The alma maters of two of basketball’s greatest players, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, formerly of Michigan State, and Michael Jordan, formerly of the University of North Carolina, clashed tonight for the NCAA championship. Johnson, one of my favorite players and personalities, was in the stands for the semifinals games and in the booth for the championship, which his Spartans trailed quickly. Magic, who played commentator for the TNT network, commented on the game but also on the historic March Madness Final Four championship game 30 years ago, which pitted his Spartan against Larry Bird’s Indiana State. That game, which the Spartans won, really put men’s college basketball on the map. I did not watch that game, but I did see plenty of what followed: the continued Magic vs. Larry rival in the NBA, including the 1987 Magic-led LA Lakers vs. Bird-led Boston Celtics seven-game NBA Finals, which I watched every minute of. I remember the day that news came out that Magic had become infected with the HIV virus and his first retirement (on the eve of a couple of appointments, and providing the topic for my 1993 holiday card), his two comebacks, including his final NBA and NBA playoffs game, which I watched with Stephanie in a Westerville sports restaurant on our third date together. And I remember Magic – with his good stories, his pithy comments, and his infectious smile – enlightening, informing, and entertaining Andrew and me and some 10,000 other people at a Tallahassee-Leon County Civic Center event in the 1990s. Keep on smiling, Magic! Happy 30th anniversary, Magic, Larry, and March Madness!
-- Perry
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