Magic still paves the way
In 1983, an early-morning fire hit the Philadelphia hotel where the Los Angeles Lakers were staying. A few Lakers rushed into a hallway filled with thick smoke.
The players and other frightened hotel guests followed Earvin “Magic” Johnson through the smoke to an exterior fire escape. They all climbed down several flights, but the steps ended three floors above the sidewalk. Someone had to step onto the movable ladder and ride it down.
“Go ahead, Earvin, you can do it,” said Lakers teammate Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Johnson stepped on and rode the ladder down to the sidewalk, and everyone followed.
We could use leadership like that now. We’ve got it: Johnson.
Magic was the speaker Wednesday at USF, in the Silk Speaker Series sponsored by Jeff and Naomi Silk. Speaker? Johnson was more like tent-revival preacher. He worked the packed gym from the center aisle, telling stories, dispensing wisdom.
Magic went double-overtime, then held a news conference, where he was asked about a couple of Bay Area newsmakers, Stephen Curry and Colin Kaepernick.
Johnson was the original Curry.
“People thought Steph was soft, because he would smile and had the baby face,” Johnson said. “And they thought that because I smiled, I was soft and not this tough guy.”
Then and now, Johnson and Curry are basketball’s ultimate team leaders, so that connection is obvious. What about Magic-Kaepernick?
Critics of protesting athletes call them unpatriotic and unAmerican. But what’s more American than wading into the battle to make the country and the world better?
Johnson is a warrior. No one has done more than he has to increase AIDS/HIV awareness and education. As an entrepreneur, he pumps economic and spiritual aid into inner cities, making a bigger impact than he made on the court.
Johnson, part owner of the Lakers and Dodgers, said he saluted Kaepernick’s message, and he supports the kneeldown protesters. After the Warriors said they would not visit the White House, Johnson tweeted his support.
Said Johnson: “What I’m looking for now is, I’ve seen the protests, now we need a solution . ... They’ve raised the point, which is a great point. Now the owners and players need to come up with (a plan) that makes everyone feel good, so they can stand for the national anthem.”
Sometimes, just like in that Philly hotel in ’83, we need people willing to take that scary first step.