Remembering Karl fondly

Deseret Morning News editorial
Published: Thursday, March 23, 2006 9:44 a.m. MST
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The memories of the good times — the perpetual winning seasons and dreams of a championship — have begun to fade to a point where they have to be taught to the new crop of elementary school children. But the memories of all the bad times — the whining over a lack of respect and demands for more money — have faded even more.

Most likely, those things won't be taught to rising generations, even though a little less than a decade ago they regularly led Utah Jazz fans to the medicine cabinet for antacids. And that is fine. In the final analysis, Karl Malone will be remembered as one of the best players ever to lace up basketball shoes in Utah. Nothing more. Nothing less.

That should be clear tonight when the team honors Malone by retiring his number, naming a street after him and unveiling a statue that will stand near the one of his inseparable court-mate, John Stockton.

Utah fans always were forgiving of Malone. No matter what he said or how he complained and threatened, they always embraced him and showered him with cheers. Skeptics would say this is because Malone knew how to win. There is much truth to that, but it doesn't describe it all. Malone, after all, never won the big one.

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No, the admiration more likely was for the way he went about business. Malone understood the value of work. He never tired in his efforts to work out and improve his skills. And he was unerringly faithful. Despite the frequent rants, he showed up for work every night. And despite his nickname, he never mailed it in. Not in 18 years.

Along the way, he won two MVP awards, shared an All-Star Game MVP and won two Olympic gold medals. He twice led the Jazz to the NBA finals, only to lose because Michael Jordan seemed to want it just a little more. When it was all over, he had scored more points than all but one player who ever set foot in an NBA game.

Sports are one of life's grand diversions. For many fans, games are a way to escape other troubles and put the mind to rest for a few hours. In Utah, the Jazz have borne a bigger responsibility than that. The team has at times represented the state to the world.

Small wonder that many Utahns who travel abroad find Karl Malone is one of the first names many people relate to Utah.

That ought to be worth a statue, as well as a legacy devoid of any bad memories.

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