20 years ago today ...

Magic Johnson "retires" after revealing he has HIV virus.

One of those moments where you remember where you were and what you were doing when you heard.

 

I heard the news from my high school football coach, who was a huge Lakers fan.

I was a huge Pistons fan. He and I harrassed each other endlessly about which team was better.

He said, "Magic Johnson has AIDS. Isiah Thomas probably gave it to him."

I thought he was joking.

 

One of the greatest players I've ever seen.

 

One of those moments in your life when you remember where you were when you heard the news.

So shocking at the time.

It was also believed to be a death sentence at the time.

 

I remember a friend of mine in high school said, "How does a guy with the name Magic Johnson, get AIDS?"

I know he only has HIV. Most 17-year-olds didn't know the difference at the time.

I still laugh when I think of that comment.

 

Probably THE "Holy Shit!" sports moment of my youth, maybe ever. I've been a Lakers fan since I can remember, and I remember being completely distraught when the announcement was made. Just devistated. I'm not entirely sure I didn't get a creeper. Magic was, and still probably is, my favorite athlete of all time.

 

I remember my little brother, who was a big Magic/Laker's fan, being really upset by the news.

 

We're the same age, and I certainly didn't know the difference at the time either. I'd bet most people still don't.

Back then, my buddies and I always wondered how he was still alive 5-10 years later. We just figured they were Magic AIDS or something.

 

I was in college, and I think I heard the first rumors on the radio, but I remember watching the press conference in my college's TV lounge, which was filled with the other students. There wasn't a place to sit.

And I, too, thought that Magic was going to be dead in a few years. Amazing that he isn't.

 

It was about 2 1/2 weeks later (Nov. 24, 1991) that Freddie Mercury died of AIDS. So there was no reason to think otherwise in those days.

 

I was in college. One of my fraternity brothers came in and broke the news (before the press conference). I didn't believe him. I thought he was messing with me because I grew up in the Lansing area and though I was at Michigan, I was still kind of a Sparty hoops fan and was always a huge Magic fan.