If only presidential press conferences sounded like this

LA Times columnist TJ Simers interrogates Phil Jackson before Game 3:

“I believe you’re getting paid $10 million for moments like this,” I said at his pre-game news conference.

“How would you even know that stuff?” he replied. “You’re not the IRS.”

“Is it more than that?”

“Do I ask information about you?” Jackson said.

“I don’t make $10 million, but should.”

“Should not,” Jackson countered, and I know he’s a friend of Sam Zell, the Times’ new owner, so that’s not what I wanted to hear.

“Let’s not get in an argument,” I said. “Isn’t this supposed to be your time to make adjustments and show us some magic?”

“You’re right,” Jackson said.

“Does it start tonight? And if it doesn’t, can we come after you?”

“You can ask for a rebate,” Jackson said, which tells me there’s every chance in the world the way the NBA is going these days he had already gotten the memo indicating who was going to win Game 3.

Related Topics: Economy & Policy
  • Latest on Business

    Associated Press

    Apple CEO Cook Gives Up $75M in Stock Dividends

    NEW YORK — Apple CEO Tim Cook is giving up $75 million in dividends on restricted stock that the company is awarding to all of its employees.

    In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Thursday, Apple Inc. said that Cook requested that his restricted stock units not receive dividends. The dividends that Apple workers are getting amount to $2.65 per quarter for each restricted stock unit held. The shares are not normally eligible to receive dividends, so Apple’s decision is a perk for its employees.

    The Bomb Hidden in Mitt Romney's Education PlanSlate

    Associated Press

    Study: Typical CEO Pay Up 6% to $9.6 Million

    NEW YORK — Profits at big U.S. companies broke records last year, and so did pay for CEOs.

    The head of a typical public company made $9.6 million in 2011, according to an analysis by The Associated Press using data from Equilar, an executive pay research firm.

  • MSquared

    To be fair to presidential candidates, not everyone can measure up to Phil Jackson.

    From deadspin.com:

    After losing to the Spurs on Tuesday, Jackson said “We call this a ‘Brokeback Mountain’ game because there’s so much penetration and kickouts.” Of course this caused much controversy and gnashing of teeth, and Jackson was forced — by the NBA — to retract. And he did so, in a fashion decidedly more humorous than the original comment.

    “When you take it out of context, it wasn’t funny,” Jackson said. “It was a poor attempt at humor and I deserved to be reprimanded by the NBA. If I offended any horses, Texans, cowboys or gays, I apologize.” Asked if he had left anyone out in his mea culpa, Jackson said, “Well, children.”

blog comments powered by Disqus