NBA legend and Nike Inc. icon Michael Jordan on Wednesday said he has filed a lawsuit in China against a Chinese sports brand he says is using his name without authorization.
The company has registered the name “Qiaodan,” which Jordan says is the moniker he has been known by in China since he became a recognizable figure there in the mid-1980s.
Under that name, Qiaodan has grown from $45.6 million in sales in 2007 to $456 million in 2010. It has more than 30 franchises and as many as 5,000 specialty stores. Qiaodan has filed for more than 100 similar trademarks, including those using Jordan’s uniform number 23 and several featuring the names of Jordan’s sons, Jeffrey and Marcus, in Chinese characters, the claim alleges.
“During my basketball career and now as a businessman, I’ve worked hard to establish my identity and brand, and I take tremendous pride in the shoes and apparel that feature my name and logo,” Jordan said in a news release. “I am taking this action to preserve ownership of my name and my brand.”
Beyond just the lawsuit, Jordan has launched a full-fledged media campaign that includes a new website that features a video of Jordan explaining why he needs to protect his brand image.
According to a news release, Jordan was first introduced to Chinese consumers while playing for the U.S. basketball team during the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles and became a fixture there after the 1987 NBA All-Star game in Seattle, which was the first NBA game ever broadcast in China.
“We live in a competitive marketplace, and Chinese consumers, like anyone else, have a huge amount of choice when it comes to buying clothing, shoes and other merchandise,” Jordan said. “Chinese fans have always been very supportive of me, and that’s something I deeply appreciate. I think they deserve to know what they are buying.”
2.23.2012
'The Big O' still focusing on fundamentals
ORLANDO—Oscar Robertson has always valued fundamentals over flash. So please excuse him not joining the gush-fest over Blake Griffin’s recent mega-dunk over Kendrick Perkins.
“Everybody thinks that dunk was the greatest thing in the world,” Robertson said. “It was just two points. The kid’s a hell of an athlete. He can jump to the ceiling. But it was just two points.”
If you’re picturing an old man screaming at kids to get off his lawn and go work on their free throws, hit the pause button. This 73-year-old is Oscar Robertson.When he speaks, it’s worth listening. If for no other reason than he’s never cheapened his words by overusing them.
These days he’s using them to raise awareness of prostate cancer. Robertson could have died from it last year. It was caught in time, and now he’s spreading the gospel of annual testing.
He’s in Orlando this week for the NBA All-Star Game. Fans lined up outside a restaurant Wednesday to see and hear the mythical basketball figure.
Long before Oprah Winfrey, Oscar was the original Big O. He was doing triple-doubles before anyone even knew what they were.
30.8 points, 11.4 assists and 12.5 rebounds.
Those were his DiMaggio-like numbers from the 1961-62 season. In only his second season, he set an NBA record with 899 assists.
But that was 50 years ago. Could the Big O do it today?
“I don’t want to dignify that with an answer,” he said. “When anyone asks if Oscar Robertson could play today, it shows they don’t have knowledge of basketball. It’s basketball. If you have fundamentals, you can play.”
There’s that word—fundamentals. Learning the basics and doing them right.
Old guys always seem to get cranky about their demise. Robertson came along before the Look-at-Me mentality took hold. But even if SportsCenter had been around in 1961, making the top 10 plays would not have been The Big O’s concern.
He wanted to win games, not wow people. Any attention that came with success was almost unwanted.
“I lead a private life,” Robertson said.
We get a glimpse into it every 15 years or so. In 1997, he donated a kidney to his 33-year-old daughter, Tia, who had lupus. Neither one wanted to publicize it. Then Robertson thought about all the people who weren’t as lucky as Tia.
“I convinced her talking was the right thing to do,” he said. “Maybe we can help other people.”
With prostate cancer, Robertson had to convince himself. He’d been pretty good about getting regular checkups. Then he went about 18 months between tests. That was enough time to develop Stage III cancer.
“What do you mean?” Robertson told his doctor. “I have no symptoms.”
That’s the danger of prostate cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates 33,720 men will die of it this year. Already on the victim list are Merv Griffin, Telly Savalas, Frank Zappa and Earl Woods.
The shame is that prostate cancer has a 90-percent cure rate if it’s caught early enough. A quick exam and blood test are all it takes. By the time Robertson got his, the disease had spread beyond the prostate but not into the lymph nodes.
“Left alone, it can lead to death,” said Dr. Vipul Patel, an Orlando urologist. “Luckily in Oscar’s case we got there just in time.”
Patel performed a robotic prostatectomy on Robertson. In layman’s terms, that means he used high-tech gadgetry to remove the prostate.
Robertson raves about it. The surgery took an hour and he was home the next day. Then he had to fight his natural inclination not to talk about his problems.
If anyone appreciates statistics, however, it’s Mr. Triple Double. He saw the mortality figures and knew it was time to make a few more assists.
“That’s a funny thing about life. Sometimes you don’t know what you’re here for,” Robertson said. “You’re not just here to sleep eight hours a night and get up and eat breakfast.
“You’re here for a reason. Maybe this is the reason I’m here.”
Anyone who saw him play might think there were other reasons. Like winning an NBA title with the Bucks in 1971, leading the fight for free agency, or simply setting a standard no player has ever matched.
None of those seem as important to The Big O now.
“What he is saying will save hundreds of lives,” said Patel, who has started the International Prostate Cancer Foundation to battle the disease.
Pondering a rectal exam wasn’t exactly what all those fans showed up for on Wednesday. They brought basketballs and caps and pictures of the speaker in his glorious prime.
Robertson had just one request.
“All you guys who want autographs,” he said, “get your prostate checked.”
After all, it’s fundamental.
“Everybody thinks that dunk was the greatest thing in the world,” Robertson said. “It was just two points. The kid’s a hell of an athlete. He can jump to the ceiling. But it was just two points.”
If you’re picturing an old man screaming at kids to get off his lawn and go work on their free throws, hit the pause button. This 73-year-old is Oscar Robertson.When he speaks, it’s worth listening. If for no other reason than he’s never cheapened his words by overusing them.
These days he’s using them to raise awareness of prostate cancer. Robertson could have died from it last year. It was caught in time, and now he’s spreading the gospel of annual testing.
He’s in Orlando this week for the NBA All-Star Game. Fans lined up outside a restaurant Wednesday to see and hear the mythical basketball figure.
Long before Oprah Winfrey, Oscar was the original Big O. He was doing triple-doubles before anyone even knew what they were.
30.8 points, 11.4 assists and 12.5 rebounds.
Those were his DiMaggio-like numbers from the 1961-62 season. In only his second season, he set an NBA record with 899 assists.
But that was 50 years ago. Could the Big O do it today?
“I don’t want to dignify that with an answer,” he said. “When anyone asks if Oscar Robertson could play today, it shows they don’t have knowledge of basketball. It’s basketball. If you have fundamentals, you can play.”
There’s that word—fundamentals. Learning the basics and doing them right.
Old guys always seem to get cranky about their demise. Robertson came along before the Look-at-Me mentality took hold. But even if SportsCenter had been around in 1961, making the top 10 plays would not have been The Big O’s concern.
He wanted to win games, not wow people. Any attention that came with success was almost unwanted.
“I lead a private life,” Robertson said.
We get a glimpse into it every 15 years or so. In 1997, he donated a kidney to his 33-year-old daughter, Tia, who had lupus. Neither one wanted to publicize it. Then Robertson thought about all the people who weren’t as lucky as Tia.
“I convinced her talking was the right thing to do,” he said. “Maybe we can help other people.”
With prostate cancer, Robertson had to convince himself. He’d been pretty good about getting regular checkups. Then he went about 18 months between tests. That was enough time to develop Stage III cancer.
“What do you mean?” Robertson told his doctor. “I have no symptoms.”
That’s the danger of prostate cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates 33,720 men will die of it this year. Already on the victim list are Merv Griffin, Telly Savalas, Frank Zappa and Earl Woods.
The shame is that prostate cancer has a 90-percent cure rate if it’s caught early enough. A quick exam and blood test are all it takes. By the time Robertson got his, the disease had spread beyond the prostate but not into the lymph nodes.
“Left alone, it can lead to death,” said Dr. Vipul Patel, an Orlando urologist. “Luckily in Oscar’s case we got there just in time.”
Patel performed a robotic prostatectomy on Robertson. In layman’s terms, that means he used high-tech gadgetry to remove the prostate.
Robertson raves about it. The surgery took an hour and he was home the next day. Then he had to fight his natural inclination not to talk about his problems.
If anyone appreciates statistics, however, it’s Mr. Triple Double. He saw the mortality figures and knew it was time to make a few more assists.
“That’s a funny thing about life. Sometimes you don’t know what you’re here for,” Robertson said. “You’re not just here to sleep eight hours a night and get up and eat breakfast.
“You’re here for a reason. Maybe this is the reason I’m here.”
Anyone who saw him play might think there were other reasons. Like winning an NBA title with the Bucks in 1971, leading the fight for free agency, or simply setting a standard no player has ever matched.
None of those seem as important to The Big O now.
“What he is saying will save hundreds of lives,” said Patel, who has started the International Prostate Cancer Foundation to battle the disease.
Pondering a rectal exam wasn’t exactly what all those fans showed up for on Wednesday. They brought basketballs and caps and pictures of the speaker in his glorious prime.
Robertson had just one request.
“All you guys who want autographs,” he said, “get your prostate checked.”
After all, it’s fundamental.
NBA midseason awards: LeBron James' MVP-caliber play is unmatched
With the NBA All-Star Game marking the league’s de facto halfway point, Sporting News presents our midseason awards. Part II features Blake Griffin's dunk and the worst personnel moves of the year.
MVP: LeBron James, Miami Heat
Runner-up: Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder
This looks like a runaway for James, even as teammate Dwyane Wade has returned to health and has increased his contributions. Durant is a solid candidate—as is Lakers guard Kobe Bryant—but there’s no matching what James does on a nightly basis: 27.6 points, 6.8 assists, 8.1 rebounds, 55.0 percent shooting.
MORE NBA COVERAGE
Rookie: Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers
Runner-up: Ricky Rubio, Minnesota Timberwolves
The operative word when it comes to Irving is “presence.” The No. 1 pick has come into the NBA with a heap of pressure on his shoulders, but he has handled it so well that he even has his still-thin roster in the playoff hunt. Rubio has lived up to his billing as a playmaker and a defender, but he’s also struggled, as expected, with his shooting.
Coach: Gregg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs
Runner-up: Doug Collins, Philadelphia 76ers
Collins has a strong case, given what he is doing with his team-first lineup. But Popovich’s Spurs have been one of the most impressive stories of the first half, overcoming injuries to Manu Ginobili by milking contributions from guys like Gary Neal and Danny Green. Additionally, Popovich's handling of rookie Kawhi Leonard and second-year forward Tiago Splitter has them producing, too.
Most improved: Jeremy Lin, New York Knicks
Runner-up: Ryan Anderson, Orlando Magic
This is always an odd award to give, because it very often goes to a guy who improves just because he has more experience or more playing time. But why not give it to the league’s most remarkable phenom? Lin went from being cut by Golden State and Houston to resurrecting the Knicks and becoming an international star. Now that's improvement.
Sixth man: Lou Williams, Philadelphia 76ers
Runner-up: James Harden, Oklahoma City Thunder
This race is neck-and-neck between Williams and Harden, but Williams gets the nod because, even as a reserve, he is the team’s top offensive threat at 15.6 points per game. While Harden does a great job filling the gaps between Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, Williams is his team’s go-to guy in the clutch.
Defensive player: Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic
Runner-up: Tyson Chandler, New York Knicks
Hats off to Chandler, who has helped redefine what was a terrible Knicks defense last season. But as long as Howard is healthy and in the league, it will be tough to unseat him from this spot
MVP: LeBron James, Miami Heat
Runner-up: Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder
This looks like a runaway for James, even as teammate Dwyane Wade has returned to health and has increased his contributions. Durant is a solid candidate—as is Lakers guard Kobe Bryant—but there’s no matching what James does on a nightly basis: 27.6 points, 6.8 assists, 8.1 rebounds, 55.0 percent shooting.
MORE NBA COVERAGE
Rookie: Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers
Runner-up: Ricky Rubio, Minnesota Timberwolves
The operative word when it comes to Irving is “presence.” The No. 1 pick has come into the NBA with a heap of pressure on his shoulders, but he has handled it so well that he even has his still-thin roster in the playoff hunt. Rubio has lived up to his billing as a playmaker and a defender, but he’s also struggled, as expected, with his shooting.
Coach: Gregg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs
Runner-up: Doug Collins, Philadelphia 76ers
Collins has a strong case, given what he is doing with his team-first lineup. But Popovich’s Spurs have been one of the most impressive stories of the first half, overcoming injuries to Manu Ginobili by milking contributions from guys like Gary Neal and Danny Green. Additionally, Popovich's handling of rookie Kawhi Leonard and second-year forward Tiago Splitter has them producing, too.
Most improved: Jeremy Lin, New York Knicks
Runner-up: Ryan Anderson, Orlando Magic
This is always an odd award to give, because it very often goes to a guy who improves just because he has more experience or more playing time. But why not give it to the league’s most remarkable phenom? Lin went from being cut by Golden State and Houston to resurrecting the Knicks and becoming an international star. Now that's improvement.
Sixth man: Lou Williams, Philadelphia 76ers
Runner-up: James Harden, Oklahoma City Thunder
This race is neck-and-neck between Williams and Harden, but Williams gets the nod because, even as a reserve, he is the team’s top offensive threat at 15.6 points per game. While Harden does a great job filling the gaps between Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, Williams is his team’s go-to guy in the clutch.
Defensive player: Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic
Runner-up: Tyson Chandler, New York Knicks
Hats off to Chandler, who has helped redefine what was a terrible Knicks defense last season. But as long as Howard is healthy and in the league, it will be tough to unseat him from this spot
Heat present litmus test for Jeremy Lin, Knicks
He has been a boon for the league, a savior for the Knicks, a conundrum for Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire, and even a focal point of a national discussion on Asian-American stereotypes. These are all fascinating topics of discussion, but let’s face it, what NBA fans really want to know is this: What real impact will Lin and the new-look Knicks have on the Eastern Conference’s playoff picture?
MORE NBA COVERAGE
That’s still hard to say, seeing as the Knicks have posted some impressive wins (Mavericks, Lakers) and two disappointing losses (Hornets, Nets), while now confronting the task of fitting new rotation players—Anthony, Baron Davis and J.R. Smith—into the Lin game plan. But today, the Knicks will take on the most relevant challenge they have faced to date when it comes to finding out how they stack up against the elite—they play the Heat, winners of seven straight.
Lin is the main reason the Heat’s winning streak has not been grabbing the NBA headlines. But put these teams together on national television, and the Nielsen ticker could go haywire.
“It’s going to be fun,” Heat star LeBron James said. “It’s going to be electrifying. ... It could be one of the most-watched games that we’ve had in a long time.”
— FLY THROUGH, FLY AROUND, FLY OVER: Melo, CP3 and D-Wade
That’s saying something, considering that the Heat trio of James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh helped cable networks rewrite their ratings record books last season. As good as the defending East champs were last year, though, they appear to be even better this year, especially lately.
To start the season, the Heat came out with a blitzing offense that took advantage of turnovers and was impeccable in the fast break. Miami struggled some when Wade was dealing with injuries and when playing against zone defenses, but Wade was given two weeks off and has returned healthy. Additionally, the more the Heat have faced zone defenses, the better they have gotten against them. Case in point: Miami sliced up Sacramento’s zone on Tuesday for 120 points. The Heat have averaged 107.6 points per game during their seven-game winning streak.
“It’s getting harder and harder to find ways to stop them,” one Eastern Conference scout said. “They’ve always been killers on the break. But now in the halfcourt, they’re so much better. LeBron is really focusing on posting up. Wade is explosive again, and he has the midrange shots going. Bosh has been great at just finding ways to fill in the gaps. And they have good role players. Offensively, everything is working.”
And for all the focus on how the Knicks will work offensively with their new and returning players, getting the defense right probably will be a bigger challenge—New York let Nets point guard Deron Williams go for 38 points in Monday’s loss, after all. The Heat figure to expose the Knicks defense and, in doing so, could provide a reality check on what this team’s ceiling is.
One thing’s for sure, millions will be watching.
MORE NBA COVERAGE
That’s still hard to say, seeing as the Knicks have posted some impressive wins (Mavericks, Lakers) and two disappointing losses (Hornets, Nets), while now confronting the task of fitting new rotation players—Anthony, Baron Davis and J.R. Smith—into the Lin game plan. But today, the Knicks will take on the most relevant challenge they have faced to date when it comes to finding out how they stack up against the elite—they play the Heat, winners of seven straight.
Lin is the main reason the Heat’s winning streak has not been grabbing the NBA headlines. But put these teams together on national television, and the Nielsen ticker could go haywire.
“It’s going to be fun,” Heat star LeBron James said. “It’s going to be electrifying. ... It could be one of the most-watched games that we’ve had in a long time.”
— FLY THROUGH, FLY AROUND, FLY OVER: Melo, CP3 and D-Wade
That’s saying something, considering that the Heat trio of James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh helped cable networks rewrite their ratings record books last season. As good as the defending East champs were last year, though, they appear to be even better this year, especially lately.
To start the season, the Heat came out with a blitzing offense that took advantage of turnovers and was impeccable in the fast break. Miami struggled some when Wade was dealing with injuries and when playing against zone defenses, but Wade was given two weeks off and has returned healthy. Additionally, the more the Heat have faced zone defenses, the better they have gotten against them. Case in point: Miami sliced up Sacramento’s zone on Tuesday for 120 points. The Heat have averaged 107.6 points per game during their seven-game winning streak.
“It’s getting harder and harder to find ways to stop them,” one Eastern Conference scout said. “They’ve always been killers on the break. But now in the halfcourt, they’re so much better. LeBron is really focusing on posting up. Wade is explosive again, and he has the midrange shots going. Bosh has been great at just finding ways to fill in the gaps. And they have good role players. Offensively, everything is working.”
And for all the focus on how the Knicks will work offensively with their new and returning players, getting the defense right probably will be a bigger challenge—New York let Nets point guard Deron Williams go for 38 points in Monday’s loss, after all. The Heat figure to expose the Knicks defense and, in doing so, could provide a reality check on what this team’s ceiling is.
One thing’s for sure, millions will be watching.
Phoenix Suns coach Alvin Gentry rips team to media after loss
After Wednesday’s loss to the Warriors at home, it is fair to say the Phoenix coach Alvin Gentry was angry. Very angry.
In his postgame press conference, Gentry blasted his team for its lack of effort at the outset, when the Suns fell behind Golden State, 36-17, in the first quarter. Phoenix fought back to tie the game at 104 in the fourth quarter, but ultimately lost, 106-104, on a difficult jumper by Warriors guard Monta Ellis.
Gentry was not in a mood to pat his players on the back for getting back in the game at the end.
“The game was lost in the first 10 minutes of the game,” Gentry said. “When we got an opportunity to do something good and we come out like that, it’s just ridiculous. It’s unfair to the people, the fans in the stands. The way we approached the game sucked. And yeah, I said sucked. So what we do is exactly what I said we would do after the first timeout. We would dig ourselves a hole, and then we would have to play so hard to get back, it would be a perfect storm. And you know what? We end up defending the heck out of the guy at the end and he makes the shot and that’s not the difference in the game. The difference in the game was what happened in the first 10 minutes.
Gentry was just getting started, though, dropping some foul language before apologizing. “Yeah, I’m disgusted,” he said. “I’m disgusted with the way we played. I’m disgusted with the fact that we had the chance to end the break with something really upbeat and positive and, instead, we just walked through the first (expletive) 10 minutes of the game. Excuse me. I’m sorry. We walked through the first 10 minutes of the game, and that cost us the game.”
Gentry’s frustration no doubt stems from his team’s inconsistency. The Suns are barely hanging in the Western Conference playoff race, now four games out of the No. 8 seed. The team immediately above them is Golden State, and a win would have given the Suns a three-game winning streak going into the All-Star break.
“Unless we get ourselves together and understand we can’t afford to lose games like this at home, and we got to play right from the start, these kinds of things are going to happen for the rest of the season,” Gentry said.
In his postgame press conference, Gentry blasted his team for its lack of effort at the outset, when the Suns fell behind Golden State, 36-17, in the first quarter. Phoenix fought back to tie the game at 104 in the fourth quarter, but ultimately lost, 106-104, on a difficult jumper by Warriors guard Monta Ellis.
Gentry was not in a mood to pat his players on the back for getting back in the game at the end.
“The game was lost in the first 10 minutes of the game,” Gentry said. “When we got an opportunity to do something good and we come out like that, it’s just ridiculous. It’s unfair to the people, the fans in the stands. The way we approached the game sucked. And yeah, I said sucked. So what we do is exactly what I said we would do after the first timeout. We would dig ourselves a hole, and then we would have to play so hard to get back, it would be a perfect storm. And you know what? We end up defending the heck out of the guy at the end and he makes the shot and that’s not the difference in the game. The difference in the game was what happened in the first 10 minutes.
Gentry was just getting started, though, dropping some foul language before apologizing. “Yeah, I’m disgusted,” he said. “I’m disgusted with the way we played. I’m disgusted with the fact that we had the chance to end the break with something really upbeat and positive and, instead, we just walked through the first (expletive) 10 minutes of the game. Excuse me. I’m sorry. We walked through the first 10 minutes of the game, and that cost us the game.”
Gentry’s frustration no doubt stems from his team’s inconsistency. The Suns are barely hanging in the Western Conference playoff race, now four games out of the No. 8 seed. The team immediately above them is Golden State, and a win would have given the Suns a three-game winning streak going into the All-Star break.
“Unless we get ourselves together and understand we can’t afford to lose games like this at home, and we got to play right from the start, these kinds of things are going to happen for the rest of the season,” Gentry said.
2.22.2012
Marvin Williams says he has not demanded trade from Atlanta Hawks
Marvin Williams is denying an ESPN.com report that said he has asked to be traded from the Atlanta Hawks. He also stressed that he has not even complained about his role on the team’s offense, even though his minutes have decreased this season.
Williams, who missed Monday’s game against Chicago because of a death in the family, told the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “For starters, I haven’t even been here. I buried my cousin on Monday and woke up Tuesday to three text messages and six phone calls saying that I requested a trade. This is news to me. I’m at home. I don’t know what is going on.
“I saw a lot about what was written but you can ask anybody, LD (coach Larry Drew) or anybody, I’ve never complained about anything since I’ve been here. You know that. Any reporter that has followed me since I’ve been in Atlanta since ’05 has never heard me complain about anything. I’ve never complained about starting, not starting, shots, no shots, minutes played. That is just no my nature to complain. I’ve always been thankful for everything I’ve ever gotten.”
Williams, who missed Monday’s game against Chicago because of a death in the family, told the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “For starters, I haven’t even been here. I buried my cousin on Monday and woke up Tuesday to three text messages and six phone calls saying that I requested a trade. This is news to me. I’m at home. I don’t know what is going on.
“I saw a lot about what was written but you can ask anybody, LD (coach Larry Drew) or anybody, I’ve never complained about anything since I’ve been here. You know that. Any reporter that has followed me since I’ve been in Atlanta since ’05 has never heard me complain about anything. I’ve never complained about starting, not starting, shots, no shots, minutes played. That is just no my nature to complain. I’ve always been thankful for everything I’ve ever gotten.”
For Earvin Johnson, the Magic continues
Magic Johnson is making the media rounds this week as NBA All-Star Weekend approaches, the 20th anniversary of his emotional return after his HIV diagnosis. He seems to have more than usual to talk about, even by his standards.
So much that he managed to slide one topic out there almost unobtrusively, on Twitter Tuesday afternoon, while the basketball world was still buzzing about Jeremy Lin, inappropriate headlines, All-Star snubs and anonymous dunkers:
He’s launching his own television network.
— MAGIC'S ADVICE FOR KOBE AND JIM BUSS
Airing on Comcast systems this summer, it’s named “Aspire”—and it fits him perfectly. Of all the superstars this country has seen, Magic might be having the greatest post-playing career of them all.
If you are, or were, a big-time athlete in his time or this one, and you aren’t following in his footsteps and yearning to make the absolute most out of the peak of your ability, fame and earning power … then why aren’t you?
He’s 52 years old, he last dribbled a ball in a game that mattered 16 years ago—and that in a short, ill-advised comeback—and he seems busier now than during any of his nine trips to the Finals. Once Magic, the Maestro of Showtime, he’s now Earvin, the Entrepreneur.
There’s Magic Johnson Enterprises, whose stamp is on places like Starbucks, TGIFriday’s, Best Buy and, of course, Magic Johnson Theatres. There’s the Magic Johnson Foundation, tying him in with charities all over the world.
When Don Cornelius died earlier this month, Magic was all over the air, print and cyberspace, because he bought the Soul Train brand last year. If you live out west and want to get started working out, you have the option of joining a 24-Hour Fitness branch operated by him. He oversaw the Fatburger franchise for a time.
Yes, he’s owned a burger joint and a chain of gyms. What’s your point?
There’s lots more. Johnson is part of Los Angeles’ campaign to get an NFL franchise. He is deeply engaged in NASCAR’s diversity program. He is the public face of one of the ownership groups trying to buy the Dodgers.
In a conference call Wednesday, he told reporters that he was not just a famous name to slap onto the bid. “Will I be involved? You bet. Will it be day-to-day? Yes,” he said.
Of course. While he owned part of the Lakers (until selling it before last season), he was far from the silent partner; he spoke his mind, often through his network TV pulpit. That pulpit has gotten bigger over the years—once a (deservedly) maligned game analyst and then in-studio straight man for Charles Barkley, he’s now the centerpiece of the ABC/ESPN studio show.
Allen Iverson, he’s not.
Or Mark Brunell, or Antoine Walker or Lenny Dykstra or anyone else on the list of athletes who either carelessly waste or catastrophically mismanage their fortunes. Such lists seem to grow constantly, serving as cautionary tales to some and sources of amusement to others. Either way, the question raised is: How?
Magic—Earvin—must ask the same thing.
Yet … he also isn’t Michael Jordan. Or Larry Bird. Or Isiah Thomas, his onetime closest friend. Or Wayne Gretzky, Joe Montana, Arnold Palmer, Joe DiMaggio, Cal Ripken, or any of the other athletes held up as the standard for handling the money they made, and the long post-retirement life it had to sustain.
Not to belittle any of them. But … your own TV network? Like Oprah?
As principal owner of an NBA team—even a bad one—it would seem hard to put Jordan behind anybody on any list. It’s tempting to throw all that Nike money, power and influence onto that to vault him to the top. But no matter how much Jordan generates—and how much it put him in position to buy the Bobcats—it’s still Phil Knight’s company.
And his roots are still planted deep in the game he played. Magic—if you’ll excuse the pun—has branched far, far from basketball. Again, revel in the dichotomy: Soul Train and NASCAR.
Also, can you knock Bird, Magic’s great rival and friend, for his success as an NBA coach who reached the Finals, then as an executive who tore a franchise down and rebuilt it into a contender? Not at all.
Magic is just in another league.
One that, it’s worth reminding, few thought he’d be around to play in 20 years ago.
“I think the biggest joy,” he said, “is that I’m still here, and (not just) the work that we’ve been able to do, both in the HIV and AIDS world, but in the work in urban America. I think those two have been the biggest joys.”
Magic Johnson has a post-career life that, on every conceivable level, exceeds expectations.
Then again, maybe the rest of the sports world—including his fellow superstars—should adjust those expectations.
So much that he managed to slide one topic out there almost unobtrusively, on Twitter Tuesday afternoon, while the basketball world was still buzzing about Jeremy Lin, inappropriate headlines, All-Star snubs and anonymous dunkers:
He’s launching his own television network.
— MAGIC'S ADVICE FOR KOBE AND JIM BUSS
Airing on Comcast systems this summer, it’s named “Aspire”—and it fits him perfectly. Of all the superstars this country has seen, Magic might be having the greatest post-playing career of them all.
If you are, or were, a big-time athlete in his time or this one, and you aren’t following in his footsteps and yearning to make the absolute most out of the peak of your ability, fame and earning power … then why aren’t you?
He’s 52 years old, he last dribbled a ball in a game that mattered 16 years ago—and that in a short, ill-advised comeback—and he seems busier now than during any of his nine trips to the Finals. Once Magic, the Maestro of Showtime, he’s now Earvin, the Entrepreneur.
There’s Magic Johnson Enterprises, whose stamp is on places like Starbucks, TGIFriday’s, Best Buy and, of course, Magic Johnson Theatres. There’s the Magic Johnson Foundation, tying him in with charities all over the world.
When Don Cornelius died earlier this month, Magic was all over the air, print and cyberspace, because he bought the Soul Train brand last year. If you live out west and want to get started working out, you have the option of joining a 24-Hour Fitness branch operated by him. He oversaw the Fatburger franchise for a time.
Yes, he’s owned a burger joint and a chain of gyms. What’s your point?
There’s lots more. Johnson is part of Los Angeles’ campaign to get an NFL franchise. He is deeply engaged in NASCAR’s diversity program. He is the public face of one of the ownership groups trying to buy the Dodgers.
In a conference call Wednesday, he told reporters that he was not just a famous name to slap onto the bid. “Will I be involved? You bet. Will it be day-to-day? Yes,” he said.
Of course. While he owned part of the Lakers (until selling it before last season), he was far from the silent partner; he spoke his mind, often through his network TV pulpit. That pulpit has gotten bigger over the years—once a (deservedly) maligned game analyst and then in-studio straight man for Charles Barkley, he’s now the centerpiece of the ABC/ESPN studio show.
Allen Iverson, he’s not.
Or Mark Brunell, or Antoine Walker or Lenny Dykstra or anyone else on the list of athletes who either carelessly waste or catastrophically mismanage their fortunes. Such lists seem to grow constantly, serving as cautionary tales to some and sources of amusement to others. Either way, the question raised is: How?
Magic—Earvin—must ask the same thing.
Yet … he also isn’t Michael Jordan. Or Larry Bird. Or Isiah Thomas, his onetime closest friend. Or Wayne Gretzky, Joe Montana, Arnold Palmer, Joe DiMaggio, Cal Ripken, or any of the other athletes held up as the standard for handling the money they made, and the long post-retirement life it had to sustain.
Not to belittle any of them. But … your own TV network? Like Oprah?
As principal owner of an NBA team—even a bad one—it would seem hard to put Jordan behind anybody on any list. It’s tempting to throw all that Nike money, power and influence onto that to vault him to the top. But no matter how much Jordan generates—and how much it put him in position to buy the Bobcats—it’s still Phil Knight’s company.
And his roots are still planted deep in the game he played. Magic—if you’ll excuse the pun—has branched far, far from basketball. Again, revel in the dichotomy: Soul Train and NASCAR.
Also, can you knock Bird, Magic’s great rival and friend, for his success as an NBA coach who reached the Finals, then as an executive who tore a franchise down and rebuilt it into a contender? Not at all.
Magic is just in another league.
One that, it’s worth reminding, few thought he’d be around to play in 20 years ago.
“I think the biggest joy,” he said, “is that I’m still here, and (not just) the work that we’ve been able to do, both in the HIV and AIDS world, but in the work in urban America. I think those two have been the biggest joys.”
Magic Johnson has a post-career life that, on every conceivable level, exceeds expectations.
Then again, maybe the rest of the sports world—including his fellow superstars—should adjust those expectations.
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