John Stockton's middle name is... Houston! http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/stockjo01.html Screw you John Stockton, thanks for ruining the 1997 playoffs.
The vast terrain of daylight he saw after rolling off the Malone illegal pick prior to 'The Shot' might have been the longest nano-second of my life. I still blame Clyde for leaving time on the clock.
I don't know how I feel about an "interesting fact" -thread about Lucifer Stockton, much less in GARM forum. I dislike the man with a passion that is unhealthy, and this was the first thread I read this morning. As for his shot, it still haunts me.
nice defense by Charles.......... they just played the game on NBA TV too..... horrible memories..of Stockton.. he was a player tho..
Stockton, Jordan, and Robinson will soon be inducted into the HOF. My favorite amongst those players was John Stockton. I just loved the precision and efficiency with which he played.
He was Satan; but, if he'd played for us, he would have been a basketball god. I'll pay him some respect, and say this: I wish he'd played for us, that dirty little white devil.
I never read through the Stockton thread in the Dish, and it's too late now to get in on that, but I never really disliked him too much. He did the dirty stuff Sloan made them do, but he never really struck me as a dirty player, and so I can't hate him for any other reason than the fact that he killed our title hopes. This is in stark contrast to Karl Malone who I find to be an absolutely despicable individual.
It's pretty much split down the middle between people who would not give Stockton a standing ovation in his last game, and those who would. That actually surprised me. I knew he wasn't liked by some here, but I didn't realize the hate was at that level. When I watched the Jazz play in the 90s, it never even crossed my mind that I should have an intense dislike for John Stockton. I generally rooted for him to do well, except when he was playing the Rockets.
I wouldn't exactly be giving him a curtain call, but I would give a polite applause. He was a point guard for the 'thinking man.' Now that I think about it, I don't remember even feeling much dislike for he and Hornacek - they were just incredibly annoying in the same way I imagine other teams' fans view Scola. I don't think I have ever really literally hated a basketball player except for Josh Howard. That's the only guy who I would be happy to hear suffered an injury (due to the fact that he intentionally attempts to trip Yao every time we play them.) As a side note, Jazz-Sonics WCF '96, watching Gary Patyon absolutely destroy Stockton might have been the only time I have actually felt sympathy for an opposing team's superstar.
I'd be interested to know which side people on this board rooted for in that particular series. You have on one side the Jazz, who we had eliminated from the playoffs in two prior years. On the other side, the Sonics who had our number, and who's best player (Payton) yapped and jabbered all game long. I know I wanted the Jazz to win that series, but I guess most here felt otherwise.
I didn't like either team but I usually root Payton because I always feel like he doesn't get much credit for being a great player. Stockton and Malone's names immediately come to mind when discussing the best PG's and PF's, people always forget Payton. I think his defense puts him a step above the PG's of recent history who get mentioned before him (Nash and Kidd). ...and there aren't many people I despise more in basketball than Jerry Sloan. I can't wait till his cheating style of basketball leaves the NBA.
"Stockton played the game the right way" http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/halloffame09/columns/story?columnist=adande_ja&page=090910stocktonHOF
it doesn't cancel out leading the game 5 comeback against the jazz or the game 1 comeback against orlando, but i do still resent clyde for that shot. i couldn't believe he shot it early then and i can't believe it now. it was OT or bust at that point. but no, take a crappy shot early and give them a chance. *side note - for some reason i never remember feeling mad as elie was going up for the Kiss of Death shot, even though the game was tied and there were like 10 seconds left when he caught it (i think 7 when it went in). i remember being mad as clyde was taking his shot but not elie. of course, once it went in it would've been hard to stay mad anyway, but it's always crazy how easily shooting that shot early could have cost us that series and a championship. but we got the KoD out of it so who cares.
yeah, my stance on his dirtiness has softened over the years given what i now know about sloan as a player and the way everyone on the jazz has always been a dirty/cheap player. it's sloan more than anything. doesn't mean i like stockton, but i don't hate that part of him as much. qft. malone has gone way above and beyond "sloan ball" over the years and between his cheap shots, elbows, and way he treats his kids, he really does just seem to be a horrible person.
