^^^ exactly. Not for the players and who they were as players and what they meant to the Lakers organization .... but for me the bloom is off the roses of Magic and West for actions since and things said about the Lakers. West is a bitter old man. And Magic deliberately sabotaged our off season repeatedly, as much as he could to get back at Pelinka, with public comments in 2019 after quitting without warning.
I don't think there's any comparison. Jerry West lost to the C Bags six straight times. Three of those times in game sevens that came down to one or two possessions. And then as the cherry on top, the Lakers make the Finals in 1970 and for once they don't have to play the Bill Russell C Bags, and the Lakers lose another seven-gamer. For Jerry, the losing was relentless. It came to define his career as a player despite the fact that he was an all-star for all 14 seasons that he played. Jerry West isn't bitter about the Lakers these days. He is reacting appropriately to a FO that is way out of its depth, in basketball and in class. I would give ANYTHING to have people like Jerry West running our franchise again, over the likes of Rob, Jeanie, and the Rambii.
Little bit of revisionist history on Jerry and the FO there, I think. His nose got bent back when Jerry was still alive because he didn't like Jeanie dating Phil. And prior to Phil he was able to try to pump up the gang with Shaq and Kobe with Del Harris coaching them and them flaming out spectacularly in the play offs, by the open letter to the team and who knows maybe hanging in the locker room at times still with Harris coaching? (don't know that part). But do know he tried it with Phil and Phil wasn't having it and told him to get the hell out of his locker room since Phil had the juice of 5 rings already in Chicago. And Phil continued with that juice and got us 5 more rings. So West leaves the Lakers to become an opponent with the Grizzlies for several years as GM, and then from there to valued consultant with deep pocketed Warriors. Not sure why that ended but it did, and if my chronology is correct it ended at the wrong time for him to have a similar role with the Lakers, even IF Jeanie had gotten over his animosity toward her relationship with Phil .... since Magic had just taken over as President of basketball opps with Pelinka as GM. Would be guessing Magic with his basketball ego didn't want West in his ear. So deep pocketed Ballmer lures him to the Clippers where West did his best to beat us and screw us once more including the beneath the table courting of Snake Leonard (allegedly .... prompted a law suit from one of the conspirators toward West and the Clippers) ..... and West also during that courting calling the Lakers a s*** show to Leonard. Whether true or not (thanks Magic for that summer). All this to say West played a part in all this too. Phil Jackson, ego and all, relationship with Jeanie and all, was instrumental in immediately helping getting us three championships in a row and would have been four, had not Malone gotten injured for the Detroit series. Then he leaves and it's crap coaching again and Phil comes back to again right that ship and strongly help in getting us two more rings.
if i remember correctly, jerry's biggest gripe with the lakers for years was that he was underpaid (and he absolutely was) the cherry on top was phil getting hired and immediately getting paid more
If that was the case he should have been a man about it and had Dr. Buss rectify the situation. Somehow if West had actually gone to him and laid it on the line, it's hard to imagine Jerry Buss not paying him what West thought was fair. Buss always paid for talent. You may be right, but that was never the story in the press and why exactly was that? Jerry said he was "burnt out" when he left. So what does he do but become a GM again with the Grizzlies.
I read that dinner did happen, when Magic turned down the fish and requested a burger. It was Chick Hearn not Buss who stated, something like the kid is only 19 years old comment and helped ease the tension with an uptight Cook
my point was that his career was over and successful. if that portrayal is even partially based in fact, it kind of says a lot about where his head probably still is. i would prefer (a younger) west running the team to the group we have now, but he most certainly is bitter and acting out of spite.
hasn't that always been the book on him? that he hung around the locker room commenting on dudes' bodies and such?
That’s just poetic license, a wink wink to the present, and typical liberal Hollyweird shot at Trump there lol
I love an angry Jerry West, even if it's embellished. It's why he has been great his whole life. I love winners!
Vitti had to deal with angry Kobe ALOT and was there for showtime. Vitti should have his jersey with a silhouette of his curly hair in the rafters. When he had hair. Haha.
i didn't know vitti had been a consultant for the show for the last two years anyways, there's an article on the athletic about west's portrayal and i saw someone post this quote from vitti. very interesting
Well that's what he gets for being a Clipper and calling the Lakers a s*** show and promising money and s*** to some beneath the table dude to try to land Snake. Loved Jerry as a player and GM but screw him now. Magic too for the summer of 2019 after the out of the blue resignation in the tunnel.
damn, I was born in 89 and always looked as west as a grandpa stoic gentleman type of figure. The first basketball players because of my dad was Magic/Kareem, West/Wilt (my dads childhood era). LOL, this puts it on a whole different perspective considering how calm he is at his old age on TV. But I did hear the rumors of the Phil and West beef back when I was in middle school and heard he was crazy. I guess thats somewhat kept secret, even though it was out there it wasn't widely exploited. Damn totally different era, remind me of high school. Real combative and egotistical with Norm and Magic. Also watching plenty of local laker games, never thought Norm was like that, but I guess everyone was rash/bold when they were young. What happened to Norm? Didnt mind him at all, not to mention having an old school laker commentate and report on the sidelines.
https://www.si.com/nba/2022/03/09/gary-vitti-mitch-kupchak-jerry-west-lakers-hbo-winning-time Interesting, Gary Vitti removed himself without pay due to the portrayal of West. Wandless Mitch also backing West up. Very interesting, I'd love to see comments from Magic, Kareem, etc ,etc about that. But I know Jeanie wasn't thrilled about it and was making a counter series.
It’s based on a book, the series is written as a comedy, without this additional quirks this series will be garbage
