1 00:00:06,094 --> 00:00:08,387 The National Basketball Association 2 00:00:08,388 --> 00:00:10,806 captured the sports headlines this week 3 00:00:10,807 --> 00:00:13,267 with the brouhaha in Los Angeles. 4 00:00:13,268 --> 00:00:16,646 On Wednesday, Lakers superstar Magic Johnson 5 00:00:16,647 --> 00:00:20,107 decided he was unhappy, demanded to be traded. 6 00:00:20,108 --> 00:00:21,484 The NBA leader in assists 7 00:00:21,485 --> 00:00:23,945 and the steals averaging 17 points a game 8 00:00:23,946 --> 00:00:25,655 demanded Wednesday night to be traded, 9 00:00:25,656 --> 00:00:27,823 if Paul Westhead remained as coach. 10 00:00:27,824 --> 00:00:31,702 - Well, Magic got his wish. Coach Paul Westhead was canned. 11 00:00:31,703 --> 00:00:33,871 - Paul Westhead has been fired as the coach 12 00:00:33,872 --> 00:00:36,499 of the Los Angeles Lakers after the team star, 13 00:00:36,500 --> 00:00:38,626 Magic Johnson, said he wanted to be traded. 14 00:00:38,627 --> 00:00:40,211 Paul Westhead, the people said 15 00:00:40,212 --> 00:00:41,546 that you might have been responsible 16 00:00:41,547 --> 00:00:43,089 for him leaving the organization. 17 00:00:43,090 --> 00:00:46,050 - All I asked was, "I want to be traded," 18 00:00:46,051 --> 00:00:49,387 and then all the other things came out. 19 00:00:49,388 --> 00:00:51,931 - I went on David Letterman, 20 00:00:51,932 --> 00:00:54,976 and I didn't want to continue to bash Coach Westhead. 21 00:00:54,977 --> 00:00:58,521 You know, I'm not that dude. I just wanted to move on. 22 00:00:58,522 --> 00:01:00,648 I wanted us to get back to our winning ways. 23 00:01:00,649 --> 00:01:03,234 I wanted us to get back to runnin' and gunnin', 24 00:01:03,235 --> 00:01:05,195 because we were not doing that. 25 00:01:06,405 --> 00:01:08,739 It doesn't seem that long ago 26 00:01:08,740 --> 00:01:12,368 that we were running a World Championship. 27 00:01:12,369 --> 00:01:17,249 And I say adios to the people of Los Angeles. 28 00:01:18,500 --> 00:01:21,127 It was my first time being fired. 29 00:01:21,128 --> 00:01:22,920 But I learned a long time ago 30 00:01:22,921 --> 00:01:25,590 that if someone's going to fire you, 31 00:01:25,591 --> 00:01:27,049 don't beg. 32 00:01:27,050 --> 00:01:31,637 That's what you want, then... okay. 33 00:01:31,638 --> 00:01:35,725 It was gonna come down to Earvin or Paul. 34 00:01:35,726 --> 00:01:38,394 Paul couldn't do what Earvin did on the court. 35 00:01:38,395 --> 00:01:42,899 So, you know, if the coach can't make... 36 00:01:44,109 --> 00:01:47,987 A very, very key player happy, 37 00:01:47,988 --> 00:01:50,365 we're not gonna win as many games as we could. 38 00:01:51,825 --> 00:01:53,744 And that-that's just the fact. 39 00:01:54,619 --> 00:02:00,041 In the best interest of the entire Laker organization, 40 00:02:00,042 --> 00:02:06,297 we have appointed Jerry West as offensive coach. 41 00:02:06,298 --> 00:02:11,719 Pat Riley will stay as coach for the Lakers. 42 00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:14,180 - Well, first of all, I'd like to clear up one thing. 43 00:02:14,181 --> 00:02:16,474 I'm gonna be working for Pat Riley. 44 00:02:16,475 --> 00:02:19,018 And I feel that my response... 45 00:02:19,019 --> 00:02:23,064 - With or for? - With and for Pat Riley. 46 00:02:23,065 --> 00:02:25,441 And I think my responsibility is to him, 47 00:02:25,442 --> 00:02:29,070 because I feel in my heart that he is the head coach. 48 00:02:29,071 --> 00:02:35,159 And hopefully my position here won't be a long-range position. 49 00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:37,662 Dr. Buss announced Jerry was gonna be the head coach. 50 00:02:37,663 --> 00:02:38,913 And then Jerry came up and said, 51 00:02:38,914 --> 00:02:40,331 "No, Pat's gonna be the head coach." 52 00:02:40,332 --> 00:02:42,083 And then I got up there and said, 53 00:02:42,084 --> 00:02:44,001 "Well, if nobody wants it. I'll take it, you know?" 54 00:02:44,002 --> 00:02:45,670 - Ed Arnold has been covering the story all day, 55 00:02:45,671 --> 00:02:48,172 is with the new coach... Ed and Pat Riley, yes. 56 00:02:48,173 --> 00:02:49,465 - Well, Pat Riley is the new coach. 57 00:02:49,466 --> 00:02:51,008 Actually, there are two new coaches 58 00:02:51,009 --> 00:02:53,094 according to Dr. Jerry Buss, the owner of the team. 59 00:02:53,095 --> 00:02:54,720 One is Jerry West. 60 00:02:54,721 --> 00:02:56,430 The other one of course is Pat Riley, who's with me now. 61 00:02:56,431 --> 00:02:58,974 What will the status be between you and Jerry? 62 00:02:58,975 --> 00:03:02,687 - Well, right now, Eddie, because I'm familiar with, uh, 63 00:03:02,688 --> 00:03:04,397 you know, the total concept of the Laker team 64 00:03:04,398 --> 00:03:08,275 offensively and defensively, I will be in charge. 65 00:03:08,276 --> 00:03:11,278 Jerry will, uh, support me offensively 66 00:03:11,279 --> 00:03:13,656 in the suggestions and, uh, you know, 67 00:03:13,657 --> 00:03:16,409 in that capacity until a further date if there is one. 68 00:03:16,410 --> 00:03:19,704 - So at the press conference, my dad is explaining 69 00:03:19,705 --> 00:03:22,832 that Pat would be coaching defense 70 00:03:22,833 --> 00:03:25,501 and Jerry would be coaching the offense. 71 00:03:25,502 --> 00:03:30,089 But when Jerry West came in and contradicted my dad, 72 00:03:30,090 --> 00:03:33,050 my dad had to defer to Jerry West, 73 00:03:33,051 --> 00:03:37,430 therefore making him the shot caller in the organization. 74 00:03:37,431 --> 00:03:39,348 - I offered Jerry West the job, 75 00:03:39,349 --> 00:03:43,394 and I said, "You may use or not use Pat Riley 76 00:03:43,395 --> 00:03:46,063 "to whatever level you choose, 77 00:03:46,064 --> 00:03:48,816 "and I will hold you responsible 78 00:03:48,817 --> 00:03:50,568 "for the overall program. 79 00:03:50,569 --> 00:03:54,363 And in particular, I want you to improve our offense." 80 00:03:54,364 --> 00:03:56,824 Uh, after that, Jerry talked to Pat, 81 00:03:56,825 --> 00:03:58,159 the news conference was held, 82 00:03:58,160 --> 00:04:01,245 and he said, "Pat Riley will be the head coach." 83 00:04:01,246 --> 00:04:03,414 You see, with the authority that I gave him, 84 00:04:03,415 --> 00:04:05,416 he has the right to do that. 85 00:04:05,417 --> 00:04:07,877 My feeling is, "Jerry, you take this, 86 00:04:07,878 --> 00:04:09,628 "and you do what you think is right 87 00:04:09,629 --> 00:04:11,172 and what you think is best." 88 00:04:11,173 --> 00:04:12,548 If that's what he thinks is best, 89 00:04:12,549 --> 00:04:14,049 I have every faith in him. 90 00:04:14,050 --> 00:04:16,051 - So Pat Riley is running the ball club? 91 00:04:16,052 --> 00:04:18,387 - Uh... that's correct. 92 00:04:18,388 --> 00:04:21,265 - I don't think my dad was angry about it, 93 00:04:21,266 --> 00:04:23,058 but it definitely set a tone 94 00:04:23,059 --> 00:04:25,394 for their relationship going forward. 95 00:04:25,395 --> 00:04:29,482 You know, that's not how my dad would wanna be thought of, 96 00:04:29,483 --> 00:04:33,486 that he wasn't the sole decision maker. 97 00:04:33,487 --> 00:04:34,987 - Magic, if you disagree with Pat Riley 98 00:04:34,988 --> 00:04:38,157 as you did with Paul Westhead, would you ask to be traded? 99 00:04:38,158 --> 00:04:40,534 - Well, we'll just have to wait till that comes. 100 00:04:41,787 --> 00:04:44,205 I can't answer that now. How can I answer that? 101 00:04:44,206 --> 00:04:46,499 And like I said, I just wait till it come. 102 00:04:46,500 --> 00:04:48,834 Your thoughts on Pat Riley. 103 00:04:48,835 --> 00:04:50,419 - Well, uh, he's the coach now. 104 00:04:50,420 --> 00:04:51,837 He's the man I have to work for. 105 00:04:51,838 --> 00:04:53,547 I hope, uh, that things go smoothly. 106 00:04:53,548 --> 00:04:55,299 Think you'll have any problem at all 107 00:04:55,300 --> 00:04:57,301 with the players? - I don't think so. I hope not. 108 00:04:57,302 --> 00:04:58,761 Uh, you know, they're professionals, 109 00:04:58,762 --> 00:05:01,430 and, uh, you know, this day has come and gone. 110 00:05:01,431 --> 00:05:03,599 And tomorrow night they're playing against a team 111 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:05,392 that beat them by 30 points last week. 112 00:05:05,393 --> 00:05:08,687 So I think their incentive is-is to play, and, uh, 113 00:05:08,688 --> 00:05:10,856 and I don't think I'll have any problems with them. 114 00:05:12,567 --> 00:05:14,235 One of the things about Dr. Buss 115 00:05:14,236 --> 00:05:17,738 is that he wanted the team to be a family. 116 00:05:17,739 --> 00:05:20,741 As much as we are together as a team, 117 00:05:20,742 --> 00:05:23,202 the only way you're ever gonna win is to be a family, 118 00:05:23,203 --> 00:05:27,749 is really be tight and to trust one another. 119 00:05:41,638 --> 00:05:43,389 There he is. His first shot as an owner. 120 00:05:43,390 --> 00:05:45,391 You think he likes it? 121 00:05:48,436 --> 00:05:50,855 At this moment, I can't believe it. 122 00:05:52,274 --> 00:05:53,274 What's the future? 123 00:05:53,275 --> 00:05:54,525 Want to replace your father 124 00:05:54,526 --> 00:05:56,527 - at the top? - Yeah. 125 00:05:58,864 --> 00:06:00,531 Between my daughters and my sons, 126 00:06:00,532 --> 00:06:03,367 there are certainly enough sports teams to go around. 127 00:06:07,205 --> 00:06:09,206 Are you and the rest of the family, 128 00:06:09,207 --> 00:06:11,000 are you guys all on the same page? 129 00:06:12,586 --> 00:06:14,628 The Lakers, caught in the middle 130 00:06:14,629 --> 00:06:16,380 of a family power struggle. 131 00:06:20,635 --> 00:06:22,803 I think I've really left them with something. 132 00:06:36,067 --> 00:06:38,569 My teammates didn't like 133 00:06:38,570 --> 00:06:40,654 that Dr. Buss and I were close, 134 00:06:40,655 --> 00:06:43,908 but what made life even worse than that 135 00:06:43,909 --> 00:06:47,786 is when he gave me the 25-year, $25-million contract. 136 00:06:47,787 --> 00:06:49,830 - 21-year-old Earvin Magic Johnson 137 00:06:49,831 --> 00:06:51,457 has just pulled off a trick 138 00:06:51,458 --> 00:06:54,460 that makes Harry Houdini look like a two-bit carnival act. 139 00:06:54,461 --> 00:06:56,128 The 6'8 guard who led the Lakers 140 00:06:56,129 --> 00:06:57,880 to a world championship finish his rookie season 141 00:06:57,881 --> 00:07:01,342 has signed a new contract. It is a whopper, folks. 142 00:07:01,343 --> 00:07:04,261 The two-year veteran will earn about $500 per hour 143 00:07:04,262 --> 00:07:08,307 based on a 40-hour work week for the next 25 years. 144 00:07:08,308 --> 00:07:09,892 That comes out to a nice, neat little sum 145 00:07:09,893 --> 00:07:11,977 of $25 million. 146 00:07:11,978 --> 00:07:14,146 It is the richest and the longest 147 00:07:14,147 --> 00:07:16,106 in professional sports history. 148 00:07:16,107 --> 00:07:19,485 - Magic came to me and said, "I would like to be a Laker 149 00:07:19,486 --> 00:07:21,403 "throughout my entire playing career. 150 00:07:21,404 --> 00:07:23,781 Could we sign a long-term contract?" 151 00:07:23,782 --> 00:07:25,949 I said, "Yes, we can." 152 00:07:25,950 --> 00:07:30,746 So you have to visualize what salaries will be at that time. 153 00:07:30,747 --> 00:07:32,623 And, uh, my guess is 154 00:07:32,624 --> 00:07:36,210 for a star of Magic's caliber at that time, 155 00:07:36,211 --> 00:07:38,462 the price will be a million dollars. 156 00:07:38,463 --> 00:07:42,174 So we signed him for a million dollars a year. 157 00:07:42,175 --> 00:07:44,301 - People were saying that Dr. Buss was crazy, 158 00:07:44,302 --> 00:07:46,637 because at that time, that-that kind of money 159 00:07:46,638 --> 00:07:49,599 goin' around the NBA was just... that was crazy. 160 00:07:50,558 --> 00:07:53,894 Every owner in every league in America 161 00:07:53,895 --> 00:07:57,564 was upset at my father for starting this precedent. 162 00:07:57,565 --> 00:08:01,068 They were saying, "You're about to ruin sports." 163 00:08:01,069 --> 00:08:02,778 What we wanted to do 164 00:08:02,779 --> 00:08:05,781 was work Magic into the front office 165 00:08:05,782 --> 00:08:08,742 after the basketball days are over. 166 00:08:08,743 --> 00:08:10,619 He said, "I'm gonna explain 167 00:08:10,620 --> 00:08:13,497 the Laker business to you, the real business." 168 00:08:13,498 --> 00:08:16,417 Took me through what season ticket holders mean, 169 00:08:16,418 --> 00:08:18,168 the TV contract mean. 170 00:08:18,169 --> 00:08:21,797 He just became a father figure and a mentor 171 00:08:21,798 --> 00:08:23,882 all at the same time. 172 00:08:23,883 --> 00:08:26,927 Magic and I kind of feel that our fortunes 173 00:08:26,928 --> 00:08:30,681 will be tied together for the foreseeable future. 174 00:08:30,682 --> 00:08:32,933 - And then all hell broke loose. 175 00:08:35,895 --> 00:08:39,398 Kareem was mad. Like, "What? Wait a minute. 176 00:08:39,399 --> 00:08:42,360 Is he the player, or is he management now?" 177 00:08:42,902 --> 00:08:44,570 Kareem took it personally. 178 00:08:44,571 --> 00:08:46,780 He seemed absolutely upset. 179 00:08:46,781 --> 00:08:48,657 He referred to him as... In the headline, 180 00:08:48,658 --> 00:08:50,034 I think it was a spoiled child. 181 00:08:50,035 --> 00:08:52,619 "If this guy's worth 25 million for 25 years, 182 00:08:52,620 --> 00:08:54,413 what am I worth?" kind of thing. 183 00:08:54,414 --> 00:08:55,914 He wasn't happy about it. 184 00:08:55,915 --> 00:08:58,834 This was a contract that gave you everything 185 00:08:58,835 --> 00:09:01,879 in the State of California south of Ohio. 186 00:09:01,880 --> 00:09:04,256 Now did Kareem... was it true that he went into 187 00:09:04,257 --> 00:09:06,508 Jerry Buss' office and said, "What's the deal here?" 188 00:09:06,509 --> 00:09:08,260 - Well, he just wanted 189 00:09:08,261 --> 00:09:10,679 all the rest of California and Phoenix. 190 00:09:12,265 --> 00:09:15,225 - I just understood it in terms of it being, um, 191 00:09:15,226 --> 00:09:16,977 he was a key employee. 192 00:09:16,978 --> 00:09:19,438 You wanna keep him as long as you can. 193 00:09:19,439 --> 00:09:22,274 And, you know, I-I wasn't gonna get jealous. 194 00:09:22,275 --> 00:09:24,568 They weren't gonna give me 25 years. 195 00:09:24,569 --> 00:09:26,487 [laughs[ And they didn't... 196 00:09:26,488 --> 00:09:29,948 They wouldn't wanna be paying me when I was 50. 197 00:09:32,035 --> 00:09:35,954 The contract certainly represented their closeness, 198 00:09:35,955 --> 00:09:38,540 and it raised a question of, 199 00:09:38,541 --> 00:09:41,293 "Is he one of us or one of them?" 200 00:09:41,294 --> 00:09:45,048 - Whew, man. It was like nobody liked me. 201 00:09:46,758 --> 00:09:49,593 "Don't speak to him. Don't say nothing to him. 202 00:09:49,594 --> 00:09:52,679 Uh... we wanna see what he's made of." 203 00:09:52,680 --> 00:09:54,098 All that, man. 204 00:09:54,099 --> 00:09:56,767 It's like I didn't have a friend in the world. 205 00:09:56,768 --> 00:09:59,603 Matter of fact, they had a meeting about it. 206 00:10:01,815 --> 00:10:05,275 And they came to me and said, 207 00:10:05,276 --> 00:10:07,653 "Earvin, you know, it's a unwritten rule. 208 00:10:07,654 --> 00:10:10,197 You can't be close with the owner." 209 00:10:10,198 --> 00:10:12,741 And I said, "Well, I don't care 210 00:10:12,742 --> 00:10:14,535 "about no unwritten rule. 211 00:10:14,536 --> 00:10:17,704 "I'm going to be close with Dr. Buss, 212 00:10:17,705 --> 00:10:20,207 and you guys can't make me stop." 213 00:10:20,208 --> 00:10:22,793 If we're talking in the locker room or the shower 214 00:10:22,794 --> 00:10:24,336 and, you know, we're talking 215 00:10:24,337 --> 00:10:27,005 about what players talk about off the record, 216 00:10:27,006 --> 00:10:29,174 is he gonna go back and report it to management? 217 00:10:29,175 --> 00:10:30,259 - You can't go out to dinner with the owner 218 00:10:30,260 --> 00:10:31,718 three nights in a row 219 00:10:31,719 --> 00:10:33,512 and then come sit in the locker room with everybody. 220 00:10:33,513 --> 00:10:34,721 Well, that's what Magic did. 221 00:10:34,722 --> 00:10:38,267 And everybody was like this. 222 00:10:38,268 --> 00:10:40,310 - Now, wait a minute. 223 00:10:40,311 --> 00:10:44,273 I never told Dr. Buss one story 224 00:10:44,274 --> 00:10:48,485 about any story that I heard on the bus, 225 00:10:48,486 --> 00:10:50,612 on the plane, in the locker room, 226 00:10:50,613 --> 00:10:53,323 and then when we're out at a nightclub partying. 227 00:10:53,324 --> 00:10:57,619 I never said anything to Dr. Buss about your life, 228 00:10:57,620 --> 00:10:59,580 my life, my private life. 229 00:10:59,581 --> 00:11:03,125 Never. Matter of fact, he's never asked me. 230 00:11:03,126 --> 00:11:05,294 - Whether you're talking to the owner or not, 231 00:11:05,295 --> 00:11:07,421 it would be perceived that way. 232 00:11:07,422 --> 00:11:09,840 You know, that's a very thin line. 233 00:11:09,841 --> 00:11:11,592 - And we walked out. I said, "Listen, man. 234 00:11:11,593 --> 00:11:14,928 I'm here to play basketball. I'm here to win." 235 00:11:14,929 --> 00:11:16,930 - I didn't get involved in those kinds of discussions. 236 00:11:16,931 --> 00:11:18,599 They didn't ask me what I thought about 237 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:20,350 what somebody should get paid, 238 00:11:20,351 --> 00:11:22,394 and so my thing was always about, 239 00:11:22,395 --> 00:11:23,813 "How do we keep this together?" 240 00:11:29,944 --> 00:11:31,403 Coach Riley had been a player. 241 00:11:31,404 --> 00:11:33,030 He'd been in the booth. He had been around. 242 00:11:33,031 --> 00:11:35,324 So we all had a relationship with him. 243 00:11:35,325 --> 00:11:37,492 It wasn't like he was a stranger. 244 00:11:37,493 --> 00:11:41,663 Pat Riley came in, and he was like one of us. 245 00:11:41,664 --> 00:11:44,291 We'd hang out in bars after games and drink. 246 00:11:44,292 --> 00:11:46,168 He was just like one of the players. 247 00:11:46,169 --> 00:11:49,171 Well, I was with Kurt, 'cause he's an alcoholic. 248 00:11:51,090 --> 00:11:52,467 No, he wasn't. 249 00:11:54,177 --> 00:11:56,345 Now I'm a real coach... okay? 250 00:11:56,346 --> 00:11:57,512 Here's what coaches do. 251 00:11:57,513 --> 00:11:59,973 They stand up and they yell and scream. 252 00:11:59,974 --> 00:12:02,643 And they wave their arms all over the place, 253 00:12:02,644 --> 00:12:04,019 and they put fingers in the air or two up, 254 00:12:04,020 --> 00:12:07,022 one up, three up, whatever it. Fist up. 255 00:12:07,023 --> 00:12:10,484 And I can remember Magic one time looking over to me, 256 00:12:10,485 --> 00:12:12,861 and he just waved me off. 257 00:12:12,862 --> 00:12:14,613 I talked to him in the next day at practice, 258 00:12:14,614 --> 00:12:17,491 and he said, "Coach, we love you to death, man." 259 00:12:17,492 --> 00:12:19,326 He said, "But could you just sit down? 260 00:12:19,327 --> 00:12:21,495 Just sit down a little bit." 261 00:12:21,496 --> 00:12:24,165 He said, "I got this. We got this." 262 00:12:25,291 --> 00:12:27,751 After talking to Magic, I sat down too much, 263 00:12:27,752 --> 00:12:29,544 and then I wasn't doing anything. 264 00:12:29,545 --> 00:12:32,674 And then we had somewhat of a spell where we're losing. 265 00:12:34,884 --> 00:12:36,969 Dr. Buss called me in 266 00:12:36,970 --> 00:12:39,054 and didn't talk about basketball or anything. 267 00:12:39,055 --> 00:12:40,931 Talked about his family, his background, 268 00:12:40,932 --> 00:12:44,059 where he's from, all this stuff, asked about me. 269 00:12:44,060 --> 00:12:46,144 And then at the end he's, "Pat, just coach. 270 00:12:46,145 --> 00:12:49,856 "Just be a coach, you know? And don't worry about it. 271 00:12:49,857 --> 00:12:52,985 Don't be afraid of whatever. Go out there and coach." 272 00:12:52,986 --> 00:12:54,653 And now the starting lineup 273 00:12:54,654 --> 00:12:56,738 of the Los Angeles Lakers. 274 00:12:56,739 --> 00:12:59,283 The Lakers had a struggle last year. 275 00:12:59,284 --> 00:13:01,743 We lost our World Championship, 276 00:13:01,744 --> 00:13:03,453 but we're going to get it back. 277 00:13:03,454 --> 00:13:05,539 Head coach, Pat Riley. 278 00:13:05,540 --> 00:13:08,125 Everybody loved him, everybody loved the situation 279 00:13:08,126 --> 00:13:09,835 that he had brought to the team 280 00:13:09,836 --> 00:13:13,088 and the freedom that he kind of recreated. 281 00:13:13,089 --> 00:13:14,715 He opened up the gates again. 282 00:13:14,716 --> 00:13:16,008 Said, "You know, we're gonna run. 283 00:13:16,009 --> 00:13:17,592 I'm gonna trust you guys." 284 00:13:17,593 --> 00:13:19,886 Right side, in deep, bank of... 285 00:13:19,887 --> 00:13:22,055 Having to ply your craft at the Forum 286 00:13:22,056 --> 00:13:25,600 in Los Angeles is a difficult task for any coach. 287 00:13:25,601 --> 00:13:27,144 After all, they're used to winners here, 288 00:13:27,145 --> 00:13:29,646 and it's Hollywood, so you have to put on a show. 289 00:13:29,647 --> 00:13:31,606 How well has Pat Riley done? 290 00:13:31,607 --> 00:13:33,817 Well, the record speaks for itself. 291 00:13:33,818 --> 00:13:35,444 We started playing happy again. 292 00:13:35,445 --> 00:13:36,945 We got back into our system 293 00:13:36,946 --> 00:13:40,782 and playing the style of play that we played in 1980. 294 00:13:42,577 --> 00:13:45,454 I signed as a free agent with the Lakers in 1981, 295 00:13:45,455 --> 00:13:49,708 and I got hurt, like, the end of December, my first year. 296 00:13:49,709 --> 00:13:51,001 Left side of Magic. Down the middle of Kupchak. 297 00:13:51,002 --> 00:13:53,545 Kupchak runs over a man. Kupchak's hurt. 298 00:13:53,546 --> 00:13:55,839 - Joe "Jellybean" Bryant steps in front of me 299 00:13:55,840 --> 00:13:57,090 to draw a charge, 300 00:13:57,091 --> 00:14:00,594 and I planted my left foot to try to stop. 301 00:14:00,595 --> 00:14:02,345 You know, I never felt anything like that. 302 00:14:02,346 --> 00:14:04,431 So I knew something was really wrong, 303 00:14:04,432 --> 00:14:05,682 and I missed close to two years. 304 00:14:05,683 --> 00:14:07,559 What's it feel like to have to spend 305 00:14:07,560 --> 00:14:09,144 Christmas day in a hospital? 306 00:14:09,145 --> 00:14:11,146 - Well, it's not the best possible situation 307 00:14:11,147 --> 00:14:12,397 for me to be in, 308 00:14:12,398 --> 00:14:14,816 but it was a way for me to get my parents 309 00:14:14,817 --> 00:14:17,110 to stay out here for a couple extra days. 310 00:14:17,111 --> 00:14:19,529 Dr. Buss stood by me when I got injured, 311 00:14:19,530 --> 00:14:23,158 and not only that, he hired me as a scout. 312 00:14:23,159 --> 00:14:26,161 Mitch Kupchak tore his knee up, 313 00:14:26,162 --> 00:14:30,624 and they needed another power forward type/center. 314 00:14:30,625 --> 00:14:32,125 And I was out there. 315 00:14:32,126 --> 00:14:33,919 On Christmas Eve, 1981, 316 00:14:33,920 --> 00:14:37,089 Bob McAdoo is asked to sign up with the LA Lakers. 317 00:14:37,090 --> 00:14:39,257 McAdoo was the league's most valuable player 318 00:14:39,258 --> 00:14:42,010 in 1975, the league's scoring champ three times, 319 00:14:42,011 --> 00:14:43,720 and he owns a career scoring average 320 00:14:43,721 --> 00:14:45,972 of 26.4 points per game. 321 00:14:45,973 --> 00:14:49,059 - I had done everything individually that a player 322 00:14:49,060 --> 00:14:50,644 could do in the league. 323 00:14:50,645 --> 00:14:52,813 I needed a championship. 324 00:14:52,814 --> 00:14:55,565 Great defense by McAdoo from the corner. 325 00:14:55,566 --> 00:14:57,234 That power forward is Bob McAdoo, 326 00:14:57,235 --> 00:14:59,736 the former MVP, former scoring leader. 327 00:14:59,737 --> 00:15:02,114 And he's there for one reason. He wants a ring. 328 00:15:02,115 --> 00:15:03,907 And then you've got Kurt Rambis. 329 00:15:03,908 --> 00:15:06,493 And he was just there because he wanted to play basketball. 330 00:15:06,494 --> 00:15:08,787 We were in Indiana. 331 00:15:08,788 --> 00:15:10,539 I'm a rookie. I'm not playing. 332 00:15:10,540 --> 00:15:13,083 I'm just hanging out, watching the game, and stuff like that. 333 00:15:13,084 --> 00:15:16,419 And Riley points down at the end of the bench and goes, 334 00:15:16,420 --> 00:15:21,007 "You. Yeah, you. Get in." 335 00:15:21,008 --> 00:15:24,761 And I went in and focused on defense and rebounding, 336 00:15:24,762 --> 00:15:26,555 and I did a good job 337 00:15:26,556 --> 00:15:28,431 and ended up starting the rest of the year. 338 00:15:28,432 --> 00:15:30,392 Starting at forward in his first year 339 00:15:30,393 --> 00:15:34,521 from Santa Clara, number 31, Kurt Rambis. 340 00:15:34,522 --> 00:15:36,565 They've shot to the lead of the Pacific Division 341 00:15:36,566 --> 00:15:37,774 in just two months. 342 00:15:37,775 --> 00:15:40,402 The brand of basketball is exciting. 343 00:15:40,403 --> 00:15:42,237 Whatever the Lakers didn't do for Westhead 344 00:15:42,238 --> 00:15:44,614 they're doing now for their new head coach. 345 00:15:44,615 --> 00:15:47,159 I'll never forget the day, I said, "Hey, Riles." 346 00:15:47,160 --> 00:15:49,119 And he stopped me and he said, 347 00:15:49,120 --> 00:15:53,791 "Gotta start calling me Coach. I'm Coach now." 348 00:15:55,168 --> 00:15:59,629 We saw him transform and take on that leadership role. 349 00:15:59,630 --> 00:16:01,548 - That's when he went with the haircuts 350 00:16:01,549 --> 00:16:03,425 and the suits and everything, 351 00:16:03,426 --> 00:16:05,760 and he started looking more like a mafia don 352 00:16:05,761 --> 00:16:08,221 than a basketball coach. 353 00:16:08,222 --> 00:16:10,974 - Riley's look was so iconic 354 00:16:10,975 --> 00:16:13,894 that multiple people stole it for movies. 355 00:16:13,895 --> 00:16:16,688 Kurt Russell steals Pat's look. 356 00:16:16,689 --> 00:16:19,774 Michael Douglas steals Pat's look. 357 00:16:19,775 --> 00:16:22,235 - Before that, he looked like a hippie, 358 00:16:22,236 --> 00:16:24,779 and I don't mean that disrespectfully. 359 00:16:24,780 --> 00:16:26,365 I mean that respectfully. 360 00:16:27,617 --> 00:16:29,951 The money was different. He can afford suits now. 361 00:16:29,952 --> 00:16:33,331 You know, he was the coach of Showtime Lakers. 362 00:16:34,665 --> 00:16:36,875 He's been handed a championship team, 363 00:16:36,876 --> 00:16:40,420 and all he has to do is just get on the backs and ride it. 364 00:16:40,421 --> 00:16:43,798 He was like a cowboy who turned his horse loose 365 00:16:43,799 --> 00:16:44,799 and let him romp through the meadows. 366 00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:46,509 They got their game back. 367 00:16:46,510 --> 00:16:48,762 They got their ability to do the fast break back. 368 00:16:48,763 --> 00:16:50,305 They got showtime back, and they... 369 00:16:50,306 --> 00:16:52,933 So they were just thrilled to play for him. 370 00:16:55,394 --> 00:16:57,812 '82, we were representing 371 00:16:57,813 --> 00:17:00,690 the Eastern Conference again. 372 00:17:00,691 --> 00:17:02,901 I'm not gonna say that we were overconfident, 373 00:17:02,902 --> 00:17:04,653 under-confident, or anything. 374 00:17:04,654 --> 00:17:07,656 We just know that, you know, 375 00:17:07,657 --> 00:17:09,950 we were trying to climb a mountain. 376 00:17:09,951 --> 00:17:11,701 Welcome to game one 377 00:17:11,702 --> 00:17:13,411 of the NBA World Championship Series. 378 00:17:13,412 --> 00:17:16,206 The Lakers against the 76ers. 379 00:17:16,207 --> 00:17:18,124 And it promises perhaps to be 380 00:17:18,125 --> 00:17:21,211 the fastest-paced championship series of all time. 381 00:17:21,212 --> 00:17:23,755 - Jerry, no man in the history of sports 382 00:17:23,756 --> 00:17:25,423 has ever purchased a franchise 383 00:17:25,424 --> 00:17:28,843 and reached the championship round two out of three years. 384 00:17:28,844 --> 00:17:30,178 - Ah, that pleases me very well. 385 00:17:30,179 --> 00:17:31,680 Now we just gotta win it, Chick. 386 00:17:31,681 --> 00:17:33,640 - Well, you've got the ingredients to win it. 387 00:17:33,641 --> 00:17:34,891 I think that you'll have to say that. 388 00:17:34,892 --> 00:17:38,103 - In 1982, the Lakers and the 76ers met again. 389 00:17:38,104 --> 00:17:41,565 And, uh, this time, I didn't see it as an even match. 390 00:17:41,566 --> 00:17:43,066 This is a lightning-fast team, 391 00:17:43,067 --> 00:17:45,235 maybe the best fast break team of all time. 392 00:17:45,236 --> 00:17:47,195 I'm talking about the Lakers. - Rambis to Nixon... 393 00:17:47,196 --> 00:17:48,738 over the shoulder pass to Rambis. 394 00:17:48,739 --> 00:17:50,282 On to Wilkes! 395 00:17:50,283 --> 00:17:52,284 It was still a tough series to win six games, 396 00:17:52,285 --> 00:17:54,411 but you never had the feeling they were gonna lose. 397 00:17:54,412 --> 00:17:56,371 Number six. 398 00:17:56,372 --> 00:17:59,457 Lakers lead three games to two. 399 00:17:59,458 --> 00:18:04,045 - All the press was Julius Erving getting a championship. 400 00:18:04,046 --> 00:18:05,130 And I said to myself, 401 00:18:05,131 --> 00:18:07,424 "He'll get this over my dead body." 402 00:18:07,425 --> 00:18:08,842 And I meant it. 403 00:18:11,137 --> 00:18:13,638 He was probably very hungry... 404 00:18:13,639 --> 00:18:15,140 for a title. 405 00:18:15,141 --> 00:18:19,728 So we gave Bob McAdoo his appropriate respect. 406 00:18:19,729 --> 00:18:21,646 At the other end is Erving. 407 00:18:21,647 --> 00:18:24,399 Here comes a long pass. He's got it. He's underneath. 408 00:18:24,400 --> 00:18:26,693 He has a block by McAdoo from behind. 409 00:18:26,694 --> 00:18:29,362 McAdoo blocked the shot to Cooper to Wilkes. 410 00:18:29,363 --> 00:18:31,990 Wilkes all the way to Kareem. Slam dunk. 411 00:18:33,242 --> 00:18:34,743 Riley just... 412 00:18:34,744 --> 00:18:37,704 rode that thing to a championship, man. 413 00:18:37,705 --> 00:18:40,332 Three. Two. One. 414 00:18:40,333 --> 00:18:42,709 The Lakers are the World Champions! 415 00:18:56,932 --> 00:18:59,100 Congratulations. Fantastic job. 416 00:18:59,101 --> 00:19:00,477 I'll tell you what, Brandon. 417 00:19:00,478 --> 00:19:02,228 The players deserve all the credit, 418 00:19:02,229 --> 00:19:04,105 because they're the ones that play. 419 00:19:04,106 --> 00:19:05,857 They trusted me early in the season 420 00:19:05,858 --> 00:19:07,651 when I didn't know what I was doing, 421 00:19:07,652 --> 00:19:08,985 and we've come a long way. 422 00:19:08,986 --> 00:19:11,112 When did this team start to believe 423 00:19:11,113 --> 00:19:12,405 in your leadership? 424 00:19:12,406 --> 00:19:14,324 Well, I just think they believed in themselves. 425 00:19:14,325 --> 00:19:16,993 I always thought they just started throwing a little bit. 426 00:19:16,994 --> 00:19:18,745 Hit him. Right here. Doing it! 427 00:19:18,746 --> 00:19:21,414 Thank you, Brandon. Thank you, everyone. 428 00:19:21,415 --> 00:19:22,999 - Congratulations. Let's grab... 429 00:19:23,000 --> 00:19:24,417 The Lakers have won two of the last three. 430 00:19:24,418 --> 00:19:25,919 So, Larry, 431 00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:28,171 make the presentation to Jerry Buss here on a big day. 432 00:19:30,383 --> 00:19:33,385 Larry, I'm going to accept this trophy 433 00:19:33,386 --> 00:19:36,680 on behalf of the fans of the Lakers. 434 00:19:36,681 --> 00:19:42,352 I know there are millions and millions and millions of fans 435 00:19:42,353 --> 00:19:45,814 who watched this game tonight, and wherever you are, 436 00:19:45,815 --> 00:19:50,527 I want you to know the team won it for you, the fans. 437 00:19:50,528 --> 00:19:52,446 Thank you very much. 438 00:20:00,079 --> 00:20:03,456 Being able to win two championships in three years 439 00:20:03,457 --> 00:20:05,208 is really gratifying. 440 00:20:05,209 --> 00:20:07,752 To see the whole city come together, 441 00:20:07,753 --> 00:20:10,964 Spanish language theater downtown 442 00:20:10,965 --> 00:20:13,299 is congratulating us in Spanish, 443 00:20:13,300 --> 00:20:16,010 Chinatown, 444 00:20:16,011 --> 00:20:18,722 all the different ethnic enclaves. 445 00:20:18,723 --> 00:20:20,808 They all seem to be Laker fans. 446 00:20:22,435 --> 00:20:27,021 L. A. is a city where, you know, 447 00:20:27,022 --> 00:20:30,525 as Wu-Tang would say form like Voltron, right? 448 00:20:30,526 --> 00:20:33,111 I mean, so you have, like, all these different cities, 449 00:20:33,112 --> 00:20:35,572 different communities, different areas 450 00:20:35,573 --> 00:20:40,201 that are in many ways their own unique entity. 451 00:20:40,202 --> 00:20:43,997 What the Lakers do is, with their success, 452 00:20:43,998 --> 00:20:45,498 they're able to help 453 00:20:45,499 --> 00:20:50,546 create a more cohesive sense of the city. 454 00:20:51,964 --> 00:20:53,173 When I moved to L. A., 455 00:20:53,174 --> 00:20:55,341 my high school was like a third white, 456 00:20:55,342 --> 00:20:58,428 a third Black, a third Latino, 10% Asian. 457 00:20:58,429 --> 00:21:00,221 And everyone had different music they liked. 458 00:21:00,222 --> 00:21:02,724 But everybody loved Earth, Wind & Fire. 459 00:21:02,725 --> 00:21:04,517 The music was transcendent. 460 00:21:04,518 --> 00:21:07,687 And with basketball and with the Lakers, 461 00:21:07,688 --> 00:21:11,107 it felt the same way is that gave me that feeling. 462 00:21:11,108 --> 00:21:12,776 We wanted to put on a show. 463 00:21:12,777 --> 00:21:14,444 We wanted to entertain the people. 464 00:21:14,445 --> 00:21:18,490 We wanted it to be very indigenous to Los Angeles. 465 00:21:18,491 --> 00:21:21,659 And the Lakers do have the personality of Los Angeles. 466 00:21:21,660 --> 00:21:23,328 - Oh, yeah. It's real. Don't come off. 467 00:21:23,329 --> 00:21:24,996 Yeah, I figured, well, 468 00:21:24,997 --> 00:21:26,456 the Lakers can't win championships forever, 469 00:21:26,457 --> 00:21:28,834 but I can keep their memory on my arm forever. 470 00:21:31,295 --> 00:21:32,962 You know when you're here in L. A. 471 00:21:32,963 --> 00:21:34,380 And you want to entertain yourself, 472 00:21:34,381 --> 00:21:37,300 you'll go to a concert, you'll go to a Dodger game, 473 00:21:37,301 --> 00:21:38,968 you'll go to the race tracks. 474 00:21:38,969 --> 00:21:40,929 What he loves is that all the people that he's admired 475 00:21:40,930 --> 00:21:43,181 all his life, when they want to entertain themself, 476 00:21:43,182 --> 00:21:44,849 they come here to the Forum. 477 00:21:44,850 --> 00:21:46,351 Jerry Buss not only bought himself 478 00:21:46,352 --> 00:21:49,646 some well-known numbers, he bought some fancy company. 479 00:21:49,647 --> 00:21:51,898 The Forum may be in Englewood 480 00:21:51,899 --> 00:21:54,442 and the team names may say Los Angeles, 481 00:21:54,443 --> 00:21:56,903 but some nights, it's all Hollywood 482 00:21:56,904 --> 00:22:00,698 Laker games were known to have celebrities. 483 00:22:00,699 --> 00:22:03,117 And not just a game every now and then. 484 00:22:03,118 --> 00:22:04,786 They were there all the time. 485 00:22:04,787 --> 00:22:06,621 They may have been stars in Hollywood, 486 00:22:06,622 --> 00:22:09,123 but for two hours, they were Laker fans. 487 00:22:09,124 --> 00:22:10,500 Pure and simple. 488 00:22:10,501 --> 00:22:12,961 - What they say? Celebrities watching celebrities. 489 00:22:15,673 --> 00:22:17,257 - The NBA bought into it too. 490 00:22:17,258 --> 00:22:19,634 Because here you are, you got a team that's in Hollywood, 491 00:22:19,635 --> 00:22:21,427 and all these big stars at the game. 492 00:22:21,428 --> 00:22:24,264 And this team played this fast-paced kind of game. 493 00:22:24,265 --> 00:22:26,599 It fit the whole narrative, you know. 494 00:22:26,600 --> 00:22:29,644 What he was trying to create... His persona. 495 00:22:29,645 --> 00:22:31,521 He was made for it, you know. 496 00:22:31,522 --> 00:22:35,900 I mean, he was the ringleader, and he thoroughly enjoyed it. 497 00:22:35,901 --> 00:22:37,569 And we watched him enjoy it, 498 00:22:37,570 --> 00:22:38,903 and we enjoyed watching him enjoy it. 499 00:22:38,904 --> 00:22:40,363 You know what I mean? 500 00:22:40,364 --> 00:22:41,990 And he enjoyed watching us enjoy it. 501 00:22:41,991 --> 00:22:44,284 I mean, it was that kind of thing. 502 00:22:44,285 --> 00:22:48,329 - He became... this overnight celebrity. 503 00:22:51,375 --> 00:22:54,878 And then he created the Forum Club. 504 00:22:54,879 --> 00:22:58,172 I gotta have a spot after the game 505 00:22:58,173 --> 00:23:00,508 that everybody want to get in. 506 00:23:00,509 --> 00:23:02,553 I'ma create the Forum Club. 507 00:23:04,471 --> 00:23:06,097 He was going to games every night. 508 00:23:06,098 --> 00:23:08,600 So instead of saying, "Hey, tonight we're going out 509 00:23:08,601 --> 00:23:11,227 to this restaurant or out to this club," 510 00:23:11,228 --> 00:23:14,063 it was now at the Forum. 511 00:23:14,064 --> 00:23:15,773 All those people you saw on the floor, 512 00:23:15,774 --> 00:23:18,359 they would be in the Forum Club after the game. 513 00:23:18,360 --> 00:23:19,777 - That was the place to be. 514 00:23:19,778 --> 00:23:23,239 You know, I was upset when I missed it, you know? 515 00:23:23,240 --> 00:23:25,992 My dad would take the center table 516 00:23:25,993 --> 00:23:28,411 that everybody could see if they walked by, 517 00:23:28,412 --> 00:23:32,415 and he made sure that his table was full of celebrities. 518 00:23:32,416 --> 00:23:34,334 - It was like the Roman Empire, okay? 519 00:23:34,335 --> 00:23:37,337 You'd walk into the left, and there was a big dinner. 520 00:23:37,338 --> 00:23:41,883 - I got so many calls from so many athletes, celebrities. 521 00:23:41,884 --> 00:23:44,302 "Hey, you think you can talk to Dr. Buss 522 00:23:44,303 --> 00:23:46,930 that I can sit at his table for dinner?" 523 00:23:48,599 --> 00:23:51,434 We didn't have curfew at any other city except L. A. 524 00:23:51,435 --> 00:23:54,646 And for good reason. 525 00:23:54,647 --> 00:23:56,147 You hurry up, took a shower, 526 00:23:56,148 --> 00:23:59,901 and you went up the back stairways to the Forum Club. 527 00:23:59,902 --> 00:24:01,903 I probably did the fastest shower I've ever took. 528 00:24:01,904 --> 00:24:04,238 I think I got my hand wet. 529 00:24:04,239 --> 00:24:08,368 You walk in, and there's every color girl. 530 00:24:08,369 --> 00:24:10,870 There's, I mean, fine. 531 00:24:10,871 --> 00:24:15,750 It was not a ugly soul in the whole spot. 532 00:24:15,751 --> 00:24:18,252 Forum Club was a magnificent place. 533 00:24:18,253 --> 00:24:21,089 That's the second-best place on Earth to be 534 00:24:21,090 --> 00:24:22,840 other than the Playboy Mansion. 535 00:24:22,841 --> 00:24:25,093 I was married at the time, 536 00:24:25,094 --> 00:24:26,678 so the only time I went to the Forum Club 537 00:24:26,679 --> 00:24:28,346 was with my wife in my hand, 538 00:24:28,347 --> 00:24:30,974 and I always kept my blinders on. 539 00:24:30,975 --> 00:24:33,267 So I was just looking straight ahead, 540 00:24:33,268 --> 00:24:35,520 'cause I knew I'd hear about it. 541 00:24:35,521 --> 00:24:37,897 - When you looked at our team back then, 542 00:24:37,898 --> 00:24:41,818 everybody was married except for me and Magic. 543 00:24:41,819 --> 00:24:43,903 One time I was just sitting there 544 00:24:43,904 --> 00:24:46,280 and a player came out of this 545 00:24:46,281 --> 00:24:50,493 office closet area with a woman, a little disheveled, 546 00:24:50,494 --> 00:24:55,415 and the player said, "Wow, that was great." 547 00:24:55,416 --> 00:24:57,333 - One night I'd like to be single. 548 00:24:59,628 --> 00:25:01,713 Was cocaine all up in the Forum Club 549 00:25:01,714 --> 00:25:02,964 to your knowledge? 550 00:25:02,965 --> 00:25:05,133 There was the Forum Club, 551 00:25:05,134 --> 00:25:09,387 and then there was the Press Lounge. 552 00:25:09,388 --> 00:25:13,224 The real action went on in the Press Lounge, to be truthful. 553 00:25:13,225 --> 00:25:14,976 There was a guy, 554 00:25:14,977 --> 00:25:17,395 and I was always very happy that he was there. 555 00:25:17,396 --> 00:25:19,522 - Oh, well, one thing, uh, I can tell you for sure, 556 00:25:19,523 --> 00:25:21,358 it wasn't me. 557 00:25:23,861 --> 00:25:25,278 - The Lakers, the Kings, the Forum, 558 00:25:25,279 --> 00:25:28,031 you know, the family... Everything's going right. 559 00:25:28,032 --> 00:25:30,409 Our lives had totally changed. 560 00:25:32,870 --> 00:25:34,287 Selling tickets... 561 00:25:34,288 --> 00:25:38,207 That was just to gain the first experience. 562 00:25:38,208 --> 00:25:40,251 Then he would try to find 563 00:25:40,252 --> 00:25:43,755 a place for you that would fit your personality. 564 00:25:43,756 --> 00:25:46,340 - He wanted to be just like the Kennedys, you know, 565 00:25:46,341 --> 00:25:49,510 and he wanted to see his children 566 00:25:49,511 --> 00:25:51,721 take over the business. 567 00:25:53,766 --> 00:25:57,101 At some time in the future, I will retire. 568 00:25:57,102 --> 00:26:00,021 And, uh, I would like to continue 569 00:26:00,022 --> 00:26:02,732 to operate the Forum as a family business. 570 00:26:02,733 --> 00:26:04,692 But they're going to need experience in order 571 00:26:04,693 --> 00:26:07,487 to direct something the size of the Forum 572 00:26:07,488 --> 00:26:09,405 and the Lakers and the Kings. 573 00:26:11,742 --> 00:26:14,452 - So I want to introduce you to 19-year-old general manager 574 00:26:14,453 --> 00:26:16,329 of the Los Angeles Strings, Jeanie Buss. 575 00:26:16,330 --> 00:26:18,289 She's the daughter of Forum, Kings, 576 00:26:18,290 --> 00:26:20,291 Lakers owner, Jerry Buss. 577 00:26:20,292 --> 00:26:22,877 And, Jeanie, you're gonna be a junior at USC 578 00:26:22,878 --> 00:26:24,420 majoring in business administration. 579 00:26:24,421 --> 00:26:25,922 So let me ask you a business or finance question. 580 00:26:25,923 --> 00:26:28,049 How is Team Tennis going financially this year? 581 00:26:28,050 --> 00:26:29,717 - It's going pretty well. 582 00:26:29,718 --> 00:26:32,804 I stand to lose a little bit, but not as much as my dad lost 583 00:26:32,805 --> 00:26:35,139 in the first time with Team Tennis. 584 00:26:35,140 --> 00:26:36,265 - Martina is playing Billy... 585 00:26:36,266 --> 00:26:38,518 Prior to my dad buying the Lakers, 586 00:26:38,519 --> 00:26:42,022 he owned a team in World Team Tennis. 587 00:26:43,524 --> 00:26:46,442 When he asked if I wanted to run the team, 588 00:26:46,443 --> 00:26:49,445 I was like, "Of course, yes. Yeah." 589 00:26:49,446 --> 00:26:51,948 And I said, "This is great. Now I can quit school." 590 00:26:51,949 --> 00:26:54,492 And he said, "No, no, no, no. No." 591 00:26:54,493 --> 00:26:56,536 It's like, "You have to go to school, 592 00:26:56,537 --> 00:26:58,246 "and you can have the job. 593 00:26:58,247 --> 00:27:01,750 But if you... you can't take the job and quit school." 594 00:27:03,335 --> 00:27:05,128 Jerry believed 595 00:27:05,129 --> 00:27:08,798 that you should throw people into the pool, 596 00:27:08,799 --> 00:27:12,885 and if they can swim, they survive. 597 00:27:12,886 --> 00:27:17,306 And I felt... sorry for them, 598 00:27:17,307 --> 00:27:20,351 because they were thrown into things 599 00:27:20,352 --> 00:27:23,689 that they didn't understand. 600 00:27:26,775 --> 00:27:30,361 My dad called me, and he says, "You know, 601 00:27:30,362 --> 00:27:34,198 the funniest thing happened. I get a call from the MISL," 602 00:27:34,199 --> 00:27:37,034 which is Major Indoor Soccer League, 603 00:27:37,035 --> 00:27:41,581 "And they want us to field a team in Los Angeles." 604 00:27:41,582 --> 00:27:43,624 This is son John Buss. 605 00:27:43,625 --> 00:27:45,710 He's the president of the Los Angeles Lasers, 606 00:27:45,711 --> 00:27:47,378 an indoor soccer team. 607 00:27:47,379 --> 00:27:49,547 My dad said, "Johnny, you take over the Lasers. 608 00:27:49,548 --> 00:27:52,049 You do what needs to be done." 609 00:27:52,050 --> 00:27:53,134 And I rarely, 610 00:27:53,135 --> 00:27:55,011 maybe once or twice a year, 611 00:27:55,012 --> 00:27:57,430 ever talk to him about the business 612 00:27:57,431 --> 00:27:59,474 of the Indoor Soccer League. 613 00:28:00,642 --> 00:28:02,018 Johnny's the oldest, 614 00:28:02,019 --> 00:28:05,479 and there were a lot of probably pressures 615 00:28:05,480 --> 00:28:07,690 that I can't relate to. 616 00:28:07,691 --> 00:28:10,943 My dad kind of threw them into the fire, 617 00:28:10,944 --> 00:28:13,404 because that's the only way you're gonna learn. 618 00:28:13,405 --> 00:28:14,822 But what is it besides cheering 619 00:28:14,823 --> 00:28:17,241 that a general manager does? During the season, 620 00:28:17,242 --> 00:28:19,368 Jeanie's here every day keeping track 621 00:28:19,369 --> 00:28:21,996 of what's happening in tennis, because after all, 622 00:28:21,997 --> 00:28:25,082 she will want to draft the best players available, 623 00:28:25,083 --> 00:28:27,376 a trait she hope runs in the family. 624 00:28:27,377 --> 00:28:31,213 - Right after we decided that she would run the franchise, 625 00:28:31,214 --> 00:28:32,798 the draft came up. 626 00:28:32,799 --> 00:28:36,510 She brought in a sheet of paper with all of the names and said, 627 00:28:36,511 --> 00:28:38,512 "Well, let's draft the team." 628 00:28:38,513 --> 00:28:40,306 - He looked at the list and then looked at me, 629 00:28:40,307 --> 00:28:42,600 and he said, "I want you to do it." 630 00:28:42,601 --> 00:28:43,893 - And she said, "Well, I thought 631 00:28:43,894 --> 00:28:45,436 you'd give me some suggestions." 632 00:28:45,437 --> 00:28:47,480 - He said, "I want you to have the responsibility. 633 00:28:47,481 --> 00:28:50,358 "I want you to know what it feels like when people say, 634 00:28:50,359 --> 00:28:51,859 "'What have you done? What have you picked?' 635 00:28:51,860 --> 00:28:55,154 I want you to get the blame or to get the recognition." 636 00:28:55,155 --> 00:28:56,364 - "Let's make no mistake about it. 637 00:28:56,365 --> 00:28:58,240 It's your team, it's your ball game, 638 00:28:58,241 --> 00:29:00,326 and it's up to you." 639 00:29:00,327 --> 00:29:02,870 This was grooming for, you know, 640 00:29:02,871 --> 00:29:04,956 what he wanted us to do, 641 00:29:04,957 --> 00:29:09,001 and that was to be involved in a family business. 642 00:29:09,002 --> 00:29:11,629 It was John does the Lasers. 643 00:29:11,630 --> 00:29:13,172 Jeanie does the Strings. 644 00:29:13,173 --> 00:29:14,507 And so at the Forum, 645 00:29:14,508 --> 00:29:17,218 my dad had it pretty much running like a machine. 646 00:29:17,219 --> 00:29:19,929 And it wasn't... I wasn't... I was part of the machine 647 00:29:19,930 --> 00:29:23,099 but not an intricate part of the machine. 648 00:29:23,100 --> 00:29:25,351 But never did I say, "Well, gosh, it would be nice 649 00:29:25,352 --> 00:29:27,144 if I had a team or something like that." 650 00:29:27,145 --> 00:29:29,064 No. 651 00:29:29,940 --> 00:29:34,360 I could see jealousy, uh, between... 652 00:29:34,361 --> 00:29:35,778 well, all of us. 653 00:29:35,779 --> 00:29:37,780 I mean, I think we were all... 654 00:29:37,781 --> 00:29:40,700 Well, I know I was a bit jealous of Jeanie, 655 00:29:40,701 --> 00:29:44,120 but she's older than me, so she got the opportunity 656 00:29:44,121 --> 00:29:47,748 before I got a chance to do something. 657 00:29:47,749 --> 00:29:50,209 - Janie's jealous that Jeanie did this. 658 00:29:50,210 --> 00:29:53,921 Or Jimmy's jealous of Jeanie, and Jeanie's jealous of me. 659 00:29:53,922 --> 00:29:56,841 And, you know, it was that jealousy kind of thing. 660 00:29:56,842 --> 00:29:59,093 - They might have been, um, you know, 661 00:29:59,094 --> 00:30:01,679 intimidated by my ambition, 662 00:30:01,680 --> 00:30:07,309 but it was more the media that I got the center stage, 663 00:30:07,310 --> 00:30:09,854 that I got the spotlight. 664 00:30:09,855 --> 00:30:13,315 I got a lot of attention because I was a woman 665 00:30:13,316 --> 00:30:17,987 in a traditionally, you know, male sports world. 666 00:30:17,988 --> 00:30:22,700 And, you know, that probably was frustrating for them, 667 00:30:22,701 --> 00:30:24,702 but that, I couldn't help. 668 00:30:24,703 --> 00:30:26,996 What's the future? What do you really want to do? 669 00:30:26,997 --> 00:30:28,664 Hope to replace your father at the top? 670 00:30:28,665 --> 00:30:32,251 - Yeah, I've already told him that. He knows that. 671 00:30:32,252 --> 00:30:36,964 I think he's kind of surprised that his daughter 672 00:30:36,965 --> 00:30:40,593 would be saying that and really wanting to fill his shoes. 673 00:30:40,594 --> 00:30:43,345 But I think someday I could do it. 674 00:30:43,346 --> 00:30:44,930 What about the idea 675 00:30:44,931 --> 00:30:47,349 that there's been just too much too soon for Jeanie? 676 00:30:47,350 --> 00:30:51,520 - Oh, certainly, there's that possibility, uh... 677 00:30:51,521 --> 00:30:57,485 And I think any conscionable father would think of that. 678 00:30:57,486 --> 00:30:59,779 On the other hand, sooner or later, 679 00:30:59,780 --> 00:31:02,490 she's going to have to come to grips with that. 680 00:31:04,534 --> 00:31:06,160 That's when he said, 681 00:31:06,161 --> 00:31:08,830 "Jeanie, I want you to meet Linda Zafrani." 682 00:31:09,873 --> 00:31:11,957 I was working for Playboy, 683 00:31:11,958 --> 00:31:14,794 and Dr. Buss was dating my little sister, 684 00:31:14,795 --> 00:31:18,047 who was also working for Playboy. 685 00:31:18,048 --> 00:31:21,550 Dr. Buss, he was onto the next young beauty, 686 00:31:21,551 --> 00:31:24,678 and my sister was devastated. 687 00:31:24,679 --> 00:31:27,056 So I called Dr. Buss up, and I said, 688 00:31:27,057 --> 00:31:29,141 "I don't think it's fair, what you did to Debbie, 689 00:31:29,142 --> 00:31:31,602 and I think you should marry her." 690 00:31:31,603 --> 00:31:34,105 He's like, "I'm not gonna marry her, 691 00:31:34,106 --> 00:31:37,942 "but I appreciate how you stuck up for her. 692 00:31:37,943 --> 00:31:41,822 And I wonder, would you consider working for me?" 693 00:31:42,864 --> 00:31:45,241 My dad said, "I want you and Linda 694 00:31:45,242 --> 00:31:46,867 to work together." 695 00:31:46,868 --> 00:31:49,286 As he explained it, 696 00:31:49,287 --> 00:31:52,581 "Linda's got that street smart toughness 697 00:31:52,582 --> 00:31:55,626 that I think you need." 698 00:31:55,627 --> 00:31:59,088 He wanted someone that he thought she could trust 699 00:31:59,089 --> 00:32:02,591 to help facilitate her ability to do both things, 700 00:32:02,592 --> 00:32:05,886 go to school and work. 701 00:32:05,887 --> 00:32:08,931 And even though she had older brothers, 702 00:32:08,932 --> 00:32:11,517 she was the front-facing person. 703 00:32:11,518 --> 00:32:13,603 So she had added stress. 704 00:32:19,734 --> 00:32:23,404 In 1982, there was another big coin flip. 705 00:32:23,405 --> 00:32:24,488 It was the Lakers against the Clippers. 706 00:32:24,489 --> 00:32:25,823 Lakers had the pick, 707 00:32:25,824 --> 00:32:28,200 because they had traded Don Ford to Cleveland, 708 00:32:28,201 --> 00:32:29,577 and Cleveland finished last. 709 00:32:29,578 --> 00:32:30,995 What do you guys feel here? 710 00:32:30,996 --> 00:32:32,329 You win the Championship, 711 00:32:32,330 --> 00:32:33,914 you're the best team in the NBA, 712 00:32:33,915 --> 00:32:36,083 and you get the number one draft pick. 713 00:32:36,084 --> 00:32:39,753 - Well, I feel that every Championship team 714 00:32:39,754 --> 00:32:41,505 and the reason that you don't repeat 715 00:32:41,506 --> 00:32:43,299 is 'cause you don't get better. 716 00:32:43,300 --> 00:32:45,384 But this year, we'll get a little better 717 00:32:45,385 --> 00:32:46,719 with this first choice. 718 00:32:46,720 --> 00:32:49,013 And it might help us for next season. 719 00:32:49,014 --> 00:32:50,556 - Rich get richer? 720 00:32:50,557 --> 00:32:52,766 - Yeah, so to speak the rich gets richer. 721 00:32:55,145 --> 00:32:57,188 For the first pick, 722 00:32:57,189 --> 00:33:00,858 Cleveland to Los Angeles... Los Angeles. 723 00:33:07,741 --> 00:33:12,411 He's 6'9, 225 pounds from North Carolina... 724 00:33:12,412 --> 00:33:14,663 James Worthy. 725 00:33:14,664 --> 00:33:16,332 Worthy helped lead the Tar Heels 726 00:33:16,333 --> 00:33:19,585 to the NCAA Championship this past season as a junior. 727 00:33:19,586 --> 00:33:22,713 He chose to give up his final year of college eligibility 728 00:33:22,714 --> 00:33:26,675 and made himself available for the NBA draft. 729 00:33:26,676 --> 00:33:28,552 And you have added more excitement to a stable 730 00:33:28,553 --> 00:33:30,638 that is already plenty exciting. 731 00:33:30,639 --> 00:33:32,056 James Worthy... Didn't take you long 732 00:33:32,057 --> 00:33:34,141 to make that selection, Dr. Buss. 733 00:33:34,142 --> 00:33:37,019 - It took us a lot of thought though quite honestly, Eddie. 734 00:33:37,020 --> 00:33:40,856 We were very torn between the three top people. 735 00:33:40,857 --> 00:33:42,733 They're all so good. I mean, usually this doesn't happen. 736 00:33:42,734 --> 00:33:44,401 Usually, there's one or two outstanding. 737 00:33:44,402 --> 00:33:47,905 But three outstanding players, we spent a lot of time, 738 00:33:47,906 --> 00:33:50,366 and I guess about a week or 10 days ago 739 00:33:50,367 --> 00:33:52,368 we came to the conclusion that it had to be James Worthy. 740 00:33:52,369 --> 00:33:55,037 Do you feel with the success 741 00:33:55,038 --> 00:33:56,538 that they've already got that you'll be able to get into 742 00:33:56,539 --> 00:33:58,874 that starting lineup right off the top? 743 00:33:58,875 --> 00:34:00,709 - That's not one of my main objectives. 744 00:34:00,710 --> 00:34:02,962 I just want to come and learn. 745 00:34:02,963 --> 00:34:04,797 I think it'll be a learning experience for me, and... 746 00:34:04,798 --> 00:34:07,216 I was a pretty good player coming outta college. 747 00:34:07,217 --> 00:34:10,678 And so I was not arrogant, but I was very confident. 748 00:34:10,679 --> 00:34:12,264 I thought I could start. 749 00:34:14,474 --> 00:34:16,934 The first week of training camp, 750 00:34:16,935 --> 00:34:18,227 I would walk into the gym, 751 00:34:18,228 --> 00:34:20,354 and I would look around, and I would say, 752 00:34:20,355 --> 00:34:23,607 "Okay, there's Kareem... 753 00:34:23,608 --> 00:34:26,235 "Jamal Wilkes... 754 00:34:26,236 --> 00:34:28,487 "Norm Nixon. 755 00:34:28,488 --> 00:34:29,822 There's Magic." 756 00:34:29,823 --> 00:34:32,283 But then I saw Kurt Rambis. 757 00:34:32,284 --> 00:34:36,745 Kurt Rambis had these thick glasses on. 758 00:34:36,746 --> 00:34:38,414 Like, he looked like a science professor, 759 00:34:38,415 --> 00:34:42,251 and I said, "I can get that spot." 760 00:34:42,252 --> 00:34:45,629 My hair, my mustache, the glasses. 761 00:34:45,630 --> 00:34:49,008 It just kind of made me look like a normal person 762 00:34:49,009 --> 00:34:50,676 walkin' down the street 763 00:34:50,677 --> 00:34:53,595 and not the guy that was starting for the Lakers. 764 00:34:53,596 --> 00:34:55,139 But I could not believe 765 00:34:55,140 --> 00:34:57,766 they were bringing somebody in to take my job. 766 00:34:57,767 --> 00:35:02,354 So I did everything I possibly could to let him know, 767 00:35:02,355 --> 00:35:04,356 "If you're gonna take my job, 768 00:35:04,357 --> 00:35:06,484 you got your work cut out for you." 769 00:35:07,402 --> 00:35:10,279 - That first week, every time I got within his area 770 00:35:10,280 --> 00:35:14,658 where he operated, Kirk Rambis kicked my ass like a ragdoll. 771 00:35:18,038 --> 00:35:20,331 Yeah. That makes me feel good right now. 772 00:35:21,833 --> 00:35:23,417 That-that was my intention. 773 00:35:23,418 --> 00:35:25,629 - So I humbly had to sit on the bench. 774 00:35:27,422 --> 00:35:29,548 It was a lesson in patience 775 00:35:29,549 --> 00:35:32,259 when you're playing with the team 776 00:35:32,260 --> 00:35:35,804 that really doesn't need you right now. 777 00:35:35,805 --> 00:35:37,806 Jerry, things are really on the uptick 778 00:35:37,807 --> 00:35:39,642 in the NBA, and I think the Lakers 779 00:35:39,643 --> 00:35:40,976 are sitting right up on top. 780 00:35:40,977 --> 00:35:42,394 You've got a very exciting ball club, 781 00:35:42,395 --> 00:35:43,854 and I see that things are gonna continue. 782 00:35:43,855 --> 00:35:45,981 We have a tremendous amount of excitement 783 00:35:45,982 --> 00:35:49,193 out in Los Angeles and I think across the country. 784 00:35:49,194 --> 00:35:51,695 As more of the exciting players come into the NBA, 785 00:35:51,696 --> 00:35:54,199 I-I think there's gonna be a terrific upswing. 786 00:35:55,867 --> 00:35:59,078 My dad always kept his eye on the business. 787 00:35:59,079 --> 00:36:02,998 Like, this wasn't just a plaything and he got lucky. 788 00:36:02,999 --> 00:36:06,461 You know, he wanted his team to always be competitive. 789 00:36:07,337 --> 00:36:10,798 The 76ers in 1983 had Dr. J, 790 00:36:10,799 --> 00:36:12,466 and they had Moses Malone 791 00:36:12,467 --> 00:36:14,927 and they had great defenders like Bobby Jones. 792 00:36:14,928 --> 00:36:16,595 They were the real deal. 793 00:36:16,596 --> 00:36:19,056 We beat 'em in '80. We beat 'em in '82. 794 00:36:19,057 --> 00:36:22,101 You know, they were ready theirs. 795 00:36:22,102 --> 00:36:23,936 Win, lose, or draw, you know, 796 00:36:23,937 --> 00:36:26,355 this doesn't define who I am. 797 00:36:26,356 --> 00:36:31,360 You know, basketball is what I do, not what I am. 798 00:36:31,361 --> 00:36:34,738 And as much as I used to tell myself that, 799 00:36:34,739 --> 00:36:37,282 you know, I realized that 800 00:36:37,283 --> 00:36:38,867 everybody didn't think that way. 801 00:36:40,662 --> 00:36:43,288 And so it was a relief, you know, in '83, 802 00:36:43,289 --> 00:36:47,543 when we finally got over the hump and beat them. 803 00:36:47,544 --> 00:36:49,712 Here he comes. 804 00:36:49,713 --> 00:36:51,964 Well, he's off the clock. 805 00:36:54,342 --> 00:36:57,970 Injuries. The injuries killed us. 806 00:36:57,971 --> 00:37:02,224 It was too much firepower gone. 807 00:37:02,225 --> 00:37:05,352 If me, James Worthy, 808 00:37:05,353 --> 00:37:06,895 and Norm Nixon were healthy, 809 00:37:06,896 --> 00:37:08,605 no way they would beat us. 810 00:37:08,606 --> 00:37:10,274 Wasn't our fault you were injured. 811 00:37:10,275 --> 00:37:15,195 And next man up's gotta do his job or whatever. 812 00:37:15,196 --> 00:37:20,576 So I don't think when you beat a team four straight times 813 00:37:20,577 --> 00:37:22,871 that they can say they were the better team. 814 00:37:24,372 --> 00:37:27,875 Th-That doesn't make sense. That's delusional behavior. 815 00:37:27,876 --> 00:37:29,960 My hat's off to the victors, 816 00:37:29,961 --> 00:37:31,420 and, uh, this is what it's all about. 817 00:37:31,421 --> 00:37:34,423 The winning, the losing, the struggle... it's great. 818 00:37:34,424 --> 00:37:36,049 I would've much rather been on the other end 819 00:37:36,050 --> 00:37:37,551 of this thing tonight, 820 00:37:37,552 --> 00:37:40,430 but I'm gonna raise my glass to them too tonight. 821 00:37:45,894 --> 00:37:47,644 Funny. You know what he said to me? 822 00:37:47,645 --> 00:37:50,564 He says, "Got those skeletons removed from the closet, huh?" 823 00:37:50,565 --> 00:37:53,400 I said, "Yeah, Pat. 824 00:37:53,401 --> 00:37:55,861 They're gone." 825 00:37:55,862 --> 00:37:57,613 Why does it seem to be impossible 826 00:37:57,614 --> 00:38:00,491 to repeat Championships in that league? 827 00:38:00,492 --> 00:38:02,201 - Because the teams you beat get better. 828 00:38:02,202 --> 00:38:03,660 - Yeah. Yeah. 829 00:38:03,661 --> 00:38:06,413 - Like we beat Philly, they went out and got Moses. 830 00:38:06,414 --> 00:38:09,208 So, uh, they beat us, 831 00:38:09,209 --> 00:38:10,584 and I don't know what might happen. 832 00:38:10,585 --> 00:38:12,419 We-we might get a good play or... 833 00:38:12,420 --> 00:38:13,962 When you do lose, 834 00:38:13,963 --> 00:38:15,756 there are some things that start happening. 835 00:38:15,757 --> 00:38:17,841 You know, you always gonna have scapegoats. 836 00:38:17,842 --> 00:38:20,177 And, you know, like, it was Kareem's fault. 837 00:38:20,178 --> 00:38:21,762 It was this one's fault. 838 00:38:21,763 --> 00:38:23,806 This guy is negative in the locker room. 839 00:38:23,807 --> 00:38:25,891 This guy is doing this. 840 00:38:25,892 --> 00:38:29,102 Sometimes you make subtle changes in your team. 841 00:38:29,103 --> 00:38:30,979 We needed someone bigger out there, 842 00:38:30,980 --> 00:38:33,607 and I didn't think Norm was a great complement 843 00:38:33,608 --> 00:38:35,108 to Magic Johnson. 844 00:38:35,109 --> 00:38:36,401 - Jerry had come to... I always laugh about it. 845 00:38:36,402 --> 00:38:37,945 Say, "I'll never trade you." 846 00:38:37,946 --> 00:38:39,988 I said, "That's a kiss of death like the Italians." 847 00:38:39,989 --> 00:38:42,241 Muah, muah. 848 00:38:42,242 --> 00:38:43,492 I said, "Oop, I'm outta here now." 849 00:38:43,493 --> 00:38:45,828 I told my brother. I said, "Oop, I'm gone." 850 00:38:47,914 --> 00:38:49,748 I'm originally from Inglewood, California, 851 00:38:49,749 --> 00:38:52,125 and been here all my life, you know? 852 00:38:52,126 --> 00:38:54,878 So Inglewood is home. It's where I was raised. 853 00:38:54,879 --> 00:38:56,505 You know, so when I get a call from Jerry West 854 00:38:56,506 --> 00:38:58,549 saying that we're gonna make a trade for you today, 855 00:38:58,550 --> 00:39:00,968 I almost fell out... You know, fell out my bed. 856 00:39:02,470 --> 00:39:04,763 Getting one of the best prospects in the draft, 857 00:39:04,764 --> 00:39:06,431 that was exciting for me. 858 00:39:06,432 --> 00:39:11,520 And also the three-point line had become in vogue then, 859 00:39:11,521 --> 00:39:13,605 and that was his specialty when he first started out. 860 00:39:13,606 --> 00:39:15,107 Jerry West said, "You know, 861 00:39:15,108 --> 00:39:16,567 we're gonna win more championships 862 00:39:16,568 --> 00:39:18,944 with you than we ever would have with Norm." 863 00:39:18,945 --> 00:39:21,989 Magic, myself, and Norm, 864 00:39:21,990 --> 00:39:23,782 we were the trio. We always talk about 865 00:39:23,783 --> 00:39:26,243 we had the best three guard combo in the league. 866 00:39:26,244 --> 00:39:29,746 So when they pulled that trade off, it hurt a lot. 867 00:39:29,747 --> 00:39:31,915 All three of us had a real bond 868 00:39:31,916 --> 00:39:33,792 out on the basketball court. 869 00:39:33,793 --> 00:39:39,548 And so when he got traded, you know, 870 00:39:39,549 --> 00:39:42,634 that was a... that was a tough moment for me. 871 00:39:42,635 --> 00:39:44,386 - People were mad. 872 00:39:44,387 --> 00:39:46,764 They were incensed and mourning. 873 00:39:47,807 --> 00:39:50,183 Jack Nicholson, he wore black for three games. 874 00:39:50,184 --> 00:39:52,019 I said, "What the hell is this all about?" 875 00:39:52,020 --> 00:39:54,563 He said, "That's the dumbest trade I've ever seen." 876 00:39:54,564 --> 00:39:56,481 - Well, he wears all black a lot. 877 00:39:56,482 --> 00:39:58,942 So maybe he's always in mourning, 878 00:39:58,943 --> 00:40:01,194 but I'm a fan of the Lakers, 879 00:40:01,195 --> 00:40:03,572 and I respect players. 880 00:40:03,573 --> 00:40:05,240 But these guys were my friends. 881 00:40:05,241 --> 00:40:08,619 And to this day, I wish they hadn't traded Norman. 882 00:40:08,620 --> 00:40:10,579 Jack and Lou, they were fans, 883 00:40:10,580 --> 00:40:12,164 and they know the game, 884 00:40:12,165 --> 00:40:13,832 and they knew me on a personal level. 885 00:40:13,833 --> 00:40:16,168 They knew me very well on a personal level. 886 00:40:16,169 --> 00:40:17,628 They didn't wanna see me go, 887 00:40:17,629 --> 00:40:19,129 and they didn't like what happened. 888 00:40:19,130 --> 00:40:20,422 That was a difficult time. 889 00:40:20,423 --> 00:40:23,383 Probably the first time in my life I went home, 890 00:40:23,384 --> 00:40:25,719 and I said to myself, 891 00:40:25,720 --> 00:40:30,015 "Is this gonna work like I hope it works?" 892 00:40:30,016 --> 00:40:31,308 Jerry West makes this trade. 893 00:40:31,309 --> 00:40:33,810 Brings in this unproven rookie, you know? 894 00:40:33,811 --> 00:40:35,562 So they had to test me. 895 00:40:35,563 --> 00:40:37,731 - We gave him the cold shoulder. 896 00:40:37,732 --> 00:40:40,108 We fucked with him. 897 00:40:40,109 --> 00:40:41,526 - I didn't know then that meant that, 898 00:40:41,527 --> 00:40:43,904 "Yeah, we're gonna try to kick your ass. 899 00:40:43,905 --> 00:40:46,615 Every day in practice, we're gonna go at you." 900 00:40:46,616 --> 00:40:48,825 - We wanted to see if he could weather the storm. 901 00:40:48,826 --> 00:40:51,161 - That went on for about four or five days to a week. 902 00:40:51,162 --> 00:40:52,704 And then I just told 'em... I said, "Listen, 903 00:40:52,705 --> 00:40:55,499 next one y'all throw a elbow, I'm punching the shit out you." 904 00:40:55,500 --> 00:40:56,833 I said, "I'm just letting you know. 905 00:40:56,834 --> 00:40:58,794 I'm tired of this shit." And that was it. 906 00:40:58,795 --> 00:41:00,587 And they was like, "Okay, all right. 907 00:41:00,588 --> 00:41:02,215 This kid got some balls. He's tough." 908 00:41:04,092 --> 00:41:05,676 From that point on me, Magic, and Coop 909 00:41:05,677 --> 00:41:07,303 went everywhere together. 910 00:41:08,429 --> 00:41:12,307 Byron, and as I call him B, we always knew 911 00:41:12,308 --> 00:41:15,852 that if we were going to win a championship, 912 00:41:15,853 --> 00:41:18,523 he was gonna play a key role. 913 00:41:24,988 --> 00:41:27,322 The Lakers and the Celtics. 914 00:41:27,323 --> 00:41:30,867 So many memories. So many golden moments. 915 00:41:30,868 --> 00:41:33,662 The Celtics and Bill Russell always winning 916 00:41:33,663 --> 00:41:35,330 when they met for the Championship. 917 00:41:35,331 --> 00:41:39,292 For the Lakers, Jerry West always magnificent in defeat. 918 00:41:39,293 --> 00:41:40,585 Now we are ready to start again. 919 00:41:40,586 --> 00:41:42,212 How obsessed with winning 920 00:41:42,213 --> 00:41:44,423 did your father become in '84 and '85 921 00:41:44,424 --> 00:41:46,216 during the Lakers-Celtics rivalry? 922 00:41:48,511 --> 00:41:50,971 He reminded me of... 923 00:41:50,972 --> 00:41:54,599 of any big sports fan, you know? 924 00:41:54,600 --> 00:41:56,727 It was the pinnacle of sports, 925 00:41:56,728 --> 00:42:00,313 of what sports is all about, of rivalry. 926 00:42:00,314 --> 00:42:03,608 To him, the rivalries were the greatest thing 927 00:42:03,609 --> 00:42:05,694 you could ever have in sports. 928 00:42:05,695 --> 00:42:10,199 - The whole Boston-Laker rivalry goes back to the '60s. 929 00:42:12,535 --> 00:42:14,369 The period when I was playing, 930 00:42:14,370 --> 00:42:15,871 the Celtics were there every year, 931 00:42:15,872 --> 00:42:17,164 and we had good teams. 932 00:42:17,165 --> 00:42:18,665 But we were just not good enough to beat them. 933 00:42:18,666 --> 00:42:20,083 The ball game is over. 934 00:42:20,084 --> 00:42:22,544 The Boston Celtics are the World Champions, 935 00:42:22,545 --> 00:42:24,379 and the Boston Celtics have won 936 00:42:24,380 --> 00:42:26,214 their fifth World Championship. 937 00:42:26,215 --> 00:42:27,966 The Boston Celtics have given Bostonians 938 00:42:27,967 --> 00:42:29,426 something to talk about. 939 00:42:29,427 --> 00:42:30,510 That's it. The game is over. 940 00:42:30,511 --> 00:42:32,054 What a rivalry. 941 00:42:32,055 --> 00:42:34,347 The Boston Celtics have done it again. 942 00:42:34,348 --> 00:42:37,809 Another jewel in that crown. 943 00:42:37,810 --> 00:42:43,398 - I have not been to Boston since I played as a player. 944 00:42:43,399 --> 00:42:47,069 The albatross we felt was on our back 945 00:42:47,070 --> 00:42:48,570 to sort of break this hex. 946 00:42:48,571 --> 00:42:50,781 I grew up watching the Celtics 947 00:42:50,782 --> 00:42:52,741 and that parquet floor. 948 00:42:52,742 --> 00:42:56,036 It was amazing on television. 949 00:42:56,037 --> 00:42:58,205 But when you get in there, it's pretty shitty. 950 00:42:58,206 --> 00:43:02,000 Beat L. A. Beat L. A. 951 00:43:02,001 --> 00:43:03,710 In the winter, we'd play in Boston. 952 00:43:03,711 --> 00:43:06,296 It seemed like the heat never worked. 953 00:43:06,297 --> 00:43:10,050 In the summers, the air conditioning never worked. 954 00:43:10,051 --> 00:43:12,552 We'd stay in the hotel, and it seemed like the alarms 955 00:43:12,553 --> 00:43:15,388 would go off all hours of the night. 956 00:43:15,389 --> 00:43:19,267 And that seemed to only happen in Boston. 957 00:43:19,268 --> 00:43:21,645 We got a chance to eradicate 958 00:43:21,646 --> 00:43:24,773 the ghosts from the past, to clear the air 959 00:43:24,774 --> 00:43:28,401 for Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain. 960 00:43:28,402 --> 00:43:31,321 All the times that they could never beat Boston, 961 00:43:31,322 --> 00:43:34,157 we got a chance to do that. 962 00:43:34,158 --> 00:43:36,618 We knew how important it was to beat the Lakers 963 00:43:36,619 --> 00:43:38,245 because of the history. 964 00:43:38,246 --> 00:43:39,788 In Boston, there's always a buzz, 965 00:43:39,789 --> 00:43:42,332 but when the Lakers came to town, it was different. 966 00:43:42,333 --> 00:43:45,210 I mean, our fans knew when we played the Lakers, 967 00:43:45,211 --> 00:43:46,837 that's the ultimate game. 968 00:43:46,838 --> 00:43:49,131 - The bottom line is, 969 00:43:49,132 --> 00:43:51,883 if you're wearing the Laker uniform, 970 00:43:51,884 --> 00:43:53,885 you hate the Celtic uniform. 971 00:43:53,886 --> 00:43:55,387 And if you're wearing the Celtic uniform, 972 00:43:55,388 --> 00:43:57,556 you hate the Laker uniform. It's just the bottom line. 973 00:44:00,893 --> 00:44:03,520 Next up, North Station, Boston County. 974 00:44:03,521 --> 00:44:05,313 All right. The stage is set. 975 00:44:05,314 --> 00:44:07,524 It's the Celtics and the Lakers. 976 00:44:07,525 --> 00:44:10,318 Game one. 977 00:44:10,319 --> 00:44:13,113 I remember being glued to the television 978 00:44:13,114 --> 00:44:15,907 watching those Lakers-Celtics games. 979 00:44:15,908 --> 00:44:18,910 And back then had like, you know, a cheap little TV 980 00:44:18,911 --> 00:44:22,747 about this big and just staring at it with intensity. 981 00:44:22,748 --> 00:44:24,833 Now Magic Johnson the man with the ball, 982 00:44:24,834 --> 00:44:26,126 and he gets it quickly into Kareem 983 00:44:26,127 --> 00:44:28,378 who's fouled and gets the basket. 984 00:44:28,379 --> 00:44:29,547 I'd say right now, 985 00:44:30,089 --> 00:44:32,340 the Lakers are pretty much in control of this game. 986 00:44:32,341 --> 00:44:34,885 But the Los Angeles Lakers have won in Boston, 987 00:44:34,886 --> 00:44:37,220 ending a nine-game playoff streak at home 988 00:44:37,221 --> 00:44:40,724 and have beaten the Boston Celtics 115 to 109 989 00:44:40,725 --> 00:44:43,727 to take a one-to-nothing lead in the best of seven 990 00:44:43,728 --> 00:44:45,937 for the NBA World Championship. 991 00:44:45,938 --> 00:44:47,647 - We won the first game. 992 00:44:47,648 --> 00:44:49,149 - The Los Angeles Lakers 993 00:44:49,150 --> 00:44:51,234 handed the Celtics their first home court defeat 994 00:44:51,235 --> 00:44:52,736 in ten playoff games this year. 995 00:44:52,737 --> 00:44:54,112 We're live at Boston Garden 996 00:44:54,113 --> 00:44:55,405 for game number two 997 00:44:55,406 --> 00:44:57,991 of the NBA World Championship Series. 998 00:44:57,992 --> 00:45:00,535 I made some coaching blunders in the second game 999 00:45:00,536 --> 00:45:01,953 I thought really cost us. 1000 00:45:01,954 --> 00:45:04,414 The Lakers have it with 20 seconds to go 1001 00:45:04,415 --> 00:45:06,751 and lead the Celtics 113 to 111. 1002 00:45:08,502 --> 00:45:10,629 Worthy will inbound to Magic Johnson. 1003 00:45:10,630 --> 00:45:12,422 Worst comes the worst, the Celtics will have to... 1004 00:45:12,423 --> 00:45:13,798 Oh! there's a steal by Henderson 1005 00:45:13,799 --> 00:45:14,925 who lays it up again. 1006 00:45:14,926 --> 00:45:17,719 The pass that I made 1007 00:45:17,720 --> 00:45:19,638 was trying to get it to Byron Scott, 1008 00:45:19,639 --> 00:45:24,351 which Gerald Henderson intercepted and laid it in. 1009 00:45:24,352 --> 00:45:26,853 Forced us to overtime. 1010 00:45:29,357 --> 00:45:32,943 If I don't make that pass, 1011 00:45:32,944 --> 00:45:34,194 I think we go up 2:0. 1012 00:45:34,195 --> 00:45:35,820 And there's no way they're gonna beat us. 1013 00:45:35,821 --> 00:45:37,239 We're going back to L. A. 1014 00:45:37,240 --> 00:45:39,366 - Today, we will define the word choke. 1015 00:45:39,367 --> 00:45:40,992 A choke is a device on a car 1016 00:45:40,993 --> 00:45:43,203 to improve the gas and air mixture. 1017 00:45:43,204 --> 00:45:45,205 It is also what the Los Angeles Lakers 1018 00:45:45,206 --> 00:45:47,749 did in Boston last night. Sorry. 1019 00:45:47,750 --> 00:45:51,253 - Then the series became real. You know, became real. 1020 00:45:51,254 --> 00:45:53,255 We went home then beat 'em by 30. 1021 00:45:53,256 --> 00:45:55,382 The game was around the most lopsided defeat 1022 00:45:55,383 --> 00:45:57,342 in Boston playoff history. 1023 00:45:57,343 --> 00:45:59,678 And the Celtics looked like beaten men. 1024 00:45:59,679 --> 00:46:03,348 - What changed the tenor of that series 1025 00:46:03,349 --> 00:46:06,268 was in game four. 1026 00:46:06,269 --> 00:46:08,520 - I can remember going in that game, it's... 1027 00:46:08,521 --> 00:46:10,647 We always... so we gotta do whatever we can do 1028 00:46:10,648 --> 00:46:12,107 to win this basketball game, 1029 00:46:12,108 --> 00:46:15,194 because if we don't win this one, it's over. 1030 00:46:15,695 --> 00:46:17,654 McHale is doubled. 1031 00:46:17,655 --> 00:46:19,489 Dennis Johnson is short with it. 1032 00:46:19,490 --> 00:46:21,616 Cooper to Kareem to Worthy to Rambis. 1033 00:46:21,617 --> 00:46:23,159 He should go the distance... oh! 1034 00:46:23,160 --> 00:46:27,247 And now let's watch it. Cooper and the Celtics. 1035 00:46:27,248 --> 00:46:28,958 And now the bench is empty. 1036 00:46:30,418 --> 00:46:34,462 As Larry Bird helps Kurt Rambis up. 1037 00:46:34,463 --> 00:46:37,507 He was decked by two Celtics and hit the floor hard. 1038 00:46:37,508 --> 00:46:39,009 - It wasn't like we was going out there 1039 00:46:39,010 --> 00:46:41,594 to try to hurt somebody, and Kevin McHale is not known 1040 00:46:41,595 --> 00:46:43,763 to knock people down like that. 1041 00:46:43,764 --> 00:46:45,348 But when it happened 1042 00:46:45,349 --> 00:46:47,642 I'm going, "Jesus, Kevin, what was that all about?" 1043 00:46:47,643 --> 00:46:49,894 Watching the clotheslining of Rambis... 1044 00:46:49,895 --> 00:46:52,272 It was so intense. 1045 00:46:52,273 --> 00:46:53,523 I'm sure that, you know, 1046 00:46:53,524 --> 00:46:55,025 there was some begrudging professional respect. 1047 00:46:55,026 --> 00:46:57,652 Like, you know, game recognizing game and all that, 1048 00:46:57,653 --> 00:46:59,487 but there's just this feeling of 1049 00:46:59,488 --> 00:47:02,490 they really hated each other. 1050 00:47:02,491 --> 00:47:04,117 It was brutal. Ha ha. 1051 00:47:04,118 --> 00:47:06,661 In today's game, that would've been 1052 00:47:06,662 --> 00:47:08,872 a $50,000 fine, 1053 00:47:08,873 --> 00:47:12,083 and he'd been suspended for the next game. 1054 00:47:12,084 --> 00:47:15,628 But in the rough and tumble world of the '80s 1055 00:47:15,629 --> 00:47:17,922 of the NBA, didn't happen. 1056 00:47:17,923 --> 00:47:19,841 We riled them a little bit. 1057 00:47:19,842 --> 00:47:22,093 We were a physical team, 1058 00:47:22,094 --> 00:47:23,887 but that one play sort of changed things. 1059 00:47:23,888 --> 00:47:26,890 And the Boston Celtics have evened this NBA 1060 00:47:26,891 --> 00:47:30,685 World Championship Series at two games apiece. 1061 00:47:30,686 --> 00:47:33,980 - When we go back, and we get buried in game five 1062 00:47:33,981 --> 00:47:39,152 in probably the most uncomfortable arena 1063 00:47:39,153 --> 00:47:40,570 that you could ever be in. 1064 00:47:40,571 --> 00:47:42,530 It had to be 120 degrees in there. 1065 00:47:42,531 --> 00:47:44,324 - It's like 91 or 92 degrees. 1066 00:47:44,325 --> 00:47:45,825 'Cause we didn't have air condition. 1067 00:47:45,826 --> 00:47:47,702 They're not used to that in L. A. 1068 00:47:47,703 --> 00:47:49,746 Had a teammate told me, "Can you imagine 1069 00:47:49,747 --> 00:47:51,664 "how many people's faces would melt in here 1070 00:47:51,665 --> 00:47:54,501 if it was 91, 92 with all the plastic surgery?" 1071 00:47:55,920 --> 00:47:58,713 - You just have to give both clubs a lot of credit 1072 00:47:58,714 --> 00:48:01,341 for enduring a 48-minute steam bath. 1073 00:48:01,342 --> 00:48:04,594 We lost that game, and we came back in game six 1074 00:48:04,595 --> 00:48:07,514 and basically meekly won game six. 1075 00:48:07,515 --> 00:48:09,808 We have a chance to do something that no other team 1076 00:48:09,809 --> 00:48:12,936 has ever done... Go back to Boston Garden 1077 00:48:12,937 --> 00:48:15,730 and win a World Championship on that parquet floor. 1078 00:48:15,731 --> 00:48:18,942 And, uh, we lost in game seven. 1079 00:48:18,943 --> 00:48:20,151 Final second. 1080 00:48:20,152 --> 00:48:22,278 Five. Four. Three. Two. 1081 00:48:22,279 --> 00:48:24,907 Cooper does it to three... it's over. 1082 00:48:26,909 --> 00:48:28,910 We choked. I choked as a coach. 1083 00:48:28,911 --> 00:48:31,871 I didn't do a good job. Some of the most miserable 1084 00:48:31,872 --> 00:48:35,750 I have ever been was after that seventh game. 1085 00:48:35,751 --> 00:48:38,086 We felt we gave away a championship, 1086 00:48:38,087 --> 00:48:42,006 and that's the summer that they came after us 1087 00:48:42,007 --> 00:48:43,508 and called us sissies, 1088 00:48:43,509 --> 00:48:46,928 called us fakers, called us the Hollywood softies, 1089 00:48:46,929 --> 00:48:48,430 Tragic Magic. 1090 00:48:48,431 --> 00:48:51,224 You know, whatever it was, they came after us, man. 1091 00:48:51,225 --> 00:48:52,767 The Lakers, the fakers, 1092 00:48:52,768 --> 00:48:55,520 and a bunch of sissies and this and that. 1093 00:48:55,521 --> 00:48:57,939 That's all part of the game, you know? 1094 00:49:00,443 --> 00:49:05,114 - Losing always set my dad off into a dark place. 1095 00:49:06,699 --> 00:49:09,951 To be so close and to lose to the Celtics, 1096 00:49:09,952 --> 00:49:11,661 you know, it made him 1097 00:49:11,662 --> 00:49:15,123 that much more determined to beat them. 1098 00:49:15,124 --> 00:49:17,876 - And then we spent the whole summer thinking about it. 1099 00:49:17,877 --> 00:49:22,213 And then that whole season in '85 we dedicated that season 1100 00:49:22,214 --> 00:49:25,592 just to get back to the finals and hoping they were there. 1101 00:49:25,593 --> 00:49:28,887 Whatever you do, don't look at the camera, Gary. 1102 00:49:28,888 --> 00:49:32,390 I came in after they had lost in '84, 1103 00:49:32,391 --> 00:49:36,811 and it was very apparent to me the goal for this team 1104 00:49:36,812 --> 00:49:40,315 was not to win an NBA Championship. 1105 00:49:40,316 --> 00:49:43,693 The goal was to beat the Boston Celtics 1106 00:49:43,694 --> 00:49:46,029 to win the NBA Championship. 1107 00:49:46,030 --> 00:49:48,573 We want Boston. We want Boston. 1108 00:49:48,574 --> 00:49:50,241 For a full year now, 1109 00:49:50,242 --> 00:49:51,951 this has been the L. A. cry, 1110 00:49:51,952 --> 00:49:54,537 wanting Boston but really wanting redemption. 1111 00:49:54,538 --> 00:49:57,123 They needed to play the Celtics, 1112 00:49:57,124 --> 00:50:00,543 and they needed to beat them for all the skeletons 1113 00:50:00,544 --> 00:50:04,255 to come out of the closet and sort of release this curse 1114 00:50:04,256 --> 00:50:07,050 that seemed to be hanging over their head. 1115 00:50:07,051 --> 00:50:08,885 - Oh, I hope the Lakers do it. They should do it. 1116 00:50:08,886 --> 00:50:10,220 - Why do you think they should? 1117 00:50:10,221 --> 00:50:11,888 - Because they owe it to us to do it. 1118 00:50:11,889 --> 00:50:13,181 - Lakers for sure. 1119 00:50:13,182 --> 00:50:14,557 - Oh, it's gonna be the Lakers? - Yes, for sure. 1120 00:50:14,558 --> 00:50:15,892 - Yeah. You live in L. A. of course? 1121 00:50:15,893 --> 00:50:17,435 - Of course. 1122 00:50:17,436 --> 00:50:18,978 - You lived in Boston, you wouldn't be saying that. 1123 00:50:18,979 --> 00:50:21,731 - I wouldn't live in Boston. 1124 00:50:21,732 --> 00:50:23,483 - Lakers. - Why do you say Lakers? 1125 00:50:23,484 --> 00:50:24,859 - They have the Magic Man. 1126 00:50:24,860 --> 00:50:26,236 They have Kareem. They have everybody. 1127 00:50:26,237 --> 00:50:27,695 Worthy's going off through the whole series. 1128 00:50:27,696 --> 00:50:29,906 Can't nobody stick it. 1129 00:50:29,907 --> 00:50:32,742 You know, after Lakers lost, I was devastated. 1130 00:50:32,743 --> 00:50:35,078 You know, I despised the Celtics. 1131 00:50:35,079 --> 00:50:38,831 Uh, you know, Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, 1132 00:50:38,832 --> 00:50:43,044 Danny Ainge, Jerry Sichting... All of those guys, man. 1133 00:50:43,045 --> 00:50:44,838 I hated 'em. 1134 00:50:46,382 --> 00:50:48,424 Pick 'em out. Pick 'em out. 1135 00:50:48,425 --> 00:50:51,761 Hey go, Celtics. Beat L. A., souvenirs here. 1136 00:50:51,762 --> 00:50:54,305 Hit the road, Jack. Yeah. Get outta here. Jack. 1137 00:50:54,306 --> 00:50:56,891 It's the Celtics all the away. 1138 00:50:56,892 --> 00:50:58,977 The fans in L.A. are phony fans. 1139 00:50:58,978 --> 00:51:00,395 The fans here are true fans. 1140 00:51:00,396 --> 00:51:02,814 The fans here are more sports-oriented. 1141 00:51:02,815 --> 00:51:06,150 They're not movie-goers and here to see the stars. 1142 00:51:06,151 --> 00:51:08,194 You know, they want to see a good game. 1143 00:51:08,195 --> 00:51:09,779 - Who's gonna win it? 1144 00:51:09,780 --> 00:51:12,407 The Celtics because there's no other reason why. 1145 00:51:12,408 --> 00:51:14,450 The Celtics are the balls. 1146 00:51:14,451 --> 00:51:15,743 - I don't know if you know anything about 1147 00:51:15,744 --> 00:51:16,869 Boston sports out there, 1148 00:51:16,870 --> 00:51:19,914 but they're still doing that stuff. 1149 00:51:19,915 --> 00:51:22,041 Best fans in the world. They're behind their teams. 1150 00:51:22,042 --> 00:51:25,503 The perception was this was the bitter cold, 1151 00:51:25,504 --> 00:51:28,339 tough East Coast where you had a fight for everything. 1152 00:51:28,340 --> 00:51:29,966 And L. A.'s where all the surfers are 1153 00:51:29,967 --> 00:51:32,051 and the Hollywood and the glamor 1154 00:51:32,052 --> 00:51:33,761 and the babes on every corner. 1155 00:51:33,762 --> 00:51:36,055 I mean, it's just... it's the perception of the cities, 1156 00:51:36,056 --> 00:51:37,640 not just the teams. 1157 00:51:37,641 --> 00:51:40,143 Beat L. A.! Beat L. A.! 1158 00:51:40,144 --> 00:51:42,520 Going into the finals, the Lakers were facing 1159 00:51:42,521 --> 00:51:44,856 the Boston Celtics for the ninth time, 1160 00:51:44,857 --> 00:51:47,859 and they had lost all of the previous eight. 1161 00:51:47,860 --> 00:51:50,570 - The Lakers are determined to break through this time, 1162 00:51:50,571 --> 00:51:52,196 but time will tell. 1163 00:51:52,197 --> 00:51:55,950 And we're underway. Here's Magic pushing it up. 1164 00:51:55,951 --> 00:51:58,286 James Worthy. Air ball. 1165 00:51:58,287 --> 00:51:59,829 There's a three on one break. 1166 00:51:59,830 --> 00:52:01,039 Two on one. 1167 00:52:01,040 --> 00:52:03,124 Worthy misses the shot. 1168 00:52:03,125 --> 00:52:05,627 20-point lead for the Celtics on the Lakers 1169 00:52:05,628 --> 00:52:07,086 in this first half. 1170 00:52:07,087 --> 00:52:09,339 And Worthy steps on the line. He took the call. 1171 00:52:09,340 --> 00:52:11,799 I'd very concerned if I was Pat Riley. 1172 00:52:11,800 --> 00:52:13,384 Mike. Hook shot. 1173 00:52:13,385 --> 00:52:15,803 And that breaks the record. 1174 00:52:15,804 --> 00:52:17,930 The Boston Celtics have set a record 1175 00:52:17,931 --> 00:52:19,515 for the most points in one game 1176 00:52:19,516 --> 00:52:20,975 in a Championship Series. 1177 00:52:20,976 --> 00:52:22,644 And that'll do it. 1178 00:52:22,645 --> 00:52:24,854 No contest. Game one. 1179 00:52:24,855 --> 00:52:27,440 But it's just game one. Best of seven. 1180 00:52:27,441 --> 00:52:31,069 Give it to the Boston Celtics by a wide margin. 1181 00:52:31,070 --> 00:52:32,779 - The media went crazy. We're over the hill. 1182 00:52:32,780 --> 00:52:34,113 We're done. 1183 00:52:34,114 --> 00:52:36,157 What a horrible performance. 1184 00:52:36,158 --> 00:52:38,242 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is too old. 1185 00:52:38,243 --> 00:52:41,204 He was run off the court by Parish and McHale, 1186 00:52:41,205 --> 00:52:43,414 and he looked like an old man. 1187 00:52:43,415 --> 00:52:44,874 I mean, they really killed us. 1188 00:52:44,875 --> 00:52:48,086 The media killed us, and deservedly so. 1189 00:52:48,087 --> 00:52:52,590 We choked in '84, and we choked in the first game. 1190 00:52:52,591 --> 00:52:56,052 And I had a simple, not rule, 1191 00:52:56,053 --> 00:52:58,680 but an understanding that when we went to a game, 1192 00:52:58,681 --> 00:53:01,724 we all went together and nobody else. 1193 00:53:01,725 --> 00:53:02,934 No family, no friends, nobody. 1194 00:53:02,935 --> 00:53:04,394 We all went together on the bus. 1195 00:53:04,395 --> 00:53:06,771 And so I said, "Let's get on the bus at 6:00." 1196 00:53:06,772 --> 00:53:08,982 Then I looked to my right. 1197 00:53:10,859 --> 00:53:13,569 Kareem's running towards the bus, 1198 00:53:13,570 --> 00:53:15,279 and there's a gentleman following him. 1199 00:53:15,280 --> 00:53:18,449 And I recognized that it was father, Big Al. 1200 00:53:22,162 --> 00:53:25,248 My dad was starting to demonstrate 1201 00:53:25,249 --> 00:53:27,209 the, uh, process of dementia. 1202 00:53:29,086 --> 00:53:31,337 He had gotten separated from my mom. 1203 00:53:31,338 --> 00:53:33,882 So I grabbed him, and I took him on the bus. 1204 00:53:36,260 --> 00:53:38,845 He said, "Can my dad go to the game with me?" 1205 00:53:38,846 --> 00:53:42,640 And I said, "Absolutely." 1206 00:53:46,270 --> 00:53:51,649 The last time that I saw my father was in 1970. 1207 00:53:51,650 --> 00:53:54,569 I was saying goodbye to them 1208 00:53:54,570 --> 00:53:56,988 and he opened the door and came out, and he said, 1209 00:53:56,989 --> 00:53:59,407 "Just remember what I always taught you. 1210 00:53:59,408 --> 00:54:01,534 "That, you know, some place, you know, somewhere, 1211 00:54:01,535 --> 00:54:05,037 "sometime you're gonna have to plant your feet, stand firm, 1212 00:54:05,038 --> 00:54:07,623 "and make a point about who you are 1213 00:54:07,624 --> 00:54:09,751 "and where you came from. 1214 00:54:09,752 --> 00:54:11,169 "Just remember that, Pat. 1215 00:54:11,170 --> 00:54:12,795 When that time comes, you do it," you know? 1216 00:54:12,796 --> 00:54:14,630 And he just patted me on the shoulder and left. 1217 00:54:14,631 --> 00:54:17,300 I never saw him again after that. 1218 00:54:17,301 --> 00:54:19,719 So when I gave my final comments 1219 00:54:19,720 --> 00:54:21,053 before we went out on the court, 1220 00:54:21,054 --> 00:54:23,347 I started talking about dads, my dad, 1221 00:54:23,348 --> 00:54:25,641 and everybody else's dad that I knew there. 1222 00:54:25,642 --> 00:54:29,021 And, uh, it was a very emotional time. 1223 00:54:30,564 --> 00:54:35,818 The last words that I said to the team: 1224 00:54:35,819 --> 00:54:38,196 "We're going out tonight to plant our feet, stand firm, 1225 00:54:38,197 --> 00:54:42,366 "make a point about who we are, we're world champions, 1226 00:54:42,367 --> 00:54:45,329 and about where we came from, we come from L. A." 1227 00:54:47,748 --> 00:54:51,459 Kareem bringing his father on the bus inspired me. 1228 00:54:51,460 --> 00:54:54,837 It changed my speech and talked about dads. 1229 00:54:54,838 --> 00:54:56,506 It was probably one of the greatest 1230 00:54:56,507 --> 00:54:59,592 motivation speech to a team that you could ever give 1231 00:54:59,593 --> 00:55:01,636 to get them ready, where you could feel it 1232 00:55:01,637 --> 00:55:03,554 from how he got it, and how his dad got it 1233 00:55:03,555 --> 00:55:04,931 and gave it to him. 1234 00:55:04,932 --> 00:55:07,643 And Pat Riley gave it to us. And, boy, it was perfect. 1235 00:55:11,230 --> 00:55:12,688 When you think back to Monday, 1236 00:55:12,689 --> 00:55:14,190 it is still hard to believe 1237 00:55:14,191 --> 00:55:17,652 that the Celtics beat the Lakers by 34 points. 1238 00:55:17,653 --> 00:55:19,153 But I think the thing to keep in mind 1239 00:55:19,154 --> 00:55:21,822 is that frequently in a seven-game series, 1240 00:55:21,823 --> 00:55:24,992 it is the second game which dictates the tempo 1241 00:55:24,993 --> 00:55:28,788 and the mood for the remainder of the series. 1242 00:55:28,789 --> 00:55:31,874 This was the major breakthrough moment 1243 00:55:31,875 --> 00:55:35,920 for that team to really own their greatness, 1244 00:55:35,921 --> 00:55:39,632 to own it with this tremendous adversity. 1245 00:55:39,633 --> 00:55:42,843 The Celtics only loss in their last 22 1246 00:55:42,844 --> 00:55:45,304 were these Lakers in game one a year ago. 1247 00:55:45,305 --> 00:55:47,098 It's a new year, a new game. 1248 00:55:47,099 --> 00:55:50,393 One nothing. Boston lead. 1249 00:55:50,394 --> 00:55:51,978 And the Lakers control. 1250 00:55:51,979 --> 00:55:53,521 When you're trying to win a championship, 1251 00:55:53,522 --> 00:55:56,065 in that environment, in that stadium, 1252 00:55:56,066 --> 00:55:59,443 with the players that they had, it wasn't easy at all. 1253 00:55:59,444 --> 00:56:01,737 And here comes L. A. Pushing it up the way. 1254 00:56:01,738 --> 00:56:04,532 I knew every time I went to try to dunk, 1255 00:56:04,533 --> 00:56:06,659 I was gonna get hit. James knew it. 1256 00:56:06,660 --> 00:56:08,411 Magic knew when he went to the hole 1257 00:56:08,412 --> 00:56:09,954 he was gonna get hit. 1258 00:56:09,955 --> 00:56:12,832 That was a part of game as far as we was concerned. 1259 00:56:12,833 --> 00:56:15,877 Boston thought we were soft and found out we weren't. 1260 00:56:17,087 --> 00:56:18,504 We got some players, 1261 00:56:18,505 --> 00:56:19,922 and they're gonna take your head off 1262 00:56:19,923 --> 00:56:22,133 if that's what type of game you want to play. 1263 00:56:22,134 --> 00:56:24,051 This kind of pace when they have a big lead. 1264 00:56:24,052 --> 00:56:25,845 Bird is fouled as he goes in. 1265 00:56:25,846 --> 00:56:28,264 - And you don't see Larry Bird often... 1266 00:56:28,265 --> 00:56:29,640 We were a team that could play 1267 00:56:29,641 --> 00:56:31,475 any style of basketball that you want to play. 1268 00:56:31,476 --> 00:56:33,311 And we still gonna play our style at the end of the day. 1269 00:56:33,312 --> 00:56:34,687 We're still gonna get up and down. 1270 00:56:34,688 --> 00:56:36,105 We're still gonna be showtime. 1271 00:56:36,106 --> 00:56:37,940 But if you want to be half court and gritty, 1272 00:56:37,941 --> 00:56:39,525 we'll play that way. 1273 00:56:39,526 --> 00:56:40,985 If you want to be physical, we'll play that way. 1274 00:56:40,986 --> 00:56:43,196 And then we gonna still get up and down the floor. 1275 00:56:44,698 --> 00:56:46,073 Ladies and gentlemen, 1276 00:56:46,074 --> 00:56:47,325 welcome to Boston Garden. 1277 00:56:47,326 --> 00:56:48,784 We go to game number six. 1278 00:56:48,785 --> 00:56:51,704 The Los Angeles Lakers have achieved a 3-to-2 advantage. 1279 00:56:51,705 --> 00:56:53,998 They want to stifle the Celtics here today 1280 00:56:53,999 --> 00:56:57,753 and become the 1985 World Champions. 1281 00:57:00,631 --> 00:57:02,590 There's no way I was gonna miss it. 1282 00:57:02,591 --> 00:57:06,010 I was shooting a movie. The studio wouldn't let me fly. 1283 00:57:06,011 --> 00:57:08,929 I'd hired a sea plane to secretly pick me up, 1284 00:57:08,930 --> 00:57:10,306 flew to Boston, 1285 00:57:10,307 --> 00:57:13,517 and got in my seats just in time for tip-off. 1286 00:57:13,518 --> 00:57:15,269 Unfortunately, they cut to me in the audience 1287 00:57:15,270 --> 00:57:16,520 in the broadcast. 1288 00:57:16,521 --> 00:57:18,356 Rob Lowe, the actor here. 1289 00:57:18,357 --> 00:57:20,483 And the studio found out that I was there. 1290 00:57:20,484 --> 00:57:22,486 They were not happy. 1291 00:57:24,029 --> 00:57:27,031 Kareem controls. Five rebounds for Kareem. 1292 00:57:32,537 --> 00:57:36,707 And Magic Johnson finds redemption a year later. 1293 00:57:36,708 --> 00:57:38,042 We were tired of hearing 1294 00:57:38,043 --> 00:57:40,252 how we were 0 and 8 against the Celtics. 1295 00:57:40,253 --> 00:57:44,173 So it was just a big relief for all of us, you know, 1296 00:57:44,174 --> 00:57:46,967 to finally get that monkey off our back. 1297 00:57:46,968 --> 00:57:49,261 The Lakers are winning it. 1298 00:57:49,262 --> 00:57:50,763 Three in six years. 1299 00:57:50,764 --> 00:57:54,934 L.A. comes to Boston and wins the World Title. 1300 00:57:54,935 --> 00:57:57,019 We're the only team to win a World Championship 1301 00:57:57,020 --> 00:58:00,481 in Boston Garden other than the Celtics. 1302 00:58:00,482 --> 00:58:02,525 After what we had gone through the year before 1303 00:58:02,526 --> 00:58:05,361 being called sissies and fakers, 1304 00:58:05,362 --> 00:58:07,863 being able to come back after that and win it 1305 00:58:07,864 --> 00:58:09,532 in Boston Garden... 1306 00:58:09,533 --> 00:58:12,118 I'll go to my grave smiling about that. 1307 00:58:12,119 --> 00:58:15,079 I really wanted to win it two years in a row, 1308 00:58:15,080 --> 00:58:17,581 'cause nobody's done it a long time. 1309 00:58:17,582 --> 00:58:20,418 And, uh, we were good enough to beat 'em. 1310 00:58:20,419 --> 00:58:22,586 Then they came in Boston and beat us in Boston. 1311 00:58:22,587 --> 00:58:24,339 I didn't think they could ever do that. 1312 00:58:25,257 --> 00:58:27,550 They're so uplifting when they win championships. 1313 00:58:27,551 --> 00:58:30,803 And when they beat the Celtics and did it in Boston, 1314 00:58:30,804 --> 00:58:33,264 it's those things that suck you in forever. 1315 00:58:33,265 --> 00:58:36,976 - I feel it now. You know, I just... I just got a moment. 1316 00:58:36,977 --> 00:58:39,937 - God, was it fun to root against them. 1317 00:58:39,938 --> 00:58:43,858 Oh... the best. 1318 00:58:43,859 --> 00:58:45,276 Coach, does it make it any sweeter 1319 00:58:45,277 --> 00:58:46,819 defeating the Celtics here... - Yeah. 1320 00:58:46,820 --> 00:58:48,904 - Where you lost it last year? - Gad damn parquet floor. 1321 00:58:48,905 --> 00:58:50,489 On our championship rings, we're gonna have 1322 00:58:50,490 --> 00:58:52,408 a parquet floor with a diamond in the middle of it. 1323 00:58:52,409 --> 00:58:53,784 - This is what every kid who's ever picked up 1324 00:58:53,785 --> 00:58:55,619 a basketball dreams about doing. 1325 00:58:55,620 --> 00:58:56,954 I couldn't be happier, man. 1326 00:58:56,955 --> 00:58:58,372 I'm the happiest guy in the world right now. 1327 00:58:58,373 --> 00:59:00,541 - We had the people back in L. A. waiting on us now. 1328 00:59:00,542 --> 00:59:03,836 We know they're partying for us. It's just great. 1329 00:59:03,837 --> 00:59:08,048 - Now the title is back. - In L. A. Party hard. 1330 00:59:08,049 --> 00:59:10,926 Everybody in L. A., party for us. 1331 00:59:10,927 --> 00:59:12,178 'Cause we're gonna party 1332 00:59:12,179 --> 00:59:13,387 - We'll party for the rest of this summer. 1333 00:59:13,388 --> 00:59:15,097 - It's time to get down. 1334 00:59:15,098 --> 00:59:17,433 - Hey, look at this! 1335 00:59:20,979 --> 00:59:24,356 This has removed the most odious sentence 1336 00:59:24,357 --> 00:59:26,317 in the English language. 1337 00:59:26,318 --> 00:59:28,027 It can never again be said 1338 00:59:28,028 --> 00:59:30,614 that the Lakers have never beaten the Celtics. 1339 00:59:34,951 --> 00:59:37,787 When you've tasted that winning, 1340 00:59:37,788 --> 00:59:39,497 it's a-an addiction. 1341 00:59:39,498 --> 00:59:43,250 You wanna keep winning, and how is that gonna happen? 1342 00:59:43,251 --> 00:59:45,503 You know, my dad was determined. 1343 00:59:45,504 --> 00:59:47,588 This was, "Let's keep this going. 1344 00:59:47,589 --> 00:59:49,882 What else can we do? Bring it on." 1345 00:59:49,883 --> 00:59:51,133 Ladies and gentlemen, 1346 00:59:51,134 --> 00:59:54,220 the unbelievable Dr. Jerry Buss. 1347 00:59:56,431 --> 01:00:00,267 We're number one. We're number one. 1348 01:00:00,268 --> 01:00:03,062 We're number one. We're number one. 1349 01:00:03,063 --> 01:00:06,524 But the ego that it takes to keep winning 1350 01:00:06,525 --> 01:00:10,152 may be what destroys the people around you.