(Warning: Andrei Kirilenko, do not read this blog. In it, Jerry Sloan talks about players earning their salaries, which was one of your major complaints last summer, when you talked about wanting to be traded.)
---
Coach Jerry Sloan made members of the media laugh prior to Wednesday morning's practice.
Asked about the Jazz's tendency to play well against top-notch opponents like the Lakers but perform sluggishly and lose to teams wallowing below .500, Sloan launched into a monologue about the responsibility players have to the game, their teammates and the fans.
"They get paid the same amount whether they play the Lakers of any other team," Sloan said. "I don't think anybody gets paid more for playing the Lakers. If they do, I'm not aware or it. Are you guys aware that their contracts have changed and they get more for playing the Lakers? If they do, then something's not fair here."
The Jazz are 45-24 heading into Thursday night's game against the Lakers. Among the opponents who have beaten Utah this season: Miami, New York, Charlotte, Indiana, New Jersey, Chicago, Minnesota and the L.A. Clippers.
"When you take the job of being a basketball player," Sloan said, "you should play [hard] against everybody. ... You are supposed to be the same guy every day. ...
"Those are disappointing losses. We get excited about playing certain teams, but the job should be the same, regardless of who you play. [But] I realize it doesn't happen all the time because the emphasis is on the star atmosphere in basketball."
Looking around, Sloan saw 10 or 12 media members attending the pre-Laker practice.
"We had three or four people here before we played Toronto," Sloan said. "Now, we have a lot more ... just because we're playing the Lakers, I guess."
---
Derek Fisher returns to Utah for the second time since the Jazz allowed him to get out of his contract last summer. Fisher wanted to find a new team so he could be closer to recommended medical facilities -- as well as supportive friends and family -- during his young daughter battle with eye cancer. She was diagnosed during the playoffs last spring.
On Nov. 30, Fisher and the Lakers came to Salt Lake City and were beaten by the Jazz, 120-96. During the game, Fisher was booed, apparently because some fans believe he used his daughter's illness as a ticket out of Utah.
Fisher was obviously surprised by the reaction of the fans, who embraced him last season and rallied around him during his inspirational player during the Jazz's surprising run to the 2007 Western Conference finals.
Asked if he remembered the greeting that Fisher received 31/2 months ago, Deron Williams said, "I heard a few of them boo. That's not really right, if you ask me. ... If they want to boo him, that's fine. But I don't think he deserves that."
--Steve Luhm
---
Coach Jerry Sloan made members of the media laugh prior to Wednesday morning's practice.
Asked about the Jazz's tendency to play well against top-notch opponents like the Lakers but perform sluggishly and lose to teams wallowing below .500, Sloan launched into a monologue about the responsibility players have to the game, their teammates and the fans.
"They get paid the same amount whether they play the Lakers of any other team," Sloan said. "I don't think anybody gets paid more for playing the Lakers. If they do, I'm not aware or it. Are you guys aware that their contracts have changed and they get more for playing the Lakers? If they do, then something's not fair here."
The Jazz are 45-24 heading into Thursday night's game against the Lakers. Among the opponents who have beaten Utah this season: Miami, New York, Charlotte, Indiana, New Jersey, Chicago, Minnesota and the L.A. Clippers.
"When you take the job of being a basketball player," Sloan said, "you should play [hard] against everybody. ... You are supposed to be the same guy every day. ...
"Those are disappointing losses. We get excited about playing certain teams, but the job should be the same, regardless of who you play. [But] I realize it doesn't happen all the time because the emphasis is on the star atmosphere in basketball."
Looking around, Sloan saw 10 or 12 media members attending the pre-Laker practice.
"We had three or four people here before we played Toronto," Sloan said. "Now, we have a lot more ... just because we're playing the Lakers, I guess."
---
Derek Fisher returns to Utah for the second time since the Jazz allowed him to get out of his contract last summer. Fisher wanted to find a new team so he could be closer to recommended medical facilities -- as well as supportive friends and family -- during his young daughter battle with eye cancer. She was diagnosed during the playoffs last spring.
On Nov. 30, Fisher and the Lakers came to Salt Lake City and were beaten by the Jazz, 120-96. During the game, Fisher was booed, apparently because some fans believe he used his daughter's illness as a ticket out of Utah.
Fisher was obviously surprised by the reaction of the fans, who embraced him last season and rallied around him during his inspirational player during the Jazz's surprising run to the 2007 Western Conference finals.
Asked if he remembered the greeting that Fisher received 31/2 months ago, Deron Williams said, "I heard a few of them boo. That's not really right, if you ask me. ... If they want to boo him, that's fine. But I don't think he deserves that."
--Steve Luhm
5:32 PM
| 
3 Comments:
Well there is a reason that it seems like Fisher used his illness out. When he was first traded to Utah he was upset and did not want to come. Second was that his wife refused to move to Utah. She wouldn't come here for more than a week or so at a time, but didn't want live here. Fisher is obviously a family man and wanted his family near him.
Utah has a cancer institute here and the daughter could be treated after the major surgery done in New York. After Fish signed with the Lakers he was still taking his daughter to New York for treatment.
Lastly, Fisher was in contract talk with the Lakers withing 24 hours of his release. His story just doesn't add up here.
I think fans were wrong to boo Derek Fisher. There is not enough knowledge to boo the guy. Here's a post that explains the argument further:
http://1280thezone.com/blogs/manly_morning/which_fish_do_you_remember_how_quickly_jazz_fans_forget/
Yes, it is fishy the Laker deal happened so quickly. How does anyone know Utah's cancer institute has the specialty in his daughter's cancer? How do we know L.A. wasn't one of the cities he mentioned as one that can provide the care? What evidence has he shown that we can't take his word? And aren't the Jazz better off anyway?
it's interesting how much discussion this topic induces. In my humble opinion he gets booed because he's a Laker, no other reason. I don't care if his contract had expired and he simply signed there as a free agent. If you wear a Jazz jersey then defect to the evil purple and yellow, you get booed. Do you think Malone would have been booed had be played here after he signed with the Lakers? Cancer or no cancer, he was booed in the first game (rightfully in my mind) but he got the message the first time around
Post a Comment
<< Home