Jerry Sloan (Harry How/Getty)Jerry Sloan's departure from the Utah Jazz last February was abrupt, and not just because it happened in the middle of the season or what appeared to be a falling out with the culture of the modern NBA. Sloan, more than any other coach save Tom Thibodeau (maybe), seemed to experience basketball as part of his soul. It's still tough to imagine him apart from the sport, in the same way that no one thinks of Sinbad without a really baggy nylon sweatsuit.

When we last heard from Sloan, he had sold most of his gigantic tractor collection and seemed content to hang around his farm spinning wisdom about the inexorable march of time. Now, though, he seems to be missing basketball something fierce. From Sam Amick for SI.com (via EOB):

Usher Raymond and Dan Gilbert (Getty Images/David Liam Kyle)There's a general assumption among sports fans that being an owner should be fun. That isn't always the case in practice, though, and not just because it's no fun to lose. Owning a team is a high-pressure situation, and it can often bring out the worst in people.

For proof, please examine Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert, a man with a penchant for sending borderline-insane letters whenever something happens that he doesn't like (exhibits A and B, if you care to look). Still, Gilbert's no dummy, and he realizes that these strongly worded letters are bad form for a man of his standing. So he's taken steps to filter himself. From Bob Finnan for The Morning Journal (via Marcel Mutoni and TBJ):

Ricky Rubio is your bro (Getty Images/David Sherman).

On the list of early season NBA excitement, Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio sits somewhere near the top. He makes passes no one has seen before, is young, and just generally seems to have a lot of fun playing the game. He appeals to everyone: adults, children, balding men, hairy women, whatever.

Apparently Rubio also has musician fans. Brooklyn's Daniel Lopatin, better known around the Internet as Oneohtrix Point Never, is one of the most heralded synth-based musicians around today. His 2011 work "Replica" was recently listed as the sixth-best album of the year by the indie tastemakers at Pitchfork, and he counts such notable and bloggable bands as Animal Collective among his fans. Lopatin is also a huge basketball fan -- his Twitter account is as much about the NBA as anything else.

So, like any real fan, he titled one of his newest instrumentals after Rubio (via Gorilla vs. Bear and Myles Brown). It's just a demo right now, but "Rubio" is sure to end up on a few YouTube highlight mixes before the end of the year. Listen below, if you're into ambient drone or just really love Ricky.

Andray Blatche (Getty Images/Fernando Medina)Last week, Wizards big man Andray Blatche grabbed headlines for calling out his coaches and teammates on Twitter for not getting him the ball in the paint. It was a questionable move for a guy whom the franchise hopes can become a team leader. However, if you wanted to take a more optimistic look at the situation, then Blatche was simply holding the Wizards accountable for their actions. That makes sense, right?

As of this writing, the Wizards have lost all six of their games this season. To help deal with their many problems, veteran forward and vest enthusiast Maurice Evans called a players-only meeting. Blatche, of course, had some words about accountability, as well. From Frank Hanrahan at CSNWashington.com (via PBT):

Most big-time athletes have charitable organizations. It's a good idea, obviously, because they get to give back to the community. If you don't think that's a good idea, then you must be some sort of monster.

Still, most athletes don't use their charities as opportunities for jokes, since, you know, suffering is pretty serious. On the other hand, no one ever said that jokes can't help draw attention to a serious thing. Jokes aren't just funny -- they can also help out people in need.

So let's all give Chauncey Billups some credit, because the recent ads for his Elite Basketball Academy are both hilarious and informative. For just $75,000, you could have Mr. Billups bake you a cake (gluten-free!). That's but a small price to pay to help underprivileged kids play basketball at a high level. Plus, I'm sure it's very delicious.

After the jump, check out two more great ads in which Chauncey offers to DJ a party and play golf. All for very special low prices!

Chris Paul and Blake Griffin (Getty Images/Noah Graham)Ever since Chris Paul became a member of the Los Angeles Clippers, the name "Lob City" has been the top meme of the 2011-12 NBA season. The moniker promises visions of basketballular delight on the level of gumdrop forests and marshmallow clouds. What we've seen from the Clippers so far this season has been a work in progress, but the name persists nonetheless. Once an expectation forms, it's hard to get rid of it.

The name started when Blake Griffin learned of the Paul trade, chest-bumped his teammate DeAndre Jordan, and exclaimed "Lob City!" However, Griffin now regrets saying the phrase in the first place. In fact, several Clippers seem to want to move out of Lob City entirely. From Arash Markazi for ESPNLosAngeles.com (via PBT):

Samardo Samuels (Getty Images/David Liam Kyle)Playing in Toronto presents a number of challenges to NBA teams. Everyone in the city is nicer, color is spelled differently, and basketball is roughly 25 times less popular than hockey. The biggest change, of course, is that Canada is a totally different country, so everyone has to carry their passports on trips. Otherwise, there's no way to get to Toronto, unless there's a particularly corrupt customs agent at the airport.

Cleveland Cavaliers big man Samardo Samuels fell victim to that last issue after losing his passport in early December. Without a new one, he was unable to play in Wednesday night's game against the Raptors. From Tom Reed for The Cleveland Plain Dealer (story via TBJ):

The Dallas Mavericks are the best in the NBA at putting out clever, funny and short viral videos to promote the team and their personalities. Much of the time, that means they make Dirk Nowitzki do very funny things.

So, if you've ever wanted to hear Dirk Nowitzki give a dramatic reading of the chorus of the Britney Spears hit "Oops ... I Did It Again," this is your chance. I believe this clip is known in many circles as fine art.

(via The Two-Man Game)