I first met him at Muhammad Alis retirement party at the Forum. He knew the patterns of how often the boats and trains would come, and it was then a challenge to the whole family to make sure it happened and to execute on it properly. Explore how the celebrity world connects. He just really capped it off and said what we all were thinking. This Jerry Buss, the playboy owner of the Los Angeles Lakers who died last month, has left his sprawling Hawaii digs and hot wheels to his much younger girlfriend. Thats why we got together so much. This was like brothers. He said, I think the desire to be an owner left when my dad passed away. You could say he and Steinbrenner were the first to grow probably bigger than the franchise. Everything changed for I get up, I go there at 10 a.m. to his office (at the Forum) and they tell me I have to wait, Dr. Buss is in a meeting with Jerry West. Their parents divorced in 1972, leaving her feeling emotionally abandoned. In addition, the fund was used for two endowed chairs and an endowed scholarship fund for students with a chemistry degree. We had some pretty decent teams at the time, I just didnt think we were ready to take that next level. When I wanted to get into the theatre business, he was the one who connected me with everybody. In 1974, Buss produced a movie named Black Eye starring former gridiron star Fred "the Hammer" Williamson. (Fast forward to the Finals) against Indiana, and in the 4th quarter and my dad grabs me and Jesse with a minute left in the game, and he says, We gotta go! He just took us down to the court. 1963). Wed watch Lakers games together before he bought the team, and all hed talk about was, Someday Im gonna own that team. And (a couple of years later) he did. His vision and creating an organization where we all felt like a family, and we all felt very important to him. With Dr. Buss in particular, I had surgery on my left wrist after my rookie year. We would see each other during the summer, and I remember playing against the Lakers in those preseason games in Las Vegas, and he was always kind and always made sure he came to say hi. to be in the 2003 season, where the Sparks made the Finals but were beaten by Magic was like his third son after Jimmy and Johnny before Jesse and Joey were born. Any age group, any ethnic group. I remember him calling me into his office, and we sat and we chatted for 10 minutes, and then there was a piece of paper that he had on his desk. Buss not only played poker for fun, but he also made a career in poker games as he participated in the 1991 World Series of Poker Tournament. In February that year, Jeanie removed Jim from his role and hired Magic Johnson, a Lakers legend, as the president of basketball operations. Moreover, Jerry made an advertising agreement for the naming rights to The Forum with Great Western Bank. You might already have assumed that this businessman and owner of an NBA basketball team is a multi-millionaire. Worthy, Riley, Magic, Cooper, and Buss Celebrate the 1987 Title. We talked about his vision, and all types of things. contracts of two other senior Lakers staff, partly because they kept Magic That was it. Dr. Buss is walking around, hes in the (various) rooms, hes hanging out, talking to people, shaking hands. You focus on star players like Kobe and Shaq when youre a kid. He went from playing, to (working with) Chick, to assistant coach to a head coach in what, two and a half years? He was so cool when he introduced himself, so laid back. Dr. Buss liked to go the horse races at Hollywood Park, and he was great at picking winners. This California farm kingdom holds a key, Six people, including mother and baby, killed in Tulare County; drug cartel suspected, Im afraid for her life: Riverside CC womens coach harassed after Title IX suit, New Bay Area maps show hidden flood risk from sea level rise and groundwater, These are the 101 best restaurants in Los Angeles, Usain Bolt missing $12.7 million from account, attorneys say, Southern California high school girls basketball rankings, USC switches strategies to deal with daunting 2023 football schedule, Damar Hamlin has started making regular visits to Bills practice facility, coach says, NHL backs Ivan Provorovs decision to boycott Pride celebration because of religion. Because every family member of the Buss family Ive ever met knows how to treat people. Rookie owner, rookie player and we did it. Jerry West called it the Shaq Diet. The championship in 1985 stands out because wed just beaten the Celtics, and Dr. Buss was as proud as hes ever been of any team. Dr. Buss never sat and waited a month or two. Jerry Buss's age was 80 years old at the time of his death. It began when Dr. Buss purchased his dream. his eye off the ball academically. Therefore, viewers must be curious to find out whether Buss sons ended up working with the LA Lakers. He understood that I needed that, and I would have been lost out here in this big city. Id just moved up to live with him in Playa Vista in 2006, and late one night after a game he was drinking wine. The Forum and Staples Center served as the gathering place for actors, TV stars, other athletes and of course always the loyal fans to watch Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and another of his creations, the Laker Girls. restaurant in the Forum into a nightclub, bringing glitz, glamour, and celebrities Stern said, The NBA has lost a visionary owner whose influence on our league Dr. Jerry Buss was a larger-than-life character whose impact on US sports can still be felt today, nearly a decade after his passing. Dr. Buss said how proud he was of us to be there in the Finals, and it was just a nice moment. Magic was way ahead of the game, and now Kobe Bryant and LeBron James and some of these guys have been (following in those footsteps) in business. A few times a year, especially if Dr. Buss traveled with the team, wed sit down and hed ask my opinion about certain things with the team, which I really appreciated his confidence in me. Source: Los Angeles Times, Lakers expected to remain a Buss family-owned team, Mike Bresnahan, Feb. 19, 2013. And I remember a nice gesture from him, when I signed my extension during my third year, and I had to have a back surgery. Our first year! And then we went to the hotel and we danced all night. Or hed ask us about contracts, and certain trade scenarios. We were just talking friend to friend. And I know when it was all done, Dr. Buss was just very proud. So it was really a family. Meghan Markle. Jerry's inner circle entourage included John Rockwell, Ron and David Wilder, Miguel A. Nunez, Lance Davis, Mark Fulton, and Brian J. Sadler. the team to watch, but the Forum was the place to be in Los Angeles in the 80s. *Jan. 11, 1980: the Lakers won 123-100. Since his death, there When we won Game 4 in the Garden, that was the big difference. Im sitting there wondering what the hell is going on. He wasnt born in Los Angeles, but it was his home, and he loved it here. We drafted Ronny, were ready to sign him, but first we sent him in for a physical exam. I thank him for not telling Jerry West, No, I dont want him, I want you to find somebody else.. later rounds. He didnt want to go fast. They won the NBA After the first time we lost to the Celtics in 2008, Dr. Buss and I talked and I said, Man I feel bad, we lost to the Celtics, I never want to bring that heartache to you and this organization ever again. He said, No, it sucks losing to them. I said, I promise to you well never lose to those (expletive) again. And then we wound up beating them two years later, and we thoroughly enjoyed that, by the way, after we beat them in Game 7. I went there in the morning, and it was rare, because Pau never wakes up in the morning to work out! He wanted it to be entertainment mixed in with a great team, and he was fortunate enough that he had a great team. Who Is Jerry Buss Mom & Dad? Regarding her time managing Strings, she said, Basically, my dad bought me the team. When he bought the team, there were literally two prices: the downstairs and the upstairs. Well, without much revealing, let us jump right into the deep biography of Jerry Buss, starting with some quick facts. So I immersed myself into the college game and wanted to be that for my dad, so we wouldnt take up a lot of cap space, but we could still get valuable role players. The very first time that I met him was when he had purchased the team from Jack Kent Cooke. I was a little uptight, and didnt really know what to expect, so my first impression just totally relaxed me. Buss was an owner of the Phoenix location of the Playboy Club. He had a lot to prove: a lot of people looked at him, because he didnt wear a suit and tie, he came in as a different owner. At the time, we were marveling at how much a Michael Jordan rookie card was in the early 1990s. There was no social media, nothing to really distract you. Regarding her time within the organization, Jeanie once said, Yes, I was given a privileged position at a young age. Dr. Buss also provided resources for scholarships at Wyoming and USC, and endowed the Magic Johnson Scholarship at Michigan State University. Pat Riley had a great speech about that. Buss purchased the team, reported to be worth around $1 billion, in 1979. Dr. Buss was one of those guys. Our 1987 team was just loaded, so we expected to win every game in the playoffs. I remember the locker room celebration with Dr. Buss after we won Game 6 in L.A., and he was just like the rest of us sitting at the bar just talking and kibitzing. online casino news, guides, reviews and information since 1995. This was the first of 10 He was like, The contract is good. Many of those people offered their favorite stories about what made Dr. Buss who he was in advance of Dr. Buss night on Feb. 10, 2020. We had several specialists look at him, and got a call from the guy at Stanford University, and he said, Im not worried about Ronny dying on the basketball court, I'm worried about Ronny dropping dead walking down the street. At that point, Ronny wasnt at Gonzaga anymore, so they didnt have health insurance for him; we hadnt signed him, so we werent responsible for his healthcare, and he had no personal healthcare insurance. I became a real big Kobe fan because of that, and wed go to the card store, and Id try so hard to get as many Kobe Lower Merion cards, and rookie cards as I could find. She also terminated the It became a happening. I think his father was a coal miner, if I remember correctly, and we shared a lot of personal things that you share if you like each other. In my rookie year, my first meeting with Dr. Buss, I didnt speak English. [2], In 1990, Buss reached a settlement out of court in a palimony suit filed by Puppi Buss, who said that she had an on-and-off relationship with Buss for 15 years, and also alleged that he fathered her son;[18][19] details of the settlement were not revealed. an angel. I was there with my wife; wed just gotten married the year before. On the personal front, Jeanie was in a long-term relationship with Phil Jackson, the Lakers coach, during two separate stints. Brown would make a And there were always all these hours spent talking basketball, and him trying to prep me for a bigger role. He was so quick. His father, Lydus, match and be entertained because Buss had a vision that sports should give an We took a little bit longer to know each other, but he was great for me and for my family. Thats what he basically said. And he was also awarded the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement in 1983. WNBA history to dunk in a game. I think thats what he always wanted, for this to be a family business, where we all work together. He would surprise you. Not only did Dr. Buss want a dance team to entertain on the court during halftime and quarter breaks, but he also wanted to show that there were talented young ladies who are great brand ambassadors. Ultimately we came back and made another offer and Lamar took it. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. How he figured out our monetary system, the Coast Guard, customs, the first inspector general of the Army ridiculous. the NBAs LA Lakers, the NHLs LA Kings, The Forum indoor arena, and a He was in the pass, he was in the deflection. American businessman and professional chemist Jerry Buss lived up to the milestone of 80 years along with his partner, Karen Demel. Didnt speak English a couple of years later ) he did year, my first impression totally. When youre a kid with my wife ; wed just gotten married the year.! 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