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**Basel57** · 04-03-2008, 12:00 PM

Top 10 list, in reverse order, of the most powerful, influential, significant people currently associated with the Utah Jazz:

Quote:

10. Craig Bolerjack, TV play-by-play man.

Power can be defined many ways, and, since Bolerjack's is the first face Jazz fans see duringtelecasts, his culminates in presenting game action to viewers bent through his vision and perspective of what's happening on the court. Once the domain of Rod Hundley, that realm is now Bolerjack's to shape whichever way he sees fit.

Fact about Bolerjack: Loves old black-and-white movies and TV shows, including "Casablanca," "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon," "African Queen," "The Andy Griffith Show," "The Three Stooges." Has seen "Ft. Apache" and "It's a Wonderful Life" more than 50 times each.

9. Bob Hyde/Chris Baum, Jazz executives.

Two for one here: Hyde is the executive VP of business operations, which is to say he is the hard-line money man whose approval must be gained for just about any investment the organization makes. Baum runs Jazz broadcasting, including his duties as general manager of KJZZ-TV.

Fact(s) about Hyde/Baum: Hyde is the Jazz capologist who developed his own system by which to judge player talent and its worth. Baum enjoys backpacking and cycling.

8. Phil Johnson, Sloan's first lieutenant.

Most assistant coaches wouldn't rank this high, but Johnson has the respect and the ear of Jerry Sloan and Larry Miller. He's been at Sloan's side with the Jazz for two decades. But Johnson's known him much longer, dating back to the days when he, as Dick Motta's assistant, coached Sloan when Jerry was a player with the Bulls from 1971-74.

Fact about Johnson: He and Sloan are brothers from a different mother. Raised on a farm in Grace, Idaho, and taught old-school ball by Motta, Johnson feels a unique kinship to Sloan, once having said: "We grew up the same - on the farm, with family, no television, and with outhouses. I've met his family. He's met mine. Even our mothers were a lot alike."

7. Andrei Kirilenko, small forward.

Kirilenko's influence with the Jazz has waned because he's unhappy playing for the club. There seems an estrangement, or at least a detachment, between him and some of his teammates. But he's still the team's max-money player, which gives him enough clout to have moved Jazz management to hire Jeff Hornacek as Kirilenko's personal shooting coach. What gives him additional power is a twisted irony: Until Kirilenko consistently lifts his performance on the court, the Jazz will never get their money's worth by trading him. It's up to him, and, because of that, the Jazz are held hostage.

Fact about Kirilenko: Before the trade deadline, he was averaging 12 points, 4.4 assists, 5.4 rebounds. Since the deadline passed, he's averaging 8.4 points, 3.1 assists, and 2.9 rebounds.

6. Randy Rigby, Jazz president.

Rigby became team president this year, overseeing the entire operation. That makes him a big player, all around. But what increases that power is his soothing personal effect on an organization that had worn a bit thin on the previous team president's abrasive, confrontational style. He's nobody's pushover, but nearly everybody likes the man, and responds well to his leadership. "If anything significant was going down with the club, he'd be one of the handful of people who would be in on the conference call," says one Jazz insider.

Fact about Rigby: As a graduate of BYU, and a staunch Cougar fan, he is absolutely convinced Bronco Mendenhall is infallible.

5. Carlos Boozer, power forward.

After a rocky start in Utah, when a foot injury aborted one season and a bad hamstring ate Salt Lake during another, Boozer has transformed himself into an All-Star performer who is vital to the Jazz's future. Despite some deficiencies on the defensive end, when the team plays well, he typically has a huge hand in the success.

Fact about Boozer: Crazy Philadelphia Eagles fan because, on account of a youthful rebellious streak, his dad was a big Washington Redskins fan.

4. Kevin O'Connor, Jazz VP.

Has grown in his role as player-personnel guru, transitioning naturally and snugly into the understated Jazz way. He's willing to talk publicly about most things Jazz, but rarely says anything substantive. Not perfect, he's still an effective behind-the-scenes guy who pulled off a major coup taking advantage of the tawdry Boozer availability at Cleveland and moving up in the draft three years back to pluck Deron Williams. Also grabbed Mehmet Okur as a free agent, traded for Kyle Korver, and found Ronnie Brewer, C.J. Miles, and Paul Millsap in the rough.

Fact about O'Connor: When he was hired by the Jazz in 1999, a fellow NBA front-office boss said this about him - "He's not an ego guy, at all. He'll do whatever it takes for the Jazz. He'll take the trash out, if he needs to. They couldn't have found a better fit."

2. (Tie) Jerry Sloan, head coach.

Sloan's the flannel shirt and dungarees that dresses out the Jazz, and the sweat that soaks them. On tenure alone, he wields heavy sway with the club, gaining the edge over nearly everyone else after a long-ago start that was plagued by a strange mix of professional egocentrism and insecurity. Most of that self-doubt is gone now, after Sloan transitioned through two decades from the Stockton-to-Malone Era to this new Jazz period, all with a bunch of winning alongside. He's not E.F. Hutton, but when Jerry speaks, the Jazz listen. Still, he's not given carte blanche.

Fact about Sloan: As he was driving a plain old van on a local street, and stopped at a corner, a woman, mistaking Sloan for a shuttle driver, asked if he would take her to the airport. He responded: "Well, I wasn't headed that way, but if you really have to go. . ."

2. (Tie) Deron Williams, point guard.

The Jazz need Williams and that needing is the root of the young player's enormous hold on the franchise. He's a budding star, the team leader, a rare talent they cannot stand to lose when his first deal runs out. Fortunately for the Jazz, the NBA has enabled them to pay more to Williams in his next contract than any suitors that might come his way. Still, despite Williams' youth, the club is doing everything it can to throw responsibility in his lap. And it is giving him license to be himself. An example of that was the Jazz's signing off on Williams' recent birthday bash for Miles and Brewer, which featured rapper Lil' Jon, as well as invited guests and the public, too. And all of that was on a game night.

Fact(s) about Williams: favorite movie is "Gladiator," favorite food is steak, favorite color is red.

1. Larry Miller, owner.

He kept the Jazz from moving away from Utah in the 1980s, and, since then, has rightfully run the franchise as he's seen fit. The man is outspoken and emotional, but is also smart and visionary, and willing to listen to the people he trusts before making significant decisions. Miller is the most influential sportsman in the history of the state.

Fact about Miller: He jokes, but only partially, about still seeing the value of a dollar keenly enough to harp on wife Gail for buying the "expensive" apples at the grocery market.

http://www.sltrib.com/ci_8779517

Jazz fans - do you agree with this? If not, what's your Top 10?

**unluckyseventeen** · 04-03-2008, 01:28 PM

Currently associated, the list looks pretty good to me. It kind of seems like they ran out of ideas after #8 and I'm kind of surprised Bolerjack is up there instead of Hot Rod.

**Krstic All Star** · 04-03-2008, 04:40 PM

I'd put Sloan ahead of Deron, but it's really nitpicking. That's a pretty decent list.

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