Monday, November 25, 2013
Magic Johnson- The Announcement - Brandon Focht
Magic Johnson is one of the best point guards to ever play the game at the highest level. He is still on many analysts All-Time NBA team at the point guard position. In 1991 headlines swept the media that he was HIV positive. This was before I was born, but watching the video of his news conference telling the world that he was in fact HIV positive put a very different perspective of how that would actually be as an athlete in his shoes in my mind. I cannot imagine having to tell the world that I was HIV positive, and that it would ultimately end my basketball playing career. He had to retire due to the effects it could have had on other players in the league. This was difficult for him alone because his wife did not have the disease. It hindered his family as well which was not good for his personal life either. Not only was his basketball career over, his personal life was effected as well. Magic had said he had contracted the disease sexually, which in the end was completely his fault, but how embarrassing would that be to have to tell the entire world that. He was a role model for so many people on the basketball court that his off the court actions most likely turned many people away from having good envisions of him as a person. When he spoke at the “announcement” he seemed in good spirits and that he was upset he would no longer be playing the game, but he was now able to live the rest of his life. What Magic did do that helped his image was that he started to be a spokesman for the virus. He had to explain why he was retiring but the reason why will in my opinion will be embarrassing for him.
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For Magic Johnson's situation I would like to relate it to Kobe's situation a while back. Kobe lost many beloved fans for sleeping with someone out of wedlock (whom he supposedly raped). This choice by Kobe changed his image forever just like Magic's CHOICE to sleep around. Kobe's continued to win games after his mistake so people forgot (good for him I guess). Magic went and spoke about his mistake to people all over, maybe because he could no longer just win basketball games to make the people forget. If he really cared about others having awareness he would still be fighting for the cause. I guess my main point is that Magic Johnson should never be seen as someone who took a stand. He did what he was told so people would forgive him for his actions and let him talk about basketball for another 20 years.
ReplyDeleteJay Clark
For when Magic Johnson made it known that he was HIV positive, I was also not alive. However, looking at this situation I see it resembling a possible press conference when an athlete would come out to announce that he or she is homosexual. In both situations, Magic and any other player has a lot on the line. Announcing to the world that someone is gay or HIV positive can be shattering to the career of any athlete. By announcing what every situation the give to the world, the athlete could lose money through endorsements, the athlete could lose friendship and could and will change that athlete’s life forever. However, I think that the news give to the world by Magic was taken better and if an athlete would come out as homosexual today.
ReplyDelete-Billy Nowak