By
Patricia
July 24 is a
Utah State
Holiday. It
commemorates
the arrival
of the
pioneers.
It’s a huge
event for
Utahns. So
much so they
put on one
of the
biggest
parades in
the country.
The Jazz
have a float
in the
parade which
is carrying
some Jazz
dancers, and
has banners
spelling out
each
player’s
name. Wow, I
see Miles’
name. There
you go
folks, the
Jazz must be
matching.
Because most
Utahs are
out
celebrating
their
heritage,
there are
not a lot of
people at
the RMR. I
do spot the
ever
faithful
Greek fans
who show up
at every
game to wave
their
national
flag and
give their
support to
Kouf. Kouf
always
acknowledges
them at the
end of
games.
Just as you
walk into
the gym,
there is a
mini Fanzz
store,
selling
t-shirts,
hats and
other Jazz
gear. I stop
to chat with
the guys and
they tell me
that
business is
down. The
worst
they've had
in 5 years.
They blame
it on a lack
of interest
in the RMR
this year.
There are no
big name
rookies like
they’ve had
in the past
and not a
lot of
people are
excited
about the
Jazz
rookies.
They are
making sales
though, and
the most
popular
shirt is the
navy with
the full
Jazz logo.
The second
most popular
is the $10
shirt, just
because it’s
$10.
Probably the
most
interesting
thing I
learned
-–and this
is for you
locals – is
that the
cheese fries
at the Dee’s
Family
Restaurant
on 47th and
Redwood are
better than
the cheese
fries at the
Training
Table.
I head on
into the gym
to meet up
with my
colleague,
JOT, who of
course has
been there
for hours.
Talk about
dedication.
He takes
vacation so
he can
attend every
day of the
revue and
report back
to all the
fans at
Jazzhoops.
Before I get
settled in,
I head back
to the media
area to pick
up more
handouts.
Along the
way, I stop
and talk to
a lady usher
who has
worked
everyday of
the Review.
I want to
compliment
her on the
way she
handles the
people who
try to make
their way
back to the
area that
only those
of us who
have been
anointed are
allowed to
enter. Turns
out she has
quite a gift
for gab and
tells me not
only is she
an usher at
ESA, she
also owns a
title
company and
travels
around the
country as
an
auctioneer.
Now this gal
probably
doesn’t
weight 100
pounds
soaking wet,
but she
auctions
heavy-duty
industrial
equipment.
It’s
interesting
the things
you can
learn about
people when
you just
stop by to
say “hi,
nice job”.
Now, it’s on
to the
backroom
café to get
a bottle of
water before
the Jazz
game starts.
I find
myself
standing
next to
Brook Lopez,
who wants to
buy three
Gatorades.
First he
wants to
know if they
take credit
cards. When
they tell
him no, I
chime in
that I’m
surprised
the players
even have to
pay. He
agrees with
me and
starts
fumbling
through his
wallet. Just
about the
time I’m
starting to
feel a
little sorry
for him, he
tells the
cashier he
only has
$100 bills
and asks if
she can make
change. Poor
guy. My
sympathy has
flown out
the window
and I now
wear a smirk
as he
manages to
shuffle
through
those big
bills and
come up with
a $10.
One of the
most
entertaining
things for
me at the
RMR has been
watching the
coaches and
players and
all the
bench
activity
from my
front row
seat. Ty is
absolutely
hilarious to
watch. He is
up off the
bench,
shouting
instructions,
directing
players,
cheering
them on and
then
throwing up
his hands in
absolute
disgust when
a play
breaks down.
He’ll flop
down in his
seat for
about two
seconds,
then stand
back up and
start the
whole
process all
over again.
Believe me,
if Ty is the
heir
apparent to
Sloan, there
is not going
to be any
drop off in
intensity.
Surprisingly,
Scott Layden,
who seems so
laid back,
is also very
intense.
There are
Maverick
coaches
sitting
behind me.
One of them
is Dwayne
Casey, who
keeps
kicking me
in the rear
end. They
seem to be
paying a lot
of attention
to Mo. I
keep hearing
his name,
but I can’t
make out the
rest of what
they’re
saying.
Guess I need
bigger ears.
It’s
halftime,
and I decide
to go back
for some
food. Oops,
I’m going
out the same
door as the
players
coming off
the court. I
stop to let
them all go
by, while
just kind of
staring
straight
ahead. Tall
people. All
I saw was a
lot of
chests.
After
grabbing a
turkey
sandwich, I
talk to the
lady running
the café.
Turns out
she’s big on
cruises and
has traveled
the world.
She told me
about an
outfit
called
‘Family fun
for less’
that can get
you a great
deal. That’s
my other
insider tip,
along with
cheese
fries.
Back to the
game.
OMG, I just
saw Jerry
Sloan laugh.
Really. The
man who sits
through
three games,
never even
cracking a
smile, just
laughed. I
can’t quit
watching.
The game was
fun. You can
tell that
the players
are a lot
more
comfortable
with the
system and
each other.
It’s nice to
see the guys
under
contract
improving.
Even though
he didn’t
play much, I
thought Fess
had one of
his best
games, all
the while
continuing
his role as
bench seat
monitor. Mo
continues to
clone
Magette, and
Kouf sweats
as much as
Patrick
Ewing. Is
that a good
thing?
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