After 23 Years, Jerry Sloan Resigns.

[The Crock]

After 23 years at the helm of the Utah Jazz, Head Coach Jerry Sloan is resigning. Sloan supposedly got into a squabble with his Point Guard Deron Williams at halftime of last night's Jazz/Bulls game over the fact that Williams called a different play on the court than Sloan had called on the sideline. After the loss at home, Sloan left reporters waiting for nearly half an hour while he talked to General Manager Kevin O'Connor. Also resigning alongside Sloan is his long time Assistant Coach Phil Johnson. Expected to take the helm for the rest of the year is Assistant Tyrone Corbin.

Thoughts?

Personally, as a lifelong Jazz fan, I can tell you that it's not a good sign for our team. I saw D-Will arguing on the sidelines with Sloan, and it's obvious that their relationship is deteriorating at such a pace. The most surprising part of all this is the fact that Sloan signed a one year extension earlier this week. It is a very disappointing thing, and I'll be at the next home game, and I'll tell you one thing... It will not be the same team, that's for sure.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

Something seems to be up with this resignation after his supposed confrontation with Williams and the fact that Johnson resigned along with him is even more intriguing. Utah fans are extremely loyal to the team and I think most of them will believe that Sloan's argument with Williams had something to do with it and if Utah doesn't play well the rest of the season, the fans could turn on Deron.

 

[The Crock]

Being a Jazz fan, and being in Salt Lake, I can tell you that it's not necessarily true. The fans want change, we hate losing. The big thing is why he resigned so suddenly. Greg Miller claims that "no player, no coach, nobody" forced Sloan out, that Jerry came to this decision by himself. Now, I'm sure that he might have realized that he's too old to be arguing with players and that the time was right, but it still doesn't make sense. Especially with his extension. The major worry for me would be a suitable replacement, Corbin is a good coach, but I don't see him being HEAD COACH material.

 

[Big Sexy]

This is all speculation but it seems like the GM was most likely siding with Deron Williams over Jerry Sloan and that could have had something to do with it. Williams is an elite player but I don't know if you choose your 7 year point guard over your 23 year coach especially when Williams has a player option in his contract to opt out next year in the summer of 2012. You best believe if the Jazz don't win much next year that Williams will leave for greener pastures. Sloan was up there in age as well so who knows how long he would have stayed. It's just a bad situation for that franchise.

 

[The Crock]

This is all speculation but it seems like the GM was most likely siding with Deron Williams over Jerry Sloan and that could have had something to do with it. Williams is an elite player but I don't know if you choose your 7 year point guard over your 23 year coach especially when Williams has a player option in his contract to opt out next year in the summer of 2012. You best believe if the Jazz don't win much next year that Williams will leave for greener pastures. Sloan was up there in age as well so who knows how long he would have stayed. It's just a bad situation for that franchise.

The feeling is that Williams will leave. I mean, we're regressing as a team, what elite player wants to stick around for that? It's a continuous cycle here in Utah. On to your main point, O'Connor and the Millers were clearly siding with Williams. Johnson probably wouldn't have left, but he was a "Sloan-buddy," it wouldn't have been a good time for him to stay around. My only problem with this is how they're acting at the press conference. They make it look as if there was no problem. As if Sloan just up and left. That's obviously not true.

 

[6timehitta]

This is very head scratching, I mean I saw the Jazz highlights and they showed the "fight", but Jerry Sloan just doesn't seem like the kind of guy to "submit" in a way. As my favorite sports reporter Tony Kornheiser said, "He seems like he's trying to avoid confrontation. He seems scared." There has to be more here than meets the eye here.