SALT LAKE CITY — Eleven years ago, at Larry H. Miller’s funeral — held appropriately in the 20,000 seat downtown arena he bought and paid for — his son Greg told a story that paid tribute to his father’s frugality.
They were going to lunch downtown, Larry was driving, and looking to find a place to park in front of a meter. After circling the block and passing several open spaces, Greg asked why they hadn’t pulled into one of them. Larry’s answer: “I’m trying to find one with time still on it.”
I bring that story up in connection with the sale of the Utah Jazz, the NBA franchise Larry bought for $22 million in 1985-86 and was sold by the Miller family two weeks ago to tech wizard Ryan Smith for $1.