Bits from Randy Rigby Interview, 1/2

Randy Rigby is brought to you by the Les Olsen Company.

On Les Mis
Oh, let me tell you what. I’ve only seen it twice. That’s all. So far. And it is spectacular. I mean, it is a moving show. I think the acting is superb. And I’ll, I’ll tell ya: They’re, they’re really good with their voices as well.

On how he spent New Year’s
Rigby: We were over at the Rigbys’ house, cooked up some steaks, and popped open the Martinelli’s, and really, we’re wild and crazy.

Spencer Checketts: I drank so much Martinelli’s on New Year’s Eve, that I had to use the restroom, like, every half hour.

Yeah right, that’s what Checketts was drinking…

Checketts: Do you go flavored or regular? That’s an important question.

Rigby: Well, I, I like a variety. I really like the flavored ones. I, I can go with the plain, but I, I’m a variety person…Peach is very good. And so’s the grape.

UDQM UDQM UDQM UDQM UDQM!!!!!

On his wife, Sandra
My wife Sandra is a party animal. She likes to, you know, stir up the neighborhood a little bit. And so, we actually, you know, she pushed me out with some, some lids to my, our pots and pans, and so we’re out there beating on the pots and pans wishing people a happy new year, you know, from the Rigbys.

New Year’s resolutions for the Jazz
1) A quick recovery from Mo;
2) Continued defensive improvement;
3) Continued maturing from the young guys “so they can keep getting better as fast as possible.”

On Mo Williams’ injury
Mo is a tough kid and he plays hard. I, in fact, last game, was in the back in the locker room and talking with him and I’ll tell ya, he was just, it was so agonizing for him…he wanted to be out there so bad and he says, “I’m doing everything I can.”

And you know, that’s why I just feel so bad for Mo that, you know, he’s had this injury again, when he’s already had an operation on it. So it, it’s tough.

On getting through losing streaks
It’s staying together and believing in one another and you look at what areas you need to improve on, and work on those, and still, and same time, and recognize the areas that we are, we’re doing quite well on, and, and celebrate your successes as well…And I think Ty[rone Corbin] has done a very good job, in the locker room, with our guys.

I, I was really impressed when, you know, really, at the end of, I was kind of distre–you know, discouraged, not discouraged, I was disappointed, that we lost that game against the Clippers, ’cause our guys really played hard, and, and did a lot of good things, and, and that’s why I like to have Ty really emphasize to ’em, “Hey, you’ve just, this is a very good team, and we played very well. Let’s not get down; let’s stay with it.”

And, and I think our guys are, have that attitude.

On rotation decisions
I think it’s a hard charge, but you know what, that’s why we have Tyrone Corbin. We feel that we have a man who has the respect from the players, and, and he really does. I think Ty has done a very good job managing the expectations of the locker room….He’s a great communicator…

Ty is doing constantly, I think, having those conversations with, with the players, and I think they respect that, and, and we’re seeing the results of our team being able to stay together through these good time, through the good times, but then also then, these, these tougher stretches.

On Andrei Kirilenko
Rigby: Well, you know what I remember, Andrei gave us 10 years. Played for this organization for 10 years. Andrei is a, is a good man. Had a good heart. You know, he, he was, he had his health challenges from time to time. Every player does. I mean, this is a grueling game. And you know what, I don’t think, Andrei didn’t want to have those, and, but, you know what, he had to play through ’em. And so, sometimes people were remembering of those type of situations.

You know what, I remember Andrei, he, he gave us a lot of good years. He played hard. He was a Jazzman. And I think we should remember what Andrei did as a positive thing for us as an organization…We should respect what Andrei did do for the organization for a lot of years…

Andrei was a very good person and, and was good to our staff. Was good to the community, and I think we should, we should recognize him as, you know, a long-time Jazzman and give him his due respect and hopefully a, applauding, when he, you know, and then when he comes out there, we’re gonna beat him…

Gordon Monson: He was a good player; not sure he was a max money-type player. But you kind of had to pay him, didn’t you, because if you didn’t, you were going to lose him?

Rigby: Well, you know, I, I think yeah, there’s, you can now look back and second-guess everything that was done with, you know, on everyone’s side of the ledger of that thing…We only have so much money to give, and so then you’re counting on with, based on what you pay, to what you’re going to get in value back…It does hamstring you. Especially for smaller market teams. And so you looked at what you were paying, and what you got back in return, and I think that’s where the value proposition sometimes didn’t pay off…

I won’t repeat things I’ve already said/posted on this subject.

The Jazz play an exciting brand of basketball
Checketts: Randy, Jan. 12, you’ll be at Detroit…That will finish a stretch of 39 games to start the year with 24 on the road. That’s rude…It’s not even fair.

Rigby: You know what, it’s, it’s, it’s been [a stretch] that has helped make our team, you know what, you have to look inside yourself…and this is a league that it, it can be easy for you to lose, too. And you just gotta really look inside ourselves, and keep going, and, and picking ourselves up, and saying, “We’re going to compete each and every night.”…

Even though we haven’t won every game, we’ve had some pretty exci–this is exciting brand of basketball. There’s great energy. We got some great young players, and, and some really solid veteran players that make some exci–I mean, we’ve had some exciting and fun games here, and that’s what a lot of, to me, sports is all about, that I hope we don’t, we don’t lose track of that as well, is, is just the memories that you’re having by bringing family and coming to some of these games, and seeing some great basketball being played.

On the Jazz’s loss to the Clippers in Utah
It was a great ballgame, to your point, Gordon. And, and I think our fans really came out of there really enjoying what they experienced.

On the Timberwolves game
Checketts: We’re about a half hour or so away from pre-game. It’s gonna be a fun one tonight. I mean, AK coming back, but Rubio’s so fun to watch. Kevin Love, when he’s not moaning about everything, is a really good player. So obviously the game tonight, we’ve been talking about the ticket packages you have available…

Rubio didn’t make the trip. It was announced days earlier. If you bought tickets to the game based on this segment, you should demand a refund from Checketts.