Is It Buss or Bust? The Son Isn’t Certain

John Buss has had tough love talks with his father before. One thing he always knew, though, was that at the end he would still be Jerry Buss’ son.

They’re about to have another talk. This time it’s between employee and employer. John said this week he’s not sure when it’s finished he will still be the Sparks’ president.

I figured he was joking when he suggested his father, who owns the WNBA team, might fire him, but he convinced me Jerry is angry enough to do just that.

“This is a very serious business, with a lot of personal money at stake,” John said. “If I’m not doing a good job, he has to replace me.”

The Sparks were, without question, the league’s most disappointing team.

Favored to win the championship, they finished with a .500 record and didn’t make the playoffs.

Their average attendance of 8,931 was below the league’s and embarrassing when compared to the 13,703 in Phoenix and 13,270 in New York.

As a result, Buss said the team lost at least $250,000 and will start each of the next two seasons $100,000 in the red. That’s the cost of buying out former coach Linda Sharp, fired after 11 games.

In his defense, John pointed out that interim Coach Julie Rousseau had a 10-7 record and that the Sparks drew three home crowds of more than 10,000 in the final week. He said he will ask his father for a second chance.

At the same time, he will ask for more money. He wants to capitalize on the momentum by maintaining a staff during the off-season and signing Rousseau, who’s certain to get other offers.

“We have to make the playoffs next season,” John said, even if that means trading Lisa Leslie for a nucleus of players, who, combined, will contribute more.

“Lisa’s my favorite player,” he said. “But I have to get assurances from her she’s going to come out and play the first half of the season like she did the second half.”

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The opening game Saturday at Washington State is extremely important for UCLA. . . .

With games the next two Saturdays against Tennessee and Texas, the Bruins could be looking at a 0-3 start if they don’t win in Pullman. . . .

One reason that’s not easy to do is the Cougars’ student cheering section, the loudest in the Pacific 10 Conference. . . .

The Bruins should be able to handle it because of their experienced skill-position players, such as quarterback Cade McNown, running back Skip Hicks and receiver Jim McElroy. . . .

UCLA coaches marvel that Hicks returned at 230 pounds without losing speed. . . .

They still hope their tailback of the future is Justin Fargas, a senior from Sherman Oaks’ Notre Dame High. He assured them last week he’s still considering UCLA despite reports he’s leaning toward USC and Michigan. . . .

If I were the Lakers, I would have been happy to make a Travis Knight-for-Rick Fox swap. . . .

Pete Newell says he’s excited about the potential of 7-foot-3 center Keith Closs, who blocked two of Tim Duncan’s shots during a game in the Utah summer league. . . .

The Clippers got Closs because they could offer more under the salary cap than the Lakers, $8.5 million for five years. Closs weighs only 220 pounds, but Newell thinks they might have gotten a steal. . . .

I never thought I’d see the day when Fred Claire was on the phone more than Jerry West. . . .

The New York Yankees were in negotiations with the Colorado Rockies about Eric Young before the Dodgers. . . .

But the Yankee bench coach, Don Zimmer, isn’t high on Young’s defense and convinced them they shouldn’t offer Colorado much in return. . . .

Their loss. . . .

Diane McGraw, wife of former relief pitcher Tug, has left the presidency of Los Angeles’ Sports & Entertainment Commission to return to Philadelphia. . . .

Good timing. It’s an almost impossible job since Joel Wachs’ anti-sports initiative Tuesday. . . .

Instead of going under, Santa Anita Park is getting a $10-million face lift for the Oct. 1 start of its Oak Tree racing season. . . .

She’s not St. Anita, yet. But Anita DeFrantz will be elected as one of three International Olympic Committee vice presidents next week. . . .

Jeff Bagwell is offering a $5,000 reward for his lost cat in Malibu. Jewel is white with one green eye and one blue eye, but she won’t come when called because she’s deaf. A 24-hour hotline has been set up at (310) 317-0463.

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While wondering how badly Green Bay will beat Denver in the Super Bowl, I was thinking: I like San Francisco, Dallas, New England and Jacksonville to win the other divisions, Carolina, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, Miami, Pittsburgh and Seattle as the wild cards, the New York Giants to draft Peyton Manning with the first pick.