Malone retires — at full speed

At some point during Karl Malone's 1 1/2-hour farewell press conference, Sunday, my recorder said, "FULL."

I switched to another folder.

"FULL," it said.

So I switched to manual, which is to say I started taking notes.

Before long I was running short on paper, too.

Earlier Malone had said, "You ask me a question, I'll answer it.

"You may not like what I say, but I'm going to answer it."

Which he did. He answered all the questions.

Just wondering, how much do stenographers charge, anyway?

Malone's swan song played to a packed interview room. It could have been the last press conference of his career but don't count on it.

"I doubt I'll ever stop getting headlines," he said.

"But," he added, "really, truly, who cares? I really don't care what you say. What I am and who I am is all that matters, and I'm not going to change for anyone."

That must explain the cowboy hat.

If Sunday was any indication, Malone won't be dropping out of sight entirely. Here is a sampling of what he discussed: Becoming part-owner of an NBA team; driving in a celebrity Grand Prix auto race; keeping a home in Utah; his mother's death; his humble Louisiana beginnings; what motivates him; the problems with today's Jazz; media coverage; his work ethic; feelings on teammates, coaches and management. He even drew comparisons between himself and a wolverine.

He covered pretty much everything short of what he was muttering to himself at the free throw line all those years.

Actually, he addressed that, too.

"I told you I'd tell you when I retired, so I will," he said.

"Sometimes I would say bad things about the media. Sometimes I'd say bad things at fans for heckling me. I said a lot of things. I'd say things about my brothers and sisters and where I'd like to be. Sometimes I'd be talking about hunting and fishing because I'd rather be there. You know there were times when I didn't want to be playing basketball. But I played every night."

At one point, when the afternoon was still young, Malone had tried to turn the microphone over to Jerry Sloan. But owner Larry H. Miller whispered in Malone's ear.