Miller returns courtside

While on vacation from the Jazz, he changed his perspective on the struggling and injured team. He had begun the season expecting everyone to be healthy, and he still held some high hopes that he now realizes were not attainable because of the injuries. The Jazz had more of that problem Monday with three players in street clothes and Greg Ostertag exiting at the first timeout, just before Miller made his way to his seat.

"We got spoiled by two guys for 18 or 19 years," he said in reference to iron men John Stockton and Karl Malone.

"I probably used that as a benchmark — and it seems that it's unfair to whatever a normal player is to expect our guys to answer the bell with that kind of consistency — and I've expected it.

"And I don't think it's fair for me to compare any of our guys to John and Karl because they were so special and so unique in this sport.

"But I guess I'd hoped that some of them would be a little closer to answering the bell the way those guys did," Miller said.

He said he got a chuckle out of postgame comments on Nov. 14 from guard Devin Brown, signed away from the Spurs this summer after spending his whole life in San Antonio. Brown said he'd never heard an owner go off like that.

When he read Brown's quotes, said Miller, he thought to himself, "You should have been here two years ago" for his real tirade.

While he was upset at the players three weeks ago, Miller said he actually thinks Jazz fans have been good about supporting a team that had a poor season in 2004-05 (26-56) and has started this season with a struggle.

"To be honest," Miller said, "I think the fans have been pretty good.

"The media is paying more attention to the fan situation. In the Deseret Morning News the other day there was a thing that showed four of the lowest five attendances, or five of the last six have been low-attended games, but that's something just over 16,000.

"I think that's pretty remarkable, considering what we put on the floor last year and going into this year, so I have no complaint about the fan support, sponsors or advertisers."

He does question those who criticize the team and his actions when they've never bought a ticket.

"(Do) they think this just happens by accident? This happens because I spend 6:30 in the morning until 10-11 at night, six days a week, 90-100 hours a week for 20 years, to get this team here," said Miller.

"And anybody who thinks I don't have a right to express my opinion probably ought to go pound sand."

---

E-mail: lham@desnews.com