Can you feel it? Can you feel the excitement? The Jazz have clinched the Northwest Division! This is an achievement a team that hasn't been in the playoffs for three seasons can feel proud of. Most experts and fans felt the team was capable of making the playoffs this year, and the team has exceeded most predictions and expectations.
Can you feel the excitement, though? No, not for the playoffs. The excitement for the Jazz tradition of celebrating their mediocrity when they unfurl the "2006-07 Northwest Division Champions" banner from the ceiling, to hang alongside the other banners that tell people that the Jazz have won division and even conference championships. Yet, something's missing.
I understand why the Jazz celebrate division titles. It gives fans something to celebrate and it puts money in the pockets of the Jazz when the same fans who celebrate meaningless titles dig in their pockets and buy $15 T-shirts to be able walk around town to show their excitement about the Jazz winning their latest division title. I understand that. It doesn't mean I have to like it.
A recent ESPN.com column by David Schoenfield ranks the Jazz as the fifth most painful franchise to be a fan of. Not in the NBA. In North American professional sports. This brings up the question of what a fan would rather have, a long stretch where a team makes the playoffs but never brings home the big prize, or a stretch of time where the team often sucks but is able to actually win a title once. In other words, is it better to be a fan of the Jazz or the Heat? Is it better to be a Viking fan or a Ravens fan? Astros fan or White Sox fan?
For me, I envy the Heat fans. Spurs, Rockets, Lakers, Pistons, Bulls fans, too. They have recently watched their favorite team actually win the championship. Sure, some of them watched their team win a division championship, too. I doubt that Laker fans get excited if the team wins a Pacific Division title. Yankee fans probably don't even acknowledge A.L. East titles, unless in the presence of Red Sox fans. Yet, the Jazz celebrate meaningless division titles as if they were Mission Accomplished. The only thing missing is for Jerry Sloan to show up wearing a fighter pilot jumpsuit.
For 19 seasons in a row, the Jazz made the playoffs. They were even involved in some great moments. They also provided 19 consecutive seasons of heartache. They now embark on another postseason run. Even the most uptimisitic Jazz fan has to concede that this postseason will also end without the trophy. That won't stop the Jazz from celebrating, though. No, I expect that the 2006-07 Northwest Division Champion Utah Jazz will use their title loudly and proudly when attempting to stir excitement for the 2007-08 season. I view it as a new opportunity to take the steps to make sure that Deron Williams will not have the same unwritten footnote in his Utah Jazz biography that John Stockton and Karl Malone sadly carry. I guarantee that those two players would gladly exchange half of their playoff appearances and all of their Midwest Division Champion hats for one, just one, NBA Championship. The same applies to Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, Elgin Baylor, and numerous other NBA greats whose careers fell short of having the title of "Champion" affixed to it.
The team will celebrate its division title, and what's not to celebrate? This season, they accomplished what only five other teams did. They won their division. It is time for the fans to expect more than simply division titles. It's not realistic to expect a title this year, but why not next year? Why not in two years? I am not sure I want to see another long run of playoff appearances, but nothing to show for them. It is time for us fans to demand more. If Jerry Sloan can't get them over the hump, perhaps it is time to look at alternatives. If Kevin O'Connor can't bring in the players who will get the team further, perhaps it is time to look at alternatives. If the players themselves are not good enough, the team should not give them four year contract extensions; they should look at alternatives.
Now, excuse me while I call my Jazz ticket representative so I renew my season tickets for the 2006-07 Northwest Division Champion Utah Jazz.
Harpring Sucks.
Can you feel the excitement, though? No, not for the playoffs. The excitement for the Jazz tradition of celebrating their mediocrity when they unfurl the "2006-07 Northwest Division Champions" banner from the ceiling, to hang alongside the other banners that tell people that the Jazz have won division and even conference championships. Yet, something's missing.
I understand why the Jazz celebrate division titles. It gives fans something to celebrate and it puts money in the pockets of the Jazz when the same fans who celebrate meaningless titles dig in their pockets and buy $15 T-shirts to be able walk around town to show their excitement about the Jazz winning their latest division title. I understand that. It doesn't mean I have to like it.
A recent ESPN.com column by David Schoenfield ranks the Jazz as the fifth most painful franchise to be a fan of. Not in the NBA. In North American professional sports. This brings up the question of what a fan would rather have, a long stretch where a team makes the playoffs but never brings home the big prize, or a stretch of time where the team often sucks but is able to actually win a title once. In other words, is it better to be a fan of the Jazz or the Heat? Is it better to be a Viking fan or a Ravens fan? Astros fan or White Sox fan?
For me, I envy the Heat fans. Spurs, Rockets, Lakers, Pistons, Bulls fans, too. They have recently watched their favorite team actually win the championship. Sure, some of them watched their team win a division championship, too. I doubt that Laker fans get excited if the team wins a Pacific Division title. Yankee fans probably don't even acknowledge A.L. East titles, unless in the presence of Red Sox fans. Yet, the Jazz celebrate meaningless division titles as if they were Mission Accomplished. The only thing missing is for Jerry Sloan to show up wearing a fighter pilot jumpsuit.
For 19 seasons in a row, the Jazz made the playoffs. They were even involved in some great moments. They also provided 19 consecutive seasons of heartache. They now embark on another postseason run. Even the most uptimisitic Jazz fan has to concede that this postseason will also end without the trophy. That won't stop the Jazz from celebrating, though. No, I expect that the 2006-07 Northwest Division Champion Utah Jazz will use their title loudly and proudly when attempting to stir excitement for the 2007-08 season. I view it as a new opportunity to take the steps to make sure that Deron Williams will not have the same unwritten footnote in his Utah Jazz biography that John Stockton and Karl Malone sadly carry. I guarantee that those two players would gladly exchange half of their playoff appearances and all of their Midwest Division Champion hats for one, just one, NBA Championship. The same applies to Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, Elgin Baylor, and numerous other NBA greats whose careers fell short of having the title of "Champion" affixed to it.
The team will celebrate its division title, and what's not to celebrate? This season, they accomplished what only five other teams did. They won their division. It is time for the fans to expect more than simply division titles. It's not realistic to expect a title this year, but why not next year? Why not in two years? I am not sure I want to see another long run of playoff appearances, but nothing to show for them. It is time for us fans to demand more. If Jerry Sloan can't get them over the hump, perhaps it is time to look at alternatives. If Kevin O'Connor can't bring in the players who will get the team further, perhaps it is time to look at alternatives. If the players themselves are not good enough, the team should not give them four year contract extensions; they should look at alternatives.
Now, excuse me while I call my Jazz ticket representative so I renew my season tickets for the 2006-07 Northwest Division Champion Utah Jazz.
Harpring Sucks.
2 comments:
Here's to another 19 straight seasons of slightly-above-average play and "you tried your best" awards and banners.
Should I feel stupid for buying the "Northwest Division Champions" hat this morning?
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