Dr. Jerry Buss: The Sport Illustrator

This was originally going to be typed up into a two paragraph post about why the NBA All Star game this past weekend was unanimous every year and with "God's gift to earth" Kate Upton being on the cover of the Sports Illustrated: Swimsuit Issue again, but I had to suspend those plans after I found out that Los Angeles Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss has passed away at Cedars-Siani hospital earlier today from cancer.

I'm not going to say much other than that I was very fortunate to see him and photograph him in person at two separate occasions. As a matter a fact, his Hollywood Walk Of Fame ceremony from October 2006 was not only the first of many Walk Of Fame events that I've attended, but it was the VERY first event that I got to see many celebrities and entertainers in person who were also in attendance on that day, such as Tom Arnold, Snoop Dogg, Paris Hilton (when she was still friends with Kim Kardashian before her sex tape was released leaked) and Paula Abdul as well since she was a former Lakers Girl back in the day. Shit, I even first saw Kobe Bryant there and the Lakers team of that time. I skipped class that day at Los Angeles Valley College to not miss this event.

That just shows the type of style that Dr. Buss was in this city. The last I saw him was at Game 1 of the 2010 NBA Finals outside Staples Center, when he pulled up to the Valet parking  in his Rolls Royce Phantom with some young fine lady, and the best part was that his team won that season, which was one of the best moments in my life, yet, Dr Buss had several of those moments in his life. Much condolences and many thanks to the Buss family and the Lakers organization.