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RIP Jerry Sloan

R.I.P Coach Sloan.

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Although he never won a Coach of the Year award, he is one of only four coaches in NBA history with 15-plus consecutive seasons with a winning record (Gregg Popovich, Pat Riley and Phil Jackson are the others).
It is shocking he never win COTY. A travesty really. So many snubs for flashes in the pan.
 
One of the best moments of that Jazz-Laker playoff game was Frank Layden combing his bangs back after yelling at Pat Riley.

Others have mentioned how kind Jerry Sloan was to fans. My dad, wearing his John Deere cap, took a picture of my mom with Sloan at a game several years ago. It is still one of my mom's favorite Jazz memories, which is made all the more poignant with her now going through dementia.
 
This year has just sucked. Thank you Jerry, for everything. Watching the outpouring of love and respect Jerry had is so great today. But losing Jerry brought tears to my eyes when this is what I woke up today. Thank you Jerry.
 
“Nobody fights with Jerry because you know the price would be too high,” Jazz executive Frank Layden said in 1996, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. “You might come out the winner; at his age, you might even lick him, but you’d lose an eye, an arm, your ********* in the process. Everything would be gone. He’s a throwback, a blue-collar guy, a dirt farmer. I know you’re going to think I’m kidding when I say this, but I saw Jerry Sloan fight at the Alamo, I saw him at Harpers Ferry, I saw him at Pearl Harbor. He’s loyal. He’s a hard worker. He’s a man.”
 
Haven’t felt this kind of sadness for the death of a person I didn’t even know for a long time. Not just a legend of the game.
A true role model for me personally. Show up to work every day. Do your best. Be humble. Fight for what you think is right. Tell the truth. Be a man.
 
From a Monson interview three years ago:

Near the end, Ostertag was asked which of his former teammates on the 1997 Jazz he was most looking forward to seeing. He said he was eager to see them all. "But I'm most excited …"

He paused for a few seconds to gather himself.

"… I'm most excited to see Jerry, because I love him to death. … [tears now flowing] … And I hate to see what he's going through, 'cause that's not the Jerry Sloan that I knew, and I know it's tearing him apart. … [more tears] … I've tried to call him on the phone a few times, but I can't. I get emotional. I know we had our ups and downs, but I love him. It kills me to see him like that."

Ostertag continued.

"The great thing about Jerry, no matter what happened the night before, the next day, he was like, 'Good morning.' He gave you a high-five and 99 percent of the time, it was over. There were times when it carried over, but my fault, I'll take the blame for that."
 
We hung up a mountain logo Jazz flag outside our house today in Sloan's honor. It did feel like losing a part of the family. I'm glad he is no longer suffering. We've had several family members with Alzheimers and Lewy Body dementia, and it is so awful for the family as well as the patient.

Thanks for all the wonderful times, Jerry. Rest in peace and know that you are much loved.
 
If I shed tears even though I'm unfortunately too young to have seen him coaching...yeah he was really special!
Probably I'm not the right dude to say that, since I wasn't there, but I'll be proud to remember you and your deeds...they will never die!
 
Sloan is a lot of what made me a Jazz fan. I had the chance to meet him several times and he was very kind and very gracious off the court. I am 99% positive that the reason there was no statue because of Jerry wanting it that way. The Millers loved him and would be delighted to honor him. RIP Jerry.
 
I would like to see the trust that owns the team now get financially secure enough one day to become the first NBA team to refuse to sell the naming rights to the arena. The arena could then be called the Larry H. Miller Arena and the court ought to be the Jerry Sloan court.
 
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