We Can Build On This!

I've been reading Bill Simmon's articles on ESPN.com and Grantland.com since 2002. Have never submitted a comment or email but was prompted to do so regarding his column today were he awarded the Jazz "The Herm Edwards 'We Can Build On This!' Award for 'Things You Can't Actually Build On, Even If You Say You Can Build On Them'". My response as follows (I don't expect to make his mailbag since I didn't really ask him a question but we'll see):


First Time/Long Time (does it count in emails like it does on radio?) I want to defend (in an admittedly homerish way) the Jazz's "We can build on this" season. The Jazz organization is a winning organization and therefore chose to try to win and make the playoffs rather than lose and get their pick. Even in the hindsight of an eviscerating sweep to the Spurs (hopefully they are the eventual champs so we can say "hey, we lost to the champs"), I still applaud the move and think it's good for the long-term growth of the team. We're talking about a team that was starting Demarre Carrol down the stretch after injuries to 3 wing players (not that Bell, Miles, or Howard were necessarily upgrades). Ty Corbin has barely coached a full season's worth of basketball with no real training camp and the same can be said for Devin Harris and Derek Favors in Jazz uniforms. No shame in getting outcoached by the best active coach in basketball and no shame in losing, even badly, to the best team in the NBA. Bottom line: winning teams have winning attitudes; losing teams are the Warriors- and if karma is real the lottery will drop them to the 8th pick giving the Jazz back a pick in this draft anyway.

-Brandon
Salt Lake City