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Jackson’s friends had long pointed out behind the scenes that Jim was the driving factor in Jackson’s 2004 dismissal as Lakers coach and it was Jim who moved unilaterally to make the disastrous Rudy Tomjanovich hire that cost the team millions. “The Lakers will be a disaster when Phil leaves the franchise,” one of Jackson’s associates predicted a few years back. “Jim’s biggest move is to put his personal bartender on the team payroll. Jim never comes around the franchise, doesn’t even have an office there.” HoopsHype

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Ronnie Lester, Brian Shaw, Jerry West, Jeanie Buss, Jim Buss 

The thing that has made her such a successful business manager of the team is that she works her pretty tail off. That, and she truly loves the Lakers and has been a serious fan for years. “I went into it because I love the Lakers, and when you love the Lakers, you want them to win so badly that you will work tirelessly to make that happen?” she told an interviewer years ago. HoopsHype

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Jerry West, Jeanie Buss, Jim Buss 

West and Phil Jackson clearly had a distant relationship from the moment the Lakers brought Jackson in to coach Shaquille O’Neal and Bryant, and West confirms it all. West says he was definitely troubled by Jackson’s relationship with Jeanie Buss and was put off by much of what Jackson was doing (Jackson’s first year was West’s last with the Lakers). ”So one of the problems I had with Phil was this,” West writes. “His office was right near mine and when he would arrive in the morning, he would walk right past and never even bother to wave or duck his head in to say hello. “He would later say that he felt the need to stake out his territory, that on top of that he was ’a wack job,’ but I am sure it was more than that.” San Jose Mercury-News

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Jerry West, Jeanie Buss 

Former Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson has been keeping himself busy in his retirement ... shopping, swimming and even following Kobe Bryant's church drama. The zen master and his GF Jeannie Buss were leaving the Rochester BIg and Tall store in L.A. yesterday -- 'cause he's friggin' 6'8" -- when we asked if anyone has ever tried to sneak a photo of him in a private moment. TMZ.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Phil Jackson, Jeanie Buss 

As Jackson spoke of the economic predicament facing the league, his longtime girlfriend, Jeanie Buss, interrupted: “These are the opinions of Phil Jackson, not of the Laker organization.” “I have nothing to do with it,” protested Jackson. “I know,” said Buss, the team’s executive vice president of business affairs. “You are not an employee any longer.” FOXSports.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Coaching, Jeanie Buss 

If you’re still more interested in the old coach than the next one — or simply the interesting life of Lakers executive vice president Jeanie Buss — Mark Kriegel sits down on his “Barfly” show for FoxSports.com with Buss and Phil Jackson. “We never fight,” Buss said, with Jackson jumping in with an explanation that they don’t have the “mundane” time together most couples do because of how much traveling he does and how distant he is every summer. Orange County Register

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Coaching, Jeanie Buss 

Although Buss wonders what Jackson will do to keep busy after leaving the Lakers, she has confidence in their relationship more now than when Jackson was leaving coaching in 2004. “Going through this season wasn’t as hard for me, because I kind of know our connection now or I’m confident in that connection,” Buss said. Orange County Register

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Coaching, Jeanie Buss 

Wendell Maxey: phil says that with his relationship with jennie buss, he'll be involved somehow in what lakers do going forward. Twitter

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Coaching, Jeanie Buss 

Jeanie Buss: #Lakers fans are you watching Heat vs. Celtics? If so, do you care who wins? I'm torn Heat has Pat Riley / Boston has Shaq. #AlwaysALaker. Twitter

Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Shaquille O'Neal, Pat Riley, Jeanie Buss 

It's the sports fan in me, but I was more intrigued with Lakers Executive Vice President Jeanie Buss recently meeting with Odom to express her sentiments on how well he's played this season and how the organization truly appreciates his presence. Instead, that one-minute clip is overshadowed with middle-school dramas such as Khloé's insecurity about her weight and Odom's refusal to clean the house because he's used to a maid cleaning up after him. The supposed tension between the two quickly dials down by the end of the half-hour episode, and given the fact that the production crew films plenty of footage, I'm sure how it played out in real life was the equivalent of what a typical "Seinfeld" episode was about: Nothing. Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Lamar Odom, Khloe Kardashian, Jeanie Buss 

He talked readily about retirement after this season, saying he would split his time 60-40 in Montana and L.A. — or maybe 60-40 L.A./Montana, seeing how four of his five adult children are in California, as is longtime companion Jeanie Buss. Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Coaching, Jeanie Buss 

Jackson, the gangly kid from North Dakota who landed in New York in 1967 and became a celebrated role player, an N.B.A. champion and a coaching legend, is writing the last chapter of his basketball odyssey. He has declared this will be his final season with the Los Angeles Lakers, and probably his last N.B.A. season, period. If he returns to the Garden someday, it will be as an honored guest. “He doesn’t get all teary-eyed,” says Jeanie Buss, a Lakers executive and Jackson’s girlfriend, “but there are things that he holds dear in his heart.” New York Times

Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Phil Jackson, Coaching, Jeanie Buss 

Los Angeles Lakers exec Jeanie Buss -- arguably the most powerful woman in sports -- is in talks to join the cast of "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" ... TMZ has learned. Sources connected to the production confirm Buss -- who's dating Lakers head coach Phil Jackson -- met with casting executives recently. In fact, producers went to a recent Lakers game to "observe" Jeanie's daily routine. Buss currently serves as the Executive Vice President of Business Operations for the storied NBA franchise -- which is owned by her father Jerry Buss. TMZ.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Jerry Buss, Jeanie Buss 

The financial health of the NBA is an issue that has concerned Lakers owner Jerry Buss for some time now. According to my sources, Buss has worked behind the scenes over the past two years, encouraging the league’s other owners to put up $20 million each to buy two franchises and shutter them. The issue is now moving front and center, as Jeanie Buss, the owner’s daughter who manages the business side of the Lakers, has begun setting the agenda for contraction while doing a publicity tour for her new book, Laker Girl. HoopsHype

Los Angeles Lakers, Jerry Buss, Lockout, Owners, Jeanie Buss, Contraction 

What about your role with the Lakers? Do you think you’ll take over for your dad eventually? Jeanie Buss: My dad has set it up so that my older brother Jimmy manages the basketball side, and I manage the business side. I like to say that I create the revenue and he gets to spend it. All my other siblings have positions in the Lakers too. I think this team will stay in the family. I will continue to play my role. Forbes

Los Angeles Lakers, Jeanie Buss 

You live and work with Phil but have no plans to marry. Why not? Jeanie Buss: I wanted to get married. That’s who I am. Phil is of a generation that probably would have been happier never getting married. He just doesn’t want to get married again; it’s not that he doesn’t want to marry me. It took me awhile to understand that, and I’m fine with it now. We’ve been together over 10 years. This relationship has been my longest and most successful. So I’m very happy. Forbes

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Jeanie Buss 

Lakers coach Phil Jackson, Buss' longtime boyfriend, was asked about Buss' comments before Friday's game at Denver. "I think that's what the commissioner said so I think she's probably parroting what the commissioner said," Jackson said. When asked for his thoughts about contraction, Jackson said, "I will parrot what both of them said" before expanding on the thought. "I think [the league has] some parameters that they want to meet in some of the markets," Jackson said. "I think they'll set up some goals that way and I think that will be a helpful thing for the league. Taking New Orleans for example, they had to meet a certain number of ticket holders for them to come in the league, so there are some parameters that are important." ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Jeanie Buss 

What did Phil factor in while debating his decision to come back this year? Jeanie Buss: He doesn’t really like to think about next year. I think there was a lot of pressure to make that decision as to whether he would come back or not. I think that he’s devoted to this group of players, meaning he loves Pau Gasol. He’s in love with the talent that Pau has and his basketball intellect. He knows Kobe works harder than anybody. Andrew Bynum has really gained a place in Phil’s heart because they’ve been together so long and he sees Andrew really making that next step into becoming one of the elite players in the league. It’s hard for him to make commitments, but I think he really wanted to come back for this team and they have a really, really good opportunity to repeat and he wants to make sure that they don’t blow it and they don’t take it for granted because those opportunities are very hard to come by. New York Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, Phil Jackson, Coaching, Jeanie Buss 

Has Phil wavered at all in this being his last season? Jeanie Buss: No. This will be his last year with the Lakers. He wants to make sure that the players know that so that they don’t leave anything out there because there’s nothing worse for a player than living with regrets. “What could have been had we just made the right decision or done the right thing.” So he wanted to make sure they knew, this is our last time together. Now, what Phil does after this, only Phil knows. I don’t know if he’s going to retire. Me and my opinion? I can’t see him being retired. I don’t know what’s going to keep him occupied. He’s so competitive. He’s so good at coaching. Can I see him coaching another team in the N.B.A.? Yes. Can I see him having his own cooking show? Yes. He’s a person that is very productive, but he’s going to have to decide what he’s going to do. New York Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Coaching, Jeanie Buss 

What was last year like for Phil Jackson? Jeanie Buss: He puts so much of his energy into every season. He honestly starts every season with a road map in his head of how he’s going to get a team where they need to be in order to give them the best chance in the playoffs. He works really hard. Last year was about injuries and timing. He had set the goal to have the best record in the league because he knew that home-court advantage would mean that much in the N.B.A. playoffs. Unfortunately, we didn’t finish with the best record. Cleveland did. But the good news was that Cleveland lost and we played Boston, which we did have a better record over, so we ended up with that home-court advantage in Game 7. New York Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson, Coaching, Jeanie Buss