So thanks to SBN of course for the great platform. A bigger thanks to you for reading and making this your place to talk about the Jazz. There used to be a code. It was more of a guideline, actually, but it was real enough for most players on the Jazz to have felt some of its effects. The code was essentially peer pressure, emanating from John Stockton and Karl Malone, an unwritten directive that unless a player was severely injured, he was expected to play. That's what a professional did. That's what Stockton and Malone did. They played hurt. Andrei Kirilenko violated the code on Tuesday night, and maybe other nights, too. He did not play hurt, preferring to wait until Saturday's Game 3 at home to test in live action the strain in his calf that has sidelined him for weeks now. He sat courtside as his team fell to the Lakers, badly in need of the physical attributes Kirilenko possesses. Is AK injury-prone? Yes. I too wish that he would have played in game 2 but he sat at the advice of doctors and coaches. If you recall, he's already tried to come back too early, twice, and got re-injured each time. The fact that game 2 was around the time when he might have come back is just poor timing. Maybe the Jazz should have extended the first round to 7 games to buy a few more days? If Andrei did come back in game 2, and was re-injured, we would have heard criticism for not listening to the doctors and ruining our chances at the rest of the series. He seemingly can't win. It's also unfair to compare him to Stockton and Malone. They are Hall of Famers not only in basketball but in dedication and conditioning and toughness. They might be two of only a handful of players in that HOF. What injury finally took down Karl Malone? A knee injury (his karmic retribution for playing with the Lakers). weird thing is is that basketball players need their legs and AK's calf strain is one of the worst for taking out your legs. Monson compares AK to Bynum who is playing through some considerable pain right now with his knee. If it was just pain, I have no doubt that AK would be playing. His injury is different though in that he can make it worse by playing. Doctors have told Bynum that he's not going to do any further damage to his knee by playing, that's why he is on the court and AK isn't. Finally, this statement is ridiculous when pertaining to AK, Word around the NBA these days is that players are worth too much money for them to put themselves easily at risk. They are corporations unto themselves, with financial responsibilities to themselves. The company mantra is, "When in doubt, sit out." 
It's been two years today since the launch of SLC Dunk. I had basketballjohn.com before this one that started in Feb 2007 but this has been home for a while now and it really where the community that I hoped to build took off.
I read a lot of stuff that I disagree with and I'm sure I write stuff that everyone else disagrees with. I rarely write about those disagreements though unless it really is an affront to Jazz fans. Monson's latest article does that by attacking AK needlessly,
First, these days? It's been like that for a while, at least the last decade or more. Second, Andrei has no financial incentive to sit out and not get hurt again. He's towards the end of a max contract and it set for life. In addition, he still has another year at $17M. What's he going to be missing out on? Not only that, he's stated that he will likely being playing for the Jazz after next season at a much lower rate than he could get in the FA market.
If AK violated the unwritten rule about playing hurt then there's likely an unwritten punishment that would be doled out by his teammates and that's where the issue should lay. Both Carlos Boozer and Deron have stated in the past that they would rather AK wait until he's fully healed to play.
There are few players on the Jazz that I have to worry about taking the night off or not playing because they're a little banged up, but AK isn't one of them.
I missed this mailbag from Greg Miller but in there he gives the date for when the new Jazz unis will be revealed,
The NBA and Adidas will be making a coordinated announcement on new uniform designs around August 15th.
If anyone wants to email me some anonymous leaked pics, you know where to reach me.
Kirk Snyder was sentenced to three years in the state pen for his break-in and assault. He had claimed temporary insanity but was found competent to stand trial.
I'm not sure that just because he played in the NBA that this is any different from any other person throwing away a promising career, regardless of the field, because of poor decisions.
CJ wants to be a Maverick? Dan Sheldon reports that from CJ's interview with ESPN Radio,
I definitely would want to do that at one point in my career. Just to have that feeling. That hometown feeling of having my friends and family behind me to see me play and see how I've grown. I definitely have that feeling sometimes.
Like Sheldon says, it's a pretty candid statement.