WEBVTT - #thisleague UNCUT: Paying tribute to the one and only Jerry West 0:00:00.160 --> 0:00:04.360 Welcome to this League Uncut in the rule of twenty 0:00:04.400 --> 0:00:05.440 four hour NBA News. 0:00:05.720 --> 0:00:09.200 This's you, Chris Haynes. 0:00:09.480 --> 0:00:17.239 It's time, works time, It's so time you cut. This 0:00:17.400 --> 0:00:21.919 League Uncut is underway tend on five. This should be 0:00:21.960 --> 0:00:23.040 a good one. 0:00:24.280 --> 0:00:30.640 Everyone, welcome in, Welcome back to the NBA Finals and 0:00:30.720 --> 0:00:36.160 a new edition of this League Uncut. It is June twelfth, 0:00:36.720 --> 0:00:41.080 It is the morning of Game three of these NBA Finals. 0:00:41.640 --> 0:00:44.400 And just have to be upfront with you from the jump. 0:00:44.479 --> 0:00:48.960 This was We thought this would be a very joyous 0:00:48.960 --> 0:00:54.840 occasion because Chris Haynes and I were in the same city, which, 0:00:56.040 --> 0:00:58.280 as you guys know, those of you who listen to 0:00:58.280 --> 0:01:00.840 this show regularly, you know that it is rare when 0:01:00.880 --> 0:01:03.280 Chris and I actually get to be together to hang 0:01:03.320 --> 0:01:05.840 out to cover a game together. And we will do 0:01:06.000 --> 0:01:09.559 that later tonight. But this is a very sad day 0:01:09.760 --> 0:01:14.080 in the NBA. There is no way to get around that. 0:01:14.520 --> 0:01:18.280 Early this morning, we got the news from the Clippers. 0:01:18.920 --> 0:01:23.760 Jerry West, the one and only Jerry West, the logo 0:01:23.920 --> 0:01:28.400 who has been working as a Clippers consultant for the 0:01:28.440 --> 0:01:31.360 past several seasons. The Clippers announced that at the age 0:01:31.360 --> 0:01:36.600 of eighty six. Jerry West passed away earlier today, peacefully 0:01:37.319 --> 0:01:41.040 with wife Karen at his side. But we are talking 0:01:41.080 --> 0:01:46.040 about one of the absolute giants of this game for 0:01:46.160 --> 0:01:52.800 decades and decades and decades, long before Chris or I 0:01:52.880 --> 0:01:58.680 started covering this league. And I can honestly say I 0:01:58.800 --> 0:02:04.200 covered Jerry West as a Lakers beat writer. I was 0:02:04.240 --> 0:02:07.600 there when, in the same summer he was able to 0:02:07.760 --> 0:02:15.080 draft Kobe Bryant and sign Shaquille O'Neill just weeks later 0:02:16.040 --> 0:02:20.520 what is probably still regarded as the greatest off season 0:02:21.639 --> 0:02:25.359 an NBA executive, and maybe any sports team executive has 0:02:25.400 --> 0:02:29.440 ever had to be able to make those two moves 0:02:29.480 --> 0:02:34.519 in such a short span. And so I've been covering 0:02:34.600 --> 0:02:36.960 him for a long time. I know, Chris, you got 0:02:36.960 --> 0:02:40.680 to cover him when you were embedded with the Warriors 0:02:40.760 --> 0:02:44.160 and Jerry was a Warriors executive. 0:02:44.200 --> 0:02:45.680 But I mean, I can just tell you. 0:02:47.280 --> 0:02:52.000 There's nobody in the league who I looked forward to 0:02:52.040 --> 0:02:56.760 speaking to more than Jerry West, especially as he got older. 0:02:58.280 --> 0:03:00.520 The care factor, the. 0:03:00.440 --> 0:03:06.640 Competitiveness, the intensity as he got older, the candor. I mean, 0:03:07.080 --> 0:03:09.280 I could go on and on and on, but just 0:03:09.600 --> 0:03:14.880 getting to speak to him and unfiltered Jerry West was 0:03:15.760 --> 0:03:19.480 a true treat And you know, we're doing this pod 0:03:20.320 --> 0:03:23.800 about two hours later than we thought we would because 0:03:23.919 --> 0:03:27.840 I frankly needed some time to try to figure out 0:03:27.880 --> 0:03:30.440 what to say, because obviously Jerry was in his eighties, 0:03:30.480 --> 0:03:34.120 he was in ill health. But nothing prepares you for 0:03:34.200 --> 0:03:37.160 the loss of a legend like this. And Bill Walton 0:03:37.240 --> 0:03:39.839 just passed away a couple of weeks ago, and now 0:03:39.880 --> 0:03:43.960 we lose Jerry West, and it is it's just. 0:03:45.640 --> 0:03:46.760 Tremendously sad. 0:03:47.920 --> 0:03:51.880 No, indeed, it is, you know, and rest in peace 0:03:51.920 --> 0:03:57.680 to Jerry West, and give our condoless to family and friends, 0:03:58.760 --> 0:04:00.720 close friends of Jerry. 0:04:00.800 --> 0:04:01.440 He was a. 0:04:02.880 --> 0:04:06.040 He was an incredible individual. I enjoyed my time being 0:04:06.080 --> 0:04:09.120 around him. As you mentioned Steinwn covering the warriors. And 0:04:10.040 --> 0:04:13.920 you know, Star I grew up. I grew up around 0:04:14.120 --> 0:04:16.599 a lot of senior citizens. I had them in my 0:04:16.680 --> 0:04:21.039 family and my churches. And you know, you have some 0:04:21.200 --> 0:04:26.600 youngsters who despise listening to the old stories from from 0:04:26.760 --> 0:04:29.960 your elder statesman, and I was the opposite. 0:04:30.160 --> 0:04:32.040 Always. I always like hearing the stories. 0:04:32.080 --> 0:04:35.560 I like hearing how life seems so simple back in 0:04:35.600 --> 0:04:38.400 the day, you know, just to have the way they 0:04:38.480 --> 0:04:43.320 used to navigate this a life that was viewed and 0:04:43.480 --> 0:04:47.279 told as so much more simple than what we live 0:04:47.640 --> 0:04:50.279 in the modern era. And so I've always enjoyed, you know, 0:04:50.360 --> 0:04:55.440 hearing stories from the elders. Jerry West was definitely somebody 0:04:55.440 --> 0:04:58.640 that I always gravitated towards, because once you got to 0:04:58.640 --> 0:05:02.000 spend some time with him, once gave you time, you 0:05:02.040 --> 0:05:04.120 didn't know what he was going to say, and you 0:05:04.160 --> 0:05:06.200 didn't know how he was going to say it. You know, 0:05:05.920 --> 0:05:09.479 you you talked about Jerry West being candid, you know, 0:05:10.200 --> 0:05:11.680 you know, I think we all when you get a 0:05:11.680 --> 0:05:15.640 certain age, you start speaking speaking more of your mind, 0:05:16.160 --> 0:05:16.359 like you. 0:05:16.960 --> 0:05:23.080 Give less fucks. And that was definitely Jerry. And the more. 0:05:24.279 --> 0:05:27.800 Accomplished life you have, the more experiences you have in life, 0:05:28.440 --> 0:05:32.880 the more interactions you have with a different group of people, 0:05:34.160 --> 0:05:37.680 that tends to lend to having more stories and just 0:05:37.720 --> 0:05:43.760 having these incredible, incredible times in these periods in which 0:05:43.800 --> 0:05:47.400 you can tell And that was Jerry. And there were 0:05:47.440 --> 0:05:51.400 times I find myself talking to him seeking information, you know, 0:05:51.880 --> 0:05:55.120 seeking information on the Warriors or the NBA or whatever, 0:05:56.000 --> 0:05:58.400 and next thing, you know, you didn't spend thirty minutes. 0:05:58.440 --> 0:06:01.640 He's talking about the old locker room and you know, 0:06:01.760 --> 0:06:04.680 being pissed at winning one championship. 0:06:04.000 --> 0:06:07.279 And all he had to go through. The It was 0:06:07.440 --> 0:06:09.400 just man, he was just incredible. 0:06:09.440 --> 0:06:14.280 Man. I'm going to miss those conversations. He's definitely one 0:06:14.320 --> 0:06:18.680 of the pillars of the NBA. He's the logo for 0:06:18.720 --> 0:06:25.600 a reason. Eight championships as an executive one, as a player, 0:06:27.440 --> 0:06:30.599 very much accomplished basketball executive ranks. 0:06:32.520 --> 0:06:35.080 Just a cool, polarizing person. 0:06:35.160 --> 0:06:39.200 Man, And I'm going to miss those conversations for sure. 0:06:40.200 --> 0:06:45.800 Yeah, and look, he stopped playing shortly before I can 0:06:45.880 --> 0:06:48.600 really say that I became an NBA fan, So I. 0:06:48.520 --> 0:06:50.240 Didn't get to see him play. 0:06:51.120 --> 0:06:56.120 Only I've watched highlights and you know, seen lots of clips. 0:06:56.120 --> 0:06:59.360 But I mean, he he was. He just did everything. 0:06:59.360 --> 0:07:03.120 He was a textbook player. He was a two way player. 0:07:03.279 --> 0:07:07.159 People didn't talk enough about what a rugged and effective 0:07:07.200 --> 0:07:10.960 defender he was. But shooting the ball, dribbling the ball, 0:07:11.120 --> 0:07:15.880 I mean, he just did it in absolute textbook fashion. 0:07:16.000 --> 0:07:20.560 But I did get to cover Jerry the executive very 0:07:20.680 --> 0:07:21.280 very closely. 0:07:21.320 --> 0:07:22.480 And look we are talking about. 0:07:22.320 --> 0:07:27.760 He was openly anguished and tormented his whole life. He 0:07:27.800 --> 0:07:32.520 did a book in twenty eleven with Jonathan Coleman, and 0:07:32.600 --> 0:07:38.000 the book is called West by West My Charmed Tormented Life. 0:07:38.200 --> 0:07:43.840 I mean this is someone he was tightly wound, tortured perfectionist. 0:07:44.160 --> 0:07:49.160 He openly said that it was really hard for him 0:07:49.200 --> 0:07:52.480 to find satisfaction, but that just kept driving him. 0:07:52.760 --> 0:07:55.120 He was just never satisfied. 0:07:55.160 --> 0:07:58.400 And as an executive he won everything as an executive 0:07:58.400 --> 0:08:00.800 that eluded him as a players said he only won 0:08:00.880 --> 0:08:04.320 one championship as a player, made the finals nine times, 0:08:04.400 --> 0:08:09.320 lost eight and that after a very difficult childhood upbringing. 0:08:09.680 --> 0:08:12.720 I mean that shaped him in ways that he would 0:08:12.760 --> 0:08:17.800 say he couldn't even control. He was very open about 0:08:18.000 --> 0:08:24.880 depression and his demons, but just the Jerry I knew, 0:08:24.920 --> 0:08:28.320 like he was just so driven to win. 0:08:30.360 --> 0:08:33.000 Nothing was enough. But I would also. 0:08:32.800 --> 0:08:36.559 Say in public, you know, he carried himself in this 0:08:36.800 --> 0:08:37.880 regal fashion. 0:08:37.920 --> 0:08:39.800 I mean he was always. 0:08:39.520 --> 0:08:46.439 Dressed, immaculately, hair never out of place. I can remember 0:08:47.160 --> 0:08:51.079 the All Star Game in Cleveland twenty twenty two when 0:08:51.120 --> 0:08:54.920 the NBA that was the All Star weekend, when the 0:08:55.000 --> 0:08:59.120 NBA announced its seventy five team, the seventy five greatest 0:08:59.120 --> 0:09:02.640 players in league history, and I was staying in the 0:09:02.640 --> 0:09:06.040 same hotel as a lot of the NBA alumni, the 0:09:06.120 --> 0:09:08.720 older players who were going to be celebrated as part 0:09:08.720 --> 0:09:12.520 of this. I can still see Jerry walking into that 0:09:13.000 --> 0:09:16.600 hotel lobby and just everything stopped. I mean, he was 0:09:16.720 --> 0:09:22.320 just absolutely magnetic. And you know, again just we're talking 0:09:22.320 --> 0:09:26.440 about one of the giants, giants of. 0:09:26.320 --> 0:09:28.080 The game, and. 0:09:31.280 --> 0:09:33.600 Like I said, I'm kind of a scattered mess this morning, 0:09:33.960 --> 0:09:37.280 because you know I was. I really feel fortunate that 0:09:37.360 --> 0:09:40.280 when I broke into the league in the nineties, first 0:09:40.320 --> 0:09:42.240 I was a Clippers beat writer for two years, and 0:09:42.240 --> 0:09:44.440 then I was a Lakers beat writer for two years. 0:09:44.480 --> 0:09:47.280 So I didn't get to see Algin Baylor play and 0:09:47.320 --> 0:09:50.040 I didn't get to see Jerry West play. And in 0:09:50.040 --> 0:09:52.920 those days, I've told this story that when I started 0:09:52.920 --> 0:09:55.920 in the nineties, just even getting highlights of those guys 0:09:56.080 --> 0:10:00.560 was so hard. The history of the game in the fifties, sixties, 0:10:00.559 --> 0:10:01.440 the seventies, it. 0:10:01.520 --> 0:10:02.800 Wasn't preserved well. 0:10:03.120 --> 0:10:05.480 So I remember when I got on the Clipper beat, 0:10:05.040 --> 0:10:06.880 I said, do you guys have. 0:10:06.880 --> 0:10:08.800 Any footage of Elgin Baylor? 0:10:08.840 --> 0:10:11.920 And the Clippers actually called the league and asked the 0:10:12.040 --> 0:10:15.720 league to put together an Elgin Baylor highlight reel. Just 0:10:15.760 --> 0:10:17.680 so I could see it, just so I could get 0:10:17.679 --> 0:10:20.160 a better feel for it. So to cover Elgin as 0:10:20.200 --> 0:10:23.640 the Clippers GM, and then to cover Jerry as the 0:10:23.720 --> 0:10:27.680 Lakers GM. In my first few years covering the league, 0:10:27.720 --> 0:10:32.320 I mean, it was it was really an education. And look, 0:10:32.480 --> 0:10:35.800 I think you probably remember this when the HBO series 0:10:35.880 --> 0:10:37.160 Winning Time came out. 0:10:37.280 --> 0:10:40.079 I know you remember this, and I was certainly not alone. 0:10:40.240 --> 0:10:44.960 A lot of us really were bothered by the portrayal 0:10:45.200 --> 0:10:50.160 of Jerry West because, yes, in private, he certainly had 0:10:50.600 --> 0:10:54.960 a temper and would certainly erupt on you on occasion. 0:10:55.080 --> 0:10:55.800 And I think. 0:10:57.679 --> 0:11:00.440 Every Beat writer who covered the Lakers has that kind 0:11:00.440 --> 0:11:07.240 of story. But they portrayed West as violently angry in public, 0:11:07.320 --> 0:11:10.880 and it was just like in public, Jerry West was 0:11:12.360 --> 0:11:16.360 again like royalty walking into a room. He wasn't like that, 0:11:16.400 --> 0:11:20.320 you He would never show that side in public. And 0:11:20.360 --> 0:11:23.000 the other thing that just bothered me so much about it, 0:11:23.160 --> 0:11:33.160 Jerry West was such a decisive executive and he made decisions. 0:11:31.400 --> 0:11:32.280 Hard decisions. 0:11:32.600 --> 0:11:32.760 You know. 0:11:32.800 --> 0:11:37.560 Again, my first experience writing about the NBA was writing 0:11:37.559 --> 0:11:41.040 about the Lakers drafting Vlade Devots in nineteen eighty nine, 0:11:41.200 --> 0:11:44.240 and you know, Jerry was the one in that Laker 0:11:44.280 --> 0:11:47.160 front office. He was obviously the lead decision maker, but 0:11:47.200 --> 0:11:50.080 that was his call. The other voices in the Lakers 0:11:50.160 --> 0:11:54.040 organization were not saying, let's draft Vlade Devots from Europe, 0:11:54.080 --> 0:11:56.040 a player none of us have really seen. But that 0:11:56.200 --> 0:11:58.960 was Jerry's call. Jerry had the gumption to do it, 0:11:59.000 --> 0:12:02.440 and those were the kind of moves that he made. 0:12:02.640 --> 0:12:05.160 And just I just remember when the HBO show came out, 0:12:05.440 --> 0:12:11.199 so many people were so upset by the way West 0:12:11.520 --> 0:12:15.920 was portrayed, because you know, he was not this rage 0:12:15.920 --> 0:12:17.200 aholic in public. 0:12:17.720 --> 0:12:19.040 You know, he still. 0:12:19.120 --> 0:12:23.640 Moved as just gracefully as he did as a player. 0:12:23.960 --> 0:12:26.000 And so, like I said, I can go on and 0:12:26.040 --> 0:12:27.880 on and on, I have to say that, like I'm 0:12:28.760 --> 0:12:30.800 I'm going to try to gather my thoughts here. You know, 0:12:30.840 --> 0:12:33.760 we've got this finals game tonight and the series is 0:12:33.760 --> 0:12:35.680 in my city. But you know, I am definitely going 0:12:35.720 --> 0:12:40.440 to when I can step back and write a more 0:12:40.480 --> 0:12:44.120 polished tribute to Jerry, because, like I said, I've been 0:12:44.160 --> 0:12:47.480 doing this for more than thirty seasons myself, and in 0:12:47.520 --> 0:12:52.480 all that time, there is literally no one I more 0:12:52.600 --> 0:12:58.920 looked forward to speaking with than Jerry West. A conversation 0:12:59.040 --> 0:13:02.959 with him. Was that absorbing and entertaining. 0:13:03.840 --> 0:13:06.280 You know, you brought up that that All Star weekend 0:13:06.400 --> 0:13:10.360 a few years ago. What was it Cleveland? I believe 0:13:10.360 --> 0:13:11.319 it was in Cleveland. 0:13:11.640 --> 0:13:16.520 Yeah, Cleveland was the Yeah, All NBA seventy five All NBA. 0:13:17.120 --> 0:13:21.560 So I was the couple of things. I was one 0:13:21.600 --> 0:13:26.079 of the lone reporters that had access that the NBA 0:13:26.160 --> 0:13:29.240 gave access to be in the backstage. 0:13:28.960 --> 0:13:32.360 Which I am extremely jealous of extra. I mean, don't 0:13:32.400 --> 0:13:34.920 get me started on that Stein. 0:13:35.160 --> 0:13:38.160 That was a That was an experience, man, that was 0:13:38.200 --> 0:13:40.120 an experience that It was actually the first time I 0:13:40.160 --> 0:13:41.880 was in the same room with Michael Jordan. 0:13:42.679 --> 0:13:45.960 I was I've never met Michael Jordan until that day. 0:13:46.920 --> 0:13:51.080 And just being around those guys seventy five, being around 0:13:51.120 --> 0:13:54.920 the legends, and you know, Dame made the team as well, 0:13:55.000 --> 0:13:56.960 you know, you know, so that was just a cool 0:13:57.000 --> 0:14:02.200 experience to be around all those iconic figures. But that 0:14:02.280 --> 0:14:06.600 All Star weekend was the last time that I had 0:14:06.640 --> 0:14:09.040 an extended conversation with Jerry West. 0:14:09.360 --> 0:14:12.120 Do you remember Stein? We did T and T. It 0:14:12.200 --> 0:14:13.240 was pretty cool too. 0:14:13.360 --> 0:14:19.360 We did a it was like a draft drafting of 0:14:19.400 --> 0:14:21.000 the top seventy five players. 0:14:21.080 --> 0:14:23.440 It was only the top seventy five players, and. 0:14:23.360 --> 0:14:25.640 They were there were teams as symbol like it was 0:14:25.680 --> 0:14:28.480 a team of Chuck the inside. 0:14:28.160 --> 0:14:29.440 The Yeah, I remember that. 0:14:30.000 --> 0:14:33.280 It was me and Shams on teams together. It was 0:14:33.600 --> 0:14:36.160 Dominique Wilkins had had a team. 0:14:36.480 --> 0:14:38.000 It was a draft. We all picked. 0:14:38.480 --> 0:14:40.240 You got the GM with Jerry West. 0:14:41.160 --> 0:14:43.760 Yeah, that was but the thing he stole the show. 0:14:43.880 --> 0:14:45.800 So I would encourage people to go go back and 0:14:45.920 --> 0:14:50.880 check out that show redrafting of the top seventy five players. 0:14:51.520 --> 0:14:54.240 And what I mean by Jerry West still in the show, 0:14:55.560 --> 0:14:58.640 he had all these iconic stories. You know, he talked 0:14:58.640 --> 0:15:02.600 about rating for Kobe Bryant, you know, getting the rights 0:15:02.600 --> 0:15:05.920 to trade for Kobe Bryant, and what went into that 0:15:07.400 --> 0:15:10.560 Magic Johnson, the stories he had about Magic Johnson, Like 0:15:10.600 --> 0:15:14.400 he was the star of the show, which is very 0:15:14.440 --> 0:15:18.480 hard to do when the show cast consists of Charles Barkley. 0:15:19.600 --> 0:15:23.840 Jerry West stole the show. He was the star of 0:15:23.880 --> 0:15:26.560 that show. So please y'all go check that out. Man. 0:15:26.680 --> 0:15:31.880 Jerry dropped some legendary gems. He was just he was 0:15:32.040 --> 0:15:34.360 just himself, man. So that was a great time. That 0:15:34.440 --> 0:15:37.000 was actually the last time that again, I was able 0:15:37.040 --> 0:15:41.120 to have a conversation with him extensively, and so I 0:15:41.160 --> 0:15:42.560 appreciate being able to have that. 0:15:42.480 --> 0:15:43.120 Moment with him. 0:15:43.920 --> 0:15:46.920 I know that as soon as I get the chance, 0:15:47.080 --> 0:15:49.160 I'm going to take a step back, as I said, 0:15:49.320 --> 0:15:53.720 and put together a proper written tribute to the man. 0:15:55.240 --> 0:15:59.000 But you know, again, I was so looking forward to tonight. 0:15:59.280 --> 0:16:04.280 This is the first Finals game in Dallas since twenty eleven. 0:16:04.680 --> 0:16:06.480 I didn't get to cover the first two games of 0:16:06.520 --> 0:16:11.800 the series in Boston, and you just got here and 0:16:11.880 --> 0:16:14.800 I was so psyched to see you later tonight and 0:16:14.840 --> 0:16:19.760 cover this game. But honestly, now I'm really thinking of 0:16:20.200 --> 0:16:22.240 what is it going to be like when the NBA 0:16:22.400 --> 0:16:25.760 does that moment of silence tonight, and I just this 0:16:26.040 --> 0:16:29.880 just I had similar feelings. I was away in London 0:16:30.440 --> 0:16:34.560 when Bill Walton passed away, and that was the first 0:16:34.640 --> 0:16:37.200 thing I thought of when I knew I was going 0:16:37.280 --> 0:16:40.920 to miss the next game. I really wanted to be 0:16:40.960 --> 0:16:44.920 in the arena for that moment. It's both I want 0:16:44.960 --> 0:16:46.800 to be in the arena for the moment, but I'm 0:16:46.840 --> 0:16:50.640 also a little bit afraid about losing my composure on 0:16:50.720 --> 0:16:53.040 press row because again for me, personally. I don't want 0:16:53.040 --> 0:16:55.600 to make this about me, but it's I think it's 0:16:55.640 --> 0:17:01.920 hard when we lose figures like this, just legends of 0:17:01.960 --> 0:17:06.120 the game. It's hard not to think about what they 0:17:06.200 --> 0:17:10.360 meant to you personally and how your interactions were with them. 0:17:10.400 --> 0:17:13.760 And I've always said, like, I just feel so lucky 0:17:14.480 --> 0:17:16.280 having to be able to do this for the past 0:17:16.320 --> 0:17:19.320 three decades that I didn't get to see Bill Walton 0:17:19.359 --> 0:17:21.719 at his best, I didn't get to see Jerry West 0:17:21.800 --> 0:17:24.800 at his playing best, but to get the chance to 0:17:24.920 --> 0:17:28.920 cover them for so long in their post playing careers, 0:17:28.960 --> 0:17:33.280 and obviously Bill Walton had such an impact as a broadcaster. 0:17:33.440 --> 0:17:35.080 And look, Jerry West. 0:17:35.240 --> 0:17:38.560 I've always said this, and you could fill the debate 0:17:38.640 --> 0:17:43.680 shows for hours with this one, but Jerry West might 0:17:43.800 --> 0:17:46.439 be the greatest Laker we've ever seen. And that's a 0:17:46.560 --> 0:17:49.399 big thing to say when you're talking about a franchise 0:17:49.880 --> 0:17:54.920 that featured Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neil 0:17:55.280 --> 0:17:58.840 and Wilt Chamberlain for a spell and all the Laker 0:17:58.920 --> 0:17:59.960 greats that we can go. 0:17:59.880 --> 0:18:01.119 On on and on and on about. 0:18:01.160 --> 0:18:06.280 But Jerry did it as both a player and as 0:18:06.280 --> 0:18:09.880 an executive and he only won the one championship as 0:18:09.920 --> 0:18:13.199 a player because he and Algend Baylor, another Lakers legend, 0:18:13.600 --> 0:18:15.840 they had to deal with the buzz saw that was 0:18:15.880 --> 0:18:20.160 the Bill Russell Celtics. But for Jerry, he tried coaching 0:18:20.400 --> 0:18:24.040 but found his calling as a front office person and 0:18:25.119 --> 0:18:30.440 the championship teams he built as an executive. And again 0:18:30.600 --> 0:18:34.720 nineteen ninety six, a much younger and much skinnier Mark 0:18:34.800 --> 0:18:39.440 Stein Laker beat writer in the press conference and they 0:18:39.560 --> 0:18:45.359 work the draft day trade to get Kobe Bryant. A 0:18:45.400 --> 0:18:50.320 few weeks later, they complete the signing of Shaquille O'Neil 0:18:50.480 --> 0:18:54.080 away from the Orlando Magic. I don't know that any 0:18:54.320 --> 0:18:57.800 front office executive in any sport is ever going to 0:18:57.880 --> 0:19:01.919 have a better offseason than when Jerry West was able 0:19:01.960 --> 0:19:06.680 to bring both Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neil to Lakerland. 0:19:06.840 --> 0:19:10.360 So it certainly gives him a claim in the argument 0:19:10.560 --> 0:19:14.399 to greatest Laker of all time. It's going to be 0:19:14.520 --> 0:19:17.560 Magic for a lot of Laker fans. It's going to 0:19:17.600 --> 0:19:25.280 be Kobe for a lot of Laker fans, younger Laker fans. 0:19:25.320 --> 0:19:31.679 But I mean, Jerry West was and enduring force of 0:19:31.800 --> 0:19:35.239 nature before you or I were even born. Man, we 0:19:35.280 --> 0:19:38.920 had all kinds of plans for this podcast previewing Game four. 0:19:39.280 --> 0:19:41.879 I know people want to talk about the Lakers coaching search. 0:19:43.359 --> 0:19:47.080 I am admittedly struggling to think about anything else right now. 0:19:47.160 --> 0:19:48.320 I'm just being honest with you. 0:19:49.320 --> 0:19:50.560 Yes, it's a tough time, you know. 0:19:51.440 --> 0:19:55.840 I'm looking at the statements that are being released by 0:19:56.080 --> 0:19:59.760 several teams and individuals. You know, Adam Silver, the commissioner 0:19:59.760 --> 0:20:01.560 in released the statement as well. 0:20:01.920 --> 0:20:03.520 Did you see what Michael Jordan said. 0:20:04.240 --> 0:20:07.760 I'm gonna reader Stein quote. 0:20:08.560 --> 0:20:11.600 I am so deeply satin at the news of Jerry's passing. 0:20:12.240 --> 0:20:15.240 He was truly a friend and mentor, like an older 0:20:15.240 --> 0:20:19.199 brother to me. I valued his friendship and knowledge. I 0:20:19.240 --> 0:20:22.320 always wish I could have played against him as a competitor, 0:20:22.720 --> 0:20:25.119 but the more I came to know him, I wish 0:20:25.119 --> 0:20:28.840 I had been a teammate. I admired his basketball insights, 0:20:29.040 --> 0:20:32.080 and he and I shared many similarities to how we 0:20:32.119 --> 0:20:36.320 approach the game. He will be forever missed. My condolences 0:20:36.359 --> 0:20:41.480 to his wife, Karen and his sons. Rest in peace logo. Yeah, 0:20:41.920 --> 0:20:43.400 that speaks volumes right there. 0:20:43.800 --> 0:20:47.960 When Michael Jordan offers that level of praise, I think 0:20:48.000 --> 0:20:48.800 that tells you. 0:20:49.520 --> 0:20:51.520 Yes, it speaks volumes, you know. 0:20:51.560 --> 0:20:54.680 Like I said, we're getting figures like Michael Jordan, Adam 0:20:54.760 --> 0:21:03.480 Silver issuing statements, teams issuing statements. The Lakers, who we know, 0:21:04.400 --> 0:21:06.400 you know, he had it ended up having a strained 0:21:06.400 --> 0:21:10.240 relationship with that organization. They have yet to issue a statement, 0:21:10.320 --> 0:21:15.400 but they did tweet honoring the legendary Jerry West and 0:21:15.520 --> 0:21:21.160 just put a picture of him with the the year 0:21:21.359 --> 0:21:24.840 was born and the year he passed. So be interested 0:21:24.880 --> 0:21:27.439 to see what they do moving forward, because we know 0:21:27.560 --> 0:21:29.960 they you know, it was kind of a rocky road 0:21:30.080 --> 0:21:31.280 towards the end for those two. 0:21:33.240 --> 0:21:37.560 You mentioned that strained relationship with the Lakers, and there's 0:21:37.640 --> 0:21:42.560 no question that in recent years there was a complete 0:21:42.600 --> 0:21:47.159 breakdown in Jerry's relationship with the Lakers, which is just 0:21:47.480 --> 0:21:52.320 so difficult to process still because he's meant so much 0:21:52.760 --> 0:21:57.199 to that franchise. But obviously he was a consultant and 0:21:57.320 --> 0:22:01.320 part of a championship brain trust in Golden State. Steve 0:22:01.440 --> 0:22:04.800 Balmer went all out to bring Jerry to the Clippers, 0:22:05.520 --> 0:22:08.800 and the Clippers obviously have not won a championship to 0:22:08.880 --> 0:22:14.560 match Golden State, but Balmer brought Jerry into the Clippers' 0:22:14.600 --> 0:22:18.280 front office in hopes that his wisdom and experience could 0:22:18.320 --> 0:22:22.480 help them finally break through and win it all. In 0:22:22.560 --> 0:22:27.240 twenty eighteen, I was assigned to write a long piece 0:22:27.320 --> 0:22:30.320 on Jerry for the New York Times, and that was 0:22:31.119 --> 0:22:33.720 at the end or approaching the end of his first 0:22:33.760 --> 0:22:35.879 season with the Clippers, And that was a story that 0:22:35.960 --> 0:22:38.520 meant a lot to me to go to La and 0:22:38.560 --> 0:22:41.879 spend some time with him and chronicle that move to 0:22:41.920 --> 0:22:45.359 the Clippers. But there's so much we could and should 0:22:45.520 --> 0:22:49.320 and thought we'd be talking about in this podcast today. 0:22:49.400 --> 0:22:52.560 Obviously the Finals, the Celtics are up two to zero, 0:22:53.000 --> 0:22:56.560 the series shifts now to Dallas. We're not sure if 0:22:56.600 --> 0:22:59.960 Christaps Porzingis is going to play in this Game three, 0:23:00.119 --> 0:23:01.360 so a huge game in. 0:23:01.320 --> 0:23:02.320 The series tonight. 0:23:03.040 --> 0:23:07.040 And obviously the Lakers coaching search and their inability to 0:23:07.119 --> 0:23:10.840 convince Dan Hurley to leave Yukon. There is so much 0:23:11.359 --> 0:23:15.399 we could be talking about on those fronts. But on 0:23:15.480 --> 0:23:19.000 the Finals front, we're so close to Game three game 0:23:19.119 --> 0:23:23.040 time now, we're gonna come back tomorrow or Friday with 0:23:23.119 --> 0:23:25.960 a podcast before Game four. That just makes more sense, 0:23:26.000 --> 0:23:27.560 I think for us to be able to react to 0:23:27.600 --> 0:23:30.280 where the series is instead of saying a bunch of 0:23:30.280 --> 0:23:34.000 stuff now that might be invalidated by what happens in 0:23:34.080 --> 0:23:38.560 this game three and depending on whether porzingis played. And again, 0:23:39.040 --> 0:23:41.440 I know there's great interest in the state of the 0:23:41.520 --> 0:23:44.159 Lakers coaching search, and we will get into all that 0:23:44.359 --> 0:23:47.080 next time, because it just I gotta be honest, man, 0:23:47.119 --> 0:23:50.080 it just doesn't feel right to try to pay tribute 0:23:51.119 --> 0:23:58.199 to the logo a legend, a player, coach executive of 0:23:58.359 --> 0:24:03.320 Jerry west stature, and then to transition to the coaching 0:24:03.359 --> 0:24:05.840 search that his former franchise is going to. 0:24:06.000 --> 0:24:07.640 That's all over the map right now. 0:24:07.720 --> 0:24:10.919 So I think those topics we can get back to 0:24:10.960 --> 0:24:14.520 them in the next pod. They'll still obviously both the 0:24:14.560 --> 0:24:17.800 finals and the Lakers coaching search will be ongoing, and 0:24:17.840 --> 0:24:20.879 we can get into those then. But I hope you 0:24:20.920 --> 0:24:23.359 guys can understand to me, and I think, Chris, I 0:24:23.359 --> 0:24:24.199 hope you agree with me. 0:24:24.240 --> 0:24:25.080 I think you agree with me. 0:24:25.119 --> 0:24:29.600 It just doesn't feel doesn't feel easy to transition into 0:24:30.280 --> 0:24:32.200 strict basketball matters right now. 0:24:33.440 --> 0:24:36.520 Yeah, there's a time and place, and right now I 0:24:36.520 --> 0:24:39.760 think the time is for us to mourn the loss 0:24:39.760 --> 0:24:46.160