Penultimate Playoff Pain...June 11, 1997

Ah, sweet disappointment. The ultimate end to every Jazz season.

I posted a link to the box score of the Game 6 in 1998, which would have been our championship year had we won that game, had we been able to protect a one point lead for 10 freakin' seconds. But the next most painful, maybe because it was the absolute HIGH POINT of hope for a Jazz championship, was June 11, 1997.

The Jazz lost the two games to open the series, in Chicago, 82-84 and 85-97, but had won the next two 104-93 and 78-73. The Bulls actually looked beatable. If the Jazz win Game 5, the series is pretty much over, the Jazz were that good!!

It was a Wednesday, and such was the buzz about the upstart Jazz and the (possible) impending first championship for superstars Karl Malone and John Stockton, that Jim Rome was broadcasting his show from the Galivan Center downtown.

I told my boss I was going to take a 2 or 3 hour lunch and rode my bike down there. Beautiful day, a lot like today, but warmer, and there was a huge crowd. Check that. A huge, EXCITED, crowd. Hell, A HUGE EXCITED EXPECTANT JOYOUS CROWD OF LONG-SUFFERING JAZZ FANS.

Rome seemed to think the Jazz just might do it. That someone, finally, could put a chink in Jordan's invincibility. Bring him down to merely human, merely great.

AND THEN...buzz started going through the crowd "Jordan's deathly ill, might not play"!!!! The two straight wins, the beautiful day, the media recognition...and now this unasked-for blessing??? It was too much! The star were aligning, the fates were smiling...it was really going to happen. And the rumor was confirmed!! Doctors called in, #23 hooked up to an IV, everything! IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN!!

Because once we had three in a row, NO WAY were the Bulls winning two back in Chicago. The Jazz had gone 64-18. Counting preseason and playoff wins, this game was going to be their 85th (!!!) win of the seaon against 24 losses. And the next win, #86, was the golden one, the Championship Game. All we had to do, and what looked so easily attainable that buzz-filled sunny afternoon, was first get #85.

With Jordan sick. On our home court. We were maybe 8 hours away...

And then they played the game. Jordan was clearly sick, no acting, he looked terrible. But we still let him, or rather, he still went out and earned 38 pts, 7 boards, 5 assists, 3 steals...and the Jazz? Did not step up. Our "Big Three" all had poor games. The moment was not grasped. The unbelievable had happened. The "buzz" was drowned out in the roar of accolades and worship for Jordan's achievement, not just a triumph of competitiveness and skill now, but somehow "heroic".

Ouch. I thought that was the worst the Jazz could ever make me feel (until the next year, but by then I was wary), and never again would I feel confident about the Jazz chances to win a championship. That was their shot, they didn't take it, and then they failed the next year.

By comparison, this embarrassing playoff loss to the Spurs is a gnat bite. Disappointing, yeah, but I won't be depressed for days afterwards.

You got that right and nicely have summarized the Jazz-fandom experience. Even with the stacked teams powered by Stock-to-Malone the Jazz have always come up....a little short. Letting a winnable game slide away. Hard to figure how a choke mentality can survive many years. Or maybe it isn't that, its simply the Jazz have always been just a player or player effort short of having the horses. I'm with you, the Jazz getting stomped by the Spurs this year isn't going to leave me depressed, they are clearly out-classed by the Spurs talent and system. The light at the end of the tunnel is so far I feel like Favors, Burks and yes, even Kanter have given a glimpse of the future. Peversly, despite a really mediocre series for GH, I think this playoff experience will have the benefit of turning up his competitive fire, another step in his maturation, learning how to stay aggressive and be Inspector Gadget v2 we know he can be. The Jazz are still a piece away from making a deep run and are a mindset away from being a much better team with who they have now. I expect the next couple years are going to be great ones for Jazz fans as long as there is celebration and appreciation of a team that always tries hard, never takes a night off. they do that and they can beat just about anyone and not be a first round doormat.

I remember when Stockton hit the shot over Sir Charles! I was working graves at the time. My boss and I were so freaking excited he gave me his credit card and the night off to go to the Delta center. We went to the air port and there were thousands of people there to meet the Jazz. The we moved on to the Delta center and it was crazy. People were celebrating everywhere. They had hoops set up outside. Me and some friends played ball and just hung out all night until they opened the doors to do the ticket lottery. We didn't get any tickets, but it was a very memorable night. Those next two seasons were the most exciting times for me as a Jazz fan.

I was a wreck after both of those finals. It changed me as a fan. The most disappointing post season though was the 99 season. Jordan was gone and the Jazz were far and away the best team in the NBA. Due to the lock out shortened season and the compacted season. The Jazz ran out of gas and that was the last time they would ever be serious contenders. Even when they went to the conference finals nobody really though they were in contention for a title.

I've learned to not even contemplate the Jazz winning a title. It just doesn't seem like a realistic dream anymore. I guess its kind of a good thing. I don't get depressed anymore when the season ends. I still enjoy watching Jazz basketball, but I don't have expectations anymore.

Those were the days of my personal conviction that the NBA was fixed to the max! Not because Utah lost to Chicago in the Finals, although I thought there were plenty of game-changing calls in that series, but, because the Jazz were getting a lot of calls their way when we played regular-season games against non-contenders. I used to watch every single game, and, there were a lot of games where the Jazz received the benefit of very questionable calls. There were games where I thought the other team was taken out of the game by bad calls, and, where the Jazz stars got away with fouls that would have taken them out of the game. In those days, I really think the league was promoting a Jazz verses the Bulls final.

Saint Louis wrote:

Those were the days of my personal conviction that the NBA was fixed to the max! Not because Utah lost to Chicago in the Finals, although I thought there were plenty of game-changing calls in that series, but, because the Jazz were getting a lot of calls their way when we played regular-season games against non-contenders. I used to watch every single game, and, there were a lot of games where the Jazz received the benefit of very questionable calls. There were games where I thought the other team was taken out of the game by bad calls, and, where the Jazz stars got away with fouls that would have taken them out of the game. In those days, I really think the league was promoting a Jazz verses the Bulls final.

All I know is Jordan pushed off

Yep, Jordan did push off, and got away with a whole lot more throughout the series. Dennis Rodman got away with a whole lot more. It was kind of a circus atmosphere in our two finals with the Bulls.

Saint Louis wrote:

Yep, Jordan did push off, and got away with a whole lot more throughout the series. Dennis Rodman got away with a whole lot more. It was kind of a circus atmosphere in our two finals with the Bulls.

Yeah The Worm played his head games with Malone for both of those series and it worked.

Saint Louis wrote:

Yep, Jordan did push off, and got away with a whole lot more throughout the series. Dennis Rodman got away with a whole lot more. It was kind of a circus atmosphere in our two finals with the Bulls.

I thought it was a great, great series. It had all the makings of the classic Bulls/Pistons EC Finals years, and ***** /Celtics finals years. If it's just basketball, then nobody remembers those Finals(hah, Spurs anyone?)
Had Utah pulled it out, there wouldn't of course been any griping about anything. That length of the court pass to Karl from Stock in Chicago, Stocks timely 3's....man, great years. Those two years hurt my heart, but nothing about it seemed fixed to me at all. And I too watched every game those years. Jordan really was sick, then the bastard came out and showed the ole "I"m the best ever" crap. Jordan then baited Karl all game/series long on that low post, then when it mattered most, made a phenomenal play, slapping the ball away. Lastly, of course, Jordan pushed off. And he knew he could do it, and he knew he could get away with it. It was like that buzzer beater Reggie Miller made a couple years before that, running around the 3pt line and then two-hand shoving MJ out of the way for a 3pter. Refs aren't going to make those calls. Funny now though to listen to players now who broadcast. Barkley recently said "oh yea, Jordan pushed off" when it was brought up. Everybody knows it. Doesn't do us a lick of good though.

*edit*- Hahahaha, LA basketball team is asterisked??? Nice monitoring!! hah.

Mutangclan wrote:

Saint Louis wrote:

Yep, Jordan did push off, and got away with a whole lot more throughout the series. Dennis Rodman got away with a whole lot more. It was kind of a circus atmosphere in our two finals with the Bulls.

I thought it was a great, great series. It had all the makings of the classic Bulls/Pistons EC Finals years, and ***** /Celtics finals years. If it's just basketball, then nobody remembers those Finals(hah, Spurs anyone?)
Had Utah pulled it out, there wouldn't of course been any griping about anything. That length of the court pass to Karl from Stock in Chicago, Stocks timely 3's....man, great years. Those two years hurt my heart, but nothing about it seemed fixed to me at all. And I too watched every game those years. Jordan really was sick, then the bastard came out and showed the ole "I"m the best ever" crap. Jordan then baited Karl all game/series long on that low post, then when it mattered most, made a phenomenal play, slapping the ball away. Lastly, of course, Jordan pushed off. And he knew he could do it, and he knew he could get away with it. It was like that buzzer beater Reggie Miller made a couple years before that, running around the 3pt line and then two-hand shoving MJ out of the way for a 3pter. Refs aren't going to make those calls. Funny now though to listen to players now who broadcast. Barkley recently said "oh yea, Jordan pushed off" when it was brought up. Everybody knows it. Doesn't do us a lick of good though.

*edit*- Hahahaha, LA basketball team is asterisked??? Nice monitoring!! hah.

I have to admit that even though he killed us. Jordan is my all time favorite basketball player by far. Hell my oldest daughter is named Jordan. Of course I probably wouldn't have named her that if she were born after those two finals years.

Romoholic wrote:

I have to admit that even though he killed us. Jordan is my all time favorite basketball player by far. Hell my oldest daughter is named Jordan. Of course I probably wouldn't have named her that if she were born after those two finals years.

Not sure I like you anymore ... please don't tell me you named your dog **** or I'm gonna puke.


Edit: Hmmmm.... Guess the "K" word is also "BLEEPED" (here's a hint: it rhymes with Sobe)

zero24gravity wrote:

Romoholic wrote:

I have to admit that even though he killed us. Jordan is my all time favorite basketball player by far. Hell my oldest daughter is named Jordan. Of course I probably wouldn't have named her that if she were born after those two finals years.

Not sure I like you anymore ... please don't tell me you named your dog **** or I'm gonna puke.


Edit: Hmmmm.... Guess the "K" word is also "BLEEPED" (here's a hint: it rhymes with Sobe)

No actually my dog's name is Tony Romo! My boy named him

And you can think Magnus for the censorship!

Romoholic wrote:

And you can think Magnus for the censorship!

That's some funny stuff!

zero24gravity wrote:

Not sure I like you anymore ... please don't tell me you named your dog **** or I'm gonna puke.


Edit: Hmmmm.... Guess the "K" word is also "BLEEPED" (here's a hint: it rhymes with Sobe)

Lolololoolololololo, I love it!!! Quality/hilarious censorship!

I'll admit I was a tiny bit concerned when I heard the forum was "fully moderated", as I have been known to *ahem* slightly transgress* rules about cussing in particular.

But I think I can handle the "right" kind of censorship. Screw **** and the ***** anyway!

*-in a "Godzilla vs. Bambi" kid of way...

Trollificus wrote:

I'll admit I was a tiny bit concerned when I heard the forum was "fully moderated", as I have been known to *ahem* slightly transgress* rules about cussing in particular.

But I think I can handle the "right" kind of censorship. Screw **** and the ***** anyway!

*-in a "Godzilla vs. Bambi" kid of way...

The funny thing is, most actual curse words aren't censored.

Romoholic wrote:

Trollificus wrote:

I'll admit I was a tiny bit concerned when I heard the forum was "fully moderated", as I have been known to *ahem* slightly transgress* rules about cussing in particular.

But I think I can handle the "right" kind of censorship. Screw **** and the ***** anyway!

*-in a "Godzilla vs. Bambi" kid of way...

The funny thing is, most actual curse words aren't censored.

That isn't true...the "K" word and the "L" word are censored. If those dont constitute curse words, then I don't know what would.

The Voice of Reason wrote:

Romoholic wrote:

Trollificus wrote:

I'll admit I was a tiny bit concerned when I heard the forum was "fully moderated", as I have been known to *ahem* slightly transgress* rules about cussing in particular.

But I think I can handle the "right" kind of censorship. Screw **** and the ***** anyway!

*-in a "Godzilla vs. Bambi" kid of way...

The funny thing is, most actual curse words aren't censored.

That isn't true...the "K" word and the "L" word are censored. If those dont constitute curse words, then I don't know what would.

I know right!