H.C.R. 17 Enrolled

1

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION HONORING JERRY SLOAN
2 AND PHIL JOHNSON
3 2011 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Chief Sponsor: Paul Ray
6 Senate Sponsor: Margaret Dayton
7 Cosponsors:
8 Johnny Anderson
9 Patrice M. Arent
10 Roger E. Barrus
11 Jim Bird
12 Jackie Biskupski
13 Joel K. Briscoe
14 Melvin R. Brown
15 David G. Butterfield
16 Rebecca Chavez-Houck
17 David Clark
18 Tim M. Cosgrove
19 Fred C. Cox
20 Bradley M. Daw
21 Brad L. Dee
22 Jack R. Draxler
23 Susan Duckworth
24 Rebecca P. Edwards
25 Steve Eliason
26 Janice M. Fisher
27 Julie Fisher
28 Gage Froerer
29 Brad J. GalvezFrancis D. Gibson
Keith Grover
Stephen G. Handy
Wayne A. Harper
Lynn N. Hemingway
Neal B. Hendrickson
Christopher N. Herrod
Gregory H. Hughes
Eric K. Hutchings
Don L. Ipson
Ken Ivory
Brian S. King
Todd E. Kiser
Bradley G. Last
David Litvack
Kay L. McIff
Ronda Rudd Menlove
Michael T. Morley
Carol Spackman Moss
Merlynn T. Newbold
Jim Nielson
Michael E. NoelCurtis Oda
Patrick Painter
Lee B. Perry
Jeremy A. Peterson
Val L. Peterson
Dixon M. Pitcher
Marie H. Poulson
Kraig Powell
Holly J. Richardson
Douglas Sagers
Stephen E. Sandstrom
Dean Sanpei
Jennifer M. Seelig
Evan J. Vickers
Christine F. Watkins
R. Curt Webb
Mark A. Wheatley
Ryan D. Wilcox
Larry B. Wiley
Brad R. Wilson
Carl Wimmer
Bill Wright 30 31
32 LONG TITLE
33 General Description:
34 This concurrent resolution of the Legislature and the Governor recognizes and honors
35 former Utah Jazz Basketball Coach Jerry Sloan and Assistant Coach Phil Johnson.
36 Highlighted Provisions:
37 This resolution:
38 . recognizes and honors the success and accomplishments of Coach Jerry Sloan and
39 Assistant Coach Phil Johnson as they have coached the Utah Jazz for nearly a
40 quarter of a century; and
41 . recognizes the coaches for the honor and prestige they have brought to the state of
42 Utah.
43 Special Clauses:
44 None
45
46 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
47 WHEREAS, Utah Jazz Basketball Coach Jerry Sloan and Assistant Coach Phil Johnson
48 have announced their retirement from coaching;
49 WHEREAS, from 1963-65, Jerry Sloan played three seasons at the University of
50 Evansville after transferring from the University of Illinois;
51 WHEREAS, in 1964 and 1965, Sloan led Evansville to consecutive Division II national
52 championships and was named the outstanding player of the tournament both years;
53 WHEREAS, in 1965, Sloan averaged 17.6 points and 14.7 rebounds as a senior, was
54 named a second-team All-American, and set the NCAA championship game record for
55 rebounds with 25;
56 WHEREAS, that same year, Sloan was the eighth overall pick in the draft by the NBA's
57 Baltimore Bullets, and a year later was selected by Chicago in the NBA expansion draft;
58 WHEREAS, from 1966-76, Sloan played 10 seasons in Chicago and became known as

59 the "Original Bull";
60 WHEREAS, in 1967, Sloan recorded the first of two career triple-doubles with 22
61 points, 16 rebounds, and 13 assists in a game against Philadelphia, and in 1969, he scored a
62 career-high 43 points against Milwaukee and grabbed a career-high 21 rebounds against the
63 L.A. Lakers;
64 WHEREAS, in 1976, Sloan retired from professional basketball because of injury as a
65 two-time NBA All-Star and four-time member of the All-Defensive first team;
66 WHEREAS, in 1978, Sloan became the first player in Chicago Bulls' history to have his
67 jersey, number 4, retired;
68 WHEREAS, in 1979, Sloan was named the head coach of the Chicago Bulls;
69 WHEREAS, in 1984, Sloan replaced Phil Johnson as an assistant coach on Frank
70 Layden's Utah Jazz coaching staff, and in 1988 he succeeded Layden as Utah's head coach;
71 WHEREAS, Phil Johnson played at Utah State, and at age 27 became head coach at
72 Weber State in 1968;
73 WHEREAS, in three years at Weber State, Coach Johnson compiled a 68-16 record,
74 with three consecutive NCAA appearances in three seasons;
75 WHEREAS, Johnson then accepted a job as assistant coach with Dick Motta's Chicago
76 Bulls from 1971-74, helping to coach Jerry Sloan who was actively playing with the Bulls at
77 that time;
78 WHEREAS, Johnson became head coach at Kansas City in 1973 and was named the
79 NBA's Coach of the Year for the 1974-75 season;
80 WHEREAS, Johnson joined Jerry Sloan as an assistant coach at Chicago in 1979, and it
81 was then that the two began their close relationship;
82 WHEREAS, three years later Johnson was hired by the Utah Jazz as an assistant coach
83 to Frank Layden and was replaced by Sloan when Johnson took the head coaching job in
84 Sacramento;
85 WHEREAS, Johnson rejoined the Jazz under Coach Sloan in 1988;
86 WHEREAS, Sloan guided the Jazz to back-to-back appearances in the 1997 and 1998

87 NBA finals;
88 WHEREAS, in 2004, Sloan was selected as the Sporting News' Coach of the Year;
89 WHEREAS, in 2006, Sloan was named to the All-Division II 50-year team and became
90 the fifth NBA coach in history to win 1,000 games;
91 WHEREAS, in 2008, Sloan became the first NBA coach to win 1,000 games with the
92 same franchise;
93 WHEREAS, in 2009, Sloan was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame
94 and became the first coach in NBA history to eclipse the 1,000-win mark with one franchise;
95 WHEREAS, in 2010, Sloan passed Pat Riley for third place on the list of all-time
96 winningest coaches;
97 WHEREAS, Phil Johnson has been by Sloan's side as an assistant coach for the past 23
98 years, and when Sloan decided it was time to retire, Johnson retired also;
99 WHEREAS, when asked why they have been together so long, Johnson said, "We had
100 very similar backgrounds and that really brought us together. We think a lot alike. We've been
101 very honest with each other over time. He knows exactly where I stand and I know exactly
102 where he stands.";
103 WHEREAS, as much as Sloan has been an institution in the NBA and pro sports,
104 Johnson has been at his side, demonstrating great loyalty, and said recently, "I came with him,
105 and I'll leave with him.";
106 WHEREAS, Sloan's approach to basketball was tough-minded, down-to-earth, and
107 plain-spoken, and he had a relentless blue-collar work ethic;
108 WHEREAS, Sloan was a model of consistency in the way his teams tenaciously played
109 and graciously won, the way he always dealt with his players and the team's front office, in the
110 respectful way he dealt with opposing players and coaches, in the way he conducted himself,
111 and in the way he loved to compete and hated to lose;
112 WHEREAS, to put his longevity with the Jazz in perspective, 14 other NBA franchises
113 have changed coaches 10 or more times since Sloan took over the Jazz's reins in December
114 1988;

115 WHEREAS, Sloan led the Jazz to 21 winning seasons, an NBA record, including 16
116 straight from 1988-89 to 2003-04, and he won 50-plus games in 13 seasons with 20 playoff
117 appearances, third best in NBA history, seven division championships, and 1,127 wins;
118 WHEREAS, Sloan coached the game as he played it, with fierce competitiveness and a
119 never-say-die attitude, and would battle with his last ounce of energy to win games;
120 WHEREAS, the late Jazz owner, Larry Miller, once wrote, "One of the best things we
121 did was hire Jerry Sloan as coach. . . . At the time, he said, 'I am only going to ask you for one
122 thing -- if I get fired, let me get fired for my own decisions.'";
123 WHEREAS, Miller added, "From the start, we gave Jerry complete charge of the team.
124 . . . We let Jerry run the team the way he sees fit. He runs a tight ship, even in the way he
125 insists that his players dress. The Jazz Way is old school. It is about little things.";
126 WHEREAS, the Jazz have been a model of consistency and stability as an NBA
127 franchise for a quarter of a century;
128 WHEREAS, NBA Commissioner David Stern said of Sloan, "His most impressive
129 qualities were his leadership and his extraordinary ability to encourage his players to subjugate
130 their individual games for the benefit of the whole.";
131 WHEREAS, former Jazz guard John Stockton added, "He was a loyal teammate, as
132 well as a coach and friend, and you just can't replace guys like that. Guys you can count on in
133 any weather.";
134 WHEREAS, Sloan himself has said, "You usually have more in you than what you
135 think. That's when you try to push a little bit more and come out of it.";
136 WHEREAS, Sloan ended his 45 years in the NBA as the longest-tenured coach in
137 professional sports; and
138 WHEREAS, Coach Sloan and Coach Johnson have brought great honor and prestige to
139 the state of Utah:
140 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
141 Governor concurring therein, recognize and pay honor to the success and accomplishments of
142 Coach Jerry Sloan and Assistant Coach Phil Johnson as they have coached the Utah Jazz for

143 nearly a quarter of a century and have brought honor and prestige to the state of Utah.
144 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to Coach Jerry
145 Sloan and Assistant Coach Phil Johnson.