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Saint Cy of JFC said:
I think I probably could. There's always been a player I've liked on the Jazz. That's overall what keeps me in. I'f they lost that, I could switch up.
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I’d hate watch still… like the spouse that stays in the marriage to complain about the other spouse and make sure the whole family is miserable.
 
Since we're talking about player basketball camps, I went to none of them. But Thurl Bailey came to a Jr. Jazz thing, as did John Crotty (first stint) and Tyrone Corbin (the player). I got an autograph from Mike Brown at Cottonwood Mall food court. I waited in line forever after school to get Bryon Russell's autograph during the first finals outside the Smiths on 9400, then he stopped right as we got to the front. I saw Greg Foster in the locker room of the Treehouse in Draper. I again saw Tyrone Corbin when 1320 was broadcasting live from a restaurant.... somewhere. I did go to a game and before the game bought a pack of cards that had John Crotty card in it. I had him sign it after shootaround but I had a Bic pen and it wasn't signing on the glossy card, so it was just an imprint.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head. Does anyone remember when someone here followed Deron into the KFC in Sugarhouse and took pictures of him eating food?

ETA: oh, and my wife and I did get seated next to Jerry at Tiburon back in the DWill days. My wife was star struck.
 
You guys are all so young. I am 62 and still follow this madness. It is like the being in love with the wrong girl. Everyone is telling you to leave her but you just keep taking her crap because you "love"her. hahaha I went to the very first Jazz game in the Salt Palace, there were a reported 6400 fans but they might have been fudging the numbers. I was so excited just to have an NBA team nearby. I was a college student but I would drive to the game hoping to score some cheap tickets. Now i realize they were all cheap comparing today's prices. One game i sat about 20 rows up mid court and it cost me $12.50 for the ticket.

I saw Magic Bird, Jabbar, Iceman Dr. J etc along with AD and Griffith and Stockton and Malone. I had my heart broken several times. I had to endure living in LA during Showtime. People making fun of the name. Still haven't recovered from Michael Cooper chucking in a 3 pt in Game five of the Laker/Jazz series that went 7 games. Still not over 1997 when Scotty Pippen grabbed the net knocking out Shannon Anderson basket at a crucial part of game six which the Jazz lost. In the rematch, one I consider one of the biggest rip offs in sports. Howard Eisley 3pt not counting and Ron Harper's 2 pt counting and the push off. I remember thinking that was the JAZZ BEST chance of winning a championship. Gone forever.

Regardless of all the sad ending, I still smile when I see Johnny Stockton sending the Utah Jazz to the NBA finals video. It gets me though the tough times. I think being a fan is just a part of me. I will die a Jazz fan and still hope some day that they will get the ring but if not I have enjoyed the journey. I must still be committed. because I watched the whole draft last night Or perhaps I just don't have a life haahahah.
 
I will always be a jazz fan. That 80s series you mentioned when the jazz took the lakers to 7 games, (I died on that Iavaroni pass) cemented my fandom and I have never looked back. I had to stop watching games because I would get excited or depressed based on the games and for the sake of my marriage, I just followed them online and watched the highlights. With the death of my son and wife, I will probably never be able to watch a game again even though my new wife supports my fandom 100%. Also, I live in California now in the shadow of the lakers. (I hate them so much)

I have come to understand that my teams will always be that way.

Utah Jazz - Well enough said there
Los Angeles Chargers - Born in San Diego and have been a fan longer than the Jazz. All the close calls and disappointing losses. The future seems bright right now.
Los Angeles Angels - At least they won a couple of championships but have hated watching them waste the best player in baseball's career.
Lastly BYU and have to accept they will never be a top team.
 
I love these stories of jazz teams of old. It feels like the pro athletes were more accessible. Like my sister said the jazz as a team used to work out at the gym down the street and one day Mark Eaton greeted her with "hey son!". Remember when Hot Rod ran a pub? Now players have their own team gyms or private workouts. Yeah social media is a thing but it kind of ruins the intrigue of random player interations. Although my brother said he once bought Joe Ingles a beer and he drank it.
 
prodigy said:
I love these stories of jazz teams of old. It feels like the pro athletes were more accessible. Like my sister said the jazz as a team used to work out at the gym down the street and one day Mark Eaton greeted her with "hey son!". Remember when Hot Rod ran a pub? Now players have their own team gyms or private workouts. Yeah social media is a thing but it kind of ruins the intrigue of random player interations. Although my brother said he once bought Joe Ingles a beer and he drank it.
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I was trying to remember where Hot Rod’s was. Was it off Highland Drive? I remember the logo.
 
That1UtahFan said:
I went to the Eaton basketball camp oh 15 or so years ago. It was surreal when he entered the gym. Having to physically bend over just to get through the doorway. At that moment it seemed he was otherworldly
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The back story is what really added to the Eaton mystique. Frank Layden said he found him working as a mechanic in a southern California auto shop. And then the famous tag line, "you can't teach height". The real story was that he was drafted in the fourth round (1982) by the Jazz as a "project" after playing sparingly for two seasons at UCLA. His second season under Larry Farmer he played a total of 41 minutes and averaged 1.2 points and 2 rebounds in eleven games played. The auto mechanic stuff was true as it was a Cypress Community College Assistant that discovered him and encouraged him to come play for him which he did. He averaged 14.3 ppg for them and led Cypress to the California State Junior College championship his Sophomore year.

I always liked the Mountain Man mystique and wondered if there was actually a horse big enough to carry him without his feet touching the ground. Watching him play, I always felt like if we could have gotten a few more years out of him maybe we could have gotten over the hump and gotten a ring. Probably not though as absolutely nobody in the league had as many phantom fouls called on him as Mark Eaton did. Still, all things considered, one of the best Cinderella stories in sports IMO.
 
Release the Kraken said:
The back story is what really added to the Eaton mystique. Frank Layden said he found him working as a mechanic in a southern California auto shop. And then the famous tag line, "you can't teach height". The real story was that he was drafted in the fourth round (1982) by the Jazz as a "project" after playing sparingly for two seasons at UCLA. His second season under Larry Farmer he played a total of 41 minutes and averaged 1.2 points and 2 rebounds in eleven games played. The auto mechanic stuff was true as it was a Cypress Community College Assistant that discovered him and encouraged him to come play for him which he did. He averaged 14.3 ppg for them and led Cypress to the California State Junior College championship his Sophomore year.

I always liked the Mountain Man mystique and wondered if there was actually a horse big enough to carry him without his feet touching the ground. Watching him play, I always felt like if we could have gotten a few more years out of him maybe we could have gotten over the hump and gotten a ring. Probably not though as absolutely nobody in the league had as many phantom fouls called on him as Mark Eaton did. Still, all things considered, one of the best Cinderella stories in sports IMO.
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I could picture him riding a bear, like in Zelda BOTW. Or the giant horse.
 
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