OT: Jerry Sloan's Time Is Coming to an End

[IdahoAlum]

For us old-timers, watching the Bulls teams in the early 1970s was a lot of fun. Led by Jerry Sloan, Norm Van Lier, Bob Love and Chet Walker, and coached by Dick Motta, they were as tough and nasty a group of players as any in the NBA, but also relatively successful. Sloan was the toughest and nastiest of the group. A few years ago, he was diagnosed with Parkinson's and dementia, and apparently his time is nearing an end. I had a chance to talk with Jerry and his wife in the SLC airport a few years ago, right after his diagnosis was made public. They were both very warm and gracious, and he was fighting the inevitable with the same toughness he had as a player and coach. If you are so inclined, keep Jerry and his family in your prayers.

https://www.sltrib.com/sports/2019/07/16/monson-pay-sweet-silent/

 

[Napcat]

Thanks for posting. I will be monitoring closely. Jerry Sloan and Doug Collins were my heros growing up in southern Illinois. A tremendous person and role model. My condolences to he and his family during this difficult time for an illness that has impacted my family as well. Hopefully they will find a cure for this terrible disease soon.

 

[NURoseBowl]

My all-time favorite Bull. I, too, had the pleasure of watching those Bulls' teams as a kid. Add Tom Boerwinkle, Cliff Ray and Bobby Weiss to your list. Terribly sorry to hear this news.

 

[scru]

My all-time favorite Bull. I, too, had the pleasure of watching those Bulls' teams as a kid. Add Tom Boerwinkle, Cliff Ray and Bobby Weiss to your list. Terribly sorry to hear this news.

I'm sorry, just want to confirm I read that right... All-Time Favorite Bull??

 

[Gladeskat]

Jerry Sloan was also one of my favorite Bulls back in the day (along with Cliff Ray and Ton Boerwinkle). My brother (6'8" former college center) and I met Jerry Sloan at the main Cabelas in Sidney Nebraska (now Bass Pro) shortly after Jordan won his sixth championship. My brother did most of the talking with him. He was very pleasant to talk to despite the recent championship loss.

 

[NURoseBowl]

I'm sorry, just want to confirm I read that right... All-Time Favorite Bull??

Yessir. I didn't say he was the BEST Bull - only my fave. Much like Brian Musso is my all-time favorite Wildcat.

 

[scru]

Yessir. I didn't say he was the BEST Bull - only my fave. Much like Brian Musso is my all-time favorite Wildcat.

Definitely entitled to your opinion, of course! I'd be curious as to the selection criteria, though.

 

[NURoseBowl]

Definitely entitled to your opinion, of course! I'd be curious as to the selection criteria, though.

Well, that was the team I grew up on, the team that provided me with my first nostalgic memories of basketball. While they certainly had talent, those Bulls were much better known for - and fairly defined by - their gritty, hard-nosed style. Akin, maybe, to the Bad Boy Pistons' teams of the late '80's, only without the cheap shots. At any rate, Sloan to me epitomized what those Bulls teams were all about. That backcourt of Sloan and Van Lier will always be a key part of Bulls lore. So that's essentially where it comes from. I wouldn't claim that Jerry Sloan was the best Bull I ever saw (only one guy will EVER be able to make that claim), and he might not even make the team's all-time top ten. He probably would be in that discussion, though.

 

[docrugby1]

I saw that you mentioned Bob Love. Bob started his professional career with the Trenton Colonials of the old EBL. He was my favorite player for the one year he played in Trenton at the old Armory. Many do not realize that Bob had a profound speech impediment-stuttering- that caused him to be withdrawn and very quiet. He became an NBA star and later an executive with the Bulls.

The smooth talking executive that you may recall was actually transformed by modern speech therapy from a shy recluse to a motivational speaker

 

[Kelly_32_rivals]

Very well written article. Thanks for posting.

 

[Medill90]

Well, that was the team I grew up on, the team that provided me with my first nostalgic memories of basketball. While they certainly had talent, those Bulls were much better known for - and fairly defined by - their gritty, hard-nosed style. Akin, maybe, to the Bad Boy Pistons' teams of the late '80's, only without the cheap shots. At any rate, Sloan to me epitomized what those Bulls teams were all about. That backcourt of Sloan and Van Lier will always be a key part of Bulls lore. So that's essentially where it comes from. I wouldn't claim that Jerry Sloan was the best Bull I ever saw (only one guy will EVER be able to make that claim), and he might not even make the team's all-time top ten. He probably would be in that discussion, though.

Was that '73 when they were favored to win the championship and lost to the Sam Lacey-led Golden State Warriors in the semi's? That hurt as bad as the '69 Cubs.

Chet the Jet never missed. Tom Boerwinkle's feet never the left the ground. On those rare occasions he dunked, he'd stand on his tippy toes.

 

[its_the_sauce]

It was 75. They were up 3-2 in the conference finals to the Warriors and had game 6 at home on Mother's Day and choked. That game really stung. They blew a big lead in game 7 (back in Oakland) as well.

 

[Hungry Jack]

Oof. Parkinson's and dementia. Poor guy. Tough way for a person to leave the earthly plain.

 

[NUCat320]

Definitely entitled to your opinion, of course! I'd be curious as to the selection criteria, though.

The one he likes the most, duh.

My all-time favorite Cubs list includes, for at least a few weeks each: Kevin Roberson, Jose Vizcaino, Jim Bullinger, Dave Martinez and Mitch Webster, and then also Ryne Sandberg and Kerry Wood and Lee Smith and Shawon Dunston.

(My favorite all-time Bull, for what it’s worth, is Kornel David, only for the time he chucked up a half-count buzzer-beater attempt with something like 4 seconds on the clock. That was a fuuuuuunnnnnn team.)

 

[scru]

The one he likes the most, duh.

My all-time favorite Cubs list includes, for at least a few weeks each: Kevin Roberson, Jose Vizcaino, Jim Bullinger, Dave Martinez and Mitch Webster, and then also Ryne Sandberg and Kerry Wood and Lee Smith and Shawon Dunston.

(My favorite all-time Bull, for what it’s worth, is Kornel David, only for the time he chucked up a half-count buzzer-beater attempt with something like 4 seconds on the clock. That was a fuuuuuunnnnnn team.)

I fully and happily concede that fandom is indeed emotional rather than rational.

 

[hdhntr1]

The one he likes the most, duh.

My all-time favorite Cubs list includes, for at least a few weeks each: Kevin Roberson, Jose Vizcaino, Jim Bullinger, Dave Martinez and Mitch Webster, and then also Ryne Sandberg and Kerry Wood and Lee Smith and Shawon Dunston.

(My favorite all-time Bull, for what it’s worth, is Kornel David, only for the time he chucked up a half-count buzzer-beater attempt with something like 4 seconds on the clock. That was a fuuuuuunnnnnn team.)

I fully and happily concede that fandom is indeed emotional rather than rational.

My favorite Cubs list includes.....none