Reader comments
Camera access in Jazz, visitor's locker rooms to be limited

Why is Davis Stern facilitating this for ESPN? Why won't he stick up for his players and not give in to every demand ESPN makes? I can understand the value of a tactful sound bite here and there, but why does a coach need to be "mic-ed" up the entire game? I don't see any reason for this. I'm definitely not condoning foul language, but Jerry Sloan is a seasoned coach who does things his way and I respect that, swearing included. This is just an embarrassment for the Jazz, coaches, and the NBA. It's like ESPN is holding a magnifying glass to each team and exposing their quirks. That is some sick and twisted science experiment if you ask me.

The should kick sloan of the %!@%!%@% team for using the kind of language he does

Sloan better not mike up in the locker room again.

Jerry Sloan is embarrassing to the Jazz and shows his complete lack of communication skill by his constant poor language. He's a fantastic coach and I'm glad for his incredible accomplishments, but have zero respect for his gutter language. If he cared even the slightest about how uneducated he comes across, he would fine himself $1000 for every time he uses the 'F' word. It would cure him of his filthy habit, and it would pay off the national debt (with a debt, of course). But congratulations on your coaching accomplishment, Jerry. But keep your disgusting self away from me and my family.

The NBA and ESPN are going a little too far. I don't want to hear what the coaches are saying, I've played enough football and basketball to know it's not gunna be pleasant. While I don't want to go in the opposite direction and do as the MWC presidents spawn, "the mnt" has done in burying game coverage, this is too much. What's next mics in the shower so we can see who has the best bathroom voice?
Leave Reality TV to FOX.

I would favor putting a mic on Jerry 100% of the time if it helped him watch his mouth.

It has always amazed me how he can be so brutal with players like Ostertag, Giricek and others for not being able to put parts of their bodies in correct defensive position and yet he can't control one of the smallest parts of the body - his tongue.

Jerry has always said the fans pay good money and it's their job to give fans what they want. Then he discourages players from showing any kind of excitement or flair while they are playing and narrates the whole thing with language you hear only in "R" rated movies.

Yes, teach the team to be disciplined and play hard but let them have some fun too. Fans like to see gamemanship and even some showboating when it's appropriate and most of all they don't want to have to read Jerry's lips.

How about we keep a mic on sloan as the entire audio for the game, so we don't have to listen to "master of the obvious" and dry turkey meat Ron Boone, and Booming Bolerjack? That would be really entertaining. Each time Sloans swears, there should be a sensor on the mic that shocks him. That would be fun therapy, he would probably swear and again upon the shock, and eventually he would learn.
Would he learn quicker to clam up, or will the jazz learn to play defense quicker?

I'm a High School coach in Utah County, I'm LDS, I'm a high coucilman in my stake. I love Jerry Sloan and wouldn't want him to change anything. Go Jazz.

PS-Even J. Golden had to let loose some of the time. There are a lot worse sins in this life than cussing. Glass houses people.

I'm sensing some LDS bias in these comments. Get over it! Sloan isn't the only coach in the NBA that has his tirads and says what he says and he won't be the last. If you don't like it then quit supporting the team! Sloan is a good coach!

Jerry isn't worried about the swearing, he's ticked off about being told things like this happening when he was told not to worry. Knowing that they mic'd Sloan, with his reputation, ESPN just happened to miss the 'f' word. Come on, they knew exactly what they were doing, creating awareness of this stupid idea of listening to the coaches. Have you ever been to a high school football game and listen to the players? Have you ever seen a closeup of the basketball and football players talking, nothing but 'f' words, (yes, it's easy to lip read that word). So it is all over in sports, even golf and the work place. I worked with a fellow whose every 4th word was the 'f' word. I am so immune to hearing it now that it sounds like someone is saying 'shucks' instead. Lighten up people.

Sloan...You're asking your team to exhibit more toughness...That demands control on ones self. Maybe it might be better if you let the cameras in and exercised control as a demonstration of your ability to control yourself...Commit to that and try it. You'll like it. Everybody can improve.

Sloan is who he is. I for one appreciate that he wears his feelings on his sleave (so to speak).

As so many on this board have responded to those who suggest things in Utah could be made better ("if you don't like it, leave"), I suggest:

If you don't like what Jerry says, don't watch or (especially) listen!

Go Jazz!!

The NBA and ESPN are over the top with this mic thing. It is not important for fans to hear every word that a coach says to players and officials during the game. Will we now hear an analysis of what the coach says and blow those statements out of proportion as the media does with most statements made by public figures? David Stern has shown an unfriendly streak towards (his) the NBA players and coaches recently. Not good for the CEO to place his 'workers' in less than favorable positions. (Many of them do that well by themselves.) It damages further the poor image of the NBA. Oh well, another reason to opt for college sports over the pros.

Lighten up? Get over it? It happens everywhere so it's OK? I'm a High Councilman and I think it's fine?

This is family entertainment. My boys grew up on the Jazz. It's marketed for families and promoted over public airways. If I go to Disneyland and the workers there use the F word as often as Jerry I should just lighten up and get over it? At least it offered me teaching moments with my kids whenever Jerry's lips ran afoul.

I realize it happens and not everyone is perfect but keep it in the locker room and not for the eyes and ears of those sitting behind the bench and watching on TV.

He expects his players to set good hard screens and scolds them when they don't. LHM has asked him to watch his tongue but apparently that is just too hard. His language is undisciplined and out of control. Giricek lost his job with the Jazz for playing basketball that way and Jerry was his toughest critic.

Each time Jerry scolds the team it is him that should heed the glass house advice.

Whatever happened to the privacy act ? .
I can't even get a hospital report on the condition of my neighbor who is in the hospital because of the so-called Privacy Act . Doesn't that apply in the case of athletics ?
The suggestion by MicRule for coaches to wear a shock collar might be a good one . In addition to being a terrible habit,swearing is just an indication
of lack of education . We can all express ourselves without those kinds of adjectives .

I agree the NBA is going too far with the mic thing but Jerry goes too far in his criticism of his players at times. The solution? Fix the problem and quit complaining about the overbearing and over reaching coach or NBA.

Earth to Jerry - Get a dictionary and learn a few more words and unlearn a few at the same time. All of a sudden the mic thing isn't a problem anymore.

Jerry hates excuses. When asked about playing games on back to back nights he smirks, hard road schedule he rolls his eyes.

These players are paid to do their job. They need to show up everyday. There's no excuse for being tired. I can't make someone happy or want to play hard - that's up to them. I have no tolerance for someone who doesn't give 100% every night that's what the fans pay to see.

Players manage to keep their shirts tucked in, leave their head bands in the locker room and get back on defense instead of celebrating a good dunk by Jerry's request.

TV asks Jerry to wear a mic and watch his language and he can't even do it for one game? Jerry's good at barking orders but not so good at following them apparently.

Stop watching (and listening to) sports (!!). Stop coaching. and most of all stop swearing. If it's something you'd be embarrased to have others hear (about), don't say (or do) it. What's so hard about that?

Leave people alone. Stop watching and judging and blowing every little thing out of proportion.

I don't see how you can blame Sloan for this. He wasn't asked to watch his language, he was told that he didn't have to worry because the production crew would catch anything and make sure it didn't air. It's their fault, but Jerry is the one that looks bad. The TV folks and the NBA aren't blaming Jerry, they're taking responsibility.

Blaming Jerry for this is like a boss blaming their employee for not filing a report after telling the employee, "don't worry about it. I'll take care of it for you."

Why don't we ask the media heads to mic themselves in board meetings, corporate and financial report meetings? Let's find out what their strategys are in their efforts to control individual lives with spin, hype and sensationalism of every day world affairs. How to decieve advertisers, and pocket tons of money for the effort. Then, just then maybe they will stay out of our individual lives, and let people make their own decisions. Less intrusion into individual lives would be a breath of fresh air.