Flash back Jazz....those were the days!

[carolinajazz]

...just cruising some old Sports Illustrated issues on the net....and came up with this one: "Because of the way they play, it's like the project guys going to play against a bunch of guys who set pick-and-rolls, who do the little things, while the project guys always want to do the fancy behind-the-back dribbles and do the spectacular plays," Van Exel said between Game 3 and Game 4, explaining the situation as well as anyone. "Maybe it's the age. We feel that if we go out there and just lace up the shoes and run around and do the dunks, we can win. But it's not like that."

 

[Hopper]

Who said anything about winnin, eh, CJ?

Which is the punchline to a true tale Sloan done told once. One year the team insisted that it wanted less structure, more chance to "freelance," and such. Sloan said: "OK, if that's what you really want, we'll do it." And they did.

After about 10 games (and losin 9) an "unnamed" player (no doubt Stockton--Sloan said you could guess who it was, without sayin who it was) came up and said: "Coach, this aint workin...we're not winning."

Sloan's response was: "Who the hell said anything about winning? I thought y'all wanted to just go out there, have fun, display your individual skills to the crowd, get paid, and go home."

Next game they were back to "the system" and team ball.

 

[carolinajazz]

One year the team insisted that it wanted less structure, more chance to "freelance," and such. "Coach, this aint workin...we're not winning." Next game they were back to "the system" and team ball.

...I knew I could count on you, hopper!....to at least put this thread back on the top for a little bit! Yeah, I remember having a clown hopper on my team years back....and we had to call a time out to set him straight! I told him: "Look!.....you want to shoot? or.....do you want to win? Because we ain't gonna be able to do both!!!" Of course, he was uncoachable....and that was the last time we invited him down to the courts to dominate with us!