This week I haven’t sensed the huge buzz that normally accompanies the SPORTS ILLUSTRATED swimsuit issue. And apparently I’m not alone.

(Perhaps trauma of this swimsuit encounter played a role in the decision)

Brian Perdue of the ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER reports that perhaps the SI swimsuit issue isn’t exciting high profile female sex symbols as much as it used to:

Lakers beat writer Janis Carr said that the Lakers turned down an offer to include Laker Girls in the spread. Still, the omission is comparable to leaving the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders out of an NFL cheerleader photo shoot.

The amazing thing about it, according to Perdue, is that it wasn’t the Lakers organization that scuttled the idea. Read more…

I had dinner last night with someone who works in close proximity to the Lakers front office, and we were chuckling about how the NBA franchise is known as a model organization in the pro sports industry.

What many don’t know is that because of Jerry Buss’ general lack of funds, the organization is run on a shoestring. There’s essentially five full-timers in the entire front office. Five. That said, many NBA teams are learning that perhaps that isn’t such a bad business model. Especially in the current economic climate.

Because Buss isn’t as financially fit as most pro sports owners, it’s safe to say that if the Lakers hadn’t had their remarkable run of championships during his tenure, he probably would’ve lost control of the franchise long ago. In other words, if he ran the team the way Donald Sterling has run the Clippers, the Lakers wouldn’t have been such a cash-generating machine, and Buss probably would’ve had to sell at some point.

What also makes the Lakers so wonderfully unique is the way septugenerian Buss galivants around in the company of females 50 years his junior. And of course his daughter Jeanie posing for Playboy and *dating* 61-year-old Phil Jackson. It really can’t get any better than that, can it?

Actually, it can.

How about the club hiring a nude model, Bonnie-Jill Laflin (above), as a scout? You might remember our previous reportage on her somewhere among those dusty SbB back issues in your basement - right next to the nudie mags you saw her splayed out in.

I’m happy to report that thanks to the kooks at PETA, Laflin she has freshened up her nude modeling resume. New pic after the jump. Read more…

When Hugh Hefner makes his way to Staples Center on Tuesday, there’s one Lakers front-office employee the Playboy purveyor will most certainly have his eye on - Bonnie-Jill Laflin.

Laflin is a former model-slash-actress-slash-TV reporter who serves as a scout for the L.A. b-ball squad. But when she sits herself down at courtside to watch prospective players, who’s checking out who?

Read more…

If you travel this space regularly, you know I’m going to be moving from South Beach to L.A. shortly. Now if I’m able to make it back home by this weekend, I’ll goto Game Five of the NBA Finals at Staples between the C’s and Lakers. And have coverage on SbB.

(We’d rather have poker pro Lacey Jones play with our stack too, ol’ Doc Buss)

I didn’t make it to the first two games of the Finals in Boston, which isn’t all that surprising. But what may have left some Boston fans befuddled is that Lakers Owner Jerry Buss and daughter Jeanie Buss (also Phil Jax’s GF) didn’t go either.

Jeanie stayed back in her Marina home, ordering in (C & O?) for the games. Meanwhile, her father decided a poker tournament in Vegas was a higher priority, which means “double-down” is now taking on a whole new meaning for ol’ Doc Buss.

Now, anyone who follows the Lakers is in no way surprised at this revelation. In the case of elder Buss, this is the same guy who refused to come home from a vacation in Italy to attend to the final, fateful Shaq-Kobe blowup - which eventually led to O’Neal’s ouster (hindsight: that was Buss’ plan all along).

(Jeanie’s priority #2 - after Phil’s Doan’s pills - score Hef courtside seats)

The only thing surprising regarding Jerry passing on Game 1 & 2 in The Bean is that he didn’t do it from the O.G. in Vegas.

Wait a minute, who said he didn’t?

And of course, Jeanie has her priorities too, like setting up Hef for his Game 3 digs on 1111 South Fig. Playboy’s Hugh Hefner will make a rare appearance at a Lakers game on Tuesday. More importantly, he’s bringing his three fake girlfriends with him.

(Yes, the old goat will be courtside too)

So, I think I might be able to make it out of Miami by Tuesday night. If I do, I’ll be filing from the road. Hopefully I’ll be able to scare up something interesting along the way but don’t hold your breath. Read more…

The Lakers were on fire Sunday - almost as much as the Nuggets’ pre-game bus ride - as Kobe & Crew clobbered Denver 128-114. Pau Gasol notched 36 points in the win, his first-ever playoff victory - which isn’t too hard to fathom, since the Spaniard’s previous 12 visits were with the Grizzlies.

While Gasol was having a gas, Carmelo Anthony wasn’t having as good of a time. As the ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER reveals, some Staples Center spectators reminded #15 of his recent adventures behind the wheel:

Read more…

So, Charles Barkley, Stuart Scott & Mr. Belding walk into a bar…

• Drunken Jaguars DB Brian Williams rants & raves & threatens arresting officers - then offers them to have sex with his date.

• A pair of Portland State basketball players were accused of brutally beating a tour worker in Mexico.

• When out on the course nowadays, John Daly needs to have his nipples kneaded.

• Diners get medieval in trying to obtain Rashard Lewis’ autograph.

Read more…

We all have a show or two we don’t want to admit we watch - when we get the chance. National Geographic Channel’s “Dog Whisperer” is that show for us. We really, really love it, mainly for the unintentional comedic content (which is why we’re also obsessed with late night infomercials).

True Hoop’s Henry Abbott comes through with a classic clip of Jeanie Buss and Phil Jackson on the show, doting over their dogs (Princess Cujo?) in the eternal quest for “dominance.” Read more…

PHIL STAYING AT STAPLES FOR AT LEAST 2 MORE SEASONS: Although their star player may or may not be heading elsewhere, the Lakers’ coach will be sticking around for at least two more years:

The LOS ANGELES TIMES reports that Phil Jackson has agreed to a contract extension that will keep him in the Staples Center for two more seasons.Already the highest-paid coach in American pro sports, the new deal is expected to fetch Phil up to $12 million a year.

The extension means Jackson cam devote more time into developing his young team back into an NBA contender, and trying to smooth things over with a disgruntled Kobe Bryant.

Not to mention getting material for another book.

Jeanie Buss can now breathe a sigh of relief that her man won’t be slipping out on her anytime soon, unlike a certain ex-tennis star.

JIM BUSS BASHING NOW NOT LIMITED TO FAMILY MEMBERS: More of the bizarro dysfunction that is the Los Angeles Lakers’ front office was on display this morning, and this time it involved former Laker player and current Assistant Coach Kurt Rambis.

Rambis, who often makes it plain that he is a Phil Jackson loyalist, guested on KLAC-AM’s “Roggin and Simers Squared” and took the opportunity to defend Jackson on multiple fronts.

During the interview, Rambis denied that Jackson was ever fired by Jerry Buss (”Phil wasn’t fired the last time he left the Lakers“), which is fact that is disputed by Jackson’s girlfriend Jeanie Buss (the daughter of owner Jerry, who also defended Jackson last week on the same show).

And then things got really good, as Rambis lit into defacto team President Jim Buss, who recently criticized Jackson on KLAC-AM’s “Loose Cannons” midday show.

Rambis: “Jim Buss was puffing up his chest a little bit and trying to take charge and make his voice heard and make his voice known. But some of the comments he said (about Jackson) … flat out weren’t right. Like when he said Phil doesn’t know how to work with young players or coach young players. We’re working with our young guys.

“We’re working with our young guys constantly on a daily basis to improve them. But Jim doesn’t know that because he doesn’t come to practice. So he doesn’t see the amount of time we spend working with the young ballplayers.”

(Audio of entire Kurt Rambis interview on KLAC-AM - Buss comments begin at 6:30)

JEANIE BUSS SLAMS BROTHER JIM FOR BOYFRIEND BASH: It’s well-known (at least here in L.A.) that the son of Jerry Buss, Jim, has already essentially taken over the basketball operation of the L.A. Lakers from his father.

Last Friday Jim Buss guested on KLAC-AM’s “Loose Cannons” midday show and said that he didn’t appreciate Phil Jackson criticizing Laker players in the media (read: players that Buss and GM Mitch Kupchak had acquired).

Meanwhile, Phil Jackson’s girlfriend also happens to be the sister of Jim Buss - Jeanie - who is heavily involved in the Lakers business operation.

She appeared on KLAC-AM’s “Roggin & Simers Squared” this morning and took the opportunity to slam her brother for his criticism of her boyfriend - in more ways than one: “I was disappointed, my brother was on this station last week and he talked about his disappointment in Phil, and Phil calling out players in the media and the fact that he didn’t appreciate that, which I thought was interesting because that’s what he was doing to Phil in the media (on the show).

“If he doesn’t appreciate it (critizing club personnel in the media), then why is he doing it to Phil? Phil has such an open door policy to my family that any question that my brother would have, Phil would welcome sitting down and talking to him about it. It was kind of surprising to hear it on a radio station as opposed to him just sitting down with Phil.”

Also surprising was Jeanie Buss’ response when asked by Tracy Simers if Jackson will sign a contract extension with the club after his deal expires following next season: “I don’t know. Maybe they’re not happy with him? I think he’s done a good job. He wants to be here.”

Audio link of complete Jeanie Buss interview on KLAC-AM’s “Roggin & Simers Squared”.