“If you’re intimidated and you don’t think you want to go out there and compete, then stay in the locker room,” said Jerry Sloan to the Jazz during halftime on Sunday while the Jazz were playing the Spurs in game one of the Western Conference Finals.

ESPN’s DJ Gallo quipped “That’s the best you could come up with? Every athlete has heard that clichéd speech countless times.” True. But, not every athlete has heard it from the lips of Jerry Sloan.

Sloan isn’t cliche, and his players know it. He’ll yank a sub-par performing superstar at the drop of a hat if he isn’t doing his job on the court. He does it all the time. Just ask Kirilenko about his pine time during the first two games against Houston.