Tuesday, December 16th, 2008 at 10:30 am  |  27 responses

Jerry Sloan Questions His Team’s Toughness

by Marcel Mutoni

Jerry Sloan intimidates everyone. From the fans, to the media, all the way down to his own players. Hell, I’ve never been in the same room with the guy and I’m terrified of him.

Which is why I pity the poor Jazz players who will have to deal with him at practice after their effort against the Celtics in Boston last night.You could say that coach Sloan wasn’t impressed with what he saw out there:

“It looked like we were scared to play against them to start the ballgame,” said Sloan. “Looked like we wanted to play out on the perimeter and take jump shots…They’re awfully hard to get the ball inside on, because they’re an excellent defensive team and they knock you around a bit.”

“Our guys wanted to stay outside because I think they were afraid they’d get hurt. They had us intimidated a great deal and had us out on the perimeter. We never did fully recover.”

There probably aren’t too many more emasculating things in this world than a sixty-six year old man questioning your physical and emotional toughness.

One of Sloan’s tough guys, Carlos Boozer, is slowly inching closer to returning to action. Hurry back, Carlos, before the old man totally loses it.

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  • wilz Posted: Dec.16 at 10:37 am
    first!

  • wilz Posted: Dec.16 at 10:39 am
    look at the celtics then look at your team and notice the physical differences…you can’t blame ur guys for being a little intimidated..

  • Vortex Knight Posted: Dec.16 at 10:40 am
    How is this news? Has Sloan ever had a team that was tough enough for him?

  • Roy Posted: Dec.16 at 10:49 am
    They need Booze back in the line up pronto…

  • Russ Bengtson Posted: Dec.16 at 10:57 am
    Briefly interviewing Jerry Sloan one-on-one (following the Kirilenko “I want out” controversy) was one of the scariest things I’ve ever done in my life.

  • ciolkstar Posted: Dec.16 at 11:12 am
    Getting dogged by most 66 year olds would be emasculating, but Sloan is just a hard mutha. I’d take him in a knife fight aginst pretty much any coach in the league.

  • Captain America Posted: Dec.16 at 11:30 am
    This wasn’t even about last night’s game. Sloan is setting the table for the eventual rematch.

  • Michael Posted: Dec.16 at 11:45 am
    popovich vs sloan would be pretty close

  • Michael Posted: Dec.16 at 11:46 am
    how is boozer gonna do anymore than what millsap is producing right now anyway, dude is a beast right now. Maybe when booze comes back millsap will still log significant minutes

  • Keith Posted: Dec.16 at 11:48 am
    One of my favourite Jerry Sloan quotes that he never said was “I’ll wrestle anyone who thinks the pick and roll is the only play I know”.

  • Plasticman Posted: Dec.16 at 11:52 am
    It will be a sad day when Sloan eventually decides to call it quits. Though I don’t see that happening any time soon.

  • Blinguo Posted: Dec.16 at 12:21 pm
    He could win coach of the year then the next season get the firing, precedence of that coach of the year lately this decade, plus Sloan is way overdue for that coach of the year position. Or actually, because he and his team aren’t on the exact same page – he gets the axe before Christmas too, just like everyone else! “The 2008-09 NBA Season, where 16 firings happen.” But seriously, he’s old school tough in that he doesn’t care who is injured or not, “if there’s enough players to play – you better win. That’s what you get paid to do. I don’t understand it, everyone out there should give everything they have.” – Sloan in a post game interview I caught on NBA TV earlier this season.

  • RV Posted: Dec.16 at 12:27 pm
    Its not boozer they need, millsap has been putting up great numbers in his place, i believe he had 32 and 12 last night. AK, Okur, Brewer, those guys have to step up.

  • melvin ely Posted: Dec.16 at 12:30 pm
    sloan coaches exactly the way he played back in the day: tough as nails and mean as hell. I’d imagine any effort being put forward by any team he coaches that doesn’t measure up to the kind he put up when he was playing, it’d be viewed as not enough

  • Mo Charlo Posted: Dec.16 at 12:41 pm
    AK and Okur are soft.

  • mat smith Posted: Dec.16 at 1:00 pm
    isnt he the one who is supposed to motivate them? thats the coaches job yeah?

  • Sparker Posted: Dec.16 at 1:10 pm
    and he looks like sam shepard

  • Both Teams Played Hard » Blog Archive » Jerry Sloan Doesn’t Care for Your Candy Ass Posted: Dec.16 at 2:01 pm
    [...] dominance), Coach Sloan wasn’t particularly pleased with his squad’s physicality. (via Slam) “It looked like we were scared to play against them to start the ballgame,” said Sloan. [...]

  • dfrance Posted: Dec.16 at 2:04 pm
    Seriously though, when is Sloan gonna get fired. I mean, it’s been cool to see a sports team be loyal to a coach for a change, but he hasn’t won anything. Isn’t that what he’s supposed to be doing, winning championships? They went to the Finals about 10 years ago, and they’re always competitive, but I think they could use a change.

  • Boing Dynasty Posted: Dec.16 at 2:44 pm
    Hasnt Jerry Sloan been questioning his teams toughness for 20 years?

  • Anton Posted: Dec.16 at 2:52 pm
    AK47 dribbles like a ladyboy

  • doyouwantmore Posted: Dec.16 at 3:43 pm
    Fire Jerry Sloan! (just kidding)

  • Moose Posted: Dec.16 at 5:19 pm
    If I were playing against the Celtics I’d be scared of them, too. Seriously, I met Kendrick Perkins and Rajon Rondo this weekend (check out Hibachi 2.0 for details) and Perk was truly terrifying to even talk to. And KG? Don’t even talk about it. The Celts are scary. ;)

  • Krishan Posted: Dec.16 at 6:57 pm
    Yes dfrance, it’s the coach’s job to win championships, the players have nothing to do with AT ALL.

  • 800lb Posted: Dec.16 at 9:44 pm
    Jerry Sloan owns the career record for most technical fouls. He’ll tell you he’s gonna kick your ass, and then he’ll send Matt Harpring in to do it.

  • awesomepossum Posted: Dec.17 at 8:16 am
    Jerry owns that record cos no other coach lasted as long as him.

  • Jeff of InsideHoops Posted: Dec.19 at 7:49 pm
    I agree with whatever Jerry Sloan says

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