Jerry Sloan apologized on Thursday for shoving referee Courtney Kirkland, and he apologized to the Jazz organization for embarrassing the franchise.

"I should have done the right thing," Sloan said. "I didn't and I apologize for that."

But the Jazz coach also acknowledged that he was surprised by the severity of the punishment handed down by the NBA, a seven-game suspension, and he was disappointed that the league failed to acknowledge Kirkland"s role in escalating the sideline confrontation.