The family of Lakers Owner Jerry Buss is profiled by
Frank Lidz in SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, who examines the
"fractured family fable" and wonders if Buss' daughter
Jeanie will "be the next to rule her father's sports
kingdom" or whether one of his two sons will "rise to
power." Buss has given his four oldest children, Johnny,
Jimmy, Jeanie and Janie, executive positions within his
"sporting kingdom." Johnny is Sparks President, Jimmy is
Lakers Assistant GM, Jeanie is President of the Great
Western Forum and Janie is a Lakers Community Relations
Exec. Buss, who "has assigned more responsibility" to his
children over the last few years, ultimately "envisions a
triumvirate," with Jeanie taking charge of the Forum and the
Lakers' business side, Jimmy leading the Lakers' player
personnel department and Johnny assuming control of the
Sparks. Though his team is a tenant of the Forum, Johnny
and Jeanie "have barely spoken since 1995 and don't
acknowledge each other's presence in the halls of the
building." Johnny, on being named President of the Sparks:
"I think he picked me because he thought the league was
going to be just a quiet little summer thing." While Lidz
writes that the team is "widely regarded as the WNBA's most
ineptly run franchise," Johnny says Jeanie "keeps standing
in the way" of his promotions because "all she thinks about
is liability." One longtime business associate of Buss,
noting his kids' shortcomings, dismisses his future plans as
"crazy." Buss' associate: "Does Jerry honestly think this
arrangement will work? I'm willing to bet -- no, I
guarantee -- that within three years he sells the entire
operation to Rupert Murdoch." However, Janie believes her
father's "master plan" may be to "sit back and watch the
three children jockey for position." Janie: "I think he's
testing us to see if we can get along" (SI, 11/2 issue).
