Stockton tough, not dirty News Utah Jazz

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. ? While setting crushing picks and scraping and scrapping on the court with bigger guys, John Stockton's elbows and forearms never met an opponent's chest they didn't like. He was physical, for sure.

But dirty ? even the dirtiest in the league, as some suggested? Don't count Michael Jordan among the dissers. "I wouldn't say that Stockton was the dirtiest player in the league ... I could name a few other ones," Jordan said with a chuckle Friday during a Basketball Hall of Fame press conference on the day of Class of 2009's enshrinement. Sorry. Jordan did not, however, name those names. He did, however, defend and praise Stockton's all-out play. "You can say he's dirty. I say he's a tough, hard-nosed type of guy that played with every inch of his body, physically and mentally," Jordan said. Even so, David Robinson jokingly admitted that Stockton ? the pestering, pick-setting, precise passer and his brutal, bulked-up buddy Karl Malone ? might have been Public Enemies No. 1 and 1A in San Antonio. "John, he was on our refrigerator as one of the most disliked guys," Robinson said, laughing. "I think John and Karl had a nice little spot on our refrigerator." The rivalry, The Admiral insists, was built on respect, even if it occasionally got chippy and confrontational or when there were casualties on the court (see: Rodman vs. Stockton and Malone vs. Robinson). Robinson laughed that he'd forgotten about getting knocked out against the Jazz , but that was by Malone's wandering elbow, not Stockton. "Thanks for reminding me," Robinson joked when a reporter mentioned the incident. Any dislike between the franchises came about because of similarities, Robinson added. He remembered the Jazz and Spurs of his era being defensive-minded, professional, disciplined, and compared playing Utah to "playing your mirror image." And, yes, the new Hall of Fame center painfully recalls how physical those match-ups could be. "We knew," Robinson said, "that when John Stockton and Karl Malone walked out onto the floor, those guys were going to knock your block off." GIVE HIM AN I: Asked about memories, Jordan reminisced about an exchange he had with Bulls assistant Tex Winter after he'd gone on an offensive flurry by scoring 20 points in a row to boost Chicago to a victory. "Tex reminded me that there's no 'I' in team," Jordan said. "And I looked back at Tex and said, 'There's an 'I' in win, so whichever way you want it.'" SLOAN THE SLUGGER: Stockton might have seemed like an angel on the court compared to his coach. Jerry Sloan, the Jazz's Hall of Fame coach, had Friday's press conference attendees laughing while recanting a couple of separate fights he had early in his NBA playing days in the late 1960s. One time Sloan fought his friend and former teammate, Norm Van Lier. Sloan described himself and Van Lier as "fiery guys." It showed when they ended up duking it out during a game after Van Lier was traded to Cincinnati. "We got into it with each other under the basket," Sloan recalled. "By the time we landed, we're out in the hallway in an exhibition game fighting each other." Another time, Sloan got into a bit of a tussle as a rookie. This one ? and he laughed that he should stop talking about his fights ? could have been worse had his former Baltimore Bullets teammate, Gus Johnson, not stepped in when things got heated. "Fortunately, he came up and got in front of the guy and saved my life," Sloan said. "And (Johnson) said, 'Rookie, get behind me, nobody's going to hit you.' That's the kind of relationship I had with him. It was a wonderful feeling knowing I wasn't going to get my butt kicked." GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN: Stockton brought most of his family to Springfield for the festivities. The Jazz also sent a few dignitaries, including Gail and Greg Miller, and team president Randy Rigby. Several former players came, too. But Stockton's heart went out to two of the most important people in his life who weren't able to attend because they have passed away, saying it was a "void" in him to not have Larry H. Miller and his mom in attendance. NOTES: The five new inductees will receive their Hall of Fame rings at an invitation-only ceremony at a resort tonight. ... In conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the HOF, the hall will release its first video game for Nintendo Wii systems called Basketball Hall of Fame Ultimate Hoop Challenge. ... A 50th-year celebration book "Hoops Heaven" was released this weekend as well. ... Other awards handed out this weekend included: Peter Vecsey and Doug Collins (Curt Gowdy Media Awards); Johnny "Red" Kerr (John Bunn Award for lifetime contributions); and Ken Hudson, Bob Lanier and Alonzo Mourning (Mannie Jackson's Basketball Human Spirit Award). ... Among the celebrities at Friday night's ceremony: Dean Smith, Dennis Rodman, Tim Duncan, Scottie Pippen, Pat Riley, Jerry Colangelo and Mark Eaton. e-mail: jody@desnews.com