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08:16 AM ET 02.11 | Hours before Jerry Sloan resigned, the reasons behind his exit were being pieced together. [Sloan] has battled with All-Star guard Deron Williams all season, multiple sources said, and had lost the trust of the team. Williams and Sloan have had at least three altercations, while many players questioned Sloan's handling of everything from playing time and rotational decisions to his insistence on sticking with his revered offensive system. Sources said there has been a growing feeling within the organization that Williams would leave Utah following the 2011-12 season if Sloan did not step down. One stated the divide as being as simple as "either Jerry goes or D-Will goes."

Jerry Sloan, Getty Images

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February 11, 2011 08:31 AM ET

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Why do NBA teams even have coaches anymore? The players run the league.

RP-29

Oshkosh , WI

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February 11, 2011 08:32 AM ET

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the Lebron Jame disease is spreading fast. Now-a-days, the players run the show and calling their own plays. Like they are baby Peyton Manning or something. D-Will is about to leave Denver anyways. They should have kept Sloan.

ClevelandGuy

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February 11, 2011 08:35 AM ET

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Melo will leave Denver you mean... and yes D-Will will leave Utah.. its the same thing anyway!

MoneyBalls

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February 11, 2011 08:38 AM ET

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QUOTE(#3):

Originally posted 08:35 AM ET 02.11 by MoneyBalls

Melo will leave Denver you mean... and yes D-Will will leave Utah.. its the same thing anyway!

Meant D-Will is about to leave Utah

ClevelandGuy

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February 11, 2011 08:43 AM ET

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QUOTE(#6):

Originally posted 08:39 AM ET 02.11 by jgb

Why? The guys been there for 23 years and has made one wcf since the mid 90s.....its not like he was bringing home ring after ring.No disrespect to jerry meant

Thats the point i was trying to get across yesterday....Hey read the article on Yahoo sports about this situation....Everyone trying to make D-Will the scapegoat....

K.I.G.

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February 11, 2011 08:45 AM ET

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QUOTE(#4):

Originally posted 08:36 AM ET 02.11 by jgb

Sloan had a nice run, great coach, and his time was upDwill isn't at fault, sloan isn't at fault

Utah needs to find a way to hustle Byron Scott out of Cleveland if they want to keep D-Will. He's proven to do wonders with point guards which should tell you how bad Mo Williams is.

Lostwill

Natick , MA

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February 11, 2011 08:47 AM ET

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Star players are worth more then coaches so the coaches have to go. Especailly if the team isnt playing up to expectation. Thats the way it is, that's the way it always have been.

Tlee

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February 11, 2011 08:48 AM ET

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its just sad that he never won the coach of the year award

JIGSAW

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February 11, 2011 08:54 AM ET

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QUOTE(#11):

Originally posted 08:50 AM ET 02.11 by Docmadinejad

You make a great point. Too often these guys don't realize their role, and management enables it all.

I don't blame management at all. It's the players that put fans in their seats. Not a coach like bad wardrope Van Gundy or monkey ass Ewing on the sidelines. This is the league of players. If anybody don't like they need to get out of the league. In the near future I hope have owner/player/coach roles...

Lostwill

Natick , MA

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February 11, 2011 09:00 AM ET

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QUOTE:

Originally posted by

I am right there with you. He went to the finals once and never won a ring. There is something impressive about lasting as long as he did however I don't think he would have lasted in another franchise.

I think the reason he lasted so long had to do with the fact that he was down with the mormon way of doing things.

Lostwill

Natick , MA

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February 11, 2011 09:06 AM ET

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He got a lot out of somewhat mediocre personnel over the years. As good as Stock and Karl were he never had Showtime quality or Celtic power. Apparently he could see a slide for the team in the future and was finally too tired to keep on going against the wind.

Sittlichk-8

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February 11, 2011 09:11 AM ET

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meh

K.I.G.

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February 11, 2011 09:12 AM ET

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QUOTE(#15):

Originally posted 09:00 AM ET 02.11 by Lostwill

I think the reason he lasted so long had to do with the fact that he was down with the mormon way of doing things.

That's not at all true. Jerry Sloan thoroughly enjoyed tobacco and alcohol, two major no-nos in the Mormon faith.

Jerry was a great coach, and I think he deserves to be listed in the Pantheon among the all-time greatest. He coached in a small market with a stingy owner for pretty much all of his career, and still found a way to win. Jerry Sloan, you will be missed.