Utah Jazz Coach Jerry Sloan Resigns

Per various sources and this report by Salt Lake City's Daily News, Utah Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan is set to resign in a press conference later today. This news is indeed shocking as Sloan just signed a one-year extension to coach the Jazz and is the longest tenured head coach in the NBA. The report also says top assistant Phil Johnson will resign as well. Tyon Corbin will coach the team for the remainder of the season. Here's some of the report:

KSL has learned that Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan and assistant coach Phil Johnson will resign at a press conference later Thursday.

More details will be posted as they become available.

The news comes after the Jazz lost to Chicago in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, where former Jazz players Kyle Korver and Ronnie Brewer helped the Bulls escape Utah with a 91-86 win.

After the game, Sloan didn't come out of his office for a postgame interview until about a half-hour after his team lost for the 10th time in 14 games.

The Hall of Famer, who usually talks to reporters about 10 minutes after the final buzzer, had been in a discussion with general manager Kevin O'Connor.

The Jazz have not been the same this season after losing Carlos Boozer, Kyle Korver and Ronnie Brewer to the Bulls in the off season. The possibility of a trade could also be in in discussions, but all signs are pointing to Sloan's resignation. I thought the Jazz were overachieving this season but given their history of success there is always a lot of pressure for them to be among the best teams in the Western Conference. It's been clear that star PG Deron Williams has been unhappy and the Jazz need to do something to keep him on board as he will be a free agent in 2012.

According to this report from Yahoo Sports, Sloan and Williams clashed during halftime of Wednesday night's loss to the Bulls:

Sloan’s relationship with Williams had grown progressively worse over the course of the season, league sources said, and the coach had tired of dealing with the team’s best player. The frustration escalated on Wednesday night when Sloan and Williams clashed in the locker room at halftime.

“He decided right there in halftime that he was done,” a league source told Yahoo! Sports. “He felt like ownership was listening more to Williams than they were to him anymore. He was done.”

Jerry Sloan has a career coaching record of 1190–780 going into the 2009-2010 season and has coached the Jazz for 22 straight seasons.
-ALR

Carolina Panthers To Name Ron Rivera As Second Latino Head Coach In NFL History

As reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter, San Diego defensive coordinator will be the next head coach of the Carolina Panthers. Rivera will be only the 2nd Latino head coach in NFL history (Tom Fears was the first in 1967). Rivera is of Puerto-Rican and Mexican decent.

The 49-year-old Rivera had previously interviewed for head coaching positions and been denied eight times before finally breaking into the head coaching ranks. He began his coaching career back in 1999 with the Philadelphia Eagles before becoming the defensive coordinator for the Bears in 2004 and constructing one of the best defenses of the decade. After interviewing for several head coaching positions in 2007, his contract was not renewed by the Bears and Rivera moved on to join the Chargers coaching staff in 2008. The Chargers finished the 2010 season at the top of the NFL in total defense, allowing the league's fewest yards.

Rivera instituted an impressive base 3-4 scheme in San Diego and will most likely bring this same strategy to Carolina, but Rivera will be faced with turning around a franchise that is coming off a disappointing 2-14 season. The good news is that Rivera has a young roster to mold as well as the number 1 overall pick in the upcoming NFL draft. I think with Rivera, it's a safe bet the Panthers go the defensive route with the pick if they do not elect to trade down.

The deal is reportedly for 4 years, $11.2 mil. Congrats to Coach Rivera. Good luck.
-ALR