H.C.R. 17

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
8 LONG TITLE
9 General Description:
10 This concurrent resolution of the Legislature and the Governor recognizes and honors
11 former Utah Jazz Basketball Coach Jerry Sloan and Assistant Coach Phil Johnson.
12 Highlighted Provisions:
13 This resolution:
14 . recognizes and honors the success and accomplishments of Coach Jerry Sloan and
15 Assistant Coach Phil Johnson as they have coached the Utah Jazz for nearly a
16 quarter of a century; and
17 . recognizes the coaches for the honor and prestige they have brought to the state of
18 Utah.
19 Special Clauses:
20 None
21
22 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
23 WHEREAS, Utah Jazz Basketball Coach Jerry Sloan and Assistant Coach Phil Johnson
24 have announced their retirement from coaching;
25 WHEREAS, from 1963-65, Jerry Sloan played three seasons at the University of
26 Evansville after transferring from the University of Illinois;
27 WHEREAS, in 1964 and 1965, Sloan led Evansville to consecutive Division II national

28 championships and was named the outstanding player of the tournament both years;
29 WHEREAS, in 1965, Sloan averaged 17.6 points and 14.7 rebounds as a senior, was
30 named a second-team All-American, and set the NCAA championship game record for
31 rebounds with 25;
32 WHEREAS, that same year, Sloan was the eighth overall pick in the draft by the NBA's
33 Baltimore Bullets, and a year later was selected by Chicago in the NBA expansion draft;
34 WHEREAS, from 1966-76, Sloan played 10 seasons in Chicago and became known as
35 the "Original Bull";
36 WHEREAS, in 1967, Sloan recorded the first of two career triple-doubles with 22
37 points, 16 rebounds, and 13 assists in a game against Philadelphia, and in 1969, he scored a
38 career-high 43 points against Milwaukee and grabbed a career-high 21 rebounds against the
39 L.A. Lakers;
40 WHEREAS, in 1976, Sloan retired from professional basketball because of injury as a
41 two-time NBA All-Star and four-time member of the All-Defensive first team;
42 WHEREAS, in 1978, Sloan became the first player in Chicago Bulls' history to have his
43 jersey, number 4, retired;
44 WHEREAS, in 1979, Sloan was named the head coach of the Chicago Bulls;
45 WHEREAS, in 1984, Sloan replaced Phil Johnson as an assistant coach on Frank
46 Layden's Utah Jazz coaching staff, and in 1988 he succeeded Layden as Utah's head coach;
47 WHEREAS, Phil Johnson played at Utah State, and at age 27 became head coach at
48 Weber State in 1968;
49 WHEREAS, in three years at Weber State, Coach Johnson compiled a 68-16 record,
50 with three consecutive NCAA appearances in three seasons;
51 WHEREAS, Johnson then accepted a job as assistant coach with Dick Motta's Chicago
52 Bulls from 1971-74, helping to coach Jerry Sloan who was actively playing with the Bulls at
53 that time;
54 WHEREAS, Johnson became head coach at Kansas City in 1973 and was named the
55 NBA's Coach of the Year for the 1974-75 season;
56 WHEREAS, Johnson joined Jerry Sloan as an assistant coach at Chicago in 1979, and it
57 was then that the two began their close relationship;
58 WHEREAS, three years later Johnson was hired by the Utah Jazz as an assistant coach

59 to Frank Layden and was replaced by Sloan when Johnson took the head coaching job in
60 Sacramento;
61 WHEREAS, Johnson rejoined the Jazz under Coach Sloan in 1988;
62 WHEREAS, Sloan guided the Jazz to back-to-back appearances in the 1997 and 1998
63 NBA finals;
64 WHEREAS, in 2004, Sloan was selected as the Sporting News' Coach of the Year;
65 WHEREAS, in 2006, Sloan was named to the All-Division II 50-year team and became
66 the fifth NBA coach in history to win 1,000 games;
67 WHEREAS, in 2008, Sloan became the first NBA coach to win 1,000 games with the
68 same franchise;
69 WHEREAS, in 2009, Sloan was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame
70 and became the first coach in NBA history to eclipse the 1,000-win mark with one franchise;
71 WHEREAS, in 2010, Sloan passed Pat Riley for third place on the list of all-time
72 winningest coaches;
73 WHEREAS, Phil Johnson has been by Sloan's side as an assistant coach for the past 23
74 years, and when Sloan decided it was time to retire, Johnson retired also;
75 WHEREAS, when asked why they have been together so long, Johnson said, "We had
76 very similar backgrounds and that really brought us together. We think a lot alike. We've been
77 very honest with each other over time. He knows exactly where I stand and I know exactly
78 where he stands.";
79 WHEREAS, as much as Sloan has been an institution in the NBA and pro sports,
80 Johnson has been at his side, demonstrating great loyalty, and said recently, "I came with him,
81 and I'll leave with him.";
82 WHEREAS, Sloan's approach to basketball was tough-minded, down-to-earth, and
83 plain-spoken, and he had a relentless blue-collar work ethic;
84 WHEREAS, Sloan was a model of consistency in the way his teams tenaciously played
85 and graciously won, the way he always dealt with his players and the team's front office, in the
86 respectful way he dealt with opposing players and coaches, in the way he conducted himself,
87 and in the way he loved to compete and hated to lose;
88 WHEREAS, to put his longevity with the Jazz in perspective, 14 other NBA franchises
89 have changed coaches 10 or more times since Sloan took over the Jazz's reins in December

90 1988;
91 WHEREAS, Sloan led the Jazz to 21 winning seasons, an NBA record, including 16
92 straight from 1988-89 to 2003-04, and he won 50-plus games in 13 seasons with 20 playoff
93 appearances, third best in NBA history, seven division championships, and 1,127 wins;
94 WHEREAS, Sloan coached the game as he played it, with fierce competitiveness and a
95 never-say-die attitude, and would battle with his last ounce of energy to win games;
96 WHEREAS, the late Jazz owner, Larry Miller, once wrote, "One of the best things we
97 did was hire Jerry Sloan as coach. . . . At the time, he said, 'I am only going to ask you for one
98 thing -- if I get fired, let me get fired for my own decisions.';
99 WHEREAS, Miller added, "From the start, we gave Jerry complete charge of the team.
100 . . . We let Jerry run the team the way he sees fit. He runs a tight ship, even in the way he
101 insists that his players dress. The Jazz Way is old school. It is about little things.";
102 WHEREAS, the Jazz have been a model of consistency and stability as an NBA
103 franchise for a quarter of a century;
104 WHEREAS, NBA Commissioner David Stern said of Sloan, "His most impressive
105 qualities were his leadership and his extraordinary ability to encourage his players to subjugate
106 their individual games for the benefit of the whole.";
107 WHEREAS, former Jazz guard John Stockton added, "He was a loyal teammate, as
108 well as a coach and friend, and you just can't replace guys like that. Guys you can count on in
109 any weather.";
110 WHEREAS, Sloan himself has said, "You usually have more in you than what you
111 think. That's when you try to push a little bit more and come out of it.";
112 WHEREAS, Sloan ended his 45 years in the NBA as the longest-tenured coach in
113 professional sports; and
114 WHEREAS, Coach Sloan and Coach Johnson have brought great honor and prestige to
115 the state of Utah:
116 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
117 Governor concurring therein, recognize and pay honor to the success and accomplishments of
118 Coach Jerry Sloan and Assistant Coach Phil Johnson as they have coached the Utah Jazz for
119 nearly a quarter of a century and have brought honor and prestige to the state of Utah.
120 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to Coach Jerry

121 Sloan and Assistant Coach Phil Johnson.




Legislative Review Note
as of 2-22-11 8:02 AM

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel