Kashmir

Boo yah! Finished 400 words of the 4000 word feature. 10% done!

Now I'm gonna take a break to show respect to Magic Johnson, who turned 50 a few days ago.

Magic Johnson will always be the greatest Laker ever to any true Laker fan. As dominating as Shaq and Kareem was and as thrilling and Jordan-like as Kobe is, they can never measure up to what Magic did. He didn't just bring "winning" to Los Angeles. He brought charm, joy, and a smile to LA.

Remember in 1991 when Magic announced he had HIV? At the time, we were so uneducated on the disease. I remember thinking he'll be dead soon. I know I wasn't alone. Most of us didn't think he'd make it to 40, let alone 50.

Even though Magic was at the end of his career when he discovered he had HIV, he was only 32. In the grand scheme of things, thirty two is young. I mean shit, I'll be there in five years--and I ain't done nothing yet. 

So imagine learning you have "AIDS" at just 32....in 1991, when people associated the disease with gay people and were generally ignorant about it.

But like always, Magic didn't let it get to him. He smiled through it. He vowed to beat the disease, and he has. Look at him now, FAT AS HELL, which is good cause that means he's healthy, right?

With me being a supposed Laker Hater (Mexicans in LA hated, HATE my xanga from 2000 to 2006), people accused me of being biased when I consider Bird to be greater than Magic. Alright to be honest I may be. But make no mistake, I have so much respect for not just Magic Johnson, but the man Earvin Johnson.

My personal favorite Magic memory? Not the sky hook to beat Boston in 85, not the duel with Jordan in 91. Not laying the smack down on the world and sending the message "we Americans are the best in basketball, the rest of y'all give the fuck up" in 1992. Instead, my favorite memory of Magic came from his first year in the league.

As a rookie, he started in place of the injured Kareem Abdul Jabbar in game 6 of the NBA Finals. Played all five position through the night, dropped something like 42 and 17 and clinched the title for Lakers. I wasn't even alive then, but I reckon if I was I wouldn't have been hatin' on no Laker.

Happy birthday Magic.

You are the third greatest basketball player of all time in my eyes. And that's pretty much fact cause my rankings are pretty dead on.