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Utah Jazz: Fesenko beginning to perform

Here's your chance Fesenko.

Continue to play like you did last Friday and Saturday and you may yet get a chance to stay with the Jazz.

Coach Sloan has no choice but to play you these next few games. Now is the time to prove to him (and Jazz management) that you deserve to stay on the team.

I'm rooting for you.

*****

P.S. Thanks Matt for taking the time to work with Fesenko. Most NBA players wouldn't even bother, they'd just figure it's the coaches job.

Whatever 2k is doing to work hard, Fes needs to hop on that wagon, then do 10% more; just like it was with stockton and malone. It's all work and no play for big fes. There's worse jobs than being a professional athlete. With big fes body and natural ability, there's no reason why he won't become a pillar for the team. The jazz would really have one up on most of the competition, as a player like fes is so rare; a big body, who is skilled; a defensive minded center. Get in there and work it big fes; the first one to arrive to games and practice; the first one in the weight room; 10% more reps, 10% longer on the bike; last one to leave; 10% more shots than anyone else; go out work them all big fes, show us that big funny guy is also a guy who is serious about working. you'll have the fans love, and tons of money in the bank; respect of teammates and coaches, and opponents. As a fan, I believe too; the natural ability is obviously there, the other part, the work, appears to be showing up, go big fes.

This isn't just a one time flash or mirage. Work, work, work Fess we need you to be more than a town and team CLOWN. You have the ability as shown Sat nite, now keep focused and try to improve each day and you will be rewarded handsomely.

I thought it was the coaches job to work with the players. OH I forgot, Sloan doesn't do that. He just complains that they don't know what they are doing. His famous words, "They just looked confused on the court". Great coach!! The young guys will only get better if Jerry actually teaches them how to play in the NBA. Jerry thinks that since they were drafted that they should already know.

he dosen't crack under the pressure. The better he plays, the more trade value he has. I still think koufos will be better.

Great article. Lot's of positive feedback from the head coach!! That plus a mention of Matt coaching Fesenko on post moves...nice... How is it that Fess isn't getting taught post moves/tricks from the coaching staff? Apparently the D-league was great at teaching him as well! Why haven't the Jazz brought in a center assistant coach like other teams have (Lakers/Bynum),(Rockets/Yao)to work with Fess and Koufos? Come to think of it, I don't know if I have seen anything new from Koufos that he didn't already have when he got here. Maybe something other than my way or the highway would work on Fess. Jerry could have mentioned how Houston went to Artest in the 2nd overtime cause of the good job Fess was doing on Yao. Oh yeah come to think of it, nice adjustment by Jerry leaving Brewer on Artest possession after possession in the 2nd overtime. Maybe Miller should come out and give Jerry a Fess like vote of confidence. Well Jerry could do more than just yawn on the sideline and well I didn't understand him not calling a time out at the end of the game and advancing the ball to halfcourt with .O4 secondsleft?

They should put Matt Harpring in a gym with Kufos and Fez and just let Matt coach them. Put CJ and Almond in another gym with Hornacek. The young players are not being developed in the parts of the game that they missed or didn't play in college. Matt Harpring's ankle is too sore to play anymore anyway. Collins can bring them gatorade.

Your pathetic. You let your inmaturety speak too many times every day.

Haven't we seen this before? Fesenko is the new Ostertag.

Phil Johnson is the assistant coach that works with big men. The basic problem is with Okur and Boozer, they play because of the pecking order/salary, and the less experienced players sit and don't get PT. Boozer is an undersized inside player who for the most part can't play the leagues big guys on the defensive end of the court. Naturally he's going to score, because he is dominating the ball, like D Will. Fes and the other younger players like Brewer and Miles are hurt with less PT when the team is completely healthy. It amazes me that the Jazz can compete with depleted lineups. It tells me that the league is watered down. The old Laker and Celtic teams would blow away the current league.....no question. Sir Charles Barkley is right. The Jazz still have a shot.....but it is a much smaller shot this year with the Boozer/Okur injury situation, along with the likely Boozer departure spectre looming. I hate the three point basket, and zone defenses....they have ruined the league. Whoever dreamed up the three pointer is insane. How about a four/point/or/a/five/point/basket?/come/on!

Nevertheless....the Jazz provide the only pro entertainment in Utah....so, go Jazz!

One idea would be to play the entire roster 20 minutes each....and play their behinds off while each player is on the court....as in fullcourt pressure defense....man-to-man coverage.....and then "see what happens", as Karl Malone used to say. This baloney with a sagging zone is unworkable, and wears out the players, who have to fly around the perimeter of the defensive end of the floor to guard three point attempts, unless they do as I suggested.....DO MORE SUBSTITUTING.

I like Fez and Kufous....Harpring and Collins should be retired.

you all will soon see. CJ will be an all-star. It will be Labron, Kobe, Wade and CJ that dominate this league. I have seen him do it in Texas! Wait and see, you all are fools.

Fes is young. He'll come around.

Once he gets tastes of success (like he did against Yao) a few times, his attitude towards basketball will change. He'll mature.

Having both Kufos (this year's surprise) and Fes at the center position can only help the Jazz in the future. That can put Memo into the forward position, where he'd do better, not having to expend energy defending other centers.

How's this lineup (starter, backup, alternate):

C = Kufos, Fes, Memo
PF = Boozer, Millsap, Memo
SF = Memo, Millsap, AK
SG = Brewer, AK, Miles
PG = D-Will, Knight, Price

I like AK and Millsap off the bench, as long as they're getting enough playing time. This starting lineup is a tall, beefy one.

And, this is without any bigs getting so much playing time on average that they're legless at season's end. Fresh legs can go a long way in the playoffs.

This lineup would give all of the best talent plenty of playing time.

Remember, all you need from your center position is a double-double (points, rebounds), with some shot-blocking, which both Fes and Kufos have shown they can do. Combined, these two can do this.

Pathetic? Tell me one thing that Sloan has done to make CJ, Fess or Koufus better since they arrived? He doesn't teach them to play in the NBA. He belittles them as much as he can. Pathetic would be YOU. You post under the name of Miles pretending to be me. Like I watched CJ play in Texas. Get a life dude, I don't attend high school basketball games like you.

Last year I went to a lot of flash games to watch a awkward pathetic "BIG FES" Lose the ball time and time again while "MO" would drain nearly every shot he tossed up. Then one night after a game we walked into the parking lot to see "BIG FES" talking to a group of girls from his country casually smoking with them. what an idiot. STOP SMOKING FES AND MAYBE YOU"LL MAKE SOMEHING OF YOURSELF!!! really you got the god givin body and your throwing it all away.

Miles Cj was in high school. remember he didnt go to college. and he should have then maybe he could learn to play as a team and not shoot it everytime he has the ball like high school players do. I like Cj's scoring but sometime he tales terrible shots. and does none of the little things to help. if he could improve his other areas and pass a little more he would be dangerous. So please stop posting your ignorant comments. until he actually performs in other areas.

I like the idea of being able to play Memo as a forward -- probably he's a more natural fit at power forward than center. But I think that only in certain situations could you really put him at SF. Those smaller, quicker guys would eat him alive; he'd never be able to defend them.

If Koufos (K2: I like that!) and Fes come anywhere close to developing their full potential, the Jazz are going to really have something good. There hasn't been a really strong center in Utah since Mark Eaton retired, and if these young guys develop well, we might end up with two decent ones, maybe even two strong ones.

Well, make that three. Memo might not be a classic NBA center, but he is a pretty decent one, all things considered. If K2 and Fes keep getting better, we might have three good options at center, not to mention the ability to use Memo more as a forward, where he'd be freed up for more scoring. And then when Boozer leaves (as he probably will), we'll have Memo, Koufos, and Millsap who'll be more than able to take up the slack.

@ Miles (the real one)

You need to chill man. So you have an imposter, or maybe it's just a guy who's name is actually Miles, either way it's pretty clear when it isn't you so maybe a better way to deal with the situation would be to ignore it and assume it will go away, because it surely will.

Also, You have no idea what Sloan has done or tried to do for Fes or any other player any more than I do. As the season has gone on I have noticed that you have been blaming Sloan for things more and more.

Fes never said the coaches hadn't tought him anything, he just said Harpring took time to show him a few things and he appreciated it. That probably happened either before or after practice when the coaches weren't around, and that is the kind of thing that Fes is going to need to keep doing if he is going to make it in the NBA.

The Jazz have roster issues. Memo and Booz are somewhat undersized as a front line. If AK or Milsap play at the SF then it's not as noticable. However, with Memo and Booz they are also a slow and non-athletic line up as well. Hence the poor defense when they are both in the game together. A.K.,Booz,Milsap,Memo,Koufos (until he bulks up) best position is at power forward. We also have a league w/o as many big centers which put's Fess in an interesting position. He isn't ready to guard smaller players and unless the jazz use him more in a zone and without playing him more how does he develop. Koufos isn't big enough yet to guard shaq/yao. The Jazz have some of the same issues at the two guard. Korver's not quick enough to guard 2's, Brewer is, however, he can't shoot 3's. Same thing with A.K... CJ or Almond could be the future at the 2 but they aren't ready for prime time. I like Brewer alot, at the 3? maybe let him create more? D-Will looks average this year. The Jazz need to sort out the Center and the SG positions before they are championship worthy!!

fes isnt half the player tag was... and to purpul people eater i like ur starting line up but memo is way to slow to gaurd and sf they would eat him alive