Jerry Buss Skips Parade To Play Poker
By KURT HELIN
Updated 6:22 AM PST, Fri, Jun 19, 2009
So where was he Wednesday afternoon when an estimated 150,000 celebrated the Lakers championship downtown?
TMZ found him sitting by himself and playing a little poker at the Commerce Casino. He wasn’t even really watching the parade and celebration on the television right above him.
It seems sad. The eccentric, rich old man just sitting quietly at a dingy, florescent lit casino — but that is who Jerry Buss is. He has long marched to the beat of his own drummer and shunned what he was “supposed to do.” He doesn't really care what you or society thinks. That’s part of the reason his franchise is such a success. He also has kept a higher profile in poker circles than basketball ones in recent years. His children now largely run the Lakers — little-seen Joey was the one taking the trophy from David Stern.
So long as he won enough money to pay for both Lamar Odom and Trevor Ariza this summer, Laker fans will let him do whatever he wants during the parade without complaint.
Copyright NBC Local Media
First Published: Jun 18, 2009 3:28 PM PST
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