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NEWS ITEM: JERRY SLOAN GETS NEW KNEE; THANKFULLY, STILL HAS SAME HEART:

This from the Deseret News:
Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan on Thursday underwent surgery to replace his right knee, and according to general manager Kevin O'Connor, the procedure was deemed to be "successful."

A full recovery is expected. According to a statement from the Jazz released Thursday evening, Dr. Russell Nelson performed the operation in Salt Lake City.

That's the same doctor who performed hip-replacement surgery on Phil Johnson, Sloan's longtime top assistant coach. Sloan is under contract for next season, and when the team cleaned out its lockers Tuesday, he gave ample indication that he intends to return for a 22nd season as head coach.

A successful surgery, he suggested then, would have no negative impact on that decision.

The Jazz's postseason ended with a Game 5 first-round playoff loss to the Los Angeles Lakers last Monday night. Sloan will be inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame this coming September.

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SIXERS to MAKE CHANGES:

Philly.com reports that Andre Iguadala was predicting some massive changes to the team over the course of the next few months, including player personnel, anc coaching moves. See this from Phila:

"Moves. It's going to be a busy summer," Iguodala said. "I'm going to sit down with Ed and discuss what I think will get us over the hump."

As for coach Tony DiLeo, the team's assistant GM who replaced Maurice Cheeks in December and led the club to the playoffs, well, Iguodala didn't exactly endorse his soft-spoken boss.

"We'll see about that," he said, when asked whether DiLeo should return. "We'll talk. We'll try to get the best-case scenario."

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NEWS ITEM: SCHOOL NURSE PASSES AWAY AFTER SAVING SCHOOL COACH:

Just an amazing story of human interest, passion and glory:

Read ON:
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- A school nurse likely saved the life of a softball coach suffering from a heart attack just moments before collapsing herself. She later died.

Eileen Bowden, 59, gave John Rahbar CPR minutes after he collapsed with no pulse while collecting foul balls following a team practice, San Francisco television station KTVU reported.
Bowden's actions kept Rahbar alive until paramedics arrived, but then suddenly fell to the ground.

"After that, Ms. Bowden kind of got up, in just a brief moment, she fell down and seemed to need medical assistance," Santa Clara School District spokeswoman Tabitha Kappler-Hurley said. "She was taken to Valley Medical Center and unfortunately died en route."

Bowden rotated between five schools in the district, spending one day a week on each campus. She was also a police officer with the Santa Clara Police Department.

Bowden lived in Half Moon Bay and leaves behind a 12-year-old daughter. Officials said Bowden was extremely dedicated to the school community.

Rahbar's wife said he suffered a heart attack. He's expected to be released from the hospital in a few days. Rahbar's wife expressed deep gratitude to the nurse for her actions and sympathy towards her family. She said she believes her husband might not have survived if not for Bowden's aid.

It is still unclear what caused Bowden's death.

Tribute to Larry Miller

Here is the AP story that ran on Utah Jazz owner Larry Miller. He was a good man and a pleasure to work with at the NBA and the many NBA playoff games in SLC:

Utah Jazz owner Larry H. Miller received a fitting farewell.

His funeral was held in the arena he built, his casket painted in the scheme of his beloved Shelby Cobras and his five children each driving a sports car in the procession to the cemetery where Miller was laid to rest Saturday.

Miller, 64, died of complications from diabetes on Feb. 20. His funeral was held eight days later at EnergySolutions Arena, home of the NBA franchise Miller twice kept from leaving his hometown. NBA commissioner David Stern and former players including Karl Malone were among about 2,000 people that attended the 90-minute Mormon ceremony.

Miller's children and grandchildren all recited memories of Miller, who started his career in an autoparts shop, expanded to car dealerships and built a business empire and became one of the most prominent figures in the state. A frugal businessman, Miller also donated generously to charities and many of his contributions were noted Saturday.

"There was a lot more to him than just the Jazz," coach Jerry Sloan said after the service.

About 30 flower arrangements were placed on and around the dais, where top officials from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sat facing the congregation. Church president Thomas S. Monson was the last of them to speak from the podium, just above the casket painted blue with white racing stripes down the middle.

Miller was a devout Mormon who refused the attend Jazz playoff games on Sundays, adhering to church guidelines to focus on the church and family activities that day. But his faith was one of the very few things that would keep Miller away from his team or any other part of the Larry H. Miller Group of Companies.

Oldest son Greg, who took over the family business last summer, was the last of the five children to speak and led the convoy of sports cars from the arena in a blue Cobra convertible. Daughter Karen was the last to go in the procession, driving the red pace car from Miller Motorsports Park, the race track west of Salt Lake City that Miller built out of his passion for auto racing.

Son Steve recited a popular quote from rock star Bono: "Dream up the kind of world you want to live in -- dream out loud."

"My dad dreamed out loud," Steve Miller said. "I figured if Greg could paint the casket blue and white, I could quote Bono."

Most of the current Jazz, who hosted Sacramento later Saturday, sat together at the Jazz bench during the service and others attended a viewing the day before.

"He loved Jazz basketball," forward Kyle Korver said. "I think he was the most hands-on owner that I've seen."

One of the floral arrangements was a large replica of the patch the Jazz added to their jerseys. It's the team's original logo, a purple music note with green and gold and the initials LHM on top.

Miller has owned the team since buying a 50 percent share in 1985 and the rest a year later. Buyers from other cities tried to lure the Jazz out of Utah, but each time Miller blocked the deal, determined to make the NBA team work in the tiny market.

Miller was involved with every aspect of the team, even having a locker with a "Miller" name plate next to the players' lockers. When the Jazz played poorly, Miller was known to interrupt halftime or make a postgame speech -- reminding the players what he expected for his money.

Former center Greg Ostertag chuckled when he recounted one of the many tirades he saw from Miller during his 10 seasons with the Jazz.

"We played real bad one time and you could hear him coming, man. You knew he was going to come in there and rant and rave, but he had every right to," Ostertag said. "It was not a lot a lot of words you can say on TV."