NEXT MONTH IS OCTOBER!!!!!

We have been most patient both in awaiting

the exhibition games as well as the regular

season. Eight games for exhibition games

taking us through to October 25th and the

regular season beginning October 29th.

Although Kobe Bryant took the chance of

jumping feet first off the high dive, he still

is about 75% covered with the damage that

took place on his Achilles heal and tendon.

The Lakers athletic trainer Gary Vitti tells

us he is still mending so he will not begin 

actual court playing until he is up to full weight

bearing running on a treadmill. Training camp

starts this coming Saturday, September 28th.

It is safe to pencil Bryant out for part of training

camp although it is unclear if he could catch the

tail end of the Lakers 8 exhibition games or not.

The Lakers have now officially signed second-

round draft pick with Ryan Kelly. Trainer Gary Vitti

going into his 30th year with this organization,

claims that this past year has been one of his toughest

years other than when they learned that Magic Johnson

told us all that he had been tested positive with the 

HIV virus. Vittis' expertise in determining when and 

who ought to play with injuries says that the Lakers 

roster missed a combined 184 contests. 

He himself has been in the winning of 8 championship rings 

in 12 NBA Finals appearances. This last year he merely 

chalked it up as "a lot of bad luck". 

Along with that, when we lost Jeanie and Jim Buss's Dad, 

the late J.Buss Sr, there was a real rift between two of the 

children, namely Jeanie Buss and her brother Jim. 

The talk earlier had been that the former Phil Jackson 

would return to coach our Lakers when Mike Brown left 

but somehow it got confused so Jim decided that he would 

instead hire Mike D'Antoni to coach. It left quite a bad feeling

evidently amongst the siblings, Jeanie, Johnny, and even

others, namely Joey, Jesse and Janie Drexel. It appears

some of the tension has lessened now so that with the

new season upon us, and the engagement announced

for Phil Jackson and Jeanie Buss, the so called rift

is termed as history. General Manager Mitch Kupchak

is suggesting eagerness for another NBA season to start.

Still, there seems to be no time-table on whether Kobe

Bryant will rehab his Achilles tendon in time for the

Lakers' season opener on October 29th. That is where

it is being left for now. Keep the faith and even though

at age 35, Kobe will do his level best to play, he has always

said he wants to retire wearing the Laker uniform!

Babs Wells