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Magic Thankfully Still Leaving An Impact

11/12/2011

10 Comments

 
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Last night, after finally home in Chicago after another week in Milwaukee, I turned on the TV to watch the North Carolina vs. Michigan State basketball game amazingly contested on an active aircraft carrier. A moment into the broadcast, something amazed me and yet didn't surprise me at all: the inestimable Magic Johnson was all up in it.

"God has blessed me," Johnson, the Spartans' honorary captain, told ESPN's Andy Katz just before the game started, and hours after the Hall of Fame point guard had donated $1 million to his alma mater's athletic department. "This is a bucket-list moment for me. I am so happy to be a part of of this ..."

Twenty years ago, who believed Johnson would be crossing things off his bucket list in 2011? I still remember that news conference on Nov. 7, 1991 (see below), like it was yesterday – Johnson, then age 32, telling everyone he was HIV-positive and retiring from the Los Angeles Lakers immediately. A few years ago, ESPN ranked it as its seventh-most memorable moment of the previous quarter century. To me, only the USA hockey team beating the Russians in 1980 could rank higher. For sure, it's easily "the biggest press conference in the history of sports."

Later that week, in "Hitting Home: Magic's Plight Had An Impact On Us All" – an op/ed piece for The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger Star, the joint newspapers I worked for then – I wrote about how Johnson had forced me to take HIV and AIDS more seriously; and how in 1988 our brief encounter became a career highlight. "There's something else I'll never forget: Magic standing at a lectern ..." I also wrote in the piece, "I wanted to cry, but he wouldn't let me. I have never been more proud of anyone than I was of him for the way he handled himself."

Enjoyed reading ESPN.com recollections this week from J.A. Adande, Steve Springer and Dave McMenamin. They and others offering equally compelling perspectives remind us of, among other things, how difficult Johnson's circumstances were to comprehend back then, how much journalism has changed these past two decades, and how the basketball legend has become a successful entrepreneur, television commentator and source of inspiration.

I hope  for many years to come that Johnson continues to inspire, amaze and, yes, leave us all not surprised each time we see his trademark smile and enthusiasm appear on our television screens.
10 Comments
Eric link
11/12/2011 08:14:25 am

First off I have to say that meeting Magic Johnson has to be one of the coolest things you've never told our class about.

Next I'd like to say that I really liked the blog post because its undeniable that his confession was perhaps one of the biggest moments in sports history and HIV awareness.

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Brynne Ramella
1/17/2012 01:20:37 pm

Although she is not a sports fan, my mom has always been a fan of Magic Johnson. She has told me about how sad it was when he announced that he had HIV. I will definitely share this story with her!

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Carlie Campbell
1/18/2012 04:07:34 am

I'm not a huge NBA fan, so I'm not too knowledgeable about pro basketball history. Though I knew the basics of Magic Johnson's story, I appreciated the links and videos in this post. Incorporating things like that in this blog is a great way to share thoughts, as well as inform readers.

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Alex Rydin
1/18/2012 09:26:49 am

Although I already knew Magic's story, the links would definitely be helpful to someone who didn't know.

I've obviously never interviewed anyone like Johnson. But I can relate to meeting a sports hero. I grew up a huge fan of John Elway. When I was about 10, I was on the driving range of my grandpa's country club in Colorado. A man came over to me and asked "would you like to meet John Elway?" I couldn't even respond. He took me over to Elway, who was shooting out of a tent. I'll never forget that moment. I even got a sleeve of golf balls straight out of Elway's golf bag.

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Tess Quinlan
1/18/2012 11:33:28 am

Even though Magic Johnson was one of the best basketball players in the history of the game, he will be remembered for so much more than just his amazing athletic ability. Johnson changed the way that this country looked at HIV/AIDS and having Professor Lowe's personal account illustrated that.

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Shoshauna Schmidt
1/18/2012 12:16:58 pm

The way celebrities use their power to bring awareness to things usually kept quiet is great for organizations; however, it's bittersweet. The reason celebrities usually bring awareness to an issue is because they have been personally affected by it. It is sad they have to go through those challenges, but by advocating for help they are reaching a much larger audience than a "normal" person could achieve.

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Olivia Morrissey
1/18/2012 01:17:31 pm

Many people know of Magic Johnson's story, but few people can tell such a personal story about Magic Johnson. The personal account of this post, accompanied by the video, connected the author to his audience.

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Rebecca Hixson
1/18/2012 01:39:40 pm

I cannot even imagine meeting an known athlete I look up to. It's admirable when a well-known role model donates personal money for a good cause.

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Joe Kvartunas
1/18/2012 03:49:54 pm

My dad is the world's biggest Larry Bird fan, so naturally I grew up being regaled with the stories of the legendary Bird v. Johnson contests. Bird retired the year after Magic because of back problems, but I was always told that if Magic was still playing Larry never would have called it quits. It really is profound how great an impact these two rivals had on one another.

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Melanie Lawder
1/25/2012 10:31:17 pm

I remembered when you told us how you had met Magic in class. It's inspiring to see someone cope with such a stigmatized disease. I didn't know much about Magic before this blog so I really appreciated all the links and the video announcing his retirement.

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    My journalism DNA remains strong as I learn and teach new ways to tell and present stories, especially via digital and social media. This blog is where I share what happens in my classroom and my life and, from time to time, offer my views on current events. I appreciate your feedback – either as comments herein or in an email to herbert.lowe [at] marquette [dot] edu.

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