There were smiles, jokes and sunny references to the Jazz's future at Deron Williams' press conference this week.

The only thing missing was the tears.

As these things normally go, Jazz owner Larry H. Miller would make a few remarks — or a lot — and invariably get choked up.

The man never could take the emotion out of the equation.

Which I found myself missing on Friday.

An absent Larry means no great quotes and anecdotes, which means I have to write my own column, rather than having him do it for me.

A new era in Jazz leadership is under way. As Miller remains hospitalized for symptoms related to diabetes, his son Greg has become the CEO of the Larry H. Miller Group of Companies. From car dealerships to restaurants to finance companies to movie theaters to sports entities, the face of LHM is now GM, and we're not talking about General Motors. We're talking about Greg Miller, a reserved, serious young man who isn't about to try duplicating his father's flamboyance.

In auto terms, he is an understated Lexus sedan, while his father is a souped-up '64 Mustang convertible.

That doesn't mean Greg Miller shouldn't be good at his job. The man's been working in the Miller empire since he was sweeping floors at age 12. But it does mean things won't be as colorful.

You can forget about Greg strangling obnoxious Denver fans who are heckling him during the playoffs. Don't expect him to sit courtside and bicker with opposing players, either.

Greg Miller probably won't have his own locker room cubicle, and he won't warm up with the team, the way his father did years ago.

Just wondering: What does Greg Miller think about "Brokeback Mountain"?

I talked briefly with the latest Miller CEO this week and found him polite and pleasant, if a bit guarded. He seemed to weigh every question before answering, while his father sometimes answered questions before they were asked.

Larry spoke from the heart, while Greg appears to speak from the head. I told Greg he reminded me more of his mother, Gail, who has quietly and gracefully avoided media coverage, deferring to her extroverted husband ...

"I don't know that I would characterize myself as being more like my mom, but I am one who is perfectly content being in the shadows," said the younger Miller. "I'm not a limelight person. I think the most important thing for me is to assume whatever role is necessary for the well-being for the franchise. If that means being more visible, then I'm prepared to do that."

To date, there has been no clear explanation as to how involved Larry Miller will be when he returns, though the family says he continues to make a steady recovery.