Deseret News | Hey, Derek, those boos <I>are</I> personal

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Lee Benson: Hey, Derek, those boos are personal

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Jeremy Brown | 9:15 a.m. March 19, 2008

Our Derek Fisher outrage is misplaced.

When you have a sick child, you want to maintain consistency with your doctors, consistency in treatment, and have family nearby.

Why did Derek moved to LA? Do the doctors in LA have professional relationships to the doctors that have been treating his daughter? Do they perform the same treatment in LA in case of hospitalization or emergencies? Do the Fisher's have family support in LA? Does any of this exist in Salt Lake? I think the answers to those questions would remove a lot of the emotional reactions to Fisher going to LA.

Ideally, Fisher will keep flying to NY for treatment to maintain consistency with doctors and treatment. But if something happens that causes local hospitalization, Salt Lake can't offer any consistency in care and family support. Does LA?

I think most of the outrage has more to do with him joining the Lakers than geography. Would we feel the same if it was the Clippers? Maybe, but I'm sure not as strongly.

Pmyster | 9:18 a.m. March 19, 2008

Booing is good for the league. Booing motivates players to play better to say that "stuff it in your face" attitude to anybody that boos. Than again its just a game. HA HA!

What the??? | 9:13 a.m. March 19, 2008

What kind of article is this? Does this author know the real reason Fisher left? Has Fisher confided in him? Why don't we just accept what Fisher told us? Fisher doesn't deserve the booing. If Fisher didn't care, I don't think he would take time to tell a reporter that the booing bothers him. I hope Fisher gets more cheers Thursday night than boos. I hope jounalists just report on the facts and not try and jude Fishers heart. Horrible, horrible article.

Comments continue below

Mitch - A Classy Fan | 9:20 a.m. March 19, 2008

I know some of you are still bothered by the Fisher situation, but the majority of us are not. I am from another state, and loved the Jazz there too, but always heard the rumors of how classless the Jazz fans were. I always disagreed, however, I knew that unfortuneatly there were a few classless ones, and unfortuneatly those were the ones who booed. If Larry Miller, the guy who actually paid Derek Fisher is fine with his explination, then so should you be. I am sure if you asked Boozer or Williams, they would tell that they would not have made it out of the first round last year if it were not for Fisher. Physically Fisher may be gone, but the lessons he taught a struggling talented Young Jazz team are still here. He planted a seed here, and now it is growing, so for that if anyone boos tomorrow YOU ARE CLASSLESS and SELFISH! Cut the guy some slack. Please join with me and when he plays tomorrow stand and cheer for D. Fish.

FISHy | 9:15 a.m. March 19, 2008

His name really does fit the description, since the whole thing really was fishy. If the child is still getting treatment in NYC, then SLC is just as good of a place to live the LA, maybe even better with the cancer insitute up at the U. When Fisher was traded to the Jazz, I remember some comments he made to the media that indicated he really was going to miss living in sunny california and that he had really grown to love that state. Thats what his motivation was, getting out of Utah. Never mind the fans and the organization that treated him like royalty. Fans feel betrayed, and maybe rightly so, and so he gets booed.

Also, he now plays for the Lakers. I, along with many fans here, can't stand the Lakers. One more reason to boo him.

The beauty of these message boards is that we don't need proof to convict someone, and it appears Fisher has been convicted with little to no proof. The fact is, we are better off with Brewer playing more than Fisher, so in that sense maybe we should cheer him for giving Brewer a shot.

Hero of Canton | 9:17 a.m. March 19, 2008

What is this nonsense about not booing because it disrespectful and mean and stooping to his level? Are we in junior high now? You Boo to show your displeasure and I booed through the majority of these comments. Life is full of winners and losers! You probably teach your kids that winning isnt everything and its ok to lose. Well guess what, that's the reason America is no longer a world power and why people laugh and mock us at every turn. Sack up and be an adult about it! Life is hard and you need to work to get ahead and if you fill your heads with drivel about how its ok to lose then join the people on the ground as I walk on by to a successful life.

Fisher was wrong and made it worse by preying upon the illness of his daughter to get out. He deserves to be booed, from now till the day he retires. If I ever have the misfortune to meet him then I will tell him to his face that he wasn't a man about it and that I hope his daughter realizes she was used for $$$$$.

GO JAZZ | 9:17 a.m. March 19, 2008

Fisher was a great shooting gaurd and he played backup for deron. I just dont like how he left us without any notice and then we had a huge hole that we had to fill. But Ronnie has filled that spot nicly. and with korver coming in and hitting some long range shots. that is the perfect one two punch that the jazz need.

Joan | 9:21 a.m. March 19, 2008

You got it right, Fish. I second the motion.

Buckeye Fan | 9:22 a.m. March 19, 2008

Finally I'm reading views of reality and not sympathy. Fisher used the Jazz to get back to LA. Fish wasn't really happy with the "Sloan way of doing things" and wanted out. If Fish would have signed with the Knicks, so his family could be close to the doctors, I would have understood. But to get release of his Jazz tenure and IMMEDIATELY sign with the Lakers tells me this is exactly what he planned. I wish his daughter the best and hope for a full recovery. As for her father hiding behind his child's misfortune, pitiful. The boo's are too good for you, Fish.

Jennifer | 9:28 a.m. March 19, 2008

THANK YOU!!! I have been waiting for someone to write about this- instead of oh- poor Fisher! Now I want Larry to come out on his radio show and confront this issue head on. Tell us whether or not he was hoodwinked! GREAT ARTICLE!

Fredd | 9:30 a.m. March 19, 2008

I think these comments are disgraceful. At the time he left it was stated in this paper that treatment was not available in Utah. In this paper it was also stated the Knick and/or Nets would not be interested in him from a basketball standpoint. He was released, not retired, by LHM so that he could pursue another contract. The whole deal was about him being able to play somewhere else while having a better situation for his family. This was all expressed in this paper at the time. The Lakers were an excellent fit for him. we saved millions (Fish was way overpaid and no team would have traded for him at is salary). I'm ashamed to be a Jazz fan when i read these comments. You are a petty small minded group.

Really | 9:46 a.m. March 19, 2008

Hick-Town comments. Get over it your Jazz team is doing super and are challenging for the conference title and you peeps(including this reporter) want to whine and cry. Fisher was not a difference maker anyway. The Jazz have some big contract decisions to make shortly and Fisher just helped that problem. Get POSITIVE instead of always NEGATIVE fans. Whinning is for children.

Boo birds.... | 9:47 a.m. March 19, 2008

They will be coming from me on Thursday. I guarantee you that much is true.

Anonymous | 9:51 a.m. March 19, 2008

we hate it when our players go to la to seek championships. we hated malone for one year. we boo fish too. if stockton would have left us we even would have yelled at him. what if jerry got up and left to replace phil jackson we would hate him for as long as he was gone and love him when he was done.

Fanatic | 9:54 a.m. March 19, 2008

Doesn't the term "Fan" just a short form of "Fanatic".
Is it surprising then that Jazz fans are a little crazy; even irrational; just like the Ute fans and BYU fans and Lakers fans and Knicks fans? Yeah, we are pretty much biased in our opinions about our teams.
Having said that, I say let the guy go. It's over now. We have a great team now; I hope they continue to do well. For a back water team that nobody likes to play for (from what you all are saying) the Jazz have done pretty well over the years. Go Jazz!

Care to explain? | 9:55 a.m. March 19, 2008

Can anyone explain to me how Derek Fisher telling the Jazz he was leaving for NY or LA (cities with appropriate cancer-care facilities) - then doing so is LESS honorable than Boozer lying to the Cavs - promising to re-sign with Cleveland - only having it be a ruse to opt out of the last year of his contract to sign with the highest bidder. So flat-out lying is now the more honest approach in Utah?

Jazzman | 10:02 a.m. March 19, 2008

Fisher's true colors are Laker purple and gold. His heart is not in Utah. He wanted back with the Lakers to reunite with his buddy Kobe. The situation with his daughter was just used as a BS excuse to get out of his deal with the Jazz. I say boo the scoundrel loudly every chance we get if it bothers him that much.

JAZZ Fan | 10:05 a.m. March 19, 2008

Simply put, It's not the players we boo, it's the Uniform they wear.

Fredd | 10:01 a.m. March 19, 2008

Anonymous--If you boo Fish because he's part of the Lakers then power to you. But these commenters are calling his integrity into question, personally insulting him. Saying he leveraged his daughters illness for personal gain.

Team Player | 10:20 a.m. March 19, 2008

The Jazz used Fisher in kind of the perfect possible way. He provided a leadership model for our young players and played hard on the court, setting incredible tough picks on guys way bigger then himself. His example helped the other Jazz players see how the game should be played. But he didn't score a lot of points and now Brewer and Korver together far outweigh his contributions of last year. Plus we don't have 2 more years of his salary counting against the cap while we sign Williams, and we don't have to find playing time for him. So he helped the Jazz with leadership last year, and helped the Jazz by leaving as well.
As for how he left, he said he could get more specialized care for his daughter elsewhere, and I believe him. I have no doubt he loved playing for our incredible Jazz fans while he was here, and didn't leave because he didn't like us or our city. I like to believe the best in others, so unless there is real proof he left dishonorably, I choose to continue to honor his character. That said, I forever hate the stupid Lakers and their fans!

Sinan | 10:22 a.m. March 19, 2008

I want to celebrate all our fans, they've showed how much sensitive they're about the issue.
Plus, we have a match with LA and we want to win. Also we want to have fun with our feelings traveling up and down during the game. For that, high level roaring to Fisher. That is not an action opposite of fairplay.
BOOOOOOOOOO, GO JAZZZZZZZZZZZ

Utah Services | 10:23 a.m. March 19, 2008

I like Fisher and think (even with the Jazz) that he complains and whines about every foul. He made mention of needing a better place for treatment for his daughter which he has the right to decide where that place is. BUT last time I checked Utahns have a comfort in the fact that Salt Lake City has a great medial system with options all over the place. So that doesn't make sense to me especially to someone who has the money and could pay for the best doctors at the U, Huntsman Cancer Institute, LDS, etc. Bottom line, he "flew the coup" so fast that the Jazz did him enough service to let him go back to where he was super-star: LA

Naha | 10:29 a.m. March 19, 2008

How is it we embrace one who left a team deceitfully and came to the Jazz. We cheer and adore him.

A second player, who really didn't want to be here seemingly, leaves (allegedly) deceitfully and fans of the same team (Jazz) boo and jeer him.

No wonder Utah can be seen as a difficult place to live.

No wonder Sloan is the only person who will coach here. We are fortunate though to have him for so long.

Henry Drummond | 10:24 a.m. March 19, 2008

I think if Lee had done even a tad bit of research he would have found that Derek listed five cities that he was considering relocating to and Los Angeles was one of them. This was before the release. So where is the deception? This article is an indictment of poor journalism on behalf of the author and his editor, not an indictment of Derek Fisher.

Rambr | 10:29 a.m. March 19, 2008

What a crazy article and responses. Indeed we are in the age of selfish reason! It is obvious Fisher only went to LA because of his daughter. He was ALREADY THERE before coming to Utah. Why would he need any gimmicks??? In a city where he lived 9 years, he must have a lot of medical support.

I think some people take sports club membership to be more important than life and fellow human beings. For these people, some sport club winning or loosing is the only thing that matters. If a person even supports an opposing club they are "enemy"... Sad. And says a lot about the selfish place these people have gone to.

Derek Fisher is known around the league to be a straight talker, and nice guy. Even in that unbearable LA team he was the voice of reason... But Utah supporters prefer the antics of AK-47 (who makes a joke like that!!! Mind you, AK-47 have killed many americans around the world)...

Maybe the author of the article and some commentators would benefit by sitting back and contemplating life. If you cant even set priorities straight, should you even be throwin opinions in the news??

John | 10:40 a.m. March 19, 2008

Come on! The guy went to a loosing team with egomaniac Kobe Bryant, who was considering quitting! Are you guys crazy? Why he would have come to the Jazz in the first place??? In LA he must have a larger support system since he lived there for so long. Is this only obvious to me? People who accuse others of being selfish, should see where their priorities are. Is "basketball team politics" the only thing you can think about? If so, then Derek Fisher made the right decision to leave Utah... Such behavior is not healthy and no wonder, Utah never won anything: to win, you need compassion first!

YouAreAllMorons | 10:34 a.m. March 19, 2008

FYI for all the morons out there who are blaming Fish for leaving Utah.... Lakers didn't offer him more money than his former contract there in Utah...
He was just given a mid-level salary which is less than a half price of his former salary as a player at Utah... He have sacrfice those salaries for her daughter... Don't get too personal at this issue, the writer doesn't know about the stages Fish have felt at that time...

james | 10:35 a.m. March 19, 2008

I don't agree with the article..Fisher took a huge paycut to leave, and if he was like most NBA players, he would have demanded a trade. For Fish to use his daugher's illness as a reason to leave, is inconsistent with the way he has been his entire career.

And look at it from the Jazz's standpoint..he is a small, aging shooting guard that was grossly overpaid. His playing ability was not the reason he was attractive to the Jazz, anyway.

And lastly..this season, players like Brewer, Korver and CJ have played very well. The future looks brighter without Fish. Things done for the right reasons always seem to work out.

You are being selfish fans | 10:41 a.m. March 19, 2008

Fisher is a good guy not a trader. The man helped the Jazz last year and his daughter is more important than a bunch of stupid,selfish,thought less fans cant think. Go ahead and whine.
Boo the entire Lakers organization. I hate the Lakers. This Laker team is the most overrated team of all time. But don't do it to just Fisher. I was a Jazz fan with and without Fisher. I do not hate him, He is a good man. But there is not team I hate more than the Lakers.

Jazzstink | 10:41 a.m. March 19, 2008

Anyone in Utah who boos D Fish and cheers Boozer is a hypocrite, plain and simple. Utah got Boozer after his deception in Cleveland, and no one in Utah complained. Now that they get a taste of their own medecine, the whine is at fever pitch! Keep on whining and booing, though. It will make it that much sweeter when the Lake Show blows you away in the playoffs! GO LAKERS!!!!

Who Cares | 10:45 a.m. March 19, 2008

The Jazz are only one game back in the win column for top spot in the West and looky who comes to town...Kobe, DFish, and their group of scrubs. Hoemcourt is no garauntee BUT West teams better do all they can to prevent the Jazz from being the 1 seed because 19 straight - going on 20 and more if you look at the upcoming cupcake sched - must be pretty intimidating.

DavidKim | 10:55 a.m. March 19, 2008

You guys are the worst human beings in the world. Seriously, get your facts straight, before fish left Utah he told Miller about signing with another team. Medical treatments in New York was already good enough, but in LA, Fish is familiar with his own relationship with personal doctors. He wanted personal treatment for the better of his daughter as well as HIS FAMILY. Even if he meant to cheat you guys, give the guy BREAK. His daughter has cancer. In LA, when he came back as a Utah player for the first time, he was appluaded by the Laker fans. Lastly, Fish is known to be a stand up guy by the majority NBA fans and employees alike.

On the court | 10:54 a.m. March 19, 2008

Fisher did the jazz a huge favor by walking away. It was a bad trade, becasue of his long and high priced contract to begin with. His on-court production would never have matched his salary, plus he hated sloan and didn't want to be here.

In my opionion, he didn't bring much to the jazz at all, brewer would still be on the bench if fisher were here, and the jazz did not need an undersized, overpaid, aging 2 guard.

A WARRIOR's Fan | 11:01 a.m. March 19, 2008

Questioning Derek Fisher is all WRONG. If you call Boozer's deception and lying more 'above board' than a Child with a serious cancer ailment..... you need to be checked into a psyche ward immediately. I Hate the Jazz and the Laker's - but am real enough to know a great guy - even if when he played on my team he was at best an average player. As I recall The Fishers had TWO CHOICES for hospitals New York and Los Angeles....... where would you have gone? Like another poster already pointed out - The Lakers were a bad team last year when he rejoined them!!!!!! It was not about going to a better team for more money.

To DavidKim | 10:59 a.m. March 19, 2008

Really? The worst human beings in the world? The whole world? Are you serious?

BOOOOOOOOO!

jackson or sloan | 11:10 a.m. March 19, 2008

If I had a chance to get away from Jerry Sloan and play for Phil Jackson, I would lie, cheat or do anything else for that chance. Fisher did what any other player would do to get as far away from sloan as possible.

Eldon | 11:11 a.m. March 19, 2008

Fisher would hear cheers and not boos if he would have gone back east like he said he would. He said he would either play in NY, clev, or somewhere closer to new york, or he would retire. THose were his words. Ironic that two weeks after signing with the lakers it was announced that his daughter no longer needed more treatment... The day after leaving utah, his agent alluded to the fact that maybe his daughter was not the only reason for leaving and he was fired. Fisher now has the same agent as that man who should be in prison - kobe. These are facts, not ideas. He is a dishonest idiot that took advantage of the situation because he wanted out. I hope he hears the boos louder than last time because he deserves them.

wxfan | 11:14 a.m. March 19, 2008

bottom line what does it matter?
LHM made the decision--if he got tricked or scammed it won't be the first time will it?_(hint 64 million)
that's NBA ball- get over it
Fisher is a decent person especially compared to many NBA players who are constantly making news off the court.
WHO knows the real story?
I don't so I won't boo him. The rest of you ticket buying fans can boo if you want. I'm going to watch real basketball--high school and college ball and not take the NBA so seriously that I have a heart attack screaming at the refs or Fisher or who ever wronged the JAZZ today.
Question-since I am a jazz fan-answer this
do any of you think we could have developed other players like cj and brewer or worked in Korver if we even could have gotten him if Fisher hadn't left?
If you want to be mad--be mad at MEMPHIS for giving away pau to the evil and much hated Lakers!!
OR__ how DO the lakers get so lucky that teams virtually give away their good and great players? is it a Jackson zen mind control thing?

Yah seriously | 11:09 a.m. March 19, 2008

If you want to Boo Fisher, base it on TRUE FACTS.
NOT THE disguised ones. Just Boo him for
his move to another team. Don't boo him for the wrong idea of betrayl. Fish CLEARLY told Miller and the team about the fact that he would sign with a different team. He told the whole organization and the organization agreed that the medical system - basketball job relationship in Utah was rather difficult since he had hard time catching flights and making adjustments to go to New York. LA is actually farthur away from New York, but it is easier to be transported from LA. Get the facts straight for condeming the man

wow | 11:11 a.m. March 19, 2008

if you remember fisher actually stated the places where he could get adequate care for his daughter and New York was one of them along with LA and some others. He actually pretty much said in his press conference when he got released that those were the two places he was looking at going to get that care.

B-Real | 11:11 a.m. March 19, 2008

To you fans who say that this is a good article ... you are pathetic. To the fans who boo fisher when he is in Utah ... you need to check yourself. To you idiots who say that he used his sick daughter, and the need to be closer to a top treatment center, as an excuse to leave the Jazz ... you need to put team allegiances aside and view a man doing what he needs to do for his family. He gave up millions of dollars to come to L.A. so that his daughter could be properly cared for. When he got released, he said that there were places in L.A. and New York that could provide the right treatment for his daughter. Hmmm, if I have to choose between playing for the Knicks or Lakers, I don't think that I am thinking very long and hard about that. So he gets his daughter treated and goes back to a team that he is familiar with. You that question this need to grow up.

zen master | 11:11 a.m. March 19, 2008

good point above, who wouldn't want to play for the zen master instead of sloan??

Anonymous | 11:16 a.m. March 19, 2008

Shame on you D News for printing this article. Terrible journalism, no evidence to back up claims, and no logical argument. How did the editor let this one slip by.

I think Fisher is still a | 11:25 a.m. March 19, 2008

pretty good guy, but because of the questionable circumstances he left under to sign with the team/player (Lakers & Kobe) that jazz fans hate the most, it's understandable why he is booed.

Old Port | 11:25 a.m. March 19, 2008

This just seems silly to me. If the Lakers weren't tied for the top seed in the West, would this even be an issue going into Thursday??
D-Will, Booz and Collins are good buds with D-Fish, having dinner with him in LA after he left, I remember reading. D-Fish said he has never felt so much comraderie with teammates before.
Put yourselves in his shoes, your daughter needs treatment and her Daddy's love and support while going through the treatments. Excluding the cost of flights, would you want to fly to CA or NY on top of the usual NBA travel schedule? Would you want our back up PG burned out and performing under par. The Lakers had a need and they/D-Fish were comfortable together; so it just happened that way. The Jazz are sitting with the best situation in the West right now. It could be much worse: imagine being a Denver fan or AI, I feel sorry for him. He is a warrior paired with a prima dona.

johnnylama | 11:27 a.m. March 19, 2008

This is the most ignorant article I have ever read by any sports journalist. Derek Fisher's comments were entirely accurate,unlike your reporting.

Inder | 11:27 a.m. March 19, 2008

I can't believe what I'm reading here. How can you fans be so selfish? Fish wanted to go to NY or LA where his daughter can get better treatment from world class physicians. He left guaranteed money on the table and took LESS money. It had nothing to do with wanting to be on a better team. The Lakers were worse off than the Jazz at the time, and they weren't even sure at the time if they would have Kobe next year! People in Utah pride themselves on being good people, but my opinion definitely changed when I heard the boos!

BJ Jazzy Rasta | 11:27 a.m. March 19, 2008

I agree with the fact that Fisher using his daughter as an excuse to leave Utah. I also think this article was not fully explained. It seemed like Lee ran out of time before deadline and cut short what could have been a great article. The way it ended was bizarre and without any supporting evidence to prove his obvious opinion. We are a much better team without Fisher...He was great in the clutch a couple of times, but also failed us in a number of situations last season as well. He was a very nice person to the media and I don't doubt that he is a good person. But I also know that good people can do dishonest or shady things just like the rest of them. Derek had his reasons, he just didn't want to say the real ones to the media...So we're left to speculate and draw our own conclusions.

Anonymous | 11:33 a.m. March 19, 2008

Fisher did the Jazz a favor. He was being horribly overpaid at $7 million a year. Them releasing him saved them quite a bit of money.

He's making significantly less money in LA than he did in Utah.

As has already been stated, he went to LA, who at the time, no one had any idea that the Lakers would be any good this year. They were coming off of a first round exit from the playoffs and Kobe wanted out. So there was no guarantee that Fish would have even got to play with Kobe.

Anybody that boos Fisher, yet cheers Boozer is ridiculous. What Boozer did to Cleveland was worse. They could have picked up his option for $650,000, but they didn't do it because they thought he was worth more money, so they elected not to pick up his option.

Instead of resigning with the Cavs, he took the money and ran, he betrayed the trust of Cleveland, that's way worse than what Fisher "did" to the Jazz.

This is a poorly thought out and poorly written column with little to no evidence to support the author's claim.

Sammy sez: | 11:33 a.m. March 19, 2008

Fisher could easily have stayed with the Jazz, where he plays basketball and where his daughter gets her treatments have nothing to do with each other. Fisher simply wanted out, the Lakers came calling and that's where he wanted to be. Miller wisely let Fisher go. Boozer did leave Cleveland under questionable circumstances so the Fisher thing is just karma in reverse. Agreed, we are better off with younger players Brewer and Korver. Boo Fisher all we want but don't let it distract from the major objective because if the Jazz and Lakers meet in the playoffs this Fisher nonsense needs to be left behind so the Jazz can focus on the Laker team and whoop some butt!!!

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