RIP Jerry Buss

[Uncle.Ruckus]

**** the running thread.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-lakers-jerry-buss-hospitalized-20130214,0,6683573.story

 

[BTExpress]

Re: Jerry Buss has terminal cancer


One of the greatest self-made success stories you'll ever see.

 

[Songbird]

Re: Jerry Buss has terminal cancer

He made growing up in L.A. in the '80s one of the great joys in life.

Our season tickets were right below his. A large group of lovely ladies always surrounded him.

 

[MileHigh]

Re: Jerry Buss has terminal cancer

He made growing up in L.A. in the '80s one of the great joys in life.

Ditto. One of -- if not the -- greatest owners in sports.

 

[Songbird]

Re: Jerry Buss has terminal cancer

I went to 10-15 Lazers games, too.

 

[Norrin Radd]

Re: Jerry Buss has terminal cancer

A tale of the tape pitting him against Steinbrenner for greatest owner of the last 40 years would have Buss decidedly ahead in two pivotal categories:

Number of Championships (10 to Six)

Type of character associated with that made him look a bit unsavory (Young women vs. gamblers)

The conversation here when George died:

http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/78610/

 

[Mizzougrad96]

Re: Jerry Buss has terminal cancer

Even as much as I hated those Lakers and the current team as well, that Lakers team from the 1980s was one of the most fun to watch ever...

But has it been officially confirmed that he's dying from cancer and it's not actually watching D'Antoni's team play this season? OK... Bad joke...

As Mile High pointed out, arguably one of the best owners in professional sports history...

One of the rare owners who seems universally beloved by just about everyone who has ever played for any of his teams.

 

[heyabbott]

Re: Jerry Buss has terminal cancer

A tale of the tape pitting him against Steinbrenner for greatest owner of the last 40 years would have Buss decidedly ahead in two pivotal categories:

Number of Championships (10 to Six)

Type of character associated with that made him look a bit unsavory (Young women vs. gamblers)

The conversation here when George died:

http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/78610/

Without disagreeing with the premise that Buss is a great owner and better than Steinbrenner. The NBA has had about 10 different Champions since Buss bought the team in 1979. In the same time frame MLB has had 20 different Champions. And in that time frame the NBA has had 4 teams win only one Championship, Phiily, Seattle, Dallas and Miami. Celtics, Lakers, Pistons, Bulls, Rockets and Spurs have won 29 of the last 33 Finals. OTOH MLB has the Yankees (5), Dodgers, Cardinals(3), Twins, Blue Jays, Marlins, Phillies, Giants and Red Sox having won 2 or more championships.

I don't know why, but between the NBA (salary cap) and MLB (non salary cap), baseball has greater parity and apparent depth of talent.

This takes nothing away from Buss' accomplishments and a deserving spot on the Mt Rushmore of Sports ownership since WWII

 

[Mizzougrad96]

Re: Jerry Buss has terminal cancer

A tale of the tape pitting him against Steinbrenner for greatest owner of the last 40 years would have Buss decidedly ahead in two pivotal categories:

Number of Championships (10 to Six)

Type of character associated with that made him look a bit unsavory (Young women vs. gamblers)

The conversation here when George died:

http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/78610/

Without disagreeing with the premise that Buss is a great owner and better than Steinbrenner. The NBA has had about 10 different Champions since Buss bought the team in 1979. In the same time frame MLB has had 20 different Champions. And in that time frame the NBA has had 4 teams win only one Championship, Phiily, Seattle, Dallas and Miami. Celtics, Lakers, Pistons, Bulls, Rockets and Spurs have won 29 of the last 33 Finals.

I don't know why, but between the NBA (salary cap) and MLB (non salary cap), baseball has greater parity and apparent depth of talent.

This takes nothing away from Buss' accomplishments and a deserving spot on the Mt Rushmore of Sports ownership since WWII

The lack of parity in the NBA is pretty amazing... I think some of that has to do with if you get a superstar at the level of Shaq, Bird, Kobe, Jordan, Magic, LeBron... you're pretty likely to win multiple championships and most of those guys don't move around much. Bird. Magic and Kobe all were on the same team for their entire careers (so far), and Jordan just had the Wizards during NBA stint No. 3. (That's 19 of the titles right there...)

 

[BTExpress]

Re: Jerry Buss has terminal cancer

I don't know why, but between the NBA (salary cap) and MLB (non salary cap), baseball has greater parity and apparent depth of talent.

1-2 HOFers on your team mean everything in the NBA. They touch the ball almost every possession. Means little in baseball, where your top two players will only get 8-10 whacks (out of about 35-40). And even if you amass a HOF pitching staff, its window of opportunity before one or more players break down is pretty small.

Salary cap doesn't mean a whole lot if the cap is pillow soft (Lakers are at about 172% of the cap).

Positions mean more in baseball. A basketball team can acquire anyone and just make room for him. Baseball team might have a hard time signing a free agent All-Star catcher or 3B if they already have stars at those positions already in place.

 

[Elliotte Friedman]

Re: Jerry Buss has terminal cancer

They told a great story on the Lakers broadcast last night: I think it was Kupchak who asked Buss what his budget was players, and Buss answered, "Depends on which player."

We had Butch Carter on our radio show yesterday and he was talking about this. Buss understood that you needed stars and he would take care of them. He'd make sure everyone was taken care of, but in LA, the Magics, the Jabbars, the Bryants and ONeals were extra special.

Carter also said Buss always tried to make sure he had the best coaches (this season notwithstanding) -- Bill Sharman, Pat Riley, Phil Jackson and that if he hired a Jerry West, he'd also hire a bright young exec to learn from him (Kupchak).

 

[heyabbott]

Re: Jerry Buss has terminal cancer

They told a great story on the Lakers broadcast last night: I think it was Kupchak who asked Buss what his budget was players, and Buss answered, "Depends on which player."

We had Butch Carter on our radio show yesterday and he was talking about this. Buss understood that you needed stars and he would take care of them. He'd make sure everyone was taken care of, but in LA, the Magics, the Jabbars, the Bryants and ONeals were extra special.

Carter also said Buss always tried to make sure he had the best coaches (this season notwithstanding) -- Bill Sharman, Pat Riley, Phil Jackson and that if he hired a Jerry West, he'd also hire a bright young exec to learn from him (Kupchak).

And that's why owning a professional sports team, even though a business, is not the way to make a living or even earn money. Supreme Douche bags, like Peter Angelos and Bill Bidwell bottom line every single decision, from the type of shower towel the players use in the locker room to the number of quality scouts employed to which players are on the roster and which managers run the organization.

Does Buss make money on the Lakers, I'm sure he does. But the decisions made for the team are driven by whether or not the team is on a championship path. Making a playoff run is not the definition of success any more than increasing the marginal rate of profit.

 

[BTExpress]

Re: Jerry Buss has terminal cancer

Carter also said Buss always tried to make sure he had the best coaches (this season notwithstanding) -- Bill Sharman, Pat Riley, Phil Jackson and that if he hired a Jerry West, he'd also hire a bright young exec to learn from him (Kupchak).

Except that Buss had to be dragged kicking and screaming to accept Riley as a head coach.

Buss wanted West to take the job when Westhead was let go. West wanted no part of it. West kept pushing for Riley, said he was a real student of the game and the best candidate. Buss could not see it. So they had a screwed-up news conference in which West was appointed "offensive coach" and that Riley (an assistant under Westhead) would "stay as coach." Buss said West would handle postgame interviews and such.

No ****ing way, West decided. So West ended the charade then and there, stunning Buss by announcing that "I'm going to be working for and with Pat Riley. I feel in my heart he is the head coach."

 

[Norrin Radd]

Re: Jerry Buss has terminal cancer

Someone told me the other day they think Mark Cuban has a case for Best Sports Owner.

 

[Liut]

Re: Jerry Buss has terminal cancer

I've always enjoyed the story, and I've heard him tell it, of completing the deal with Cooke. He pulled up a chair, took it to the middle of the Forum floor, sat down and had a very satisfying smoke.

"You've come a long way, baby."

I've sometimes wondered how the Kings would have evolved if Dr. Buss had stayed in the NHL. He obviously understood star power, and probably would have pulled off the Gretzky trade as easily as McNall. Got the impression he sold after dealing with the staid, backward-thinking, old-boy owners of Wirtz, McMullen, Ballard ilk.

As it is, hope Dr. Buss is at peace and pain free.

 

[Gehrig]

Re: Jerry Buss has terminal cancer

http://www.sportando.net/eng/usa/nba/51222/lakers-owner-jerry-buss-passed-away.html

RIP Jerry Buss

 

[Chef2]

Re: Jerry Buss has terminal cancer

@Mike_Bresnahan: Lakers owner Jerry Buss passed away this morning. A sad day for L.A

 

[Uncle.Ruckus]

Thread title updated. RIP, Mr. Buss.

 

[MileHigh]

RIP to not only a Los Angeles legend but a sports legend. A very sad day.

 

[Norrin Radd]

One of the greats. A model sports owner, if not always a model citizen. Helped provide my hometown with many great memories.

RIP.