Maybe Corry you should get all your facts before judging Larry Miller. Unless you know all that is expected of him for being an owner of the jazz and the steps he took to keep the team form playing as much as possible on sunday, you might have thought twice before making such a comment.

Just anti-mormon vitriol.

While the staple diet of an NBA franchise is Sunday afternoon games, the Jazz only once or twice a year have scheduled Sunday games.

If you watched the game on Sunday, you would have noticed that it was excellent PR for the state. You should be grateful that we were the featured national game of the week and ABC so generously highlighted the many pluses in this state including paying tribute to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

I think he has a point. Larry Miller knew when he bought the team that it would have to operate on Sundays requiring those employed to work that day. From that standpoint, he knew day one that this would happen. I am not LDS so this principle is not one that I follow but it does seem a little hypocritical.

Corry - "Judge not, lest ye be judged."

One of the stereotypes of our religion is that all is fair in business. Frankly, it seems to be an accurate stereotype. So, following our beliefs gets pushed aside for monetary pursuit. There always seem to be exceptions and it's no coincidence those exceptions favor making money. It’s part of the seductive challenge to the faithful of living in the real world. Once we can rationalize deviating from the path to fit our beliefs to the world (instead of the other way around) we give ourselves permission to do such things in other instances as well.

Bill

Larry Miller is a jewel in Utah. He has provided so much for the people of this State. His story of success is incredible. His gifts include both jobs and entertainment. I respect his choices to attend when and where he chooses.

Thank you Larry!

There are plenty of other ways to make a living with out breaking the Sabbath

Just what I thought, justification just like everything else.

Myself -- I would have been there. But that's Larry's choice. He doesn't schedule the playoff games, the NBA does, so I guess taking a forfeit wasn't a good option. Get off his back.

Check the past schedules for the Jazz. You'll find that the last Sunday home game was in 2001. When the NBA makes the season schedule, Larry Miller tells them that the Energy Solutions Arena is not available for home games on Sundays. Playoff games are set by the league and team owners have no say in their scheduling. If you knew the facts in this case, you would be praising Miller for making the effort to let his employees have Sundays off.

So apperently Corey has been given the authority judge others. When you judge people what happens to them? Are they sent to time-out or something?

Mr. Matthews,
Perhaps the question you should ask is what did you do on Sunday? Your life is totally under your control. How YOU live your life is all that should matter to you.

When I listen to or watch "Music and The Spoken Word" on Sunday, I realize that there are people who are working on Sunday to provide that program.

When I travel in my business, I am aware that my travel often requires others to work on Sunday for my benefit.

When I am sick and need a doctor, I realize that sometimes that medical need requires others to work on Sunday.

In short, I have caused others to work on Sunday for my benefit and I have been caused to work on Sunday for the benefit of others.

Mr. Miller has done much good in our community. It seems to me that he done about as much as he can to uphold the values of this community. What have you done? What jobs have you provided? How many people are grateful for your life and for your efforts in their behalf?

Give me a break!
Larry Miller has freedom of choice to do exactly as he wishes for whatever reason he choses. Those who work for him may make similar choices. However, if one opts for a career which involves Sunday work, than you must live with that choice yourself. Shall we call out Steve Young for playing in the NFL on Sunday?
If LHM chose to sell the Utah Jazz he could get millions of $$ of profit from what he paid for it. However, the team would be moved out of Utah. How many of you calling LHM a hyporite would like that?
The NBA dictates when games are played. They have been considerate of LHM desires for the Utah Jazz to avoid Sunday games during the regular season. The play-offs are another matter. If a team qualfies for the play-offs they must play when the games are scheduled by the NBA. Should LHM deny the players the opportunity to compete for an NBA title by prohibiting thier Sunday play? I dare say the NBA would disqualifiy the Jazz and sanction LHM for such action.
This is not a matter worthy of extended discussion. It is what it is.

Is Sunday only "holy" during the daytime? I wonder because it being a Sunday didn't stop Larry from appearing on KSL's Sportsbeat that night ostensibly to talk about the Jazz game, although it seemed to me he was there more to get some free advertising for his racing venue more than anything.

Seems to be a lot of envy being expressed for someone who has done well. Whether we honor the Sabbath of Christians, Jews or Muslins, seems that playing on Sunday, Saturday or Fridays, we are likely to offend one or another. This is a matter that should be taken up with the NBA and not the individual owners. You do find young men playing for the Jazz that are top rate and good examples for our young and that I think you can lay at the door of Larry Miller and Jerry Sloan. Thank you for maintaining a standard of behavior and decorum that speaks well of this team and it's home base any day of the week.

The Sabbath is a day of rest. However, last month, my dear relative was in the hospital for two weeks. Those who cared for her did so each Sunday she was there, and I'm glad they did. Last Sunday, I watched the Mormon Tabernacle program on channel 5. I don't know how many people work that day to make the show happen, but someone does and I'm grateful for their work (it's the longest running continuous program on television/radio, and the LDS Church sponsors the choir and owns the TV station). Furthermore, I could not have watched the program that morning without electricity. There must be someone out there keeping the generators running. I also took a shower Sunday morning. Someone, somewhere was working to keep it running so I wouldn't complain. The same with the police and the fire department. I'm glad they work on Sundays. In fact, I'm helping to pay them to work that day.

Perhaps one way to measure the benefit of Sabbath-day work is the good it provides. It's too bad the Utah Jazz must play on Sundays, but that can't be helped. The team and its owner do much good for us all.

Classic. Someone does something out of a deep moral principle, and the self anointed pundits of the world strain their necks to find fault.

So what you're saying is...

...JetBlue founder (mormon) shouldn't let his airline operate on Sundays?

...Black & Decker CEO (mormon) shouldn't let his product be sold on Sundays?

...Dave Checketts (previous owner of NY Knicks, current owner of RSL, mormon) shouldn't let his teams play on Sunday?

Is this what you are saying?

" . . . deep moral principle, . . . "

LOL! Yeah, something's "deep" with Larry but it isn't his "moral principle". (see my previous posts)

Larry Miller is NOT two faced: money comes first. And I mean no disrepect towards the man, whom I know personally, albeit casually. He has strong religous convictions to be sure, but he didn't get to be one of the biggest business men in the West through altruism and a life of aesthesticism.

Skipping Sunday games is something he does because he truly believes it's the right thing to do, but he also likes the positive PR it generates for him, for his church, and for the state of Utah.

I cannot say I particularly LIKE Mr. Miller, but I greatly respect his ability to find the overlap between his business interests and his religious background. In some ways, the many successes of his life have come from his ability to understand that his customers must find the same sort of overlap in their own lives.

Maybe I just don't understand Larry's point in not going to, watching or listening to the game on Sunday. Why is it okay to listen to the post-game show but not the game? Why is it okay to go on TV to talk about the game but not go to the game? What is Larry's real reason for not going to the game? Maybe I'm way off base in my criticism. Is there something different about the actual game that I'm missing?

Apparently the censors didn't like one of my comments for some reason. A comment similar to this should have been posted before my 11:47am comment:

"It seems to me that (Larry Miller has) done about as much AS HE CAN to uphold the values of this community." (emphasis mine)

Yeah, right. Does that include CHOOSING to show movies such as "Hostel" and the "Saw" series in his theaters?

Don't get me wrong, I'm a big Jazz fan and I appreciate what Larry has done with the team. But this whole not going to games on Sundays thing is all about Larry "selling" an image. Apparently he's a pretty good salesman . . .

Utah was blessed Sunday. If it wasn't for the Jazz playing you might have mere had sacrament meeting to bring your families together.

I do agree. This is not a big deal.

I agree that it was the best decision for LHM to have the jazz play on Sunday

BUT, in no instance will I equate the Jazz playing basketball with a doctor or nurse helping a sick patient in the hospital. That's absolutely ridiculous.

This is more of an "ox in the mire" situation. The way I intrpret that parable is that the ox (a productive asset, and a business asset of that) got stuck in a situation where it would die except for intervention, or at least suffer some injury. Intervening in that situation was permitted.

Similarly, the Utah Jazz (a productive asset of LHM) would have been irrepably harmed if they had forfeited the game; they would have a difficult time attracting players, sponsors, and fans, and they might be sanctioned by the league for doing so. As such, permitting them to play was the best decision.

I wonder if Larry goes to the races at Miller Motorsports Park on Sunday?

I have no idea whether this is the answer to your question, but it seems just a plausible as "he's a hypocrite".

Maybe the timing of the game (which he had no control over) overlapped the timing of his church services (which he had no control over). He may own half of Utah, but he doesn't dictate the timing of his church services.

Maybe it wasn't a, "I can't watch the Jazz on Sunday". Maybe it was a, "I'm better off attending my church services and participating in the ordinances thereof". I know that, for some, church services can seem long, but they normally don't last until KSL Sportsbeat is on.

BTW - I haven't been a Larry Miller fan since he ran the Golden Eagles out of town. He put almost as much effort into that franchise as he did the Starzz!

re: 12:44 p.m. commenter,

Thanks for the possible insight, but I already know that isn't the answer. ESPN has a story about Larry taking a drive with one of their reporters during the game. Also, I've read elsewhere (possibly the Trib) that Church was out by Noon so he could have gone to the game without missing the services.

This really does seem to be another case of Miller's hypocrisy to me.

Anon 12:29 p.m.,

Huh? There was never any question whether or not the game would be played. Miller doesn't have THAT choice; the NBA would NEVER allow a team to forfeit. (For what it's worth, I don't think Larry would either, even if he had the choice; too much $$$$$$ involved.)

I have been blessed to have jobs that rarely required me to work on Sunday. I do have a family to support, and on those rare occasions that I must work on Sunday, I try to be sure that it is not just like any other day, but is treated as a special day.

It seems to me that LM is trying to do the same thing. Neither he nor I are hypocrites... just trying to do our best to do whats right.

Sincere effort counts. Coming up with justification to do what we want anyway doesn't.

I ma not the judge of what is sincere from you and you aren't for me.

Thanks jackhp, for the further detail. Like is said, I wasn't sure about the situation, just throwing out a possibility.

Clearly though, Larry is going to do what he feels is "right", regardless you what you, I, or Corey think.

Thanks for the dialog.

I don't have a problem with Larry doing whatever he feels is right. I just think it's funny when people try to give him moral "props" for doing it when it's pretty obvious, at least to me, that it's all for show. Personally, I don't even know why it's a story and if I were Larry I'd try NOT to make it one. He seems to do the opposite.

As far as how sincere his "efforts" are, I'll refer back to my previous question about the difference between actually going to the game and going on TV later that night to talk about the game (as well as promote his other business ventures.) Is there a difference?

Yes, Mormons can be weird like that. But they say so themselves... so no big deal, GO JAZZ!

Quick, someone call the whaaaaaaaa-mbulance!!

i've already called Whine-One-One

I would like to step in this issue.

Yes, LHM does not go to games on Sunday because of his belief system. However as an owner of a NBA team he has certain criteria that he must uphold (including playing on Sunday). He choose to stand by his standard, although he has to make other work because of the NBA rules.

He as done his best to not make people work on Sunday. Sometimes, it must be done. Is it any worse than a Religous man making his people sell acohol or work on sunday's?

Now how many of you that are bashing LHM, watched the game from home? Are you Relgious? is this not breaking the Sabbath rules?

I think it is stupid that some people will find fault for LHM on this issue, other issues, yes, this one NO!

It isn't just Miller. BYU holds its breath and stamps its feet every time a tournament game is scheduled on Sunday (Mustn't break the sabbath!) but the church's KSL TV has no problem with sports all day on Sunday.

Same idea. Make a big stink for the sake of appearance, but don't do anything that would interfere with income.

Just another quirk in the LDS belief system. We have quirks in every other facet of society - politics, business, media, to name just a few - to the point that, not-of-this-planet aliens must scratch their heads (or whatever they scratch) when these quirky things are constantly observed. Feel free to substitute God for aliens. Live and let live, yet still consider the big picture such that you are an understanding person and perhaps we can draw closer to that ever-elusive peace to this planet which our quirkinesses seem to hinder. Go Jazz !

Boy, some of you people need to get a life! Sure easy to criticize people when it sounds an awful lot like jealousy to me.

Corey Matthews doesn't have a clue. What a loser. I guess by his thought process the Prophet would also be two faced because he allows this newspaper and their televison station (and other companies) to operate on Sundays, for financial gain. Corey, keep making your family proud with that great brain of yours. IDIOT