Jazz let another Fish off the hook

A Promising start ends in 4th Quarter Heartbreak

The young Jazz struggled to complete a promising game in Minnesota on Friday night. In fact after leading by 16, the Jazz let Minnesota wiggle off the hook late in the game and ruined what was nearly a great trip to the Great Lakes Region. Until the NBA starts giving credit for winning partial games, or counting “we almost did its” as victories, the Jazz will have to keep clawing.

In fact to best understand what happened to the Jazz Friday night, we could examine a hypothetical fishing trip made by a group of young fishermen.

The young fishermen showed up to fish the challenging unfamiliar lake in Minnesota. The young fishermen didn’t have much experience, nor did they feel too comfortable, in the strange surroundings. Luckily, they were given some guidance by an old Ranger, who tried to impart all the wisdom and planning needed to obtain a fine catch. The young fishermen were full of youthful energy and spunk, and while not completely sure how to accomplish the task, they marched bravely ahead. Initially following the plan laid out for them by the seasoned Ranger, the fishermen looked to have a great deal of success. In fact, they hooked a big fish and started to reel it in. The fish while not a trophy fish that would garner national attention, it was certainly a conquer worth having and would gain the young fishermen some esteem and acknowledgement within their region. Things seemed to be going very well, but in the excitement of landing the big fish and thinking of all the grandeur and pride that would be achieved, the young fishermen forgot to stay with the plan and tips provided by the Ranger. As the fish got near the boat, the young fishermen were excited but also getting very nervous and caught up in the moment. The fish decided to fight back and try to free himself. The young inexperienced fishermen went ahead and tried to land the fish anyway, but as they were lifting the fish up out of the water and clearly able to see their prize, they neglected to quickly scoop it into the net. The big fish shook and spun and freed itself. Splashing back into the water the fish swam away and left the young fishermen broken hearted. Instead of leaving their adventure to the Great Lakes Region feeling successful, the young fishermen were forced to endure a late night trip home empty handed.

After the game the Ranger…urr Jazz coach, Jerry Sloan, had to feel encouraged by the way his team of young fishermen, battled and attacked early in the game. However, losing composure at the end and not showing the mental toughness required to win, was surely a tough thing to swallow. One thing is for certain, I don't expect Sloan to give up trying to teach these guys how to fish...urr Win.

For a non fishing related recap of the game, you can read the Salt Lake Tribune’s coverage of the game by clicking here.

(originally blogged at the Utah Jazz Blog)