Can The Mailman help deliver Sloan's wish?

After giving a couple of media guys a hard time for showing up a few minutes late – and hearing the excuse that rain had caused a semi-trailer to roll over – Jerry Sloan related his own traffic woes that he deals with on a daily basis coming into the city from the southern part of Salt Lake Valley.

“They’re repairing the road there where I get on (I-15). They’re making an exit for Karl Malone’s Toyota,” he said, speaking of the 11400 South Interchange that’s being built by the dealership.

“So that’s got everything fouled up. I’m going to get on his butt and see if he can get that done a little quicker.”

Then again, Malone was called “The Mailman” and not “The Miracle Worker.”

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That wasn’t the only funny line Sloan delivered Wednesday at practice:

- Replacement referees shouldn’t take Sloan too personally if he gets on their case Thursday night. He’s offered constructive criticism to the regulars a time or two as well.

Or has he?

“I’ve always given them a break, try to,” he said.

Sloan kinda attempted to keep a straight face while reporters laughed at the assertion that he doesn’t jump all over refs every once in a while.

He relented.

“But,” he added, “it doesn’t work out that way. Yeah, we get on ‘em, but after the game we’ve never had a problem.”

And then …

Tim Buckley asked Sloan if he’s stocked up on tractor magazines for the long airplane flight from Salt Lake City to London, which the Jazz will make on Saturday.

“Oh gosh, I don’t know,” Sloan replied. “I couldn’t get ‘em in my bag, I’ve got so many of ‘em.”

Many are gifts from well-wishers.

“I have people send me magazines and caps. After a couple of years, I’ve got a friend back home that I give my caps (to). I can’t wear ‘em all.”

And then …

When I suggested that now that he’s a Hall of Famer Sloan should begin working on his memoirs – that’s one way you could kill some time in the sky – Sloan quickly retorted:

“I’m not dead yet. I hate to hear that word because you never know…”