The Official Los Angeles Lakers thread

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^^^Don't trip, everything will fal into place by the season opener.

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Interview With Jeanie Buss

by Michael Eaves / September 29, 2006

Growing up a Buss in Los Angeles, what was that like?

Jeanie Buss: My father didn't buy the Forum until I was a senior in high school. So for most of the time I didn't have to deal with people calling and asking me for tickets to the playoffs, concerts or whatever. But certainly being in my family growing up, we've always just been together through sports and through business and working. And certainly my father buying the Lakers was something special in that first year. The first thing he did as an owner with the Lakers was draft Magic Johnson and then his first year as owner he won a championship. So I don't know, it's magical really.

Were you a sports fan before that, or a Laker fan before that?

JB: You know, actually my dad really loved sports and so what we would do with our family times was to watch sports, go to sporting events, and he particularly chose to attend Southern California because they had such a
good football team. So when I was a little girl we went to all the football games, all the track meets, we went to Dodger games, Hollywood Park, Santa Anita. Sports has always been a way our family has interacted. Sports brings communities together, families together, and it is certainly how our family came together over our love for sports, and USC and LA teams.

I have a pretty good feeling, Jeanie, that you were popular in high school. Did that popularity go up after your dad bought the Lakers? How did you deal with that?

JB: After I graduated from high school, I attended the University of Southern California as well. Having the last name Buss, you really couldn't hide, so any time a professor would call my name, the reaction would be,
'Are you part of the Buss family?' It would start a lot of conversations and I would gain a lot of new friends I never had before (laughs).

Never short of a date were you?

JB: Never (laughing).

You are in a very unique situation. Not only do you work with your family, but you work with your boyfriend too. So many people would love to go to work and see their dad, their brother, and their spouse, or their significant other. How is that?

JB: Well, trust me, as I've said before, I might be the poster child for not mixing business with your personal life. Certainly it has its advantages – to be able to spend time with my boyfriend and family – but sometimes it has created different pressures and I wouldn't recommend it for everybody, but it has worked for me to a certain extent and I wouldn't really trade it for any other situation.

How did you deal with that when Phil Jackson left the team? I know it is tough because you have your boyfriend on one side and your dad and organization on the other.

JB: Yeah, you know sometimes when I'm talking with my dad, I said 'when Phil got fired', he says 'he didn't get fired, his contract wasn't renewed.' I go, 'okay, whatever.' That was probably that toughest time of my life. It
really was because I saw that Phil wasn't really ready to go and I think he felt he had more to do with this organization. But now when you look back at it, it really worked out for the best. Phil needed some time off. I
didn't know what was going to happen to our relationship. As it turns out our relationship became stronger because we did have that distance between us and now he's back (laughing).

Did his departure affect your relationship with your dad?

JB: No, because I understood why the decision was made. And certainly that's difficult in this business because you become friends with the people you work with in this business and when you have to trade a player or change coaches, it hurts. But if you continue to always be true to the bottom line and be true to the mission statement of winning a championship, then you do things based on that and if it means trading a player or making a coaching change, that's what you do.

But a lot of people give you credit for Phil coming back to the Lakers too. How much were you involved in that decision and how much credit should you receive for that?

JB: Well, certainly it was my fondest wish for him to return but we had a coach under contract who had signed a five-year contract and the organization was moving on. What I really wanted to see was Phil go back to work in the NBA and I didn't want to see him retired because I knew it wasn't on his terms. So I was working on Phil to come back to the NBA whether it was to take a job such as the New York Knicks or another job in the NBA. I wanted him to go back and leave the NBA on his terms as opposed to someone else's. And then when things transpired and we had a coach who needed to step down due to health reasons, well, then the Lakers job became available so of course personally that's what I wanted to see but I don't make those decisions. I don't make the basketball decisions. But, certainly, I definitely put in my suggestion.

And dad would always listen to his little girl, right?

JB: Ummm.

He might not do what she said, but he'd listen?

JB: He will always listen, yes, and that's something he has always given me – respect. And he's given me confidence because he believes in me.

How is it having such a high-profile relationship? I mean this city's full of them, but yours is still unique because you're basically the employer and you're dating your employee, as it relates to the job function. How is that in this city?

JB: A producer approached me about basing a television show on my relationship with my father and my boyfriend. He thought that would be interesting, but we'll see what happens with that. But certainly I think I
give Phil an understanding of how an organization works from the business side. Sometimes the basketball people think us marketing people ruin the game because we play music and make too much noise and so I try to explain things from that side. We don't always agree but at least I give him a background of why decisions are made in terms of the business. I don't think it makes a difference to what happens on the court, but certainly Phil knows I am here. I have his back. I am here to support him and I hope that helps make his job easier.

So its been a learning process for both of you in terms of you probably learn a lot more about the X's and O's of basketball and he's learning more about why the marketing aspect is so beneficial to a franchise

JB: Yes, and I've learned that coaches can do no right in an organization. It's kind of like you draft players then you give them to the coach and either he does a good job or he does a bad job. It's never about the players, it's always about the job that the coach does. And certainly coaches are paid well enough to have that pressure put on them, but it seems that you know.. I mean I know how hard Phil works and when I hear peoples say, 'Oh Phil just sits there on the sidelines, is he asleep?' They have no idea how much effort he puts in and everything he does is about winning and there is no other option for him. I guess I've learned I am a little more protective of the coaching position because I know the work that is involved and maybe that makes me a little bit of a better executive.

They're not just talking about your head coach, they're talking about your boyfriend too, right?

JB: Yeah, (laughs) but I am the first one to say, 'Why didn't you call a timeout?'

Are you his toughest critic? Are you on him more than anybody?

JB: Yes, and when I ask that question, he explains that there are so many layers as to what is going on in a basketball game. But as fans we just get caught in the momentum – 'keep that player in or don't take that guy
out' – or whatever. And you know its about matchups, it's about momentum, it's about keeping track of fouls, and you know there is just so much going on. Thank goodness he's got the mind to keep that all straight. But, he
isn't trying to torture anybody by not calling a timeout, that's for sure.

Several times I've been on the radio and people talk about your relationship with Phil Jackson. What is that like for you to hear on the radio everyone talking about your relationship, because that's not something most people go through.

JB: (laughs) Well, I don't think we're Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

Not quite that level, absolutely not.

JB: You know, I hope people know that it doesn't compromise my position or his position. That we'd never make our relationship detrimental to the team; that we're professionals, we're adults and I don't think it's ever put in jeopardy anything that has to do with the team winning or losing.

Do you believe there is too much focus put on your relationship?

JB: Actually, I think the media has been really good about it. I think about if we were in New York and even when there was talk about Phil maybe going to coach the Knicks and how the New York media all of a sudden became my new best friend. I was getting calls from writers, 'you like New York, don't you?' 'You're not going to stop him from coming, are you?' 'Will you move to New York?' 'Do you want a position with the Knicks?' I'm like, 'Oh my gosh, this is crazy.' And so, I think the media in L.A. has been respectful and certainly probably because of Hollywood and those type of relationships, they're used to it. So I don't think it got overblown. I'm sure people are tired of hearing about it, but I don't think it really caused any distraction.

Are you tired of people wondering when you are getting married?

JB: (Laughs) We're not getting married. You know that speculation was there for a while. I think certainly I was looking for something more, a stronger commitment because I knew at some point that Phil would leave the
Lakers and I didn't know what that meant to our relationship. Well, now we've been through it and now I know that our relationship isn't about business. It is something completely different. I don't feel that same need as before, and our relationship is going on seven years now and I think that speaks for itself.

So you're like Oprah and Steadman.

JB: A little bit (laughs). Just not as much money.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Kwame Brown & Maurice Evans Interviewed

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VVV LMAO@Devean George getting owned in the NBA 2K7 manual VVV

DEAVEAN GEORGE WANTS REVENGE-



LMAO.

[LAKERS_FAN89]

VVV LMAO@Devean George getting owned in the NBA 2K7 manual VVV

DEAVEAN GEORGE WANTS REVENGE-



LMAO.

HAHAHA he ain going get revenge L'UP

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

81 Pages!

[Stone Cold is Bout It, Bout It]

Let's dedicate this Page to Kobe a.k.a the GOAT 

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/7m1mKBmyxqM" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/7m1mKBmyxqM</a>

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/0OpfFG2mQyM" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/0OpfFG2mQyM</a>

[LAKERS_FAN89]

let review 81 once again....let me break it down...im bringin LAKERS back (YEAH) those other motherfucker suns fan dont how to act (yeah) when we show who da best!!! L'UP

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Jordan Farmar Video Interview

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REACTION TO KOBE'S HISTORICAL 81

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It's All About Defense at the Start of Laker Camp

By Mike Bresnahan, Times Staff Writer
October 4, 2006


The Lakers would just as soon forget their final three games of last season, which included a lot of Steve Nash, a little bit of Tim Thomas and then a lot more of Nash.

What was a cozy 3-1 lead dissipated quickly amid the revival of the Phoenix Suns, who ran rampant over the Lakers and averaged 120.3 points in the final three games of their first-round playoff series.

The Suns were a surge of offense against most teams last season, but Lakers coaches still forced themselves a few weeks ago to watch tape of their series. A sampling of what they saw: Nash continually blowing by Lakers guards and little or no help from the big men.

Fast forward to Tuesday, the first day of training camp, and the Lakers barely touched the triangle offense, centering instead on defense.

"We're basically doing the same things we tried to get across to the players last year, but we obviously fell and had great lapses throughout the season in games and in critical situations," said assistant coach Kurt Rambis, who will run the team during Phil Jackson's absence. "Hopefully our guys will understand that as soon as they go from offense that it's not a pat on the back and a sigh of relief — they're immediately into defense and they can turn that around to create some more offense for us."

Kobe Bryant, watching practice from a courtside massage table after a light individual workout, estimated that 85% to 90% of Tuesday's four-hour session was geared toward defense.

Bryant, for his part, was back on the all-defensive team last season after failing to make it there the year before. The Lakers as a whole also improved, rising to 15th in points allowed after plummeting to 27th in the league in 2004-05.

The offense, buoyed by Bryant's 35.4 point per game, rose to seventh overall, but the defense simply wasn't effective enough when it mattered.

"If we're going to make the playoffs and think about advancing and trying to beat some of the top teams in the league, my man [Bryant] is not going to get 81 three games in a row or nothing like that," forward Lamar Odom said. "We didn't win enough what I would call ugly games. If you watch the Detroits, they do a good job of that. The Miami Heat, even the Dallas Mavericks to get to the championship, that's what you've got to do. We've got to improve on winning ugly, and defense will help you."

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Mihm Back In 2 Weeks Minimum

By Mike Bresnahan, Times Staff Writer
October 4, 2006

Center Chris Mihm ran for the first time since undergoing ankle surgery in July. Mihm, who logged about 10 minutes on a treadmill Tuesday, will be sidelined at least two more weeks.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Odom seeking to solidify role as team leader

By KEVIN DING
The Orange County Register
EL SEGUNDO – Lakers coach Phil Jackson said early last season he would observe Lamar Odom and make a determination whether Odom merited status as a team captain with Kobe Bryant. Jackson never gave Odom the official designation.

But Bryant began regularly waving to Odom and saying: "Come with me." So Odom became Bryant's regular partner at pregame meetings with referees and opposing captains.

This season, Odom is hoping to clarify his leadership position. Just as he did after his grandmother's death in 2003, Odom is attempting to take the grimness of his infant son's death June 28 as an impetus to grow more serious about his profession.

"I'm into this mature thing right now," Odom said Tuesday. "I'm as focused as ever."

Although Odom spent the last month of his offseason resuming his exercise program while in New York, the opening of Lakers training camp Tuesday was Odom's first time on the court since early July.

Kurt Rambis, the Lakers' acting coach while Jackson recovers from hip surgery, couldn't help but notice amid all the teaching and defensive drills that Odom was having a ball.

"I was happy to see Lamar smile," Rambis said. "He brought energy. He was vocal out there. You could see he was focused, wanting to do the right things, run the drills the right way and be more of a leader."

With Jackson away and Bryant on the sidelines in sandals because of July 13 knee surgery, Odom has increased stature on the court.

Bryant advised Odom during the summer to focus on holding his family together and not to worry about basketball, though it was likely to serve eventually as a mind cleanser.

"That's something we talked about," Bryant said. "Ever since we were kids, the game has always been a refuge."

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Odom Finding Focus/Jackson on the Mend

11:28 PM PDT on Tuesday, October 3, 2006
By BRODERICK TURNER
The Press-Enterprise
 
Odom Matures

EL SEGUNDO - Sometime in early July, Lamar Odom played full-court basketball. It was the last time he played in a five-on-five game until Tuesday.

Odom has searched for some normalcy in his life since June, and he may have found a measure of it during the Lakers' first day of training camp practice.

His 6˝-month-old son, Jayden, died from sudden infant death syndrome in his crib in June and Odom and his family have been in mourning since.

Basketball was the last thing on Odom's mind.

But he was back with his basketball family playing a game he considered briefly skipping this season.

Odom said he felt his timing coming back. He said his back was tight after the three-plus-hour practice and that he planned on taking an ice bath.

In many ways, as much as Odom needed his teammates there for him, they also needed Odom to be the leader since Kobe Bryant remains out recovering from right knee surgery.

"You know what's so funny, I guess from the career that I've had, from my personality to my off-the-court situation this summer, I think naturally that's going to come out," Odom said. "With him (Bryant) being here or without him, of course on the court, that's something that I'm looking forward to.

"It's kind of my personality anyway to be talkative and talk to everybody. Keep focused. I don't know. I'm into this mature thing right now, so I guess I'm trying to lead by example, as well as be myself. I'm really into the game. I'm focused as ever. So I definitely want to step into that role."

Odom even talked about how he had become unraveled mentally when officials made calls he disagreed with.

The loss of his son has made Odom take stock in himself.

"I promised to myself, I vowed to myself this year that when a referee makes a call to stay away from it so I can keep myself in the game mentally as well," Odom said.

Seeing Odom back to his old effervescent self was a welcome sight for the Lakers.

"I was happy to see Lamar smile," Lakers assistant coach Kurt Rambis said. "He brought energy. He was vocal out there. You could see that he was focused, wanting to do the right things, run the drills the right way, be more of a leader out there. But for him and all the things that he had to go through this summer, it was just good to see him smile and be out there on the court again."

Jackson on the Mend

Lakers coach Phil Jackson had successful right hip replacement surgery Tuesday and should be released from the hospital today.

Lakers public relations director John Black said Jackson had a 45-minute procedure and should be fully weight-bearing. Jackson will be re-evaluated next week and has no timetable for his return to the Lakers' training camp.

Black said Jackson, 61, has a non-cemented implant with a metal head and a highly cross-linked polyurethane cup.

Jackson had surgery at Centinela Hospital Medical Center and it was performed by Dr. Lawrence Dorr of the Arthritis Institute in Inglewood.

Jackson said at media day Monday that he plans on being ready to coach the Lakers on opening night, Oct. 31 against the Phoenix Suns at Staples Center, and that he hopes to coach in at least one exhibition game.

"I heard everything went well for him," said Bryant, who sat on the sideline during practice Tuesday. "Hopefully we'll have him back sooner rather than later."

[Teddy Roosevelt]

^^That's good to here about Odom.