March 6, 2013
I am well behind the 8 Ball with regards to giving Dr. Jerry Buss his props and joining in the accolades for probably the most popular and influential man in L.A. – so I say it now: Dr. Jerry Buss should truly be called Dr. Los Angeles – as he probably provided L.A. with what it needed to shine for-over-the-last-30-years-or-so: a show-time basketball team: the original reality TV.
I would jokingly say that it was the piss-poor play of the 2012-13 Lakers that killed the great man (unless it was pancreatic cancer that he succumbed to [because that stuff gets you fast]); but I don’t know what cancer Dr. L.A. had, nor how long he had been dealing with it.
What DID blow me away was the eloquence and articulateness of each-of-the-sports personalities who eulogized him. Without teleprompters or notes (at least from what I could discern [except for Pat Riley — who could have cut his eulogy short by nearly 2/3s]), Laker-after-Laker took the podium and framed beautiful, heart-felt statements to Dr. Buss.
On second thought, I should have known that our local athletes (so close to Hollyweird and having microphones thrust in their faces so often) would have made up for their lack-of-a-four-year-college education and be able to speak well. I guess that becoming a pro athlete young – puts a public speaking education experience on the fast track (Toast Masters on steroids). I certainly hope that some of my students, or readers of Dr.’s Inn, might research this possible link, and, see if it can be generalized to others not interested in education because; ironically, White Man Riley seemed to come off as the least educated of the eulogists.
But the most powerful aspect I picked up from each-of-them was a profound love and respect for Dr. Jerry Buss. He seems to have positively and constructively “touched” everyone with whom he came into contact.
And speaking of contact, apparently Dr. Los Angeles fully understood the Hugh Hefner lifestyle and went after those young ladies (or let them come to him?). A buddy of mine reminded me of Dr. L.A.’s fierce womanizing (probably out of jealousy): but for a guy who could afford to do it – what fellow wouldn’t? And I don’t remember women coming out of the woodwork (like Arnold Gropees) complaining about ill treatment by Dr. Buss. I don’t exactly know when he divorced the mother of his children – but I can’t remember a slanderous comment or any woman talking shit about Dr. L.A. over-the-past-30 years that I’ve been reading my beloved LA Times (well perhaps there was one reported incident many-years-ago). So, considering a relatively spotless track record – Dr. L.A. must have treated his ladies as-well-as he treated everybody else: no mean feat in the land of glitz, glamour, sex, and…well…and show time! Jerry B must have been the ultimate knight in a former life – as he apparently practiced honor and chivalry in this one.
What a man! I am envious that I never met the fellow nor had a substantive conversation about him with someone who knew him well. I certainly wish that I could have done a-couple-of-nights on-the-town with ol’ Dr. L.A.: one night would have been anywhere of his choice – but the other night would have had to be a double date with him: even if it was with a former squeeze he was trying to shake loose. I would have had no problems with Dr. L.A.’s seconds (or Hugh’s) – because I doubt they were sloppy and I certainly could not have afforded them on my own.