Karl Malone's MVP delivery was special enough to make even Larry H. Miller weep.
OK, so the emotional Jazz owner has been known to get a little moist around the eyes at times. But the entrepreneurial, good-hearted father figure - to Malone personally and to the Utah Jazz organization as a whole - personified the sentiment of an entire state and many beyond its borders who relish seeing good guys finish first.The tears shed at Sunday's official National Basketball Association announcement that Malone was, for the 1996-97 season, the best basketball player on the planet were sweet. But they were also salty - like the old-fashioned sweat that has taken Miller, the Mailman and Jazz coach Jerry Sloan to the pinnacle of their professions.
If it wasn't for Miller's willingness to step forward when it appeared Utah's only major league sports franchise was departing town, there would be no Utah Jazz, no Stockton to Malone, no hammer dunks, no playoffs and certainly no MVP.
Miller put himself in a position to acquire the Jazz after building his automobile dealership empire from the ground level. His 90-hour work weeks, in his early years, at least, are legendary.
Sloan, who with Miller flanked Malone as the announcement was made, likewise built his game as a player and no-nonsense coaching philosophy on the bedrock of hard work. A scrappy defender in his playing days, Sloan the coach has driven the Jazz to steady, consistent heights of excellence through his unrelenting expectations. It is unfortunate voters continue to slight his accomplishments when NBA Coach of the Year ballots are counted.
Then there's the man of the hour, MVP Malone. He likewise had built his game on work and more work. His off-season workouts still consist of 8-10 miles of running and hours pumping weights. His sculpted physique and soft shooting touch are no accident. He has committed throughout his career to getting the most his body and ability have had to offer.
Originally a poor free-throw shooter, he worked hard to improve and set a an NBA playoff record 18 straight makes against the Los Angeles Lakers. He plays a complete, well-rounded game, being named this year to the first team NBA All-Defensive unit.
Regardless what happens in the next few weeks, 1996-97 has been an MVP year for the Mailman.
What great stories - Malone's, Miller's and Sloan's. One story cannot be told without referencing the others. It is fitting that they - with Malone's family and teammates - shared this crowning moment.
While Chicago's Michael Jordan is the greatest ever to play the game, it is nice that for this season, at least, the MVP trophy was delivered lake-side elsewhere.
The only thing left lacking for Malone and his teammates is an NBA championship - now a mere seven wins away.