Cancer got him, but kidney failure at 80 did him in. Los Angeles Lakers owner Jerry Buss dies after cancer battle - NBA News | FOX Sports on MSN After growing up in poverty in Wyoming, he earned success in academia, aerospace and real estate before discovering his favorite vocation when he bought the Los Angeles Lakers in 1979. While Buss wrote the checks and fostered partnerships with two generations of basketball greats, the Lakers won 10 NBA titles and became a glamorous worldwide brand. With a scientist's analytical skills, a playboy's flair, a businessman's money-making savvy and a die-hard hoops fan's heart, Buss fashioned the Lakers into a remarkable sports entity. They became a nightly happening, often defined by just one word coined by Buss: Showtime.
I wonder what will happen with the Lakers' "Family Feud" now? I think Jeanie Buss does well enough, but I'm not so certain about her brother. Statements like "Andrew Bynum is the only player we won't trade" doesn't inspire a lot of confidence. Hopefully they can pull together a couple of additional basketball minds to keep the franchise running smoothly. His first big decision is what to do with the "Tin Man", Dwight Howard...
