Genesis of a Jazz Fan

Posted by: Spencer on October 24th, 2010

The author's views are entirely his or her own and may not reflect the views of the Utah Jazz.

I was not quite a teenager when 1997 hit. Though my knowledge of basketball was at a novice level, my allegiances were certain. I was a Jazz fan through and through. Yes, I had gone through my “I want to be like Mike” stage as a lad. But by 1997, that same “Mike” had become the enemy. To show my support for the Jazz, a few my friends and I stood on the side of busy 1300 East in Sandy with a sign that elicited honks from fellow Jazz fans. That, along with the numerous promos (“Show me the title”), made the excitement palpable. The people were united. One team, one dream.

History will show that the hearts of Jazz fans were broken. Not just in 1997, but in 1998 as well. The Bulls had the greatest player of all time and the Jazz just could not get past that. Despite those losses, history will also show that those two years created an impressive generation of stalwart Jazz fans. I am a part of that generation.

As the careers of Stockton and Malone wound down, and it became clear that change was on the way, I, along with thousands of others, stayed strong. The taste of those two years was too sweet to abandon the team now. Like many true Jazz fans, I look with fondness on the year (03-04) in which the Jazz were predicted by some members of the national media to win something around 9 games. Of course, our Jazz finished with over four times that victory total and just missed the playoffs. It was during these years of transition that I became a disciple of the Jazz system. Run the system, win a bunch of games. Year after year under the Sloan regime, this has been a proven process. This new set of Jazz players seem to be willing to pay the price and will likely win a bunch of games.

I have a lot to say about the Jazz and I am confident that I can dish a perspective that shows a reverence for the past plus an anticipation for the future. Though this blog has perhaps expressed a more serious tone, I also feel that I have a knack for injecting humor into my writing. I enjoy writing and would have no problem producing at least two posts a week. I am confident that I will not disappoint.

Go Jazz

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1. Danny Hansen says:

   October 27, 2010 at 5:47 pm

   I totally remember you guys standing there on 1300 East. That is awesome