Comments about ‘Utah Jazz: Time to let go of bitterness about Fisher’

I don't dislike Fisher because he left the Jazz, I dislike him because he plays for the Lakers...period!

Seriously thank you for writing this article. Regardless of Fisher's intentions for leaving it shouldn't have ever mattered one way or the other. The National media made Utah fans look like the most classless fans in the NBA. Even our own broadcasters couldn't understand why a lot of the fans were booing, I mean the guy took a 8 million dollar pay cut that feed up some extra money for us, so who cares!

Fisher would not have got the Jazz to the finals, if you've noticed he has a pretty good cast of teammates around him with the Lakers. Stop trying to blame him and make an excuse for the Utah's failures.If a 34 year old guard that has little left in the tank is your excuse for not winning you really are pathetic.

Actually, I blame Jazz management for letting Fisher out of his contract despite the reasons Fisher was giving at the time which didn't ring true IMO. The Jazz should have played hardball with Fisher either working out a trade or forcing him to retire which obviously he didn't want to do.

I've heard Sloan complain on a number of occasions about the Gasol trade (i.e. gift) made by Memphis to L.A., but the Jazz really hurt themselves worse by allowing a respected veteran player (on a young and developing team) go to a conference rival who not so coincidently are making their second consecutive appearance in the NBA Finals while the Jazz have regressed in the two seasons (minus Derek Fisher) after appearing in the Western Conference Finals two years ago.

Agreed and agreed. As long as you're a Laker, I will boo you regardless.
And now introducing: Deerreekk Fisshhherrr.

Me and any other Jazz fan who hates the Lakers: BOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

Fisher asked to be released from his contract so he could be closer to medical care for his daughter. His daughter is treated in New York not LA because that is where they could find the most specialized bleeding-edge treatment for a very rare type of cancer. Wasn't he supposed to be the consummate professional?

Although I don't understand why Jazz fans care. After all I think that Fisher mimics the Utah Republican party. They talk the talk, walk the walk some of the time, and do everything behind the scenes to further personal agendas.

Either way the Jazz organization is bigger than Derek Fisher.

I'll let go when he admits that he screwed the Jazz.

I just get tired of all the talk of what a great guy he is. He used the excuse of his 11 month old baby to get out of a situation he personally didn't like and went back to a team that dumped him to Sacramento. Why was he going to NYC for health care when LA ended up being the best place to get it for the poor little girl. Call me a cynic, but does this look like the picture of the ultimate "class" person to you?

Bottom line is Fisher implied all his daughters medical needs could only be met somewhere in the East. One week after he left he signed with the Lakers. (pretty convenient)
He used the sympathy of a family oriented owner to get out of his contract. Yet he pretends that it was all on the up and up. Even the late owner said he make a mistake because he never imagined he would end up on a West contending team.

Yes I am over the booing Fisher for his classless act and I will boo him because he is a Laker just like I boo the rest of the lakers but I will never have any respect for him as he pretends to be a stand up guy when he knows and most know that his deal with the Jazz and late owner was as shady as it gets.

I don't think most Jazz fans begrudge Fisher's move to the Lakers. They like me just don't like the Lakers.

Fisher made those last minute shot which was good for him but it was sure nice to see Ariza made that momemt possible. WOW!

Fishers daughter is treated in LA!! my daughter is also--LA has the cutting edge treatment for Retinoblastoma--they fly from all over the world to be treated here! trust me if your kid had this you would come to la--
childrens hospital --
it changes your life--and god takes over--
god bless derek fisher for all the help he has given kids with rb and raising awareness--
let this go all of you--
he is one classy man--and family comes first!
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The only placed licenced to do this particular treatment is sloan kettering hospital in new york.

Randy:
Get your facts straight first.
1. Fish left to get closer to his daughters care, which was in NYC at the time, almost completed.
2. Kobe admitted to tampering and passing along the Lakers desire to get Fish back.
3. Fish has had this "innocent" SPIN on this, never telling the facts.
4. If he had gone to the beloved Clippers, instead of the Hated Lakers, to be "closer" to his daughters care, he still would have been cheered.
Do your research!

Jazzaholic

Thank you for writing what many of us have been thinking for a long time!

Derek Fisher is the class of the NBA!

The treatment of Derek Fisher when he returned to Utah to play was one of the most despicable things I have seen or heard about in sports.

The stations in Calif. did not miss out on the opportunity to say how they could not believe that Utah "family first" fans would treat a man with a sick daughter that way!

Thank you to a great owner Larry Miller who let Derek put his family first. Derek took less money and returned to a Laker team that was a MESS at the time!!

Derek hope you pick up that 4th ring today or at least in this series! The comments by your teammates this week and those who know you in the NBA speak volumes!

He's a professional basketball player -- getting booed, for whatever reason, is part of the deal. If that hurts his feelings (or yours, Hollis) -- too bad, grow up.

Also, you're overstating Fisher's importance. Yes, he has hit some big shots in his career. But he is not a "go to" player at the end of games or someone who you look to make a play at the end of the game like Stockton. Deron and Memo have done fine in this respect.

Seriously, feels like you're really reaching here. Or you just don't know basketball.

Derek Fisher used his situation to get where he wanted. If given the choice he would want healthy children... he made the best of a bad situation. He is neither a saint nor the devil... just a smart man.

Can you provide more specifics about how and where in LA pediatric retinblastoma patients receive treatment of the sort Fisher's daughter was at Memorial Sloan Kettering in NYC? It was my understandng that this experimental treatment was only done at Memorial Sloan, thus Fisher's stated need to be closer to the east coast where his daughter was being treated.

I actually believed Fisher's motives were pure until he signed with the Laker's (last I checked LA is further from NYU than SLC) 2-3 weeks after Miller let him out of his contract. I now believe that there was more to Fisher's motives than just his daughter's health. I never got hte impression he liked it that much in Utah. Afterall, the Jazz had to dispatch a special envoy to get him to accept the trade here which he did so apparently begrudingly, probably to maintain his "classy" guy image in the NBA he'd worked os hard to cultivate over the years.

In the end, it was good the Jazz got his sslary off the books but I do believe he maniupated Miller and the situation to get what he wanted.

It's just as well for the Jazz that Fisher left but they should have made him sign a contract that he could go anywhere but the Lakers (if that's even legal). The triangle offense doesn't really need a point guard so most of the time all Fisher needs to do is spot up at the 3-point line and defend the other team's point guards. Also, he seems to get more calls wearing a Lakers jersey.

Some Jazz fans forget all the times Fisher went 1 for 8 or got lit up for 40-50 points by real shooting guards that were 4-7 inches taller than him. It didn't really make much sense to pay Fisher over 6 million per season so that Sloan could play him out of position as a full time shooting guard even if he did supposedly provide "veteran leadership" and occasional "clutch shooting." Seriously, Fisher only hit 38% from the field and 31% from 3-point range for the Jazz. I'd take the Brewer/Korver platoon over that any day even if they don't have the experience or bag of tricks.

I have watched Derek FIsher since he was drafted living here. He is a great leader, good person, good example to young players and a leader.

HOWEVER: I agree with those that feel he used the Jazz even indirectly...

This issue with daughter. Gee If he has to go to New York, Salt Lake is like 600 miles or so closer. Personally, I think he enjoyed his one year playing for the Jazz and watching the development of the team.

BUT: I do not feel, he and his family cared for living in Utah, probably missed family and friends and he really wanted back in LA> I think he wanted this for some time so the daughter issue was "a convienent smoke screen"

sorry...

Further, yeah he did nothing all game and then made 2 3S ALLOWED because DWIGHT HOWARD CHOKED ON THE LINE.

He had a poor season.

Per the LA times, he is likely back.

One more season likely will retire...

could have gone out and got a decent PG to replace him and should have. They did not. Fish helped the Jazz but he was not unreplaceable.