (1 vote write in)
Chucky Atkins – 7.7% (1 vote write in)

CB Jack: Thank the Lord that bloggers are finally starting to put their thinking caps on. Melo IS the most overrated player in the West and perhaps the NBA. I was a little surprised at the AK write-in (I know it was you Nugg Doctor…wait. How did he not get invited here? I am not happy about that at all. You must respect the Nugg Doctor). How can AK be overrated if he is no longer rated at all?

3. Who is the most underrated player in the Northwest Division?
Ronnie Brewer – 30.8% (4 votes)
Mehmet Okur – 23.1% (3 votes)
LaMarcus Aldridge – 15.4% (2 votes write in)
J.R. Smith – 7.7% (1 vote)
Ryan Gomes – 7.7% (1 vote write in)
Nick Collison – 7.7% (1 vote write in)
Joe Smith – 7.7% (1 vote write in)

CB Jack: Easy Ronnie. Don't let this stuff get to your head…on second thought, do. The TBJ boys and I attended the preseason game last night against Portland and come the 3rd quarter Booner says to me "Ronnie has 18 pts? When did that happen?". I have to say he has a legitimate change at making the All-Star game…if Kobe gets hurt, Brandon Roy does a boycott and the entire West Coast falls into the Ocean. So you're telling me there's a chance!?

4. Who is the worst rotation player (at least 15 minutes per game) in the Northwest Division?
Sebastian Telfair – 30.8% (4 votes)
Johan Petro – 30.4% (4 votes)
Jeff Green – 23.1% (3 votes)
Corey Brewer – 7.7% (1 vote)
Matt Harpring – 7.7% (1 vote)

CB Jack: Um…someone got this really wrong. I would put one CJ Miles at the top of this list. And every other "worst" and "overrated" list.

5. Who will make the playoffs?
Portland Trailblazers – 61.5% (8 votes)
Portland Trailblazers and Denver Nuggets – 23.1% (3 votes)
Denver Nuggets – 15.4% (2 votes)

CB Jack: zzzzzzz zzzzzzzzz

6. Are the Utah Jazz a legitimate championship contender?
Yes – 76.9% (10 votes)
No – 23.1% (3 votes)

CB Jack: Damn skippy they are. Again I'm sure the Denver blogs banned together and boycotted the Jazz in this answer. SLC > Denver biatches!

7. The Minnesota Timberwolves will be in the playoffs…
in 5 years – 38.5% (5 votes)
in 3 years – 23.1% (3 votes)
um…don’t hold your breath T-Wolves fans – 23.1% (3 votes)
next year – 15.4% (2 votes)

CB Jack: I couldn’t tell if this question was a joke or not? I think it was. I hope it was.

8. Who will be the player of the year in the Northwest Division?
Deron Williams – 77.0% (10 votes)
Al Jefferson – 15.4% (2 votes)
Greg Oden – 7.7% (1 vote write in)

CB Jack: Well done bloggers. I am so glad there wasn't an AI or Melo reference here. I understand the T-Wolves fans put Al Jefferson, I would too if he was on my team. I was a little surprised there was no mention of Brandon Roy?

9. Where will each team finish in the Northwest Division?
First – Utah Jazz – 100% (13 votes)
Second – Portland Trailblazers – 84.6% (11 votes)
Third – Denver Nuggets – 84.6% (11 votes)
Fourth – Minnesota Timberwolves – 92.3% (12 votes)
Fifth – Oklahoma City Thunder – 92.3% (12 votes)

CB Jack: And there you have it. All 13 bloggers agree that the Jazz will be hanging another "Northwest Division Champions" banner in the ESA. Pick-and-Roll said it best last night at the game: "We seriously need to stop hanging the division banners. It's time for a World Championship banner the size of the Great Salt Lake in this joint."

Here are the bloggers who conceded the division crown to us. This guys are doing great work.

Participants
Jeremy – Pickaxe and Roll
Andy – Denver Stiffs
Wyn – Canis Hoopus
College Wolf – TWolves Blog
Joe – Thunder Guru
Zebulun and Benjamin – Blue Blitz
Royce – Thunderworld
Casey – Trail Blazers Center Court
Coup – Rip City Project
Dave – Blazer’s Edge
Basketball John – SLC Dunk
UtesFan89 – The Utah Jazz
CB Jack – True Blue Jazz

Get Your Jazz On

2008-10-22T11:06:00.006-06:00

"This is our Year....No, Really, it is!"

ESPN just came out with their Western Conference Predictions. Chances are you're all nerds like me and have already read them. If not, however, here you go. Sure you can view every team in the West, but there is only one team that matters.

Pretty predictable stuff really. We are always going to be third on the list behind Kobe, CP3 and their clubs. I'm a bit disappointed by the few "4's" we have on there but our Homer, John Hollinger's #1 ranking makes up for that.

Could this be the year? In Utah, the phrase, "This is our Year" is a bit cliche. In fact, I think C.B. Jack has the "This is Our Year" banners from '96, '97, '98, '99, '06, '07 & '08 hanging on his newly born sons' wall. But the 2008-2009 Season may truly be our year. Why, well there are all sorts of reasons. We're young, yet mature, we have depth and a whole lot of talent. But realistically, lets cut the crap. After this year this team could completely dismantle. We know we can't afford everyone and who knows what trades will go down, who will stay who will go etc. The truth is, there is a sense of urgency felt by Jazz Nation that it's now or never. I'm feeling it. Call me crazy but I truly think we can do it. I'm ready to get this started and find out what the Jazz are made of.

I'm curious to see what you think. How would you rank the Western Conference? Be honest. (However, if I see one person rank Utah anything other than #1, I will find out who and where you are and send the Millsap bro's to take care of you. It can be done, I promise. Have you seen Eagle Eye? Watch your back naysayers.) No pressure though. Here is my completely un-biased prediction of how the Northwest will be Won this year:

1. Utah

2. Blazers

3. Wolves

4. Nuggets

5. Thunder (We will drop one to this team this year....guaranteed. Most likely right after we roll L.A. and Boston.)

My prediction for the West:

1. Utah

2. Hornets

3. Lakers

4. Suns

5. Spurs

6. Rockets

7. Mavs

8. Blazers

9. Clippers

10. Warriors

11. Nuggets

12. Wolves

13. Kings

14. Grizzlies

15. Thunder

Booner

Meet True Blue Jazz

2008-10-20T20:31:00.001-06:00

GOOD NEWS! ...sort of

2008-10-20T18:29:00.002-06:00

Deron will miss at least 2 weeks after an MRI revealed a second-degree sprain. After Ross Siler's post about the possibility of missing 4 weeks, hearing only 2 weeks sounds like great news. Deron could be back as early as game #3 against the Clippers, but that's probably pushing it, I would guess that his first game is either Portland on Nov 5 or Oklahoma City on Nov 7, right before we head out on a five-games-in-seven-nights Eastern road trip. Of course, there's still the possibility that he could miss 4 weeks, but I'm going to be optimistic.

SL Trib
Des News
ESPN

More Praise from Hollinger

2008-10-20T13:42:00.002-06:00

John Hollinger listed his 2008-2009 All-Breakout Team today. He breaks it down by how well known the players are and in the "You already knew, but..." category is Deron "MF'in GAMER" Williams:

Does anyone else find it a little weird that he hasn't made an All-Star team yet? Although he's had a bit of a setback thanks to Saturday night's ankle sprain, that oversight should be corrected this year -- especially if the Jazz are as good as I think they'll be. Williams has a good chance of passing Steve Nash and Chauncey Billups in the point guard hierarchy given his steady improvement; even last year, his numbers were much stronger after the break than before, including 12.0 assists per game in the second half. And while Carlos Boozer busies himself with the vagaries of the South Florida real estate market, Williams will spend a full year as Utah's unquestioned go-to guy.

Also on the list is Ronnie "Don't Call me Ron" Brewer. Hollinger puts him in the "Stealth All-Star Candidates" category with this description:

If I had to vote one guy as the league's most underrated player, it's him. A productive two-way player for one of the league's best teams, the third-year pro reportedly has shot the ball far better this preseason -- and that was his one weakness. Even if he doesn't improve a lick from outside, his knack for scoring around the basket and
improving defensive skills make him one of the best players at his position, and he's still getting better at only 23. With his playing time likely to increase along with his prominence on a key Western contender, he may not stay underrated for long.

I'm not sure how I feel about all this attention from Hollinger. In the past we have flown under the radar just long enough to sneak up on some teams. Ask any "expert" who the top 3 Western Conference contenders are and you'll be hard-pressed to hear anyone name the Jazz. But if we keep getting pub then it'll be harder to sneak up on anyone.

However, it may be stupid to think that we'll be sneaking up on ANYONE this year. With 15 playoff victories in the last 2 years, I doubt that any team is going to look past the Jazz.

It Could be Worse...

2008-10-20T10:43:00.010-06:00

In an effort to remove this image of D-Will from my mind I started thinking about ways this D-Will injury could be worse. Now, I know the results from the MRI are still up in the air, but lets assume worst case scenario and D-Will is out 4-5 weeks. Which I should say before I get into the lighter side of things, would ruin, Halloween and Thanksgiving....not to mention me and my four year old daughters birthdays. In fact, I've already told my daughter if D-Will is not back by her birthday she can count out any gifts. Why, you ask. Because I will be using the funds for the weekly bouquet of flowers I'll be sending to D-Will. Stalker? No. True Blue Loving Caring Fan? Yes. There is still hope for us Jazz fans. Here is why.

Some of you know I am a die-hard New England Patriots fan. Let me tell you this, I would give up making love to my wife for Tom Brady only to have a "Left ankle inversion sprain." (My wife would give me up completely for Tom Brady.) Had he suffered the same injury as D-Will, there would still be hope in site for Patriot Nation.

At least we don't have this guy:

Remember this celebratory-induced injury? (my personal favorite.)

Ahhh, eeee, ewwww, ahhhh.

Do I really need to explain why D-Will's sprain is better than this?

(Don't look if you have a weak stomache)Umm, yea. I'll take the sprain over this.

So, cheer up Jazz fans. If there is one thing D-Will has proven to me, it's that the guy wants to play and he wants to win. He will be back. Whether it's two weeks or four weeks, Deron will be back and the Jazz will be just fine. Besides, look at it this way, we still have Boozer. This could be his chance to carry us.......on second thought. Hurry up D-Will, please hurry up.

Booner

DERON HURT

2008-10-18T19:05:00.008-06:00

I was just watching the preseason game against the Bulls and Deron rolled his ankle pretty bad on a 3-point shot in the first quarter. He came down on Rose's foot and was writhing in pain before being carried off the court. I HATE speculating, but it looked bad enough that he might miss the first couple games of the season. This team is maybe a .500 team without him, HEAL FAST AND COME BACK WITH A VENGEANCE!!

Couldn't get the video up before ESPN (roomie's Bday party had precedence) but here's ESPN's recap and video highlights (NBA.com highlights as well). Make sure your desk is clear of sharp objects.

UPDATE: Left ankle inversion sprain and X-rays are negative.

UPDATE 2: Ross Siler points out that a severe ankle sprain means Deron would likely be out for 4 weeks, which which takes us to Nov 19 against Milwaukee, 11 games into the season. These are the games he could miss if it is a "severe" sprain:

Denver
Clippers
@ Clippers
Blazers
@ Thunder
@ Knicks
@ Sixers
@ Wizards
@ Bobcats
@ Cavs
Suns

Without Deron I predict a 6-5 start; WITH Deron that's easily 9-2. Let's all pray to the Basketball Gods, on this Sunday, that it was not as bad as it looked and that he'll be back in 2 weeks!

CB Jack vs. CJ Miles: Round 5

2008-10-16T19:02:00.008-06:00

Here was my thought process as I watched the preseason game against the Nuggets.

Before the game:
"I should post a recap about the game and rag on the Nuggets. I should also post about how the current Jazz players are starting to look more like the 90's Jazz players."

After the 1st quarter:
"I should post about how I don't like the Nuggets and how they have become the Cincinnati Bengals of the NBA."

At Halftime:
"I think I'll post about how Deron Williams is an underrated defender"

After the 3rd quarter:
"I am definitely going to post about how Deron is an underrated defender, how Boozer is still soft, how AK should NOT be coming off the bench, and how I didn't really miss Matt Harpring except when Kenyon Martin was on the floor and I wanted them to fight."

After regulation:
"I wish this game would end. I should blog on that. I should blog on the fact that the Nuggets have no business challenging the Jazz for the division title. The Northwest Division is a two horse race. Jazz and Blazers."

After the OT loss:
"I have given this team my heart and soul. I have dedicated countless hours to complaining about their every move and praising their every other move. I have jumped on and off of multiple band wagons. But one bandwagon I have driven and am wearing a seat belt on is the CJ MILES IS HORRIBLE bandwagon. If he trips and loses another game for this team, preseason or not, I am going to jump Jazz ship all together."

Hop on Jazz fans because it's the truth.

(Queue my venom for CJ Miles to start foaming from my mouth)

You think the Feds bailed out Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae? You think they are letting Wall Street executives off the hook? This is nothing compared to the Bailout we are giving Kevin O'Connor and the Jazz Brass for signing CJ Miles to his fat contract.

How on earth did we let them convince us that CJ Miles was worth 14.8M over 4 years. Honestly. Maybe it was our fault. The Bloggers fault for not making a big enough stink that this guy is not the future, he is not a starter, and he is an NBA journeyman at best.

No, I refuse to take the blame. I'm blaming all of you Jazz fans. I'm blaming Larry Miller's illness. I'm blaming Greg Miller for letting K'OC talk him into one of the biggest blunders in Jazz history. That's right, I just dropped the history line.

Don't give me the "It's Preseason" line either. Here are CJ's stats so far in this preseason.

-Started all 4 games
-just under 20 minutes per game
-Shooting 29.2% from the field
-Shooting 68% from FT line
-Shooting 20% from 3-pt line
-2.5 rebounds
-1.8 assists
-2 turnovers
-7 pts per game

Do not start this kid under any circumstances. His defense has been below average at best. Don't try and talk me out of this. Sorry Hammy but I just cannot agree with you or the rest of the world about bringing AK off the bench and starting CJ. The blogging world and beat writers everywhere are justifying themselves with claims that are nothing short of a reach. Fact is, the Jazz are a slow starting team and having CJ "Light's out" Miles starting will only add to that. AK has played with this starting group for 4 years. He knows them and they know him. I can attach a CB Jack personal guarantee that AK's numbers will be the exact same whether he starts or comes off the bench. Only one thing can motivate AK and that is AK himself.

So CJ, when you read this (we know you will because every NBA star Google's himself 3 times a day), I dare you to comment and tell me you feel good about accepting that fat paycheck every two weeks. Tell me that you deserve starter minutes. Tell me that you're gonna prove us all wrong and that this is finally your year. Tell me CJ. And in return I will call you a fake to your face.

I will not rest until CJ Miles is not in a Jazz uniform. Jazz nation will agree by the end of November Think about this post next year when we are looking for 15M to sign our core players.

Oh, and since I had already done the leg work. Here is what I originally wanted to blog about after the 1st quarter.

Millsap bringing back the Big Dog Antoine Carr look.

And did Felton Spencer have a child named Kevin Lyde?

The AK Debate Rages On

2008-10-14T08:58:00.002-06:00

I have to admit, I am intrigued by the idea/plan to bring AK off the bench. I think that bringing AK in with the second group could be the missing link for the Jazz. Realistically you could replace AK in the starting line-up with CB Jack and that unit would still be good so why not bring him off the bench and give him more control with the 2nd unit? Here are the possitives that I see with this move:

AK gets to be more of a facilitator with the second unit. The offense should run through him and that is not a bad thing. AK is not a black hole shooter, he likes to make the great assist as much as scoring.
AK gets to play against other teams second units. This should help all of his stats and make him happy. Happy AK = productive AK.
No more Matt Harpring. I love the energy and toughness that Matt brings, but he is a shell of his former self and needs to become more of what CJ Miles was last year.
Gives Almond and Miles some minutes to see what they can do with the starters as spot up shooters. Whoever is in this spot will get plenty of good looks.
The starters would only have one player (Brewer) that the other team could leave open to double D-Will and Booze instead of two. Imagine Booze and D-will going one on one with the ability to kick it out to two shooters (Memo and Miles/Almond) or find Brewer cutting. The offense should be dy-no-mite.

This would be your second unit for the Jazz. This group could beat the Sonics (I refuse to call them the Thunder) or Grizzlies first team guys.

Backcourt - Price or Knight and Korver
Frontcourt - AK, Millsap and either Booze or Memo depending on the rotation.

I am curious to see how this all plays out when Matt comes back, but I have high hopes for the Jazz with AK coming off the bench. Chime on what you think will happen if AK stays as the 6th man for the season. I am curious to see what everyone else thinks about this.

Are the Blazers for real? Let's find out...

2008-10-10T18:06:00.001-06:00

<<Blazersedge.gif>>

In preparation for the BIG HUGE VERY IMPORTANT preseason game against Portland on Sunday, we shot a few quick questions over to Dave at www.blazersedge.com. Here is the skinny...

TBJ: The Blazers won the season series against the Jazz last year 3-1. Who wins the season series this year.

BE: Best guess: 2-2. The Blazers still have some nice matchups but everybody is going to be taking Portland more seriously this year, including the Jazz.

TBJ Note: I could see this happening. The Jazz struggled with the Blazers last year. I can't wait to see what Blazer has his career night against the Jazz. I'm expecting Steve Blake to drop 32 and 15 assists on us.

TBJ: Compare Mehmet Okur with Arvydas Sabonis. 1-on-1 who would win in their prime.

BE: The key here is “in their prime”. Sabonis never played in the NBA in his prime. Before injuries took him he was an absolutely huge man who could dribble and pass like a point guard, shoot like a small forward, and dominate centers. He’d have killed Okur no matter what stage of his career Mehmet was in. The NBA Sabonis…I still would rather have him as a Blazer because I loved watching him but from a straight statistical standpoint Mehmet has a strong argument and I'd expect Jazz fans to choose him.

TBJ Note: You are expecting correct. Jazz fans will always certainly take Memo here. Although Arvydus was hands down the first Euro player who I really liked.

TBJ: Which rising star will win a title first: Deron Williams or Brandon Roy

BE: Williams won’t have the players around him that Roy will. Brandon has the better chance. That doesn’t mean he’s a better player or that the Blazers are a better team right now. Portland’s starting lower but their upward arc is steeper.

TBJ Note: This could be true as well. While I think the Jazz window is open and the Trophy is beckoning them to enter. The Blazers chance is right around the corner, but I'm interested to see how they keep all of their young talent in Red and Black.

TBJ: What trade would it take to get Brandon Roy in a Utah Jazz uniform.

BE: Deron Williams. Nothing else would come close. Roy is a near-perfect fit for the Blazers.

TBJ Note: Not. Gonna. Happen. I like Roy. I like him a lot. But you can't put him on the same tier as D-Will. How about a Brewer/Milsap/Collins/Harpring/Price/Knight/Boozer deal?

TBJ: If you could create a Blazers/Jazz Dream Team starting 5. Who would fill what position. Who would be the 6th man (cannot be a starter) and who would be the coach.

BE: Williams, Roy, Kirilenko, Aldridge, Oden. Sixth man is hard to say right now. I like Korver and Millsap but I might be tempted to go with someone like Rudy Fernandez in the long run because he can play multiple positions. I know Jazz fans are going to argue about the Aldridge/Boozer thing but I’m assuming we’re putting a team together for multiple years and Aldridge is going to be an all-around beast in about a season and a half. Plus he complements Oden well. I need someone who can shoot deep and defend the perimeter more than I need another 20-point guy with that backcourt.

TBJ Note: Aldridge? I like him, but doesn't he need to prove himself before starting over a two time All-Star and Gold Medalist? I would say Milsap or Korver because Rudy Fernandez again hasn't proven himself. You're putting him there 100% on "upside". Just agree with you there.

TBJ: Thanks and us Jazz fans look forward to embarrassing your young, inexperienced team ;)

BE: Enjoy it while you can.

Thanks to Dave for taking time out of his absolutely freakishly amazing busy day working on Blazers Edge. That blog has game.

A Quick chat with Bright Side of the Sun

2008-10-09T13:15:00.001-06:00

<<Bright.gif>>
As the Jazz prepare to play the Suns tonight, we took a quick moment to chat with the #1 Suns blog on the net, Bright Side of The Sun.

1. Who would you rather have leading your team today: Deron Williams or Steve Nash and why?

Today Steve Nash. But tomorrow and from there on Mr. Williams. I like D-Will's game a lot and his make up. And his size. I think we've clearly seen the best from Nash in the rear view mirror. If he's not over used he should have another good year left in him but he's just not the same player that he was. I am hoping that by next year he can come off the bench. Maybe

we can trade him for CP3 in 2010?

2. Who will go down with an injury first (missing 10+ games): AK-47 or Amare

Other then goofy hair and tearful moments there's really nothing I would pick AK-47 over Amare for. Besides, Amare only get's hurt before the season starts. He's actually pretty durable. I am thinking that next year we just sit him out until November.

3. Did the Jazz make a bad decision letting Raja Bell leave as a Free Agent?

Yes. Or maybe not. Tough call. I don't think he's better then Ronnie Brewer right now but I do think he's a perfect Jerry Sloan type guy so I don't know why they let him go.

4. How do you see the season series playing out this year? Last year the Jazz won the series 2-1. Will Deron ever dunk on Shaq?

Do we play this year? Honestly, I haven't given the Jazz much thought. 2-1 sounds good. Or 2-2 perhaps. I think both teams are more focused on their division rivals. You guys need to be watching the Blazers and we will focus on the Lakers. Do we play the Jazz this year?

5. Pretend the Jazz and Suns merge into one team. Who starts at what position and why? Who is the 6th man (cannot be a current starter). Who coaches the team?

You asked me this question last year. Same answer <http://www.truebluejazz.com/2008/03/come-with-us-to-bright-side-of-sun.html>applies except you can move Amare to PF and put Shaq in as Center. I am no longer a Boozer fan and I still would take an old Grant Hill over AK-47. What a waste of contract. Can't you trade him to Moscow for some borsht?

I think a rivalry requires a two way street. I just don't find myself up for the Jazz this year. I think you guys took a step back and so did we.

Editors Note: Allllrighty then. (Insert smiley face with blank stare here). That's fine they feel that way, I mean I didn't even consider the Suns a rival either, ever… in a world. (sniffle sniffle) I mean who would want to be rivals with a team who shares state lines…or is in the same Western Conference… or also has purple in their team color…

So there you go Jazz fans. Thanks to Phx Stan for taking time to chat with us.

5 Stupid Things Fans Say

2008-10-08T14:20:00.001-06:00

You probably know them by heart, but I thought it would be a good idea to make sure that everyone knows the phrases to avoid in any semi-serious sports discussion.

Team X will never win a championship. Really Carnac? You've seen the future? People were saying that about the Red Sox for years, but, lo and behold, they've now won twice in 5 years. This hits home with the Jazz because people were claiming the Jazz would never win a championship after the 2 Finals appearances in '97 and '98. It's ridiculous for obvious reasons, no one knows what moves will be made or what players will get hurt.
Your team only won because ____________. You're right, we only won because you shot 10-20 from the free throw line, we shouldn't count this game. We only won because your best player had an "off" night, so we'll forget about this game in the win column. Jazz fans should be familiar with this one after last season's playoffs. The Lakers only won because the refs kept Kobe at the free throw line. Well, he's a hell of a player and the Jazz foul a lot, it was going to happen. The Jazz certainly could have overcome it, but the Lakers were just better. THERE, I said it.
The refs lost us the game. Anyone who still uses this line seriously needs to be hit over the head with something heavy. Even in the Chargers/Broncos game, Denver still had to score and then they went for 2! The Chargers had their chances to stop them. Granted they likely would have been able to just run out the clock had Hochuli made the right call, but it's not like the refs took points off the board or anything. Officials can't put the ball in the hoop, get the ball between the uprights, or get an RBI. Officials miss calls and even make bad calls, deal with it.
Team/Player X would beat/is better than Team/Player Y from 25 years ago. This one makes me crazy. The '96 Bulls would have beaten the '71 Sixers, it wouldn't even be close. There is no way to calculate how stupid these claims are. How do you measure talent across generations? George Mikan dominated the game in his prime, but so did Chamberlain, Abdul-Jabbar, Jordan, Magic, Bird, O'Neal, Bryant, Williams, etc. It's like saying that Genghis Khan would have beaten Abraham Lincoln in a fist fight (flashbacks to Bill and Ted, anyone?)
Your team sucks. The most basic of insults. I doubt any other phrase is used more often. I hear this a lot from Jazz haters out here in the Midwest, and it's usually from the less intelligent "fans." If your team is floating around .500 or better, you do not suck. You may be bad defensively or horrible free throw shooters or have no bullpen, but almost any team can win on almost any day, for example: any Jazz road game against a sub .500 team, Warriors over Mavericks, Nuggets over Sonics ('95), Dodgers over Cubs, Red Sox over Yankees ('04), Dolphins over Patriots, and maybe 25% of all games played in all sports in a given season. Your team may have a bad season, but trying reduce an entire season to, "you guys suck" is really an insult to sports in general.

Having said all that, let me finish with this: the Cubs will never win a World Series, the Bulls only won in '98 because Jordan pushed off, the refs lost us the series last year, the '98 Jazz would have beaten any of the last 7 Finals teams, and the Rockets SUCK.

Let the (Pre-Season) Games Begin

2008-10-06T11:35:00.006-06:00

The First Annual "Hammies"

I know its only pre-season and that the games matter about as much as T. Boone Pickens presidential campaign adds do, but I for one am pumped to see some Jazz action again. I can't wait to hear Craig Bolerjack say, "Were coming to you live from..." or to hear Ron Boone say something silly like, " I think the key to winning tonight is to score more points than the opposition". So, before we get the games under way, I want to present my pre-season Jazz team awards.

MVP

This could go to Matt Harpring if he retires and clears his 6 mil off the books, Andrei Kirilenko if he decides to restructure his contract down to 8 or 9 mil per year or CJ Miles if he is indeed the next coming of Larry Bird, but since none of that will happen it goes Deron Williams. Easiest choice of the year, by a long shot.

Bold Prediction: Deron will be the leading League MVP candidate after the first third of the season. Take that Chris Paul!

Most Improved

From the camp reports that I read and the performance in the scrimmage game I think Ronnie Brewer will take this one for a second straight year. Imagine if Ronnie can actually hit the three at about 35% this year, he could be a borderline all-star.

Bold Prediction: Ronnie will be a second or third all NBA defensive team member.

Most Declined

Matt Harpring. All signs point to Matt becoming an after thought for the Jazz as the season wears on. His style of play has finally caught up to him and the young guys are ready to take his place. On a side note, did you guys know that Matt Harpring was a football player?

Bold Prediction: Matt is included in the complicated 4 team deal. See "Most to Gain" below for more details.

Most to Lose

Doesn't this have to be Carlos Boozer as he is looking to opt out and get paid next year? If it's playoff Boozer for 82 games he might as well not opt out because who is going to pay a 15 point, 10 board, 41% shooting no defense PF more than the 13 mil he is guaranteed from the Jazz? On the other hand if he goes 22 and 12 and plays just a smidge of D he will command 5 years and 100 mil and would get it for sure. A not so close second would be Memo as he can opt out as well, but I think at this point you know what you are going to get with Memo and can figure on pretty solid raise for him no matter what.

Bold Prediction: Carlos will average career highs across the board, even on D further proving that money is the best motivator for these athletes.

Most to Prove

CJ Miles, hands down. You got your money, now go out and earn it. And I don't want to hear anyone say that Sloan has to give him a chance. I think its pretty obvious that if you are deserving of playing time over another player, Sloan will give it to you. At the very least CJ should be able to take over Harpring's minutes.

Bold Prediction: CJ averages 10 shot attempts per game in only 10 minutes per game.

Most to Gain

Paul Milsap. Paul, it was nice knowing you. I hope you put up good numbers in Memphis or Oklahoma City next year because you sir are going to get some jack. I really hope the kid gets his and does well for who ever it is, because unless the Jazz let Carlos walk there is no way they can match the 5 year 50 mil deal he is sure to get. Paul's biggest goal this year should be to not blow out his knee and ruin that next contract.

Bold Prediction: Along with Matt Harpring Paul is involved in a complicated 4 team trade signing a long term extension with a new team and bringing the Jazz 1 expiring contract and 2 draft picks from some team that is on the bubble of making the playoffs.

Steadiest Performer

Adrei Kirilenko is going to surprise us this year. He is not going to make us think that he is getting paid what he deserves, but he will make us forget what he is getting paid if that make sense. I think that Andrei has finally "matured" enough to understand his role and is happy doing it.

Bold Prediction: Andrei will very quietly get 2 5x5's and 3 triple doubles this year.

Final Thoughts

So there you have it and like all future tellers I will be happy (outside of Deron for MVP, that is a lock) if I am right on any of these. As a preview of pre-season game number 1 all I can say is that the Jazz will kick the crap out of the Lakers and I hope that Kobe's pinkie falls off as he is getting fouled relentlessly by the Jazz.

Introducing your Bearded Utah Jazz

2008-10-01T20:22:00.010-06:00

What do the Jazz need to reach that almighty pinnacle of an NBA Championship?

Facial Hair.

History has shown us that the beard commands attention and power.

Let us take a quick journey together...

Honest Beards: Abe's beard commanded respect, and an entire nation.

The White Wisdom Beard: Moses knew what it would take to have people follow him: A beard (The hand of God helped as well)

The "I'm dead serious" Beard: Brother Brigham led many people through difficult times, knowing that better times were just around the corner.

The "I wish it was real" Beard: Gumdrops and dump trucks. The one beard who has heard almost as many prayers as Jesus.

High Energy Beard: Macho Man knew how to use his beard to harvest his high energy even in to his early 50's.

Been around the Block Beard: ZZ Top knew how to use their beards to become superstars. Even though they never really deserved that title.

"I Pity the Fool" Beard: This vicious combination of Mohawk and beard made us all want to drive a black van with sweet rims.

Seriously, not again Randy.

I'll kill you and smile doing it Beard: This is a beard the Jazz could really use. This beard taught us that you never quit.

Funny Beard: Beards that didn't last nearly long enough. Their lives were short, but sweet.

I just made Beards cool: You can always raise your game a notch by showing up on a big night with one of these bad boys.

Smart Beard: Apple wouldn't be where it was today if it wasn't for the smartest most inventive beard on the planet.

So if you want to win an NBA championship, what do you do?

That's right. Release the facial hair. Boozer got us started with his "Bald But Beardy" look during the playoffs last year. Deron followed suit with his "Team USA Serious" beard. Memo showed up to camp with his "A year older and wiser Euro Beard". And last but not least Ronnie is still sporting his High School Sophomore mustache/patchy thing. The only guy left out is AK, which is surprising because with a prominent chin like his, you'd think he do whatever it took to compensate.

Let's break down each player and what beard they need in order to step their game up this season.

Andrei Kirilenko
Needs Steve Jobs' beard for his brains and ability to adapt.
Needs Santa Claus' beard for his ability to bring out the best in others.
Needs ZZ Tops beard to quit looking like a 17 year old.

Memo
Needs honest Abe's beard to keep him true to his position and play some interior D like he is supposed to .
Needs Macho Man Randy Savage's beard to build a fire in him and keep his energy level up the entire season.

Ronnie Brewer
Needs a Moses' beard to get a little older and more mature.
Needs one of the 300 beards to get that killer instinct and not give into all the prime time two guards he'll be facing this season.

Carlos Boozer
Needs Honest Abe's beard more than anyone in the league.
Needs Mr. T's beard to help him scare the bejesus out of anyone who steps in front of him in the paint. Ditch the little hook Booz and take it to them hard.

Deron Williams
This guy has a little of each of these beards.
Needs a little more Moses' beard to help him make wise decisions and take a game over when needed.
Needs Jim Halpert's beard to help him become the next big thing in the NBA and get in some high profile endorsements.
Needs Conan and Dave's beard to take his interviews a little less serious and let his true funny personality come through.
Needs brother Brigham's beard to help lead Jazz Nation to Zion and the Larry O'Brien trophy.

So there you have it. Put that Barbasol away Jazz men, because we are calling out the Facial Hair Gods to smile on you and take your game to the next level.

Go Jazz!

John Hollinger is the smartest man alive

2008-10-01T16:18:00.001-06:00

After yesterday's clearly erroneous power rankings, John Hollinger has released his predictions for the upcoming NBA season. Instead of barely making the top third, Hollinger is predicting the Jazz to be the #1 seed in the West, and, in his subsequent chat, announced that he is picking a Utah/Boston finals.

His analysis of the team is pretty spot on. He lists the biggest weakness as interior defense which we here at True Blue Jazz have been complaining about for quite some time. The biggest strength, Hollinger claims, is interior scoring, which is pretty accurate since the Jazz are a layup team (which is also why they are always at or near the top of the FG% list).

Hollinger lays out the West like this (remember this ISN'T a power ranking, but a prediction of how the seeding will end up):

Jazz
Lakers
Rockets
Hornets
Spurs
Suns (tie with Mavs)
Mavs (tie with Suns)
Blazers

This seams pretty reasonable to me. Obviously there are a LOT of games to be played and injuries always play a big factor, but, in our opinion, Hollinger is on the right track.

Marc Stein is a MORON!!

2008-09-29T15:27:00.003-06:00

So Marc Stein of ESPN.com released his first power rankings of the new season and I have a few things to say about it. I understand that he says this is not a predicted order of finish, but rather an outlook of the season heading into camp. Whatever, you still suck Stein.

1 - I am okay with his top 2 teams. Boston has to be first and the Lakers have to be second, done and done.

It goes down hill from there for Mr. Stein.

2 - New Orleans comes in at #3. Enough with the Chris Paul love affair already. Did he somehow accidentally walk into a full blown orgy that all of the media people were having and is now black-mailing all of them with the pictures? We get it, he's good, but answer me this - Who was the better player for team USA, Chris Paul or Deron Williams? Even the most biased Chris Paul homer has to admit that those two played to a dead draw in the Olympics. Is there any real difference between the Jazz and Hornets? The way I see it, these two teams are pretty dead even.

3 - Houston at #4. How many times does Tracy McGrady have to get beaten in the first round of the playoffs before the media wises up and stops picking them? Apparently the answer is at least one more time.

4 - Next come the Spurs at #5, Cavs at #6 and Pistons at #7. Maybe its okay to put the Spurs here because they have proven over time that they are capable of winning in the post season. (Which is the exact opposite of the Rockets and how they got their ranking by the way.) Cavs are once again a one trick pony and the Pistons have been paper tigers for the last 4 years.

5 - The Sixers are in at #8. This is where Marc Stein must have started feeling the effects of that late night in New Orleans buying drinks for Chris Paul. He put the effing 76ers ahead of the Jazz. Elton Brand has done absolutely nothing in his career. Elton Brand and Tracy McGrady are the two players with the most talent, but least to show for it in the league. The Sixers are going to be better for sure, but there is no way they have a better outlook for the season than the Jazz (See # 6 for proof).

6 - Finally we see the Jazz come in at #9. I am keeping in mind that Stein's rankings are supposedly reflective of what the teams did during the off season and their outlook for the 08-09 season ahead so with that being said these are some of the hi-lights for the Jazz this summer:

Boozer and Williams play for team USA and were the only teammates to do so.
Deron Williams signs his extension and officially takes over the keys of the team
AK keeps his mouth shut and also gets good practice in during the Olympics
Memo gets healthy healing his bad back and left foot
Ron Brewer gets a year better and spends 3 hours per day in the gym working on his jumper
Jason Shart is sent packing back to LA for Brevin Knight who is just happy to be here

Just because the Jazz did not sign a drug-addict or a crazy guy during the off season does not mean they had a bad one. Everything the Jazz did was positive for the upcoming year. There is no animosity on this team right now, everyone is healthy and happy to be together. You can reasonably expect that except for Harpring, Collins and Brevin Knight all of the Jazz players will be better than they were last year due to being a year better not a year older. The main core of players are all under 30 and still in the prime of their careers. Give me one negative thing that happened to the Jazz over the summer that will impact this coming year? Even the dumb-ass signing of CJ Miles does not impact them negatively this year. This was the most boring summer ever to be a Jazz fan and that has to be a good thing.

As for the rest of the rankings, the Nuggets were in at 18 and that seems about right. I really did not care to see how the rest of them shook out after realizing that Marc Stein is a MORON!

Denver > SLC? Depends who you ask.

2008-09-28T16:06:00.014-06:00

Once again I post in an effort to keep the healthy rivalry we have with the NuggDoctor and Denver McNuggets fans in general alive. The season opener is October 29th when our Utah Jazz will play host to the Carmelo Anthony-less Denver Nuggets. One of the NuggDoctors readers (The persons name is Kayce so it seems to be more of a female spelling to me) decided to post his/her thoughts on how The SLC has an inferiority complex to Denver. I can't resist. Let's discuss each claim and then follow it with a fact.

Claim #1: Denver fans claim they would rather have this guy

and this guy

playing for them rather than AK and Korver.

Domestic Assault + DUI + Violating the NBA drug policy = Your Denver Nuggets

Fact: Jazz players are far better people than any of the Denver Nuggets. Here's proof.

Kirilenko's Kids

Korver in Africa

Deron allowing Doug Collins to wear his Gold Medal as a tribute to the 1972 medal boycott

Freebie from wife + Ashton look-a-like + 2 Gold Medal winners = Your Classy Utah Jazz

Claim #2. Denver fans think they have a better skyline than Salt Lake City.

Denver

Fact: This is true. And with that skyline comes a higher crime rate, increased reports of STD's, and more pollution. You can keep your superior skyline.

Salt Lake City

Claim #3. McNugget fans believe that 2 Nuggets fans can come into the ESA and cheer louder than all the Jazz fans combined. Those Denver fans know how to support their team.

Fact: This was when I realized that Denver fans have too much beer at their fingertips. Do a simple Google search of "loudest NBA arena". This is the first result to populate.

And here is another random post from a group of NBA fans talking about the loudest arena in the NBA. I don't exactly see The Pepsi Center in any of those lists.

Note from the Blogger:
Personal Experience: January 2007 my wife and I made a trip to Denver to watch the Jazz play the McNuggets.

I can tell you first hand, the Pepsi Center crowd was too drunk to realize a basketball game was going on. Although we were impressed at the number of fans who adorned themselves in Nugget blue. That was impressive. However as the Jazz took a 20+ point lead in the game, the crowd was more interested in frat boy drinking games and playing "What Nugget dancer has carried the most STD's at one time". Exciting games for fans to play, but overall it was a less than exciting arena. We didn't even get heckled for being decked out in Jazz gear. Maybe our Jazz attire needed to be written in Spanish for anyone to read it.

Claim #4: Denver is a superior sports city.

Fact: This too is true. Denver has NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA and these guys.

Claim #5: Utah mountains are inferior to Colorado mountains.

Fact: 2002 Olympic Winter Games. Greatest Snow on Earth. Brigham Young passed through Denver without saying "This is the place".

So there you go. Perhaps we're a little biased (we certainly don't think so). We'll leave it up to you to decide which city you'd rather call home. But remember, if you live in Denver you're more likely to be hit by a drunk driver. You're also more likely to be standing in line at a horrible airport. You're also more likely to be mugged, raped, get addicted to meth and find yourself living on moldy Big Mac buns from a McDonald's dumpster. I'm just sayin'.

Go Jazz!
Go Salt Lake City!

I present to you...your Denver Thuggetts!

2008-09-21T20:48:00.000-06:00

Our thuggish ruggish friends at the Nugg Doctor put together a nice little clip of our handsome boys Kyle and Andrei. Considering the fact that High School Musical 3 was filmed about 5 minutes away from both of their houses, this is probably a little more real than the Nugg Doctor realized. Also, don't forget that Andrei does get one "free pass" from Masha...

I found this video thanks to the Denver Narcotics Unit and guess who we found all looking for a quick fix...three of your beloved Denver Thuggets!

So without further adieu...get excited Denver Nuggets fans...Here are the players who will lead you to the 10th spot in the West this season!!

(see video in post below)

I hate you Denver Nuggets.

Let's get the season started!

Oh and let's start preparing for the Denver fans crying about how Melo will be suspended for the season opener...here's an idea. Don't drink and drive and perhaps you will get to play in more games.

Your Denver Thuggetts

2008-09-21T20:47:00.001-06:00

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Jazz Announce New Variable Ticket Pricing Plans

2008-09-20T17:50:00.003-06:00

Here's the deal, there are now 3 possible prices for a game ticket:

Regular individual game price - Face value ticket from box office or 355-DUNK or whatever.
Season ticket holder price - Discounted price because you're probably already spending 2 grand. Upper bowl season tickets have been half price for a couple seasons now I think.
The all new Premium Price - The press release doesn't say exactly what this means, but it doesn't take a marketing degree to realize this means HIGHER PRICE.

There are currently 10 games designated PREMIUM PRICE games: November 28 vs. Sacramento; November 29 vs. New Jersey; December 3 vs. Miami; December 26 vs. Dallas; January 24 vs. Cleveland; February 11 vs. L.A. Lakers; February 19 vs. Boston; February 21 vs. New Orleans; March 6 vs. Denver and March 28 vs. Phoenix.

Lakers, Cavs, Celtics, Hornets, etc....yeah these are going to be expensive tickets. Just one more way the NBA can shut out the regular guy! Jazz senior vice president of sales and marketing, Jim Olson, commented that "for some time there has been a growing trend in professional sports toward variable pricing," and that "This move creates additional resources that allow
us to deal with the ever increasing costs of operating a professional
sports franchise. We also continue to look for more ways to add value
and recognize our longtime season ticket holders and reward them for
their financial commitment to the organization." Here's the translation: "Everyone else is already doing it and it's going to make us a lot of money, especially from people we're already fleecing." Yay capitalism!

NBA "Experts" Predictions Vs. Mine

2008-09-15T15:14:00.004-06:00

"Someone please pay-us some attention. No one ever does."

First of all, Congratulations go out to C.B. Jack and his wife on the birth of their twin boys last week. Korver and Memo are doing well and should be heading home tomorrow. If you've seen the boys room and wardrobe it's safe to say Jazz Nation has just added two more fans. Congrats C.B. Jack and Family.

Anyhow, while reading the latest on the NFL I happened to accidentally hit "NBA" while surfing ESPN.com today and came across this: (I say accidentally because, due to lack of activity, there has been no reason to view that page for over a month now.)

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=ConferenceChamps-080911

A page full of predictions by NBA experts. Doesn't look like the Jazz are getting much love, or I should say, any more love than they ever get. I won't spoil any of the predictions, I'll let you click through them, but don't get your hopes up.

Not that we have reason to expect anything more than what we have done over the last two years. We have done very little to add to D-Will's team. Is there a deal in the works? I doubt it, but I'll keep crossing my fingers.

I hate to continue the negative post, but my biggest complaint in all of this is the lack of respect Deron Williams receives. Every year, every article, it's Kobe, Lebron, CP3 and D-Wade. Blah, blah, blah. At some point they HAVE to throw D-Will's name out there. Yes, we are the lowly Jazz from tiny-market SLC. But please, the guy needs to be mentioned and mentioned fast before these so-called "experts" start losing credibility. Fee free to think outside of the token four or five stars and look at other players who carry their team. Yes, I am a D-Will Homer, all of us Jazz fans are. But no more is it simply because he is the best player on a sub-par team. He is the best player on a very good team.

There, I feel better now. I figured if there was anyone I could vent to it would be my fellow Jazz homers.

Here are my un-biased predictions for the 2008-2009 Season:

Western Conference Champs: Utah Jazz

NBA Champs: Utah Jazz

MVP: Deron Williams

Rookie of the Year: Deron Williams (He's still eligible, I looked it up)

Coach of the Year: Hubie Brown (Sloan gets snubbed again as Hubie comes back to coach the T-Wolves to a .500 season.)

See, those are as fair and un-biased as they get. Please leave your predictions in the comment field. Go Jazz!

Booner

Seriously...NOTHING is going on

2008-09-12T21:16:00.004-06:00

Watch the BYU / UCLA game tomorrow, should be a good one. And certainly better than Utah (-24) vs Utah State High School (who also happen to be in ESPN's bottom 10 poll). They're not on at the same time, but seriously, do you really want to be watching football ALL DAY? You do? Oh, well, alright then, go Utes.

[update:] it's 42-0 at halftime, clearly I was wrong. Watch the Utes instead.

Because nothing else is going on...

2008-09-10T17:52:00.002-06:00

thanks Truehoop

Thanks for the Memories Beijing...

2008-08-25T14:06:00.006-06:00

There is one thing the Olympics have taught me. Even small market guys can get big time pub.

Bob McClaren (Deron's agent) has taught Deron how to become a superstar in a small market....see below

"If you have an opportunity to be in a commercial with Kobe, Lebron, Dwight and CP3..do it. Even if you have to hold a damn banjo."

"Get in photo shoots with current world icons. Even the goofy looking ones."

"Always stand next to Lebron and you will be in at least three times as many

publications as you would by yourself."

"If the best NBA players in the world are standing for a picture with Coach K? Put your arm around him like he's your father-in-law...even if CP3 gives you the evil eye."

"When posing for photos with CP3...always position yourself in front of him. No matter what."

"When the team gathers around should-be-Gold-Medal winner Doug Collins to put a Gold medal around his neck, make sure you give him your medal so you look unselfish and respectful to those Olympians who went before you."
(This is my favorite picture by the way.)

So there you go. If you are a young potential superstar but stuck in a small market town, just hook up with Bob McClaren and watch what he can do to your career.

Let's Do This Boys!

2008-08-23T10:48:00.005-06:00

Though it may be Ridiculously Corny, This is an Appropriate Team Picture

This? Well, this is the Team Photo of Silver Medalists

The "Redeem Team" is one win away from reclaiming Olympic Gold. Sunday Morning Team USA will face Spain...again, this time for Gold. This means those of us in Salt Lake City will be watching the game sometime Tuesday or Wednesday. (Thanks Local NBC Affiliate for showing coverage of the Local Dutch Oven Cook-Off, rather than live Olympic Coverage.)

The first match-up between these two was a bit lopsided with the US beating Spain 119-82. This game should have the same result, however, I do not want to get to over-confident. The good news is, we have home court advantage. Why, you ask? Well, first of all, the Chinese worship Kobe, Lebron, etc. as it is. Now, after "Team Photo-Gate 2008" I'm guessing the entire stadium is going to be on our side. (With the exception of Raul Lopez's sister and the Gasol family.....although, I have heard Mom Gasol is disappointed in her boys.")

With Home Court Advantage on our side and the fact that we are simply better than Spain, I would be shocked if our boys are not standing on the Podium Sunday receiving their Gold Medals. I just pray it doesn't come down to a couple of Boozer free throws with no time on the clock. Here are my predictions:

USA 107 Spain 81

Lebron- 28 Points, 8 Boards

D-Wade- 18 Points, 5 Boards

D-Will- 12 Points, 8 Assists

Carlos Boozer- 4 Points, 2 Boards. First chance of national coverage is marred due to lack of room on the podium. Boozer stands behind team as they receive their medals.

MVP for Spain- None other than Raul Lopez! The former Jazz man leads Spain with 6 Points, 1 Board, 4 fouls and 6 carries.

Bring it Home Redeem Team!

Booner

AK shoots 100% against Australia

2008-08-16T00:03:00.003-06:00

Too bad that was only from the free throw line where he was 4/4. How was he from the field you ask... a less-than-stellar 1/10. Yep, in 36 min of play, our own AK-47, the star of the Russian team, managed only 6 points in a 95-80 loss. However, he did collect 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals and a block; thereby solidifying his spot as one of the highest paid role players in the NBA.

I really love AK's game, but he's only worth about half of what we're paying him. With Booz and Memo looking for (another) big payday, AK's contract may be what sinks this team. Again, I love his game, but we need to trade him for an expiring contract and a center who can play (at least some) defense. At this point, I've even willing to trade him for a Laker, say...Odom? With Bynum back in the picture Odom will be the 4th or even 5th scoring option behind the Doberman, the Racist, the Laker fans' newly annointed basketball god, and the Turncoat. Odom shredded Booz during the playoffs so we know he has some game, although playing against Booz isn't the best way to gauge a player's offensive abilities since he apparently likes to fill his shoes with sand before the games.

Someone call KOC, I think I'm on to something here...

UPDATE: Ben Gordon doesn't want to play with the Bulls anymore. He stated today that he won't sign a qualifying offer and has played his last game with the Bulls. Gordon made $3.5 million last year and averaged 18.6 ppg and shot 41% from 3 (now THAT is efficiency, you listening AK?) I say sign-and-trade AK for Gordon and Gooden (Gooden is a making 7 mil but is in the last year of his contract). Gordon will likely sign for about 7 mil per (that's double his current salary) so with Gooden's salary coming off the books after this season, that's about 7.5 million more we have to spend on Oboozikur when they opt out. Pull the trigger O'Connor!

and Lakers fans call us Classless?

2008-08-13T09:53:00.003-06:00

Isn't that none other than Lakers star Pau Gasol 3rd from the left?

Feel free to comment Lakers fans.

Stay Classy Spain.

Hey Raul Lopez #6. We don't miss you.

Grading the "Redeem Team"

2008-08-12T17:15:00.011-06:00

How pathetic were the last 8 years for USA basketball that we have to redeem ourselves in the Olympics this year? I am not trying to be an arrogant American here, but we should not be trying to redeem ourselves of anything basketball related in the world arena. Over the last 8 years our best players were being selfish and arrogant and we put together teams hi-lighted by the likes of Richard Jefferson, Stephon Marbury and Shawn Marion. It is true that the world game has advanced, but not to the point that we would lose to Puerto Rico and Greece whose total population between the two countries can't be more than the state of New Jersey. But alas, we took our dominance for granted and here we are trying to restore the glory and redeem ourselves as the best in the world. After 2 games against a very spirited Chinese team and an Angolan team whose only goal was to lose by less than 40 do we really know anything about our team? Probably not, but I am going to give the players a grade anyway.

Starting 5

Jason Kidd: C-

All I have to say about Jason Kidd is "whatever". Its nice and all that you got off your rocker and came over to be the baby sitter, but feel free to contribute to the team at some time. Its time to give the floor to Chris Paul and Deron Williams full time.

Kobe Bryant: C+

Feel free to hit a shot Kobe. Your defense has been really good and I understand you are not trying to take over and be the main scoring option, but 1-15 from a really short 3 point line just plain sucks.

Lebron James: A

Dude is a freak and playing like an absolute animal on both ends of the floor. The only drawback to his game so far and the only thing keeping him from an A+ is his poor free throw shooting, 3 of 8 so far.

Carmello Anthony: C+

Horrible against China, played better against Angola. He is obviously not on this team for his defensive abilities so feel free to start being better offensively.

Dwight Howard: A-

The Man Child. I would trade AK, Boozer and Memo to get him on the Jazz. In the whole world, only Lebron can compete with this guy physically. I would like to see him rebound a bit more and block a few shots, but over all he is playing great.

The 6th Man

Dwayne Wade: A+

The MVP so far. His stat line for the first games:

38 Points, 13 of 15 shooting, 2 of 3 from 3, 10 of 12 Free Trows, 5 Boards, 3 Steals, 2 Assists.

Keep in mind that he has played a total of 36 minutes or just barely what he would have in 1 NBA game. He has missed a total of 4 shots including free throws. No more needs to be said.

The Rotation Players

Deron William and Chris Paul: B+

I hate putting these two together, but they really are playing very similar roles right now and both are doing it very well. Deron and Chris are both playing very solid overall games; scoring some, assisting some, rebounding a little, being a pest on D and between the two of them should be getting all of the PG / backup SG minutes at Jason Kidd's expense. The team excels when one or both of these two are on the court.

Chris Bosh: B

The Predator is playing some really good ball right now, but tends to get pushed around a bit by bigger opponents. He and Dwight Howard are a good change of pace combo for that position.

The Specialists

Michael Redd and Tayshaun Prince: B-

Both are here to do one thing that they do really good and nothing else. Redd is here to shoot and soften up a zone and Prince is here to be a defensive pest and cause havoc. Redd's shooting could be a little better, but overall they are meeting expectations with their current roles.

The Victory Cigar

Carlos Boozer: D

Tell me if this sounds familiar. Boozer has the ball on the low block at point blank range and misses the easy jump hook or attempts to finesse a finger roll when he should have just rammed it down some poor guys throat. Or how about this one, Boozer is guarding a so-so player in the low block and gets blown by on a simple spin move for 2 while he is left standing there with his back still facing the basket. Its almost like he thinks the guy is still in front of him. Point is, it was easy to look past the defensive short comings when his offense was so brilliant, but throughout the playoffs and now these first two Olympic games I am officially concerned.

Betrayal Skull Dude. We know him as Booz Hound.

2008-08-11T08:12:00.005-06:00

You gotta love that this article is on Cleveland.com. The entire city of Cleveland should see if the website www.bittercrybabies.com is available. When are they going to let Booz off the hook?

I know that Jazz fans need to begin preparing themselves for the ol' knife-in-the-back from Boozer, but I hope we aren't bitching about it for 6 years like Cavs fans.

Boozer earns his nickname
by Jodie Valade
Saturday August 09, 2008, 9:30 PM AP

In case anyone from Northeast Ohio forgot what he looks like, this is Carlos Boozer.Take heart, Cavaliers fans. About 1.3 billion people think Carlos Boozer lied, too. Or at least that he has an oddly shaped head.

In honor of the Beijing Olympics, which began Friday, The Plain Dealer sought to honor the ancient wisdom of China by unearthing some of the culture's nicknames for NBA players - since hoops is so popular in the Far East.

Our Chosen One, LeBron James, is "Xiao Huang Di," which means Little Emperor. That's a translation of his "King James" nickname, but interestingly is also the name of a syndrome that afflicts an excessively spoiled only child in China. Hey, we just report the facts.

According to Bao Renjun, a reporter for the Cleveland-based Erie Chinese
News, one of the more interesting nicknames is for Boozer.
The Utah Jazz forward is known to the 1.3 billion people in China as "Fan Gu Zai," which, loosely translated, means "Betrayal Skull Dude." Bao says Chinese use "Fan Gu Zai" to refer to those who betray, but "betrayal skull" also refers to a protuberant bone on the front or back of a head. The betrayal skull reference comes from the Chinese story of Zhuge Liang, one of China's most well-known intellectuals and military strategists. According to legend, before Zhuge died, he said, "Wei will betray the country sooner or later." Wei was a general under Zhuge's supervision.
"How do you know?" someone asked. "He has a protuberant bone on his head," Zhuge answered.

So Boozer's nickname of "Fan Gu Zai" is for two reasons: 1. His head is not exactly round, and 2. Chinese fans also believe that Boozer gave his word that he'd return to the Cavaliers in 2004 when he bolted to Utah for more money as a free agent. Who are we to question the wisdom of the Chinese?

LHM is still alive, barely

2008-08-08T18:34:00.001-06:00

Larry Miller was released from the hospital today after nearly 60 days. LHM suffered a heart attack and his subsequent recovery was hampered by his diabetes. He is using a wheelchair for the time being due to atrophy in his legs. Apparently he almost died several times while hospitalized. It's pretty clear why his businesses were put under his son's control. Glad to have you back! After all, we know you.

SL Trib
Des News

"One of these things is not like the others..."

2008-08-08T12:20:00.003-06:00

I take back any previous posts and or comments saying how we should keep AK. Maybe he can come and clown at my soon-to-be-born twin boys 1st birthday in that suit.

(Thanks to Ball Don't Lie for the picture.)

Hey Ronnie, quit toying with my emotions

2008-08-06T21:26:00.002-06:00

Yes, I realize that this is my 3rd post in 24 hrs. I am overachieving a bit here so please don't expect this throughout the year.

On Siler and Luhm's blog there's a great discussion with Ronnie Price. Ronnie states, in no uncertain terms, that he was basically BFF with Jason Hart. Not only that, but Hart was his "guardian angel." I love Ronnie, I do not love Jason. But this makes me feel bad for the constant beratement and general hatred of Jason.

Jason Hart was one of my best friends on the team. From that
standpoint, I'm happy for Jason because he's back home in L.A. with his
family. He gets to sleep in his own bed at night. So it's kind of a
blessing in disguise for him. He's been like a guardian angel to me
these past three years that I've been in the league. He's been there
and helped me grow a lot mentally. He's helped me with a lot of mental
aspects of this game. I'm just thankful that I've had him around long
enough so I could learn as much as I've learned from him.

Q: When I was talking to Jason, he was saying, "Please remind everybody that Ronnie and I are actually really good friends."

A: I'm telling you, great friends. Like I said, he's been a guardian
angel. There's so many mental up and downs that you can face in this
game, when you get to this level of basketball. The character that
Jason has and the man that he is has been special. If you watch, he's
my biggest fan when I'm on the court and I'm his biggest fan when he
was on the court. And I think that's the way it's supposed to be as
teammates in this league. If not, you can drive yourself crazy.

C'mon Ronnie! Why couldn't you just say that he was a total downer, or that he tortured small animals? Now I almost feel bad that he's gone! Almost.

Mark Your Calendars

2008-08-06T10:45:00.002-06:00

The 2008-2009 schedule was released this morning. First off, there will be FIVE Christmas Day games: Hornets @ Magic, Spurs @ Suns, Celtics @ Lakers, Wiz @ Cavs, and finally Mavs @ Blazers.

Now for the Jazz games:

Oct 29 - Opening game for the Jazz vs the rich and creamy Nougats
Nov 1 and Nov 3 - A home and home vs former Jazz man Jason Hart, watch as he goes off for 20 points and 12 assists in each game.
Nov 9 through Nov 15 - The Jazz's road mettle will be tested early. A 5 game trip versus the Knicks, 76ers, Wiz, Bobcats, and Cavs.
Nov 21 - @ Spurs, can we FINALLY win there?
Dec. 9 - 20th anniversary of Sloan as the Jazz head coach, but we're IN Minnesota, lame.
Dec 15 through Dec 23 - Annual pre-Christmas east coast road trip starts in Boston, then Nets, Pistons, Bulls, and Bucks.
Jan 2 - First of only 3 games against the Lakers (anyone want to guess if we get 2 home games or 2 road games?)
Jan 7 - Hornets @ Jazz, first head-to-head matchup for CP3 and DWill since playing in the Olympics
Of the final 10 games, 6 are on the road and at least 6 are against playoff teams. The final game of the season...@ Lakers. Awesome.

Has anyone else noticed that the Jazz play lots of road games against playoff teams during the last 10 games of the season? Playing AT the Lakers for the last game of the season? C'mon! That game will likely have serious seeding implications. Last season we were AT San Antonio, where the winner got home court advantage in the first round. Before that they were AT New Orleans and AT Dallas before getting a little home relief against 2 more playoff teams (Denver and Houston). In 2006, the Jazz finished the season with 3 straight road games before finishing at home, they played @ New Orleans, @ Dallas, and @ San Antonio.

Obviously the NBA can't know which teams will be good or which will make the playoffs, but they can reasonably predict which teams will be in the top 6 (Lakers, Hornets, Spurs, Jazz, Rockets/Mavs, Suns). I guess it makes for good TV if you've got a game with real playoff implications. But last season the Lakers finished the season with 4 straight home games, 2 of which were non-playoff teams (actually, one game was AT the Clippers, but they play in the same building).

This season, the Jazz have three 5-game road trips and only one 5-game homestand. There are two 6 of 7's at home, but a quick glance at the schedule makes it seem like we're playin 60 road games instead of 41.

Finally sitting at the cool-kids' table!

2008-08-05T22:40:00.002-06:00

All your worst nightmares have come true, I am an official contributor to My Utah...True Blue....this blog!

First, a little background: I was born and raised in Salt Lake City, I went to high school in Murray (but not AT Murray) and later went to the U of U where I graduated in Economics in 2005. I worked for a year before enrolling in law school out here in the midwest. I have one more year to go so I guess I should start harassing KOC now for a job. I don't have a wife or girlfriend, I have an XBox instead.

My first memories of the Jazz were during the '95 playoffs when we lost to the Rockets in the first round. The first time I remember being crushed by a defeat was game 7 in Seattle in the '96 playoffs. Since then I have been nothing short of fanatical. As a class officer at my Jr. High, I instituted Utah Jazz Day, where students would be rewarded by wearing Jazz gear. The family eventually splurged on season tickets, but we managed to pick a not-so-good season, the very forgettable (aside from the 6-1 start) '04-'05 26-win season. I was living downtown at the time and going to the games was both easy and fun, I believe I managed to go to 25 games that year.

Since arriving here at school in 2006, my Jazz fever has intensified. Without my fellow Jazz fans around I felt like I needed to overcompensate. So I bought TONS of Jazz gear and, sadly, had to resort to staring at my computer while waiting for the game updates on ESPN. I have attended both Jazz away games out here (1 win, 1 loss) and will definitely be there for the next one. The one thing that I wish I had done earlier, and WILL be doing this season, is subscribing to Comcast's NBA League Pass. I will finally be able to watch more than 7 Jazz games!

I hope I will bring another interesting voice to this great blog. I do have some inside info on some of the players, though. For example, did you know that Matt Harpring played football in high school? It's true; in fact, he comes from a family of football players! Finally, my favorite Jazz player of all time is John Stockton, but really, this is like asking a Bulls fan who their favorite player is. Do we really expect them to say anyone but Jordan?

Thanks again to C.B. Jack, I look forward to many good discussions and Laker-bashing. GO JAZZ!

Matt Harpring needs your help! - Hoops Addict Floor Burn Tournament

2008-08-05T10:36:00.005-06:00

Jazz fans. Matt Harpring needs your help.

http://hoopsaddict.com/2008/08/04/hoops-addict-floor-burn-tournament-round-1/

We may not be as big of a market as Houston, but we can make this close. Please put the above link to your blog and encourage Jazz fans to vote. We can still make this respectable for Matty. Vote for him on the bottom of the page. Then delete your cookies, and go vote for him again. Repeat. I hate Houston. I hate Shane Battier. They hate us even more. We must represent!

"Each night ESPN, NBA.com and YouTube are flooded with clips of players soaring through the air for rim rocking dunks, buzzer beating three-pointers and blocked shots that make your jaw drop in amazement. While those are all entertaining plays, teams who win championships need players who are willing to get a little dirty and do the little things needed to help their team win. As valuable and crucial as these players are to their respective teams success, these players rarely get the credit or respect that they deserve. With that in mind, the First Annual Hoops Addict Floor Burn Tournament will kick off this week.
Over the next few weeks we’re going to pare down 32 participants until we’re left with one final player who will be heralded as the First Annual Floor Burn Tournament Champion. As players are eliminated, they’ll be matched against the bracket below them. For example, the winner of the West/Powe match-up will face off against the winner of Dudley/Nocioni in the second round.
Keep in mind that voting for the first round will end on August 11th at 12:00 AM."

Go Vote for Matt Harpring!

USA wins The Cold War 2008

2008-08-03T20:34:00.007-06:00

The Cold War 2008

Nice defense Andrei. Where was that in Western Conference Semis?

Andrei Kirilenko was Russia's "go to" man while Team USAs Human Victory Cigar - Carlos Boozer - played 5 minutes with 2 pts and 0 (zip/zero/nada/zilch) rebounds.

The Cold War presented some interesting questions.

Why is Andrei Kirilenko so dominant in FIBA basketball?

Mother Russia plays Andrei at a true four (as we see above). His line from the game was much better than his average Jazz night (and the entire game is only 40 minutes):

31 minutes 6-14 8 rbs 4 ast 18 pts

The only real drawback was his 6-12 FT shooting.

Perhaps having Boozer leave SLC wouldn't be such a bad thing for the Jazz. I know I have been a ranking member of the "Move AK" club, but when I see what he can do as a true power forward, it makes me think that maybe the defensive big man we are lacking, is actually already in a Jazz uniform. (?)

I do think Andrei has a love for the game of basketball and perhaps it is his love for the NBA that has dwindled. What do the Jazz need to do to get the ammo back in the AK-47? Team Russia found a way to do it. In fact they were able to use Andrei so effectively they came out of the bottom of the pack to defeat Spain and win the FIBA EuroCup last year. Who was the MVP? See the picture below. When was the last time you saw this much energy and passion from Andrei Kirilenko (and this picture doesn't count). Perhaps the Jazz should consider bringing Team Russia coach (American born) David Blatt in as part of their staff. He has proven that he can win, and we've seen the success a FIBA coach can have in the NBA (see D'Antoni, Mike).

Somewhere in that scrawny frame is an Basketball Star. I am positive of that. Perhaps the simple answer is allowing AK to play his natural position. He is much quicker than most power forwards and his length can give anyone fits. Allowing him to roam closer the paint will only make his help defense that much more valuable. If you watch Andrei's post moves, they are much stronger than any hint of an outside game he thinks he has. Playing the true four would allow him to get a lot of put backs and his length would make it difficult for the defender to get a good position on him while preparing for a rebound. Andrei had 8 boards against Team USA. That is 7 more than Boozer, Bosh, and Howard combined.

Team USA didn't dominate this game in the paint. They dominated with the outside shot. Was this in part to Andrei being in his element? I know Russia has a big front line, but I am starting to believe that all Andrei needs is a little confidence and position alterations to return to his All-Star form.

Perhaps this is the duo who will lead us to the promised land. Agree or disagree? Leave us a comment. -CB Jack

Time for the Jazz to Make a Move

2008-07-30T09:37:00.009-06:00

What was destined to be the hottest selling jersey on www.myutahjazz.blogspot.com may never be sold at all.

So, I wake up this morning and due to week three of the permanent dead leg I received playing basketball, take 25 minutes to drag my leg out of bed and walk to the living room. The walk to the living room wears me out so I immediately sit back down on the couch and turn on the T.V. The first thing I hear is"Ron Artest traded to Houston and Chicago has a verbal agreement with Deng." Are you kidding me! Everyone is making moves and so far our best move involves a guy named Brevin Knight. Well, that's not true we did lock D-Will up for a few more years, which is the most important move.

This got me thinking though, what moves are left? Who can we get that is going to put us over the top. It's not CJ Miles and it's not Brevin Knight. Speaking with David Locke on Monday I thought Luol Deng may be it, but it looks like that idea has been shut down. Who is left? Is there a deal out there that makes us the team to beat? Artest brings a lot of Drama but he is good. You are lying if that signing doesn't concern you as a Jazz fan.

I want to hear from you, our readers, what you really think needs to happen. So, to get the conversation going, Hammy, Pick-N-Roll, Whistle, CB and myself compiled our list of realistic....err, not a chance in hell trades, we need to make happen. I'll start with mine:

Booner:
AK for Deng (Yes, our chances are all but lost, but I am holding on to a little hope.)

AK for Chris Kaman (Don't judge me for this. You know you would love having a legitimate big man that can score. Plus he doesn't look near as ugly next to Korver.)

CJ for anyone of the Barry boys. (I don't care if it's the Dad, it just seems if you have a Barry on your team you are making, at the very least, the conference finals.)

Hammy chimes in with a few ideas that look so simple:

Carlos Boozer for Dwight Howard

Carlos Boozer for Chris Bosh

AK for Paul Pierce

AK for Lebron

CJ for Joe Johnson

Pick-n-Roll continues his mission to get the "Cookie Monster" in a Jazz uniform:

1-Shane Battier & Dikembe Mutombo for AK & Ron Ron
2- Boozer & exp contract for Amare Stoudmemire
3- Crazy trade with Sac-town to get Ron Artest.....too late

Whistle, the Manny Ramirez of Jazz blogs, just being the whistle:

Memo, Boozer and AK for Dwight Howard

Boozer for Anyone

Korver & Brewer for Ben Wallace

C.B. Jack provides what may be the most realistic move the Jazz can make:

The Bear
I would like to see the Jazz trade for a younger, smaller, and more agile mascot. I feel like The Bear has done a great job during his tenure with the Jazz, but the team needs to move in a different direction. Back in the Bear's prime, he was doing dazzling stunts at an amazing rate. There were games where he would do the "scoreboard repel" and the "stairway sled" in the same game. He was reckless. He made us hold our breath. He made people who don't swear say "That is one crazy mother #^@*$*!".

He dazzled the crowd during the 1992 All-Star Jam Session and solidified himself as one of the league's elite mascots. Fast forward 16 years. Three knee surgeries, two burst tendons, a hip replacement, and 5 costume changes and all we have is some 50 year old in a 75 year old body who wants to capture our attention with such pranks as "Pull the foam finger and I'll hit you on the head" or "kids shoe toss". While entertaining, I no longer hold my breath. I don't even get the "oh shiz he's coming towards me" butterflies that I used to get when he would come to my section. I'm sure he is getting big bucks and lots of free Papa Murphy's pizza, but it's time to trade The Bears inflated contract for a young, daring, never-had-death-flash-before-his-eyes, mascot.

Thanks for the memories Bear. You won't be forgotten, but if you keep your current act up, you won't be remembered either.

"How many people have to get hurt before we pull the plug on The Bear?"

So My Utah Jazz readers, please leave us a comment and tell us your dream trade...

4 yrs. of Depression.

2008-07-25T15:59:00.006-06:00

Well Hammy, time to start cooking up that turd sandwich.

"If the Jazz match that offer sheet I will personally deliver a
turd sandwich to Kevin O'Conner. " -Hammy

You don't mind if I bring a little camcorder along for YouTube purposes do you?

http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,700245985,00.html

I am bitter. I am so fed up with CJ. Just so you know, the Jazz cannot do a sign and trade. He WILL be in a Jazz uniform for at least the first year of the contract. What on earth was K'OC thinking?

Reasons this was a dumb move:

-CJ Miles does not want to be in Utah
-Jerry Sloan does not like the guy.
-I hate the guy.
-Where will the money for Milsap and Brewer come from?
-If Kyle Korver opts to stay the last year of his contract, when will CJ get minutes?

I just don't get it. Please feel free to leave a comment and explain to me why this makes sense. I would love to hear all the CJ Miles homers (BiasedFan) come and support this absurd move.

Score: CJ 15.8M, Jazz Brass 0

I hope CJ's agent just laughs his way to the bank.

Its a Bold New Basketball World

2008-07-25T09:11:00.000-06:00

So much for a sign and trade with Atlanta to get Josh Childress, he has signed on with Greek club Olympiakos. Not that the Jazz were giving any signs of making such a deal (thanks for the effort Kevin), it was just a pipe dream that a few of us fans/writters were having. Josh is not a superstar in any definition of the word, but a very nice player that is vital to a club with championship aspirations like our Jazz. He was not going to help a team like Atlanta too much because he can't be your second best player, but with the Jazz he could have been a Tayshawn Prince or Bruce Bowen type of contributor when their teams won the trophy, just what this version of the Jazz are needing.

The first thing to look at in this deal is the money, because the money is what it is always about regardless of what the athlete says. The deal is for 3 years and apparently worth 7 Million per year after taxes and conversion from the Euro to the Dollar. To compete with that an NBA club would have had to come up with a 10-12 Million per year type of deal to come close to the take home pay he is getting. With the salary cap and economic structure of the NBA right now that type of deal is salary cap suicide for a player of his caliber. Basically it would take a 4 year $45 million deal to match it apples to apples. Imagine paying Andrei Kirilenko that much, we would be ready to set fire to Kevin O'Conner. Oh wait, we're paying AK a little more than that right now and we can't stop complaining about it (and AK is a better player that Childress).

The more interesting part of this deal is the possible ramifications that his signing might have on other players of his caliber. For us Jazz fans this means players like Ronnie Brewer, Paul Millsap and Kyle Korver might be getting offers that are too good to pass up and too rich for the Jazz to match. These are players that the Jazz need to keep on board and need to keep developing if they want stay at the top of the pile in the NBA. For a restricted Free Agent like Childress (or Millsap next year and Brewer shortly after that) going to Europe ultimately gets him to un-restricted status quicker while still getting paid. To keep his rights the Hawks would have to make a qualifying offer each year which goes against their cap. I just don't see a team outside of the Knicks that would be willing to eat up a portion of their cap for a player that is 5,000 miles away with no intentions of coming back. Basically the Hawks are screwed on this one and are going to loose Childress for nothing in return. Childress also got an opt out after each year of his deal so as soon as he gets a better offer back home he can take it.

Lets hope this does not become a popular trend for other good, but not great young players or the Jazz could be just as screwed as the Hawks are. Up to this point in the globalization of the NBA it has been the US teams picking off the players from Europe and now we may be seeing the start of an new reality. Fortunately, the Jazz are not run by complete morons like the Hawks and should be able to keep this from happening to us. I think...

Morris, Morris, Morris.....

2008-07-25T08:34:00.000-06:00

Is it really that hard for Morris Almond to play a little defense or even pass the ball. That is all Sloan wants to see but for some reason Morris thinks the more he scores the more minutes he will get. If Almond had a brain he would of tried getting assists, steals, and rebounds. He is a black hole and will rarely see the floor this upcoming season. He is soft and is extremely lazy on defense. It really makes you appreciate guys like Harpring.
As far as Fes and Kosta they looked bad. I had high hopes for both of them. Let's be honest Kosta will be lucky to stay in the league for more than a few seasons. and Fes is Fes, happy but doesn't have a clue.
The revue guys looked bad and will not have any impact on the Jazz team at all.
P.S. Did you know Kosta middle name is Ken.

Whistle

The Shart Era is Over!

2008-07-23T16:00:00.003-06:00

Not sure if MUJ readers have heard the news but Jason Hart has just been traded to the Clippers for Brevin Knight. 1320 KFAN has just reported the deal and apparently it is a simple one. The Jazz trade Hart straight across for Knight. I am sure more details will be known shortly, in fact, some of you may already know more about the trade than I do.

During the 2007-2008 NBA Season Knight averaged 4.6 ppg and 4.4 assists in 22.6 minutes per game. That's a minor improvement over Hart's 2.9 ppg and 1.5 assists in 10.6 minutes per game.

It certainly isn't the blockbuster move I was hoping for, however, it is a good move for the Jazz. I don't think Knight is going to take Ronnie Price's job away, but it doesn't hurt the Jazz to have a couple of back up point guards fighting for minutes.

Here's to hearing more smart moves from the Jazz Front Office this off-season. I was going to put together a montage of Jason Hart's career in Utah but it ended up being seven minutes of him sitting at the end of the bench. Take care Hart.

Booner

C-YA CJ & D-Will is Locked Up (kind of...)

2008-07-18T20:04:00.016-06:00

CB Jacks biggest dream is coming true, CJ Miles is leaving town and dude is going to get paid too. Apparently the ownership of the newly created Oklahoma City Scam Jobbers team think CJ is worth 15 million over 4 years. If the Jazz match that offer sheet I will personally deliver a turd sandwich to Kevin O'Conner. I think at best with CJ you are getting a 15 minute per night player who averages 7 points per game and might go off for 25 points every now again. When it is all said and done I am so happy that pin-heads running the players formerly know as the Sonice are making the CJ issue go away. I just don't understand how a career 42% shooter with a scoring average of 4 points per game is worth 15 million dollars. Most NBA GM's are just plain dumb. I am going to miss the pre-game handshakes though.

Moving onto the bigger and better story of the day, our boy D-Will is locked up for 4 more years. This is very good news for the Jazz and possibly even better news for Jazz fans. I personally think that D-Will made the smart move for him and for us as fans by taking the 3 years with an option. By signing this deal he will force the Jazz brass to stay competive and keep improving the team or their golden boy is going to bail. It may even make them think twice about going into luxury tax land if means getting the right player to put the team over the top.

I heard David Locke of KFAN 1320 bring up another good point about this contract that I think is a very important one. When this contract is up Deron will be 28 years old and assuming the CBA stays the same can then can sign another deal for 6 years at that point taking him to 34 years old. On that last contract he would be making potentially 30 million per year in the last 2 years of the deal as a 33 and 34 year. If he would have signed for 5 years today he would be getting that 24 - 30 million as a 35 and 36 year old and history has shown that point guards start to get dramatically worse after turning 34. Want some recent proof? Jason Kidd was 34 last year and most of his major stats went down, would you want to be paying him 21 million next year? Gary Payton turned 34 or 35 when he joined the Lakers and his points per game went from 20 the year prior and then to 15 with Lakers and then to 11 and then to 7 and then to 5. The point is point guards don't age well after they get past that 33-34 year old stage and if you are paying that point guard 30 million you have seriously handicapped your team.

P.S. - I was going to write something about game 1 of the Rocky Mountain Revue but apparently the piss poor play against the Spurs carries over for our Review team as well. Good effort boys and thanks for keeping the tradition of getting your heads kicked in by the Spurs alive.

Sign Him Already!

2008-07-16T12:21:00.003-06:00

If you are like me, you've been clicking on espn.com, cnnsi.com, utahjazz.com, etc. every two minutes waiting for that "Breaking News: Jazz sign Deron Williams." But still, nothing. It took the Hornets 15 minutes to ink CP3 up, what are we doing? I am about as impatient as they get but this is ridiculous. My biggest fear is that he is going to head out to the Olympics and we still won't have a deal.

Does anyone have any insight here? I've searched Insider Reports, listened to Sports Radio 24/7 as well as tapped phone lines and still can't get a freaking bone here.
Enough with the Rocky Mountain Revue, tell me what the deal is with Priority #1. Yes, I am excited about the Review, but honestly, what are Jazz fans more excited about, the Jazz beating the Iranian National Team or the Jazz signing D-Will.

Oh, and on an unrelated note, you know damn well Ronnie Brewer and Ronnie Price told Fez it's still cool to bleach your hair. In fact, I tapped that phone conversation:

Brewer: Fez, you oughta bleach your hair mane?

Fez: No, that maybe cool in 90's.

Price: What? No, it's still hot man.

Fez: You sure? I don't see American do bleach no more really.

Price/Brewer: Trust us on this one. It's still cool.

Fez: Well, if you say cool it is. I bleach.

Nice work Fez.

Anyhow, on to the real reason I was writing. Let's wrap this up already Jazz. Don't try to play hard-ball, just make it happen and make it happen quick. Contrary to what a lot of you Jason Hart fans think, D-Will is the key to the teams success for years to come so it's time to seal the deal.

Booner

So Much for Our Maggette Hopes

2008-07-09T09:10:00.003-06:00

It looks like the Jazz will be 0-2 in their attempts to land Free Agent Corey Maggette. Not that every Jazz fan thought Maggette was the best move, nor did Jazz brass want him more than any other F.A. out there. However, I'm still bitter because my hopes of landing Maggette just went down the drain. According to ESPN Maggette looks to be signing with Golden State.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3479117

So what is next? Does anyone know? Are we even going to make an attempt to land a "Big-Name" F.A.? Do we need to? From a personal stand-point, I love the drama and the excitement of Free Agency. I love to read the rumors and speculate what we may or may not do. That is one of the only things that gets me through the off-season. And now with the Bachelorette being over, without any big moves, this off-season could be a huge let-down. Oh well, if not making any moves is the right move for the Jazz, I can live with that. I'm just going to be really bored for a couple months.

Booner

P.S. For those readers who just unsubscribed from our blog because I said I watch the Bachelorette, NO, I do not watch the Bachelorette. However, I am officially hooked to "Wipe-Out" on ABC. Nothing better than watching grown men and women completely humiliate/inflict pain upon themselves via asinine obstacle courses.

P.S.S. For those MUJ readers who do watch the Bachelorette, don't leave because I offended you in my "P.S." above. MUJ writer "Whistle" writes a daily Bachelor/Bachelorette Blog at http://www.justtellyourfriendsyourwifemakesyouwatchit.com/

Go Jazz!

CB Jack on 1320 KFAN - Locked on Sports TODAY @ 4:00 pm MST

2008-07-07T14:12:00.003-06:00

True Blue unite...

My Utah Jazz has been asked to be on Locked on Sports again today!

Tune in Monday (Today) at 4:00 pm MST. Feel free to listen live here.

Thanks to David and Kevin for making it happen. Please let us know what you agree and don't agree with. We want to represent Jazz nation and can only do that with your help. Of course, if your opinion isn't the same as ours, we probably won't address it. But aside from that, let the feedback begin!

http://www.thefansports.com/

The Post Draft Offseason Plan

2008-07-02T21:15:00.002-06:00

Its time to get into the trade phase for the Jazz because I can't imagine that they would try and sign any free agents this year and I think there are two intriguing trades sitting right in front of our faces.

First Trade - why not work out a sign and trade with the Clippers for Maggette? Have the Clips sign Maggette to a 4 or 5 year deal worth about 9 million per year (which would be about 3 or 4 million more per year than any other team besides Philly, Memphis and Golden State could offer him as a free agent) and send AK packing. We would have to take back Tim Thomas in the deal, but he is only on the hook for 2 more years at about 6 million per instead of the 3 years at 17 million per that we owe AK. So after two years the Jazz would net 7 million in salary to give to Deron and Milsap.

If this was the only move the Jazz made you would see the most dynamic, powerful offensive team in the last 15 years of the NBA. Three legitimate 20 point scorers, two guys who can create their own shots and get to the line at will and think of how many open 3's Memo would get because teams would have to guard Maggette unlike AK. I don't know how good Maggette's D is, but could the Jazz really get worse there? Besides, it is the interior D that is the big problem for the Jazz and Maggette would be guarding swing guys. There is also the real possibility that Boozer is going to bolt after next year and Maggette could help fill the scoring void that would be created if that happens allowing the Jazz to go and find a stud low post defender and not worry so much about the offensive output from that position.

Second Trade - moving onto the great big gorilla in the room. I think that the Jazz need to seriously consider trading Boozer at this point if they even remotely think that he could bail on them after next year. They could get a kings ransom for him right now and set the team up to peak with a solid core during D-Wills prime. I would love to see the Jazz keep Boozer and Deron together, but Carlos has a shady past and Karma has a way of getting back to you so get out while you can if you start seeing any bad mojo coming our way. I would try talking with the Bobcats for a sign a trade with Emeka Okafor and put a serious upgrade on the low post defense.

Imagine going forward with D-Will, Brewer, Maggette, Okafor, Okur, Milsap and Korver. I think that we would get at least one good big man from the Fesenko/Kofus combo and another good scorer off the bench from the Almond/Miles combo as well. That would give the Jazz a solid 9 man rotation for years to come.

Some other trade chips that the Jazz could put into play would be the Knicks pick next year, and both Jaron Collins and Jason Shart have expiring contracts that other teams would like to get ahold of. It would be a pretty major change up if the Jazz could pull off those two trades, but I feel that the Jazz would be a more complete team long term if they could pull it off.

My Utah Jazz on 1320 KFAN - Locked on Sports with David LockeToday 4pm MST

2008-06-30T08:32:00.003-06:00

What up My Utah Jazz fans.

My Utah Jazz was asked to participate in a new weekly segment with David Locke of 1320 KFAN. The first segment took place on Monday at 4:00 pm MST. Feel free to listen to the replay here. Click on the highlighted Jazz Bloggers Rountable link (Thanks Mom for listening, are those instructions easy enough for you?)

Thanks to David and Kevin for making it happen.

Please let us know what you agree and don't agree with. We want to represent Jazz nation and can only do that with your help. Of course, if your opinion isn't the same as ours, we probably won't address it. But aside from that, let the feedback begin!

http://www.thefansports.com/

All you need to know about Kosta Koufos

2008-06-26T20:28:00.013-06:00

Do I get 1/2 a block for this?

(FYI - He's the white guy getting ready to flop)

I cant wait to hear how Hot Rod handles the first time this kid check into a game next season. This is what you can expect to hear:

Hot Rod: Entering the game for the first time this season, number 31 from Ohio State, wait I thought he was from Greece, mmmmmm Greek food, I like Baklava.

Producer yelling at Hot Rod in his ear: The game hot rod, the effing game!! How many martinis has this guy had already?

Hot Rod: Oh yeah, the basketball game, what was this kids name again? Kos, Kuse, Kusta, Kutsa, Costco....screw it I will just call him by his last name....damn that one is harder to pronounce....Kofo, Kufu, Kudos, Cujos....Can I just call him Baklava? Mmmmm, I like Greek food.

Back to the draft - One word sticks out about this pick: Whatever. For his upside he has been compared to Memo Okur (I thought we already had a guy like that) and for another comparison he has been compared to Darko Milicic. Great, that is all we need, another crappy big man on the roster. I guess we do need someone to replace Jarron Collins when he retires in 15 years.

From ESPN.com they list his strengths with stuff like this - He's tall, strong, can pass out of double teams ok and has good timing for blocking shots, but is not explosive enough to be a real good shot blocker. - Keep in mind these are the kids positive attributes. When the best part of your game is your size, well, at least you got that going for you.

Lets move onto the negatives from ESPN.com - Can be a disinterested defender at times. Lacks aggressiveness at times. Lacks lateral quickness. Can sometimes lose his confidence and then his game falls apart. Needs to be able to handle contact in the paint better. - This sounds an awful lot like our current big men, good job guys he should fit in nicely. Maybe he will turn out to be a lot like Memo. You know that he got super excited knowing that you don't have to play defense for the Jazz if you play Center of Power Forward.

The good news is that our D-League team is going to have two 7-footers to dominate the league next year, maybe I will get some season tickets to the Flash.

The Pre-Draft Offseason Report

2008-06-24T07:49:00.006-06:00

Now that the evil witch of the west has been disposed of and there has been sufficient time to let the anger and sadness from the Jazz's second round loss simmer down I can rationally take a look at what I would do if I were Kevin O'Connor. And lets face it, we all think that we could do a better job so I hope that the Jazz brass are reading this and take it to heart.

Step One

This part of the off season should just be called, "Open the vault for Deron and give him what ever he wants". If I were Larry Miller I would give him Karl and John's car dealerships and change the name of the stores to D-Will Automotive Group. This is the guy who can lead the Jazz to the promised land and I am pretty sure that the Jazz will take care of him accordingly. They might have to stray into luxury tax land for a year or two until they can get rid of the Kirilenko contract, but Deron is worth it.

Step Two

Trade the draft pick. Ask yourselves, is there anything at all that the Jazz can get with the 23rd pick that will help them get over the hump? We are already one of the 5 best teams in the NBA right now, lets see if we can get a team that is in rebuilding mode to give something up that we might be able to use later. We already have 13 guaranteed contracts for next season and I am pretty sure that they will try and resign CJ Miles again taking it to 14. NBA rules limit teams to 15 and the Jazz like to keep one spot open for flexibility (which I think is a great idea) so why lock yourself into another guaranteed contract. If you were going to take a flyer on a Euro and stash them overseas for a few years that would be OK, but if the Jazz use the pick on another shooting guard or 7 foot project with bad feet I am going to throw my remote across the room.

Step Three

Ask Coach K to teach Boozer how to play defense this summer. Actually, if could just try and get Boozer to give a damn about defense that would be sufficient. Lets face it, this version of the Jazz is never going to be able to lock teams down, but they have to be able to slow them down. I think the D-will and Ronnie Brewer back court is capable so we really need the front court to do their part. Hopefully they can learn to play better team defense the longer they are together, but Boozer and Memo have to show more desire on that side of the floor. I guarantee you that if the Jazz put in an incentive clause for Boozers next contract that gives him some sort of bonus for making the any of the 3 all NBA defensive teams the effort would be there.

Step Four

Start shopping, specifically AK. The Jazz do have a couple of tradeable assets, but we are going to have to swallow pretty hard if we really want to get rid of AK. He has three years left on his cap killer deal there is going to be some garbage in return, but maybe it will only be on year of garbage instead of three. If you package AK with Morris Almond and our first round pick that we are getting from the Knicks in 2010, we might be able to do something that does not completely suck. Miami for example has Mark Blount and Udonis Haslem or you could talk to Milwaukee about Bobby Simmons and some spare parts. The point is, there is a team out there that would like to take a flyer on AK if we sweetened the pot a bit with some other stuff. This trade will be a lot easier to make after the Olympics because you know that AK is going to average something like 20 points, 10 boards, 5 assists, 3 blocks and 3 steals.

After the draft is done we will have a better understanding of what the Jazz and other teams have I will put together a post draft plan with more specifics.

D-Will, Booze Join Team USA

2008-06-23T10:03:00.006-06:00

Although both Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer have made the 2008 USA Men's Basketball Team, due to budget cuts, they will have to share a jersey.

It's official, Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer of our Utah Jazz will be representing our Country in this Summer's Olympic Games! Below is the ESPN article that most of you have probably all read by now.

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/olybb/news/story?id=3457058

I don't know what the rest of you MUJ Bloggers think, but this is going to make this off-season just a little bit easier to get through. I am excited for Deron to get his chance to shine, not sure how much time he will see, but I know he will make the most of every minute he gets. I would love to see our two Jazz men bring home the Gold. (It still won't put you on my good list Booze, but it won't hurt either.) Now, don't get me wrong, when it comes to the Summer Games, I am a Women's Gymnastics Fanatic, however, Men's Basketball is a close second.

Congrats D-Will and Booze, from all of us at My Utah Jazz!

Booner

The Perfect Fathers Day Gift

2008-06-15T09:58:00.004-06:00

Its no secret that I completey despise Kobe Bryant and the Lakers so to say that I am happy with how the Finals have unraveled would be an understatement. After the Game 4 collapse we can officially cross Kobe off of the greatest player on the earth and heir to MJ's throne debate. Would MJ ever let his team lose a lead like that in the second half at home? We saw the Jazz erase big leads the Lakers built in all 4 of their losses, but unfortunately could never close the deal. It actually makes me mad that the Jazz were so determined to foul Kobe every time he touched the ball and Carlos decided to be a second round pick for the playoffs or they could be here instead of the Lakers.

Anyway, the best thing for me today on Fathers day would be seeing the Lakers lose the finals on their home court as all those fake fans sat there actually a little happy that the season was over so they could get back to watching TMZ and re-runs of Beverly Hills 90210. Phil Jackson would complain in his post game interviews about the free throw disparity while forgetting that Kobe shot 100 free throws per game against the Jazz proving his hypocricy has no bounds. And then we would get to watch Kobe in his post game news conference complain about his teamates not being good enough and demanding a trade. There is an old saying, a zebra can not change his stripes and we are seeing that with Kobe right now.

- This is what a cheating front runner looks like right after he "Wets the Bed" -

Who Has the Classless Fans?

2008-06-11T14:39:00.005-06:00

Remember all that talk as the Jazz season was winding down about all the classless Jazz fans? Well, for the record, there are a few other organizations we could talk about as well. Don't get me wrong though, that guy throwing the chair was priceless. And where did that chair come from? Was that a wheely chair? What stadium has those? Was it Phil Jackson's custom chair? Will someone research that for me? I guess it would be nice though: You could just glide out into the hall and grab yourself some popcorn..... then glide right back. Course then there would be the downside: Your friends decide it will be funny to see if you can glide down the stairs or, I could totally see ol' C.B. and Whistle picking me up and then sliding me out onto the court only to delay the game etc. etc. The pros out-weigh the cons though. Anyway, nice work Lakers/Celtics Fans. Nice work.

Booner

Season Recap: Deron: The Man. The Legend.

2008-05-28T17:22:00.003-06:00

I was supposed to have this season in review up about 3 months ago for Biased Fan and SLC Dunk. My wife has been loving that the season is over (even though she is a huge Jazz fan) and she has her husband back.

Here are my thoughts on Deron Williams.

Deron is not only the face of the Utah Jazz franchise, but he is one of the faces of the NBA. Despite a few slip ups during his rookie year, he has been a standup citizen as far as we have been told. He seems to like Utah, the fans, and the franchise. Despite his mediocre looks (the veneers really helped), there are hundreds of ladies in the ESA sporting D-Will jerseys. We also like that he is respectful yet has a great sense of humor when it comes to the prodominant religion in the state.

At the first of the season he was coming off a stellar performance in the 2007 playoffs. We all saw his first All-Star game coming along with much more respect in the D-Will vs. CP3 debate. The season started and he fell flat. Don't get me wrong, he wasn't terrible, but it wasn't the Deron we had seen in the playoffs. December came and his struggles continued. It seemed as though he was hesitant in establishing himself as the go-to-guy on the team. The part I wish he would have realized, is that as Deron goes, the team goes. The Jazz struggled mightily in December and found themselves in 3rd place in the Northwest division and out of the current playoff race.

Then the Jazz signed Kyle Korver. This made Deron realize that he could easily lose the Pink Jersey crown along with his title as "Most Admired Jazz Player" by the ladies. The fact that Gordon Giricek wasn't around to be his cancerous self helped as well. Deron began to pick up the pace and brought his points and assists back up to playoff performance. But it wasn't enough as he was passed over for the All-Star game. Instead, CP3 stole the show and had the entire nation hanging off his jock strap...except Deron. D-Will elevated his game to another level after the All-Star game and brought the Jazz into full stride. They were the hottest team in the NBA and they were being led by a fearless 3 year point guard who didn't ask anyone to give him respect. He would earn it on his own and force them to notice.

The playoffs came and Deron single handedly (due to the lack of production from his "side kick") helped the Jazz beat down Houston. Tracy McGrady tried his best to bring him down by asking how his name was pronounced (he would have known it had McGrady been asked to play for USA basketball, but he wasn't...because...he sucks), but it didn't phase our superstar. He led his team to victory and sent McBitchy packing for the second year in a row.

Then the Lakers rolled in. He struggled in games 1 and 2 by trying to get his team involved and put his success on the back burner. He quickly realized that he would need to man up and take over again. Even Kobe took notice of Deron's abilities. There was no other player I wanted taking the game tying shot in Game 6 than Deron Williams. Yeah, he missed. But he had officially solidified himself as an All-NBA player, and the future of this franchise. Every other player became expendable when it came to resigning D-Will.

Here's to hoping for many more YouTube compliations like the one below in the years to come.

Fellow Jazz bloggers Deron Williams Season Recaps:
Biased Fan
SLC Dunk

Off-Season Priority #1....Sign This Guy!

2008-05-27T11:18:00.002-06:00

Found a great highlight real of D-Will on YouTube. Props to memoismoney who put it together. We apologize for the lack of postings but we are still in mourning. That's alright though, we can kick off the Off-Season right by securing D-Will for the next 20 years. Hell, *I'll pitch in out of my own pocket if I have to.*

*Booner's commitment to "pitch-in" subject to change and based on a two week, twenty dollar commitment. After two weeks, the Jazz are fully responsible for paying D-Will. At any point in time Booner can ask for the twenty dollars back. Side Effects may also include dizziness, dryness of mouth, stomach cramps, bleeding from ears....

Point is, don't blow it Jazz. SIGN HIM!

Booner

Jazz vs. Lakers Game 6 Recap and Series Thoughts

2008-05-18T20:54:00.006-06:00

So I have finally had the guts to watch a few recaps and read a few Internet sites about Game 6. I was there along with Booner and we had a great podcast all ready to put together. The only problem? The Jazz lost. Bye bye podcast.

The crowd was absolutely electric on Friday night. Almost everyone you could see had Jazz gear on in some form or another. Salt Lake City had officially become "Jazz City". Booner and I took Mrs. Jack and Mrs. Booner out to eat before the game to show what classy husbands we were (knowing we would turn into 13 year olds the minute the ball was tipped).

The video isn't the greatest but I wanted people to get a feel for how loud the ESA was. It was a great basketball experience.

Then the ball tipped...

It was the first time as a Jazz fan that you could hear a pin drop in the stadium. The place had gone numb. We were watching a car wreck and couldn't do anything but let our jaws drop and shake our heads in disbelief. It was an eerie silence that almost never comes over a home crowd in the post season.

It was quickly becoming apparent that our Jazz weren't coming with any type of playoff intensity. It was if they thought the Lakers were going to just roll over and let the Jazz win so they could try and finish in LA. The Lake Show had different plans.

I have no complaints about the first half officiating. I felt like the Jazz played slow and out of sync. They put themselves into a really bad situation. It was nobodies fault but their own. They were shooting around 33% which won't win any game. Especially against a talented Lakers team who was shooting well over 50% by the end of the first half. When Deron was called for that foul on Fisher's three pointer, the place went ballistic. I could only see what the jumbo-tron was showing, and it didn't look like a foul. A post game phone call with my good Laker buddy Chad convinced me that there was some arm and body contact. Whatever. I'm fine with that.

The second half was mostly the same. The Jazz kept feeding the ball to Boozer, only to watch him get swatted by Gasodom. Boozer's body language showed that he wanted nothing more than to get out of the game and not be on that court. He fouled out in the 4th and got his wish. He played nervous, beaten, and slow. I don't know what is going on in his life, but I don't care. There was no reason he couldn't have left it all behind on that court. He had everyone on his side. 20,000 Jazz fans wanted nothing more than to see the Booze Hound break out and get his swagger back. Instead, he broke the heart of 19,500 people that night.

The last 3:00 of the game was a site to see. We had to fight back and the only option was to let the 3's rain down. They kept falling as the Jazz traded a 3 pointer for 2 foul shots. Not a bad strategy if only they had started with 3:30 left in the game. Time was not on their side. When AK threw up a three from the top of the key with 24 second left, I threw up in my mouth, only to see the soon-to-be Frenchman drop the ball and get us back in the game. Later when Fish was at the line, it was like watching a bad soap opera. The once hero turned villain was about to smother any hope in the ESA by knocking down two clutch free throws. If he hit them both, it would be a two possession game. The first snapped the net as it went through. The second hit off the front of the iron. What? Who wrote this ending? Millions of Lakers fans in unison put their hands above their head and screamed "noooooo" (probably a lot more rated R words that we don't allow on My Utah Jazz). The Jazz weren't supposed to have a chance at this point in the game. They had been down by as many as 17 in the second half. And there it was, a 3 point deficit with 11 seconds left.

The crowd was louder than any public event of any kind I have participated in. It was deafening (and I was on the 12th row of the upper bowl, I cannot imagine the sound on the court). Deron pushed the ball up court to Korver who planted and squared to the basket like he wanted the shot, only to pass it off to Memo who was trailing him and pulled up about 12 inched behind the three point line. His shot clanked off the front of the rim. An offensive rebound got the ball back to Deron giving him a chance to silence all the critics and tie the game. His shot was off to the left as well. The final horn sounded. Immediately the ESA started pumping "Stop and Stare" by OneRepubic into the speakers. How poetic. That was all we could do. Stop and stare as a promising season come to end.

As the crowd gave our Jazz a standing ovation as they went to the exit portal for the last time this season, I realized that despite my homer love, my blind eyed views, my inability to accept that another team was truly better than the Jazz, the Lakers were a better team than us for this series. The Jazz never fully got their offense into the form that we had seen all season. The only player in my eyes who gave the series the respect it deserved was Deron Williams. He proved that he is a superstar in this league and any team he plays with will have a chance to win despite anyone else on the court.

Keys to the Lakers winning the series:
Derek Fisher. He is a savvy veteran who learned the Jazz system well when he played for the Jazz. It seemed as if he knew when and where the Jazz wanted the ball. His help defense was spectacular throughout the entire series. His story gave unnecessary ammunition to his teammates as they felt like they were seeking revenge for the treatment of their fellow Laker. He shot a great percentage from outside and stayed out of foul trouble in every Laker victory.

Gasodom. These two sucked the life out of Boozer. They gave him no respect and wanted to prove that he would have to earn every rebound and every layup. Nothing would come uncontested. They had Boozer demoralized to a point of no return after game 2. Anyone who says Boozer found himself and broke through in game 4 is wrong. He was lucky that game. The Lakers interior defense smothered anything the Jazz wanted to do inside. There were 8 feet in the paint every time Boozer touched the ball.

Matt Harpring. Great guy. Great leader. Too bad he just doesn't know when to stop shooting the ball. His ill advised baseline jumpers and missed layups cost the Jazz a lot of momentum in LA. He could have gotten under the skin of Kobe but never did so. He played old, tired, and sore.

That's it. I'm not putting Kobe in there because I think he played exactly how we all expected him to play. He was dominating. As an MVP should be.

Congratulations Los Angeles Lakers, you won the series fair and square. You proved you wanted this series more than the Jazz did. You didn't have any visa problems to worry about. You were in it for the long haul.

To all Laker fans: Thanks for stopping by and reading our blog. I really mean it. You brought a lot of fight and spitfire with you and were able to get under Jazz fans skin on occasion. You made the series fun for us. This is what being a fan of the NBA is all about. We do have one thing in common. We love this game. We love our teams. We are what makes being an NBA fan great. When the season is over, we are all the same. We're all homers for our team. We all think the refs are out to get us. We all think that we are superior to anyone and anything in an opposing uniform. I look forward to next year's postseason as the Lakers and Jazz solidify themselves as the NEW Western Conference Powerhouses.

So What's It Gonna Be?

2008-05-16T09:28:00.008-06:00

Tonight's game has blow out written all over it and it better be the Jazz laying it on hard and heavy. This game will be decided for the Jazz in the first 5 minutes. If they come out flat and get knocked around early look for AK to be on the bench with his BlackBerry booking that trip to France for the summer. (Is there anyone who cares less about his team in the NBA than AK? I hope Deron kicked him in the head when he got back.) And subsequently look for Kevin O'Connor on his BlackBerry trying to trade AK for a bucket of chicken wings. On the other hand, if the Jazz come out like wild dogs and are the more aggressive team look out. The Lakers know that they have one more game at home and that they have owned the Jazz there all season so if they get down big look for the white flag.

The crowd needs to be over the top tonight. I want all of the lunatics in the seats tonight and I want them to bring their crazy uncle too. I want Kobe, Lamar, Pau and Fisher booed for the entire game with out stopping, even when they are on the bench. I want to hear Phil complain to the league again about how the noise hurts his ears. We as fans need to be involved in this one like the hooligans are for soccer. Basically I would like to see 20,000 of these guys invade the ESA tonight.

We still have not seen a complete game from the Jazz this series, do they have the requisite sized manhood to put it together tonight? Can Boozer take the dress off and start playing like a man? Can AK take his game up another level and cause havoc all over the floor? At what point does D-will say eff-it and score 40? Can Korver have one great shooting game? Can Lamar Odom keep it up? Is Pau Gasol really that good? All good questions that I am sure many of us are pondering today. This much I know for sure, the series is going back to LA tied at 3-3. Kobe has never won a playoff game in Salt Lake, he sure as hell is not going to be getting one tonight.

We'll see you in LA on Monday.

How did we lose that game?

2008-05-14T23:30:00.002-06:00

Thanks.

Podcast from CB Jack on ESPN with Steve Mason

2008-05-14T22:03:00.003-06:00

Feel free to listen to my two interviews with Steve Mason of ESPN 710 AM Los Angeles.

The first interview took place before Game 2. Yeah, my prediction was a little off.

The second interview took place before Game 5.

Thanks to Steve and Drew from ESPN 710 AM for giving me the opportunity.

Late.

Game 5 preview with updated matchups

2008-05-14T15:01:00.000-06:00

This is the big one tonight fellas and don't believe anyone in LA that says they are not nervous about tonight's game. I will give them a certain level of confidence, but deep down they have to be worried. After all of the "Sweep" talk from Laker fans they have to be experiencing a little rectal puckering for the rest of this series. So let me say this with a certain confidence, if the Jazz can sneak out a win tonight this series is all but over in 6. Here are my keys to tonight's game for a Jazz victory.

1 - Exploit the back injury. I am not saying that we should go out and try to hurt Kobe, but we are idiots if we don't body him up hard when the have the ball and run him in circles when he is on D. I want to see Brewer just running and cutting with no real purpose except to get Kobe to keep changing direction and twisting that back.

2 - Get Fisher into foul trouble early again. This may be next to impossible in LA, but Derron needs to do what ever it takes to get Farmar into the game early.

3 -Don't slow down. This game needs to become a physical track meet. The Jazz need to push the ball up the court and then go with authority to the hole. I still don't think that the Lakers interior defense is an better than average when the other team is attacking. If you slow it down and play the Charles Barkley 10 dribbles and then a shot offense they can be effective so keep the pressure on.

4 - Last, but not least, keep the Lakers to 35 or fewer free throws. Try playing some D with your feet instead of your hands and when you foul don't let them get a shot up.

I wanted to do a quick update on the match ups as well now that we are 4 games into this thing as a follow up to my series preview.

PG - Williams finally realized in the second half of game 2 that Fisher was his backup last year and took control of this one. The advantage for the Jazz is growing as the series progresses.
SG - Kobe owns this match-up regardless of who is guarding him.
SF - Kirilenko is pretty much destroying Radmanovic here so I would give him a pretty big edge
PF - Boozer vs. Odom, before the series I said that Boozer would own this match-up against any of the Laker bigs, but Phil is deploying double and triple teams on Booz limiting his scoring, but Booz is still hitting the boards and playing decent D. I would call this match-up even right now.
C - Before the Series I said that Gasol had a slight advantage over Okur, but now, I think Okur has the slight advantage. He is rebounding better, more consistent with his scoring and not as turnover prone. Overall Okur has been a positive factor for the Jazz in 3 of the 4 games and Gasol has been positive for the Lakers in only 2.
Bench - Price has been waaaaayyyyy better than Farmar even with very limited minutes. Vujacic and Kover have played to a dead tie in my opinion. Harpring and Walton have been very close in their production as well as have Millsap and Turriaf. Add it all up and the Jazz have a slight advantage on the bench because Farmar is scared.

So as I see it the Jazz have a slight advantage in the matchups, but the games are so close because Kobe is that much better for the Lakers. D-Will is on his way to having that type of advantage for the Jazz, but not quite Kobe leve yet which brings us to back to the back. If Kobe can not be 85% for the Lakers they are in trouble. As for a prediction - The homer in me says Jazz by 12 tonight, the realistic side in me says this game is 50/50 so lets split in the middle and say Jazz by 6, 105-99.

Great Deron Williams post on FreeDarko.com

2008-05-14T11:51:00.002-06:00

(PG-13)
From FreeDarko.com:

"Okay, I finally get why Deron Williams has it in for Chris Paul. That rivalry not about draft proximity, or proving that his game is every bit as praiseworthy as Paul's wizardry. Over these last two games, I've come to realize what a scalding bad-ass Williams is. He's not just a big PG, or a guy who makes a good first pass, or a meat-and-potatoes offensive cog in Sloan's new machine. "

MUJ: I love that FreeDarko is coming around to see what a killer instinct Deron has. Watch him go to the rim, get hacked without a whistle, and his eyes turn blood red. The next time he brings the ball up the floor, you can guarantee he is looking to facial/posterize/anihalate first, and pass second. That is the attitude that the Jazz need. The guy is tough as nails. I know AI is known for playing through injuries, but how about D.Will? He is definetely a starter on the All Tough-As-Nails team.

"Williams is positively Paul-ian. He's got that Jordan-esque, Kobe-esque indignation and will to destroy that people jock so hard in Paul. When he's pissed, or increasingly, whenever he decides the game belongs to him, Williams does shit on offense that's every bit as phenomenal as CP3's streaking drives. As a passer, too, he gets more and more brazen as these playoffs go on, making plays with little or no regard to the logical order of that line-up."

MUJ: I couldn't agree more about the brazen passes D.Will has been making. He is coming up with stuff that we never saw last year. He is beginning to see lanes that only a select few special PG's in the history of the game have seen. Like Kobe, get him pissed off and watch how he puts his game into 6th gear and becomes almost untouchable. He may not show a lot of emotion off the court, but when an intese situation arises, you can feel his intesity through his TV. Watching him in person is what it may take for some non-believers to believe. Ask Matt at HP.

"The bottom line of it is not that Williams detests being second best, though that's part of it. He also can't stand that Paul's seen as a transcendent talent, while because of his size and system he's denied that superstar aura. For too long, Williams was seen as having a natural advantage over Paul, and also inhabiting a controlled situation that supposedly played to his strengths.

He had it better, and yet was best when limited. No more, no more. Williams seems to be moving faster, feeling more, and going for the jugular now, like he's out to prove that Paul's not the only one on the fast track to immortality. I joked about this on Deadspin, but now I'm convinced it's for real.

It's almost enough to make me want to see Hornets/Jazz in the next round, even though, on a sentimental level, I'd prefer to see Kobe and Odom advance."

MUJ: Great post. I think D.Will is the first Jazz player in a long time...like forever, to have that killer instinct. He does not settle for 2nd best. I think we're going to see a fired up D.Will tonight as he proves that he wan force his will on the road against even the best teams.

Here is the post in its entireeyFreeDarko.com

Round 2 with Steve Mason!! CB Jack on ESPN 710 AM Los Angeles 4:00 pm MST

2008-05-14T11:49:00.000-06:00

Just wanted to give you guys a heads up that I will be on ESPN Radio 710 Los Angeles for The Steve Mason Show today at 3:00pm PST/4:00 pm MST.

You can listen to the interview here. (Click on listen live from the ESPN site).

Let's sneak one out of LA and come home to seal the deal! WCF here we come!

Jazz vs. Lakers Game 4 Recap

2008-05-11T21:31:00.004-06:00

"Ha, Ha, Ha! Did you just say you were going to win game four?"

YESSSSS! If there was ever a game that caused heart problems, anxiety, irregularity, etc, etc. Today's game four between the Jazz and Lakers did just that. I am going to give you a recap of the game through my eyes, and then let ESPN give you the real specifics.

So, of course, being the religious man I am...err, my wife makes me be, I was in church. I was able to use my two year old as a scape goat and made it home just before the half. I put my daughter down for a nap and immediately turned the game on. Alright, alright, so I turned the game on and then put my daughter down for a nap....on the couch....in the living room...right by the T.V. (Nothing calms here down quicker than a Jazz game.)

Not to get too off-track, but I am a highly superstitious person so when I turned the game on and saw our nine point lead dwindle down to nothing before the half I had to think of something. Was I going to sit in a different chair, change my shirt, I had to do something. So, I did what every fan would do. I took one for the team and changed the channel. For the next two hours I watched the Discovery Channels "Deadliest Catch - Mothers Day Marathon" only tuning to ABC for quick updates and then immediately getting out of there. This was working. I checked in every 4-5 minutes. As I did this, the Jazz were keeping a 4-6 point lead. This worked for nearly the entire second half. However, with just over four minutes left in the game the Jazz were up by 12 and I got greedy. I changed it to the game only to realize I was single-handily bringing them down. The next thing I knew I had caused the Jazz to blow their lead and watch the Lakers send the game into overtime. Now, a lot of you are going to read how Kobe, Odom, Fisher and the boys turned it on and forced the game into overtime. Nope. That's not it. This one is on me Jazz fans. I should have waited it out. I should have never tuned into the game until the buzzer sounded. I apologize for the stress I brought upon all of you.

As overtime began I was right back to what was working. Only this time, I disciplined myself even further, only checking the scores on my phone not the television. This was all it took. Jazz Win, Jazz Win. It was not pretty and they came awfully close to ruining Mothers Day, but they fought hard. Wish I could have witnessed it first hand, but those are the types of things I am willing to do for the sake of this organization.

Now, on to the real recap.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=280511026

This was HUGE WIN for this team.! Now it's time to steal one in L.A. It's not going to be easy but this team can do it. I know they can! Go Jazz!

Jazz Win One for Mothers Everywhere!

There Can Only Be One: Fisher-Williams

2008-05-10T13:32:00.001-06:00

Wow. D-Will getting some pub.

Boozer Shows 20-20 Vision

2008-05-10T12:30:00.001-06:00

Welcome Back Boozer!

Jazz vs. Lakers - Game 3 Quick Recap

2008-05-09T22:04:00.005-06:00

Yep. It was just like that.

The Dynamic Duo brought it full force tonight. This is just what the Jazz needed. Carlos Boozer went to the rim with a step he hasn't had the entire post season. Booze pulls down nearly 60% of the Jazz rebounds. And most importantly, he brought it in the last 3 minutes. The 6 straight points by the Booze Hound proved to be the game winning sequence. Gasol looked horrible...and he played bad too. Boozer dominated the paint like he has been doing all season.

Deron Williams was a warrior tonight. The guy gets NO calls when he goes to the rim. Basically breaks his wrist, and still dishes out 12 assists to go along with his 18 points. He is 1st team All-NBA 4th quarter team. We'll gladly take Fishers 6.5 MM and pass it on to Deron. He deserves every penny. He is THE toughest point guard in the NBA.

The fans were out in force tonight. The crowd was electric tonight. And thank goodness Larry dropped the white tees and went back to the TRUE BLUE tees. The boo birds weren't nearly as bad as I thought they would be. I think everyone was too star struck after seeing American Idol winner (another prediction) David Archuletta lay down the National Anthem. What a great day for Utah.

It was interesting to watch the Mamba try and bring the Lake Show back himself. Looked like the old Kobe to me. It will be interesting to see if the Lakers begin to unravel if they lose game 4 (Yes, that's a prediction). This series will be 2-2 going back to Staples. Too bad Lakers fans will keep posting "SWEEP!!!!" and "Get out 'da brooms!!!" on every blog out there. Thanks California education system.

This Lakers team is going to be tested for the first time this season. I can't wait to see how they respond after the momentum of the series shifts into Utah's favor. I'm drunk with Jazz right now.

Final Score: Jazz 104, Lakers 65, Kobe 34

Jazz links:
SLC Dunk
Biased Fan - The Utah Jazz
Frank Layden Admirers

Lakers links:
Forum Blue and Gold
Lakers Blog - LA Times

ESPN:
Recap
Box Score

A great picture from our very own Horny who was at the game.

The guy in the brown shirt pulls the steal of the century when he uses the two finger pinch and ganks Deron's towel right off his back. Deron never had a clue.
Thanks to Basketball John for the picture.

Derek Fisher. The man. The controversy.

2008-05-08T19:08:00.005-06:00

What's up sports fans. I was sure that the Jazz were going to play with some intensity in Game 2 and come out with a split in LA. Then I woke up. Reality sucks. There is a topic looming out in cyberspace that I want to address.

The Derek Fisher Story as per the LA Times

Wow now that is some intense writing. Put me on the record as saying that Derek Fisher is an amazing father and person. He has played out his career almost without a flaw. Almost. As a soon to be father I can't imagine the sleepless nights and anxiety filled doctor visits that Fish has had to endure. It's something you wouldn't wish on your own enemy. Even a Laker.

Fish did some amazing things for the Jazz organization and matured one of the best young point guards in the league. His mentorship to Deron Williams was invaluable. He taught him how to deal with the media, how to deal with a tough coach, and how to become a leader. Jazz fans should be very grateful for what he turned D-Will into. He also provided us with a Jazz moment that will live in infamy. When I hear the replay of him entering the game after coming straight from the airport, the fans going nuts, there was electricity in the air. I still get goosebumps when he hits that three and the ESA erupts. One of the greatest Jazz moments...no...one of the greatest NBA moments in the past decade. He showed us that the NBA has a human side.

If that video doesn't capture the feeling that night. This home video will.

Thanks D.Fish for an amazing night.

That being said, Laker fans need to back off Jazz fans for the booing of Fish in SLC. I wasn't at the Staples Center when Golden State returned for the first time after Fisher left for the big contract. I am not sure how the crowd reacted. I'm told by Lakers fans that there was a tribute video and standing ovation. Good for you guys. He played there 8 seasons and deserved it. But you certainly weren't cheering for him. Because if you were, you were cheering for the opposing team.

You weren't booing the man who hit 0.4.

You weren't booing the man who helped bring rings to the City of Los Angeles. You were booing the man in the other jersey. The man who left to Oakland for a bigger paycheck and a chance to start. You were booing a Golden State Warrior.

Put yourselves in a Utah Jazz fans' shoes. Fisher had brought you to the highest of highs, only to leave to your rival. Utah embraced Derek Fisher. Fans adored him. He was the perfect fit into "the Jazz system". It was perfect.

Just weeks after the Jazz season ended against the Spurs, a press conference was held. Was Derek Fisher going to retire and commit all his time to his ailing daughter? That is what we all figured would happen. Instead, Larry Miller and the Jazz brass took the highest road you can in professional sports. They let a man who signed by the X on a contract walk away from his own signature. Without a second thought. He turned down 6.5 million dollars to do so. He needed to be closer to proper health care for his daughter Tatum who would require numerous visits to a cancer center in New York.

Where would he go? Knicks? Sixers? Nets? Lakers? Heat? Wait. Did you just say Lakers? Sounded fishy the moment you read it. Didn't it? It did to me and countless other Jazz fans. We knew Derek Fisher loved LA. It was his home for the majority of his career. What a slap in the face to have him choose his old town over his "new" town. It hurt. It hurt bad.

It's hurt like the girl who you took to the dance in high school, only to have her dance a few quick dances with you as she stared at the door waiting for the football stud to walk in the door. And when he did? Boom. She was gone.

So when you saw her at school on Monday and you give her the cold shoulder, she shouldn't be surprised. No matter what the relationship you had with her, the boiling blood running through your veins would take time to simmer down. But it would pass.

And so it was with Derek Fisher. The blood was still boiling in Jazz fans veins when Fisher returned for the first time. We booed him. And goodness, we booed him BAD. Like nothing he had ever seen. It felt good too. Let it all out Jazz fans.

And so it was. Lakers fans need to chill out. LA Times writers need to get over it. Don't expect Fisher to get booed the way he did on his initial return. Our blood has simmered down. Yes, we've grown up. But be warned that he will get booed, so will Kobe, Gasol, Phil and the rest of the dark side. The story in the LA Times was emotional and well written. But stop ragging on Jazz fans for booing. The guy is in a Lakers uniform for heavens sake. We don't like the Lakers. We didn't like Karl Malone as a Laker. Derek Fisher is no different. We loved what he did for us as a Jazz man, but his success as a Laker means nothing to us.

So bring out the Boo Birds on Friday and let's remind the Lakers that we are the most vicious crowd in the NBA. Let's remind them that this series will be tied 2-2 the next time they step foot on the shiny Staples Center floor. Let's remind them that the Utah Jazz are not done and will not go away without a fight.

MoneyMan Memo chats with...Doug Collins?

2008-05-08T18:00:00.000-06:00

This was an email I received from one of our long time favorite readers MoneyMan Memo. Great stuff MM, thanks for the email.

First, I was NOT at the game. I was at the Staples Center, but could not get into the game (no tickets). Instead, I watched the game in the FOXSports bar in the Staples Center lobby with my buddy, a Laker fan. In other words, I was in the heart of the enemy's territory. Sorry, no photos. Basically, envision a packed house of folks dressed in piss yellow and disgusting purple, most wearing Kobe gear, holding yellow MVP placards, and cheering everytime the Lakers scored (way too frequently). Let me tell you, it really sucked to watch the game in that environment (coupled with the Jazz playing like garbage).

However, I do have a story to share. I flew out of LAX on Thursday morning, and guess who I spotted in the airport? Doug Collins, sitting and reading the LA Times with a cup of Starbucks. He looks a lot older in person than on TV, so it took me a few takes to be convinced that it was actually him. I introduced myself as a fan of his (I am actually a big fan of his broadcast work), and of course as a huge Jazz fan. I then asked him about his thoughts on last night's game and the whole Jazz-Lakers series. We chatted for about 10 min, and he was incredibly nice and just as insightful as he is on television.

Topics we discussed:

Boozer: This is the first topic that Doug brought up when I asked about the Jazz performance in this series. He truly believes that Boozer's back is bothering him more than he is admitting, and the Jazz cannot win the series unless he gets healthy. We talked about him being subpar even during the Rockets series, and Doug pointed out that his performance begin suffering even during the last 7 games of the regular season. He said Boozer is getting treatment for his back after every game and said he asked Boozer about it last night after the game, but he wouldn't say it's an issue. I have to agree with Doug - Boozer has not looked as aggressive, and it looks strained/painful for him to even take jumpshots.

Lakers offense: Doug's comment - they are looking very very good. They are too quick for the Jazz to handle.

Jazz defense: I asked him about the Jazz fouls and why he felt there were still so many in Game 2, even after Game 1's postgame comments by both sides (my reasons for asking were that I really thought the Lakers were getting the benefit of the doubt a little too much in Game 2). He made an interesting point. First, the Lakers are very quick on offense (ball movement), in particular Odom. Also, Gasol moves very well without the ball. However, it was his opinion that the Jazz are getting called for a lot of fouls because they are playing defense with their hands out in the front of them instead of having them by their sides and moving their bodies. This makes it hard for the refs not to call a foul. Maybe that's just how Sloan and the coaching staff want them to do it - as far as I can remember, the Jazz have always done it that way and it's largely why they are known to be physical.

Lakers defense: Doug's take: Odom and Gasol's length are giving the Jazz big problems. Also, he said the Lakers are not defending the outside shot for any Jazz player except for Korver. They are keeping one foot in the paint on defense at all times to stifle the Jazz offensive sets, which are predicated on getting layups. I thought this was a good observation and an important one that Boozer brought up as well in his postgame interviews - the Jazz need to make some outside shots to keep the Laker defense honest and then they can go inside.

Comparison between Jazz-Bulls ~10 years ago and Jazz-Lakers today: He said he spoke with Phil Jackson about this. I was more interested in asking Doug about what Utah could do this time around against Phil's team to actually win, but we only got around to making the obvious comparisons. Jordan-Kobe, Kerr-Fisher, Odom-Pippen (although Doug said that while Phil tried to get him to play Pippen's role, it didn't fit for Odom). Stockton-Williams, BryonRussell-Brewer, Shandon-AK, AntoineCarr-Millsap, Malone-Boozer, Horny-Korver, Eisley-Price, and the only big deviation being Okur being completely different from Ostertag.
Doug's next broadcast is on Monday night in Cleveland for Game 4 of the Celts-Cavs series.

Thanks to Doug Collins for being kind enough to stop reading his paper and chat with a bleary-eyed commoner like myself early on a Thursday morning in the airport. He even remembered my name at the end of our talk. Go Jazz for Game 3 - I'll be praying for Boozer's back (and mental resolve) to improve.

Editors note: You're a freaking stud MM. Thanks again for the report.

Reality is Setting In

2008-05-08T09:43:00.004-06:00

Wasn't there a #5 that used to hang with these guys?

"Utah Sucks! Utah Sucks." That was the sound coming from the Staples Center Crowd with three minutes to go in last nights Game Two loss to the Lakers. A frustrating end to a frustrating game. Similar to Game One, the Jazz played from behind nearly the entire game, only leading 13-12 in the first quarter. The Jazz were out-played and out-hustled by the dominating Lakers.
The Jazz-Homer inside of me wants to complain about the free throw discrepancy. (13-16 for Utah 35-43 for L.A.) I'm not going to though. I could go on a ten minute rant about how easy it was for Kobe and Gasol to get a foul called. (Throw your arms around and scream and chances are you are going to get a whistle.)
I could just as easily go on about how frustrating it is to watch Boozer struggle night in and night out. Are you hurt Boozer? Just in a slump? Or does L.A.'s size intimidate you that much?
When all is said and done, the Lakers are a better team. That's all it is. I want the Jazz to win, I want to think they can come back from a 2 game deficit. In reality, however, the Lakers are the #1 seed for a reason and you cannot argue that. They are bigger, faster and collectively speaking, they seem to want it more.
Don't get me wrong Jazz-fans. I am not selling out. I would not do that. You better believe I will be True-Blue tomorrow night and every night the Jazz play. In fact, I hope I eat my words and a miracle does take place. Hey, like C.B. mentioned to me last night. We were down 0-2 to Houston last year and pulled it off. I'm simply trying to convince myself that it is not a huge upset if the Lakers beat us. They are supposed to. Let's just don't go down easy.
So, to the Spoiled L.A. Fans, cheering for their All-Star Team and screaming and yelling "Utah Sucks, Utah Sucks." That's fine, go right ahead. I would not expect any less of you. But to all of the Jazz fans at the E.S.A. tomorrow night or sitting in their living rooms, let's give 'em hell!

Round 2 with Steve Mason!! CB Jack on ESPN 710 AM Los Angeles 4:00 pm MST

2008-05-07T22:08:00.000-06:00

Just wanted to give you guys a heads up that I will be on ESPN Radio 710 Los Angeles for The Steve Mason Show today at 3:00pm PST/4:00 pm MST.

You can listen to the interview here.

Let's sneak one out of LA and come home to seal the deal! WCF here we come!

Give and take with Brian from SportsHubLA.com and LATimes.com

2008-05-06T16:01:00.004-06:00

First things first. Congrats to Kobe on winning the MVP award today, he was as worthy as anyone else this year. He was not my pick as I am on the record as saying the KG was more valuable to his team, but Kobe is right there and I have no problems with him winning it this year. Quick question for you LA fans - Before Pau came on board it seems to me that Kobe was not getting the MVP love that he was at the end of the season. Is it possible that Pau may be just as valuable to this team as Kobe is considering the tear you went on with him in the lineup? (Now I am going to go throw up and gargle with bleach for saying something nice about the Lakers. Believe me, it took all the good mojo in me to write a positive comment for Kobe and his crew of misfits.)

On to the give and take with Brian. Before the series started we agreed to give a 3 ways to beat the Lakers and 3 ways to beat the Jazz give and take. Below is Brian's response on how to beat the Lakers and how to lose to the Lakers, its kind of long, but very well thought out and informative I thought. My responses on how to beat the Jazz and how to lose to the Jazz should be up on his site http://www.sportshubla.com/ shortly so check it out. I will post my responses here tomorrow as a preview to game 2 so stay tuned for that. Thanks to Brian for being willing to do it and for sending over all his Laker homers to our humble little site.

Three Ways to Beat to the Lakers:

1) Make them shoot jumpers.

The Lakers are more than willing to take (sixth in the NBA in 3 point attempts) and are plenty able to make (sixth in 3 point percentage) shots from distance. They’ve had games where they shoot themselves to a nice win. But while it pays off from time to time, the Lakers are never a better offensive squad when they’re chucking triples like the Warriors on a bender. Fans are still bitter over a late season, 114-111 loss to the Grizzlies in which the Lakers completely obliterated the franchise record with 45 attempts from beyond the arc. 45. In four quarters. Seriously. When LA becomes content taking open looks from the perimeter, it plays against their greatest strengths- penetration, post play, ball movement- and to one of their greatest weaknesses- namely transition D.

Denver lacked the defensive discipline to keep the Lakers on the outside, and to be honest, when they’re going well LA doesn’t settle. The Nuggets tried to zone, but the Lakers were able to find holes inside, and once that happened it was basically a jailbreak towards the Denver hoop. But well placed, zones can throw off the Lakers attack enough to give the opposition a few minutes of empty trips to work with.
It’s not simply a question of packing the paint, but of closing off entry passes, and defenders sticking their man off the ball. And…

2) Get Physical.

Another area in which the Nuggets failed, but where the Jazz could thrive (just ask the Rockets and their video staff, right?). The line on the Lakers, and especially Pau Gasol, is that some of the rough stuff can bother them. There was certainly a stretch where teams were very physical with players in the post, and it seemed to alter their game pretty significantly. Some of that manifested itself in T’s, particularly from Kobe, who spent the second half of the season riding refs like Red Pollard on Seabiscuit. That’s less likely to happen in the playoffs, but physical play would still have the benefit of tossing off the timing and flow that makes the Lakers offense so difficult to handle, as well as creating some frustration.
The Jazz certainly have the horses to make this happen, and frankly I’d be shocked if they didn’t make an effort to throw some bodies around, given what they’ve done this year and in the first round. Boozer, Millsap, Harpring, Williams, and so on. The Lakers thrive in space. Don’t give them any.

3) Don’t Stand Still.

One reason the Lakers were so successful against the Nuggets (aside from their Chernobyl-esque ability to melt down) is that once the Lakers shut down Denver’s running game through quality inside play and good work cutting off outlet passes, the Nuggets had no halfcourt answer besides isos from AI and ‘Melo. There was zero ball movement, in part because there wasn’t any player movement, either. In four games, the Nuggets managed only 74 assists, which is shocking considering how much they run, and how many possessions they generate.

One reason I like the Jazz as a team is, similar to the Lakers, they run an offense predicated on motion. They back cut, they screen and roll, they set picks away from the ball. All of these things give LA’s defense problems. Certainly the Jazz have had success against the Lakers in the past by running them ragged in the half court. Even better for Utah, if they can push pace, they’ll be able to take advantage of the aforementioned weakness in transition defense.

Three Ways to Lose to the Lakers:

1) Over Play Kobe.

There was a time when tossing bodies at Kobe would only get him to a) try and shoot over them or b) try to dribble through them. No more. The Lakers have far too many weapons to go with the “anyone but Kobe can beat us” strategy. Over the last two seasons, Bryant has become far more willing to pass out of doubles and find the open man, and now that the Lakers have open men worth finding, the strategy has paid big dividends. Teams that tried to force the ball out of his hands via hard double and triple teams consistently paid with open looks from the other four guys on the floor, as Kobe would trap defenders in no-man’s land. Moreover, with guys like Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, Luke Walton, Jordan Farmar, etc., the Lakers have too many outstanding passers to make that work. You can’t let those guys play four on three or three on two.

In the end, it’s the worst of both worlds. Rarely does the double work, and the result- getting the ball out of Kobe’s hands- generally results in the Lakers getting an easier look than Bryant probably would been able to generate himself, had the D played him straight. The Jazz have some solid individual defenders in Ronnie Brewer and AK-47. Use ‘em.

Along those lines…

2) Ignore the Supporting Cast.

I’m not talking just Gasol or Odom. I mean everyone down the line. The more players the Lakers can get into double figures, the more likely they are to win. Kobe is going to get his points, and in the triangle, Gasol is a genuine force. Those are givens. But when the supporting guys go off, it’s trouble. Just ask George Karl about Luke Walton.

When Sasha Vujacic gets nine, Vlad Radmanovic pours in 10, Fish gets his 14, and Farmar gets 11 (I’m just tossing numbers, of course) the Lakers are almost impossible to beat. Kobe can attract so much attention on the offensive end, but teams have to recognize that the Lakers are dominant when they get balance, and that Kobe will play in a way to make it happen. He’ll still take shots that aren’t quality, but the number of CIFSPG (Cringe Inducing Forced Shots Per Game) Bryant hoists has gone down considerably. If the defense gives him 18 looks, that’s what he’ll take. But if that’s the case, he’s likely to have set up his teammates for a lot of great shots, and LA is likely to have piled up points.

3) Let Them Get Comfortable in the Paint.

Everything the Lakers do well is predicated on getting the ball inside. Their offense is built around it, as is their defensive stability. When it doesn’t happen, things tend to get pretty wonky. Of course, keeping them out of the lane is easier said than done. Kobe can penetrate against almost any defender, and between LO and Gasol, they have a ton of length to exploit. Among the reserves, Farmar is extremely quick off the dribble, and loves to attack the rim. Walton is very comfortable posting up.

Odom in particular has become almost impossible to defend since the arrival of Gasol. The worry was that the move would leave him shooting more jumpers, but instead it’s been just the opposite. His entire game seems to exist around the rack, whether in transition, positing up, or attacking off the dribble. As a result, when he is taking jumpers, they’re going up with more confidence. After posting shooting percentages of 49%, 49%, and 41% over the first three months, Odom has gone crazy in the second half. 62.3% in February, 55% in March (when Gasol missed some games) and 63.4% in April.
Once the Lakers can get the ball inside, their ball and player movement makes them tough to stop. All of their big players can shoot or distribute from inside. They’re a great drive and kick team. They slide off screens very well and move to the hoop. If they can get comfortable there, Utah is in trouble.

My Utah Jazz Playoff Podcast with Ryan from Hoops Addict. With a few random thoughts...

2008-05-05T09:10:00.010-06:00

I was asked to participate in a playoff podcast by Ryan at Hoops Addict. You can hear the podcast, which was picked up by USA Today and NBA.com, here.

(CB Jack: I was completely sarcastic with my Chris Mihm comment, I don't think Ryan caught that. lol)

Kurt from Forum Blue and Gold also participated for all you Lakers fans. Ryan did a great job. As Booner would say, sorry if I sounded like Debbie Downer, but we held the call right after the Jazz had lost.

Random Thoughts:

Boozers Hammy was right on the money with his post below. I can't say that the Lakers really won this game, but more that the Jazz lost it. If Matt Harpring would have pulled himself out of the game we could be up 1-0. He played horrible. Between his play, Kyle Korvers inability to his anything outside of a free throw, and CJ Miles committing the worst foul in NBA history, the Jazz were right in this game. I believe I counted 6 straight possessions where KK and Harp screwed the pooch and missed 15 foot jumpers and layups.

The officiating crew was poor at best. Both teams have to agree that the calls were extremely inconsistent. Touch fouls, followed by no calls. I know it's the playoffs and games need to be played out, but I just want to see consistency...on both ends of the floor.

From Forum Blue and Gold: To Utah fans complaining about Phil complaining about the refs: Welcome to playoff basketball. You can influence the refs through the media, every coach knows this and does this.

CB Jack's take: Apparently Jerry Sloan missed the memo because I've never seen him use the media as vehicle for complaining about officiating.

More Random Jazz/Lakers links I find throughout the day:
-Awesome recap by SportsHubLA
-Forum Blue and Gold breaks down Game 1
-Tim Buckley of the DesNews thinks the Jazz went cold....really? Harpring included?
-Matt at HP has his Lakers gold glasses on...
-MSNBC looks at Kobe vs. Jazz

How good is Kobe

2008-05-05T08:06:00.003-06:00

I wanted to write a love to note to Kobe after game one because he is the most awesome player to ever put a basketball jersey on. His game one highlights include badly missing 3 shots in a row in the fourth quarter when the Jazz were finally playing as a real team and not turning the ball over every other possession like they did in the first half. He also was able to get the foul line at will by screaming like a little bitch if any Jazz player even looked at him wrong. I am sure that all of you Laker fans will try and tell me that Kobe deserved to go the line 23 times and if you do, you give up your right to ever call another fan from another team a homer. 50% of the fouls called on Kobe are complete crap as it was with MJ, Magic, Bird, Malone and any other superstar. Lets see here, the Jazz shoot 30 free throws as a team and the Lakers shoot 46, that seems like calls were fair both ways. (I do agree with Phil Jackson however that the officiating was a little wishy-washy at best, but it is not why the Jazz lost the game.) Back to Kobe, he played great defense on our worst offensive player all night holding Ronnie Brewer to 11 points. All in all he was just awesome, in fact I would dare say that he was the best player on the floor yesterday, something I am sure that none of us irrational fans were expecting.
On to the real issues of the game.

1 - Carlos Boozer needs to pull his head out of his butt and play some ball. 7 turnovers is not acceptable Carlos, neither is the 6-14 shooting.
2 - Deron's shot was off and that should get better, but did you realize he was 1 assist and 1 rebound away from a triple-double. Not too bad for an off night.
3 - Matt Harpring needs to stop shooting the basketball. Ugh!
4 - For the love of everything holy lets make a damn shot. 38% shooting for the game? Really? At least we rebounded all of those missed shots. We had 22 more shot attempts than the Lakers due to the work on the offensive glass, if they can keep that up around 15 for game two and get the shooting percentage up to 45% the Jazz win the game. (Note to Lakers players, feel free to box out on the glass, from what I saw in game one you are really bad rebounders. I would like to point out that I did mention Okur would own the glass against softy Pau.)

Game 2 is all about adjustments so lets see if the Jazz can adjust their shooting stroke and make a series out of this. They need a full 4 quarters of execution, not the 3 that we got yesterday.

Calling out all Jazz fans...

2008-05-03T18:26:00.004-06:00

(CB Jack posting while listening to the Braveheart soundtrack)

Jazz fans, please play the file below while reading this post.

We are heading straight for the enemy. There is no other way to face the battle that will ensue in the coming weeks. Children, women, men, anyone who can type must be given a computer and access to My Utah Jazz. Our enemy is big. I dare call them the biggest fan base in the entire NBA. We will be outnumbered. We will be belittled. We will be made fun of. But does it matter? No. We are Jazz fans.

We are the most fierce, vicious, fanatic fan base in the entire NBA. We are the 6th man to our team. We are an extension of the players we see on the court. That means we must put our views of Sloan, AK, and CJ Miles aside. We must unite as one. All Jazz bloggers, commenters and readers must come together and defend our boys in Blue. We knew the path to the Larry O'Brien trophy wouldn't be an easy one. Especially out west. But the 2nd round will present the toughest opponent out there. We cannot go down without a fight.

The anonymous Lakers fans will come and go. Kobe will change his number again and again. 200 more coaching changes can come and go. But what will remain? Our faithfulness to our team will remain. The Utah Jazz having the best homecourt advantage in the NBA will remain. The Utah Jazz having the smallest, most united fan base in the NBA will remain.

There was something I have been hiding up my sleeve. Something I didn't want to have to pull out until the NBA Finals. But with the current circumstances, I have no choice...

My Utah Jazz will be put on the back burner for a few weeks. The time has come for us to unite, and become OUR Utah Jazz. The name on the site has been changed. We will let the True Blue in each of us come out during this series. We will do whatever it takes to defend D-Will, Boozer, and the rest of our warriors on every Lakers Blog, every LA newspaper. We will push the Utah Jazz to victory. So bring on the "Mamba", bring on "In Pau We Trust", and bring on Phil and his rings.

We are Our Utah Jazz. We will not be silenced. We will not lose.

One Team. OUR Dream.

Mission Accomplished

2008-05-03T09:08:00.003-06:00

The Jazz took care of business last night at home as predicted and now it's time to shift gears into full blown Kobe hating mode. A few final thoughts on the Rockets though as we bid them yet another season ending farewell.

1- Tracy McGrady is never going to be a clutch playoff winner. It's just not in his DNA, remember he is related to Vince Carter. Enough of the "superstar" label for this guy.

2- The Scola, Landry, Hayes combo is really quite good. Those three were always playing hard and not afraid of the dirty work. All of them would look really good in Jazz Blue.

3- Rick Adelman is still a first class whiner and that rubs off on his team. The Rockets really need a no excuses, hard nosed coach that does not allow his players to make excuses. Someone like Jerry Sloan.

Moving onto the Lakers, this series is going to look completely different than the one we just saw with the Rockets. Final scores are going to be in the 110 -115 range every night as both team want to push the tempo more. Hopefully the Jazz can keep some of the defensive aggressiveness that they displayed against the Rockets. Look for Boozer to be much more effective as the Lakers interior defense is poor at best. Here is my opinion on how the Jazz stack up to the Lakers, position by position.

PG: Williams vs. Fisher - Advantage Williams, big. Deron is playing MVP caliber ball right and now Fish just can't hang with him.

SG: Kobe vs. Brewer - Advantage Kobe, big. I am pretty sure that Kobe will score a few points in fourth quarter.

SF: Kirilenko vs. Odom - Push. Both guys play a similar all around game with AK being a bigger factor on defense for the Jazz and Odom being a bigger factor offensively for the Lakers.

PF: Boozer vs. Radmanovic - Advantage Boozer, big. Seriously, what are the Lakers going to do with Boozer. Who on this team is going to defend him down low?

C: Okur vs. Gasol - Advantage Gasol, very small. Pau is going to end up scoring more than Okur in this series, but look for Okur to own the glass against him.

Bench: Harpring, Milsap, Korver and Price vs. Farmar, Walton, Vujacic and Turiaf - Push. These are the best two bench units in the playoffs and they are very similar in style. Both teams have the hustling big guy, the sharp shooter, and the athletic streaky point guard.

My prediction for the series is the Jazz in 6, if it goes 7 I don't know if we can win that one on the road. The Jazz should win game 1 because the Lakers are going to be a bit rusty with the long layoff and all of the Kobe for MVP hoopla. After that all they need to do is hold down home court.

Calling My Shot

2008-05-01T16:53:00.012-06:00

Are you ready for this Rockets?

Are you ready to have 20,000 lunaticts screaming at you? Are you ready to get hit in the face? Are you ready to take your game to a higher level in the most hostile environment in the NBA?

Here's the deal, the Utah Jazz are going to the second round of the playoffs. Mark it down, check it off on your things that are already done list, block out 3 hours on Sunday afternoon for game one in LA and put some money aside for tickets to game three against the Lakers back here in SLC. The Rockets are going to be sent home crying once again at the hands of the Utah Jazz. That is the natural order of things in the universe. The Utah Jazz beat the Rockets in the playoffs, it goes together like peanut butter and jelly, or green jello and carrots or Roger Clemens / Karl Malone and underage girls. The Jazz have won the last 3 playoff series with the Rockets and 4 of 6 overall. Mark this one down to make it 4 in a row and 5 of 7.

Why so confident you ask? I have watched 87 Jazz games this year and since the Korver trade the Jazz have rebounded with a victory every time after a crap game like the last one. In fact since the Korver trade the Jazz have not lost back to back games ever. Think about that, not a single losing streak in 4 months now. That is 55 games and counting without losing 2 in row. With the exception of 2 games, all of the wins following a loss were by at least 8 points or more showing that the Jazz come back focused and ready to attack. This team has proven time and time again that they know how to shrug off a bad loss and come back to win the next game.

Some more reasons for confidence; Boozer started to show some signs of life in game 5 taking the ball to the rim a bit more - he is over due for a typical Boozer 25 and 15 game. Korver is due for a break-out game and the home cooking should give it to him. Memo may have found his 3 point stroke and Deron just had his garbage game, you know he will be out for blood tonight. Do you have any confidence that the Rockets can duplicate the effort and results of game 5 on the road? I don't.

So there it is, in black and white for all to see. The Jazz have history and home court on their side. The ESA is going to be rocking like it never has before and we will all get to see Traysee cry at the podium again.

Are you ready for this Rockets Fans?

True Blue Jazz

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