I try not to associate this year's Utah Jazz team with the cohesive unit from the Stockton/Malone era.  But thanks to head coach Jerry Sloan, such comparisons are inevitable.

When John Stockton and Karl Malone left Utah, it would have probably been a great opportunity for their longest tenured coach to take a walk too.  But Jerry Sloan wasn't done.  His passion for the game was burning stronger than ever...and perhaps he felt there was something left to prove.

In all those glory years when then Jazz were so close to the top of the NBA mountain...was it because of the dynamic duo of Stockton and Malone, or did Sloan's leadership and coaching ability have something to do with it?

In my opinion...it was all of the above.

Blast From The Past

After a few years of assisting Frank Layden, Sloan was given the Utah coaching gig in December of 1988.  It was immediately clear that he was a perfect fit for the Jazz, as they became one of the NBA's most consistent teams.  Built around the one-two punch of John Stockton and Karl Malone, a new brand of basketball was born in Salt Lake City.

Those Jazz teams of the 90's were known for flawless execution, and a gritty style of play.  The pick-and-roll offense became a staple of Sloan's strategy, just as it is today.  And even though other teams usually had a superior collection of talent...Utah became a member of the NBA's elite.

Follow the Leader

There is no specific formula for success in basketball.  The legendary Chicago Bulls found success with a triangle offense, and were led by the great Michael Jordan...a shooting guard.  Other NBA Champions like the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs made it happen with superior post play.  But there is one common ingredient for all these championship teams - leadership.

You might think of Jerry Sloan as being a little bit "old school".  He's 65 years old, has a hot temper...and earns his share of technical foul calls from arguing with the officials.  Sloan is often blunt as a spoon...rarely sugar-coating his words when speaking about his players, or anything else.

But the other side to his coaching style suggests that he is a modern day leader as well.  Sloan's players have always respected him.  They believe in him.  They can count on him handling conflict professionally.  Rather than stealing the spotlight, he constantly gives due credit to his players.

Some may have questioned his logic for sticking around for a painful rebuilding process, but after this season...none of those doubts carry any merit.  The Western Conference is stronger than it has been in years...and despite a late-season skid, the Jazz are still competitive.  In fact, his performance in molding a young group of unknowns could earn him a much-deserved Coach of the Year award.

The Missing Link

This year's Utah team isn't exactly like the one from 10 years ago...but it isn't totally dissimilar either.  The new Jerry Sloan recipe doesn't quite taste the same, but there are some familiar ingredients.

The Catalyst - In just his second year, Deron Williams has become the bandleader for the Jazz.  Utah has desperately needed a steady point guard since the departure of John Stockton, who knew how to direct a team as good as anyone.  Consider that Utah passed on drafting another talented point guard, Chris Paul, in order to land Williams with the 3rd overall pick in 2005.  But apparently, Larry Miller and the Jazz front office knew what they were doing.  Both point guards are already paying dividends for their respective franchises, but Deron fits Sloan's style of play.  He can add a little bit of scoring, a lot of assists, and makes everyone around him better.  Williams isn't the flashy scorer that Chris Paul is, but he gets the job done in more ways than one.  If Utah hopes to improve over the next few seasons, Deron will need to become the kind of catalyst that John Stockton once was.

The Mailman - Of course, there can only be one true "Mailman"...but Carlos Boozer has emerged as a top-tier post presence for Utah.  Karl Malone once filled that role, and now it's up to Boozer.  In today's game, the workhorse power forward is a dying breed.  But that's exactly what this squad needs, a thoroughbred.  Boozer is an absolute monster on the boards, averaging close to 12 rebounds per game this season.  He also has some serious scoring ability (21 PPG), even though he isn't the unstoppable go-to-guy that Karl Malone was.  But credit Boozer for adapting to a star role with Utah, a part he probably wouldn't get a chance to play with many other teams.

The Stopper - It might be a stretch to compare the two, but Andrei Kirilenko is the team's best defender...much like Bryon Russell used to be.  Offensively, "AK47" has been somewhat disappointing this year...but his versatile defensive play is a necessity for the Jazz.  He's big enough to match-up against forwards...and is also quick enough to defend shooting guards.  Kirilenko's shot-blocking ability makes him difficult to beat, and he is usually assigned to the opposition's leading scorer.  His future in Utah may be uncertain, but for now...they need his defensive skills to make any sort of run in the playoffs.

The End of an Era?

There has been speculation that this could be Jerry Sloan's final season of coaching.  At 65 years young, he has been contemplating retirement for quite a while.  Even though I would hate to see him leave, the good news is that long-time assistant Phil Johnson would likely be the heir apparent.  If anyone knows the Sloan style of basketball, it would be Johnson.  He has been an assistant in Utah ever since Sloan took over as the head coach.

I hope that Sloan will stick around another couple of years to watch this team develop.  But if he doesn't...let me just say that I appreciate all the years of hard work he put in for this franchise.  And even though it may be time for Jerry to go soon...this will always be his team.

Is it the end of an era?  Hardly.  It's only the beginning...

What a great day for baseball fans!  Every team and player barometer is set to zero, and everyone is contender.  Well, except for the Pirates and Royals...two teams that might struggle in your average co-ed church softball league.

Every year, Opening Day becomes the Realm of Ridiculous.  Fans begin to make premature conclusions based on this single game...which represents less than 1% of this season's baseball action.

Pick Up the Pace

Whatever you do, please don't make stat projections based purely on Opening Day results...

David Eckstein is on pace for 125 RBI's - I'm going to wait a little longer before handing him the MVP award.  Although, if he can maintain his .750 batting average...

Kerry Wood is on pace for 162 games on the disabled list - OK, maybe some Opening Day projections are accurate.

Brian "got knocked on my ass and hurt" McCann hit the first home run of the season - Well, he may not hit 100 home runs...but expect a great season from the Braves' catcher.

Carl Crawford is fast - With such superior stealing ability, will politics be in his future?

Cy Young contenders Carlos Zambrano and Chris Carpenter had shaky outings - Zambrano will be OK, unless he starts getting advice from Kerry Wood or Mark Prior.  Carpenter will still win 16 games or more, and his biggest worry this year will be finding pants to fit his 6'6" frame.

Double Your Fun

Almost every year, some Mr. Mediocre player will hit 2 home runs on Opening Day...and fans will quickly jump on the bandwagon.  This is usually a Shannon Stewart or Dmitri Young type of player.  Who will it be this year?

Sneak Peek

My American League surprise team has to be the Cleveland Indians.  Right now, they are smashing Jose Contreras and the Chicago White Sox.  If nothing else, the Indians should be an exciting team to watch.  The AL Central will probably be the toughest division in baseball...and the Indians should turn many heads this year.  My sleeper pick for the AL MVP, Grady Sizemore, is already off to a quick start.

The Boo Birds Singing Early

I don't want to generalize, but I'm already severely disappointed with Yankee fans.  A-Rod has received some opening day boos, especially after committing a defensive error on a misjudged pop fly in foul territory.  If a Pirates player hits 35 HR and 121 RBI's, he might be elected the mayor of Pittsburgh.  But apparently that isn't enough for New York fans.  Just one more reason to despise the "Evil Empire".

The Soothsayer Rides Again

Now that I've criticized early season projections, it's time to give my own predictions:

NL East Winner - Philadelphia Phillies
NL Central Winner - St. Louis Cardinals
NL West Winner - Arizona Diamondbacks
NL Wildcard - NY Mets (does anybody still believe?)
AL East Winner - Boston Red Sox
AL Central Winner - Cleveland Indians (call me crazy)
AL West Winner - Some City in California Angels
AL Wildcard - Detroit Tigers

NL MVP - Albert Pujols (can't bring myself to pick a surprise as long as he's playing)
NL Cy Young - Brandon Webb (doesn't need big strikeout numbers to be dominant)
AL MVP - Grady Sizemore (because predicting one of the other favorites is boring)
AL Cy Young - Johan Santana (nobody else is in his class)

The "I thought you were toast" award - Oliver Perez, NY Mets (I have no logical reason to believe he'll provide any value for the Mets)
The "I can't believe he's not better" award - Delmon Young, Tampa Bay Devil Rays
The "Money isn't everything" award - Roger Clemens, somewhere (won't be the positive impact that people expect)
The "Unsung hero" award - Eric Byrnes, Arizona Diamondbacks
The "Billy Martin, angry manager" award - John Gibbons, Toronto Blue Jays
The "Kerry Wood, I should look for another job" award - Eric Gagne, Texas Rangers
Surprise pitcher award - Daniel Cabrera, Baltimore Orioles
Surprise hitter award - Ian Kinsler, Texas Rangers

So there you have it...here's hoping for a great season!  Enjoy...

The final days of spring...

Spring training is officially over, and the regular season is upon us.  An improved Pittsburgh Pirates squad will begin their 2007 journey tomorrow at Houston, hoping to turn things around after a disastrous year.

It probably isn't what the fans want to hear, but this season figures to be more of the same for the Pirates...rebuilding.  Spring training meant mixed results for the troubled franchise, and several questions have yet to be answered.

Scary Stuff

Though statistics don't have much merit in March, a closer look at the at spring numbers can provide a glimpse of the upcoming season.  For some of the Pirates, it may be time to hit the panic button.

Chris Duffy, CF & projected leadoff hitter - If anyone needed to have a strong showing this spring, it was Duffy.  The speedy outfielder was impressive in his rookie season, carrying a .341 batting average in 39 games.  His quick start earned him an everyday spot in the lineup as the leadoff hitter.  But things got ugly in 2006, as Duffy struggled mightily.  At one point, he was demoted to the minors...and it appeared that he might not make it back.

Duffy played fairly well in the second half of last season, but has been awful this spring.  His batting average has dipped below .200, and the Pirates desperately need a consistent table-setter at the top of the lineup.  With last year's batting champ Freddy Sanchez starting the season on the disabled list, Pittsburgh will need Duffy to produce early.  If he doesn't get off to a quick start, expect manager Jim Tracy to look for other options in centerfield.

Jose Bautista, 3B - After infielder Jose Castillo landed in Jim Tracy's doghouse, Freddy Sanchez was moved to 2nd base to allow Bautista to become the starting 3rd baseman.  But of all the projected starters, Jose Bautista struggled the most this spring.  With a .182 batting average and no home runs, it appears that his everyday role is still up in the air.  For the time being, Jose Castillo will be starting for the injured Freddy Sanchez at 2nd...and unless Bautista turns it around in a hurry, he may be headed for the bench again.

Think Positive

It isn't all bad news in Pirates camp.  Other than Freddy Sanchez (DL), most of the starting position players are ready to go.

Adam LaRoche, 1B - There are high hopes for the newly-acquired slugger, and so far...so good.  He hit just below .300 for the month of March, and also added half a dozen extra-base hits in 54 at-bats.  To say that the Pirates need his left-handed bat is more than an understatement.

Jack Wilson, SS - After slimming down a bit to focus on speed and defensive range, Wilson appears much more comfortable at the plate.  Don't expect much in the power department, but by hitting .321 this spring...he looks more like the player that collected 200 hits in 2004.

Ronny Paulino, C - Following a stellar rookie campaign, Paulino has been the hottest hitter in camp.  He has shown flashes of power by belting 4 home runs, and is hitting an unbelievable .481 this spring.

All Dressed Up, and No Place To Go

The Spring Surprise has to be hefty slugger Brad Eldred.  The 275 pound 1st baseman was the odd man out after the Pirates landed Adam LaRoche, but Eldred has been too good to leave off the roster.  With 6 home runs and a .303 batting average, his potential may have Jim Tracy rethinking the lineup.  They have already experimented with Eldred in right field, and he could earn some serious playing time if either Duffy or Nady begin to falter.

Pitch Hunt

If the Pirates have any chance of staying out of the NL Central cellar, the pitching staff must exceed expectations.  The inexperienced staff still has a lot to prove, and things aren't looking too promising.

Zach Duke, SP - The opening day starter hasn't been the same since Jim Tracy decided to tinker with his delivery prior to the 2006 season.  The pinpoint accuracy he displayed during his rookie season is nowhere to be found, and he has been rocked harder than Paris Hilton on a routine Friday night.  The good news is that he is still young, and has time to develop.  Only time will tell if Duke can emerge as the staff ace he once appeared to be.

Tom Gorzellany, SP - Here is another young lefty with solid potential.  Gorzellany had perhaps the oddest spring stat-line, averaging close to one strikeout per inning...and a 7.96 ERA.

Ian Snell, SP - If there is such a thing as a "back-up ace", then Snell is it.  He is one of the few Pittsburgh pitchers that looked sharp this spring, with solid strikeout totals and a 3.00 ERA.

The Bullpen - One of the reasons that the Pirates were willing to pull the trigger on the Mike Gonzalez trade was the depth of their bullpen.  However, if spring is any indication...there could be some serious late-inning trouble all year long.  Salomon Torres was penciled in to take over the closer duties, but a terrible spring may have Tracy looking elsewhere.

Bringing It All Together

Though there were some good signs, it figures to be another long year of rebuilding in Pittsburgh.  Offensively, the combination of Bay, LaRoche, and Sanchez should add a few more wins...but that won't happen unless the pitching staff comes together.  The best the team can hope for is to hold on to their building blocks...and wait another year or two.