Tag: Magic Johnson

Fanboy Ryan Fitzpatrick brought an absurd amount of merch for Magic Johnson to sign

Ryan Fitzpatrick is apparently a huge Magic Johnson fan.

When Magic Johnson wasn’t tweeting (posting) scathing criticism of the Washington Commanders on Twitter (X), he was visiting the set of Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football, hanging out with the crew that included Ryan Fitzpatrick.

It turns out that Fitzpatrick is a huge Magic fan, because he wore the legendary point guard’s jersey and asked Johnson to sign it. That was fun, but then the ex-QB took out a bag of stuff from a hat to a football to a basketball for Johnson to sign.

It was a hilarious segment and Johnson took it all in stride as everyone else laughed or rolled their eyes:

Terry McLaurin: ‘That’s as bad as it gets’

Terry McLaurin reflects on another ugly loss and agreed with Magic Johnson.

Much like Jonathan Allen, Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin has been a part of some tough losses since entering the NFL.

After the Commanders were dominated by the Chicago Bears, 40-20, on Thursday Night Football, Allen offered a blunt assessment of Washington’s defense.

“Defense just played like s–t,” Allen said.

Remember, the Bears entered Thursday having lost 14 consecutive games and hadn’t won in almost a full calendar year. Like his fellow captain, McLaurin shared his thoughts on the latest disappointing defeat.

“That’s as bad as it gets,” McLaurin said. “The last two times we’ve been at home hasn’t been good.”

Two weeks ago, the Commanders lost to the Buffalo Bills, 37-3.

“A lot of people, myself included, we all got to get better.”

The Commanders get extra time off by playing on Thursday night before reporting back to work on Tuesday. While the time off is necessary for players to heal, it’s also a time for them to self-evaluate.

McLaurin was then asked how this loss compared to others he’s been a part of since entering the NFL with Washington in 2019.

“It’s been quite a few, but it’s definitely up there,” he said. “They came in and beat us, honestly.”

McLaurin was then made aware of Magic Johnson’s tweet that the Commanders played with “no intensity or fire.”

The star wideout agreed with Johnson.

“Probably say that’s pretty fair,” he said. “It doesn’t matter what your intentions are; it’s what you put out there on the field. I know we don’t have a lazy bunch; I know we don’t have a non-intentioned group of guys, but that showing is not reflective of us, but that’s who we are. We put that on tape, so I think that’s a pretty fair assessment.”

Next up for the Commanders is the Atlanta Falcons as Washington looks to snap a three-game losing streak.

Magic Johnson delivers a surprisingly scathing Commanders criticism after blowout loss to Bears

Magic is usually pretty tame on Twitter (X). Not this time!

Besides being arguably the greatest point guard in NBA history, Magic Johnson is also known for another thing: Sending tweets (posts on X?) that feel like obvious statements, so much so that it feels like a running gag.

But when it came to the Washington Commanders getting embarrassed at home on Thursday night in a 40-20 loss, Johnson didn’t hold back on X. He declared that Commanders “played with no intensity or fire.”

WHEW. When that’s coming from Magic’s Twitter (X) account you know he means business. Also, he’s not wrong! Washington struggled quite a bit against a Bears team that hadn’t won a game in ages:

Magic Johnson responds to Commanders embarrassing prime-time loss

And he wasn’t happy this time around.

Earlier this week, the Washington Commanders announced their third sellout of the 2023 NFL season. This is a significant accomplishment for the once-proud franchise that has struggled with attendance for years due to the poor product on the field and former owner Dan Snyder’s presence.

On Thursday, Washington had one of its more embarrassing home performances, falling 40-20 to the Chicago Bears — a team that had not won a game in almost a full calendar year.

Afterward, one of Washington’s limited ownership partners, Magic Johnson, took to Twitter to discuss his thoughts on the game. That’s not a new development, but Johnson’s tone this time was far different.

You don’t have to be a mind-reader to see how Johnson is feeling after that performance.

Can you blame him?

Johnson is the ultimate winner and mentioned in his introductory press conference that he came aboard to win — not for his ego.

Washington falls to 2-3 on the season, dropping its third consecutive game.

 

Magic Johnson has high expectations for the Lakers this season

Lakers legend Magic Johnson wasn’t exactly shy about sharing his excitement and high hopes for the Purple and Gold this season.

For the first time in a few years, the Los Angeles Lakers have a rich and talented cast, and they appear to be one of a handful of legitimate championship contenders in the NBA this season.

Training camp will start for them early next week. Instead of having to deal with an imbalanced and incomplete roster, numerous new starters or incessant trade rumors, they can simply focus on attaining lofty goals.

Lakers legend Magic Johnson, who is also a former executive and part-owner of the team, has never been shy in sharing his opinions regarding the Purple and Gold. He seems very excited about this year’s squad, and he even called it “the best team in the West” (h/t The Cold Wire).

Johnson had plenty of other complimentary things to say about the 2023-24 Lakers, particularly their composition and the job general manager Rob Pelinka did this offseason.

Via Los Angeles Times:

“This is a championship team and they shouldn’t run away from that. They should embrace that and then go for it. I think LeBron [James] sees it too. One thing I’m really happy about is that he can see that he has a championship team. And when him and Anthony Davis feel like, ‘Oh, man. OK, we can win it all,’ watch out for them.

“This is going to be one of the most exciting seasons, because this is an exciting team. See, everybody we got can run. They can jump. … I like the variety, because we can have so many different lineups in there. That’s how you win. That’s how you win the championship. You got to have versatility in your lineup and we have it. Now, even if LeBron is out, we can win. If Anthony Davis is out, we can win. If somebody gets injured, we can win.

“And then keeping Austin Reaves and D’Angelo Russell and [Rui]  Hachimura, keeping all three of these young guys who I think made such a huge contribution and impact on the Lakers. So we didn’t let anybody get away. I thought he (Pelinka) set the tone by re-signing them first and then making all the incredible acquisitions. So, I’m so proud of Rob. The thought process that went into each player, see that’s what I’m talking about. So, each one of them brings something to the table that will make a huge contribution in different ways. So, watch out.”

The Lakers may not be the favorites to win the world title, but they certainly have at least a realistic chance of claiming the Larry O’Brien Trophy next summer.

Magic Johnson asserts that he, and not Stephen Curry, is the greatest point guard ever

Lakers great Magic Johnson brilliantly reminded everyone why he is still the greatest point guard in NBA history.

Recently, Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry created a minor stir when he said that he, not Magic Johnson, is the greatest point guard in NBA history. Curry has a very impressive resume that includes four world championships, two regular-season and finals MVPs and two scoring titles, but many believe Johnson had a greater career.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Johnson’s teammate on those legendary Los Angeles Lakers teams of the 1980s, added some food for thought when he said neither Curry nor Johnson was the greatest point guard ever. Abdul-Jabbar believes Oscar Robertson is the greatest

Johnson was asked about Curry’s opinion on the debate, and Johnson said, respectfully and with tact, that Curry isn’t the greatest to play the position (h/t Lakers Daily).

“Well, does the numbers say that, Zach?” Johnson said when asked if Curry has surpassed him as the best point guard ever. “So if he got more than five championships, if he got more than three Finals MVP and three league MVPs, then he’s the greatest. If he got more than No. 1 in assists all time in the Finals, No. 2 in double-doubles, No. 1 in triple-doubles all time in the NBA Playoffs, No. 4 in steals all time in the playoffs, if he got more than those numbers, he’s the best.”

Just about every Lakers fan can rattle off Johnson’s accomplishments from memory. But what made him special even beyond his resume is the impact he had on the franchise. When he arrived in 1979, the Lakers were a bridesmaid franchise that was used to reaching the NBA Finals, only to lose. The team won the world championship in Johnson’s rookie season, and before it knew it, it had earned five rings in his first nine years.

That era, known as Showtime, made the Lakers into the gold standard of basketball greatness.

The NBA as a whole was also in trouble at the start of the 1980s, both financially and in terms of reputation. But Johnson, along with his arch-rival Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics, made the league into must-see television by mid-decade. The battles the two had in three memorable NBA Finals in the mid-1980s played a large role in that turnaround.

While Curry and his Warriors have had a positive impact on the league’s predominant style of play, it pales in comparison to what Johnson did to save the league in the first place.

HoopsHype ranks LeBron James as its second greatest player in NBA history

LeBron James was No. 2 on HoopsHype’s list of the 77 greatest players ever, and just one of many Lakers greats to make the ranking.

The NBA is about to begin its 78th season, and there are plenty of interesting storylines going into the 2023-24 campaign. One of them is whether LeBron James will continue to play at a high level and lead the Los Angeles Lakers to another world championship, which would be his fifth.

He already has a sterling resume, and his individual accomplishments are almost second to none. While he has won four championships, he has also lost six times in the NBA Finals. Depending on how one perceives James, he or she may consider it a disappointment, or one may consider simply making it to the title series 10 times a massive accomplishment, regardless of how many times he took home the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

The debate about where James ranks among the greatest NBA players ever rages on. HoopsHype just gave its ranking of the 77 greatest players ever, and it had James at No. 2.

Via HoopsHype:

“There have been major developments in LeBron James‘ GOAT case since last year, most notably in the form of the four-time league MVP becoming the NBA’s all-time regular season leading scorer. (He already was No. 1 by a mile in the playoffs). Oh, and he also has the most playoff series wins in league history after a surprising run to the Western Conference Finals last season, though that did end in a sweep loss.

“Now three of the eight HoopsHype staffers taking part in this vote pick him as the best ever. It’s getting close.

“… Few players have ever matched James’ absurd basketball IQ, one that he could use to continue to dominate for the next few seasons as his career winds down.”

If James is fortunate enough to avoid any major injuries, he could continue to add to his legacy and strengthen his argument as arguably the greatest ever over the next couple of years or so.

Magic Johnson says he cried all summer after losing in 1984 NBA Finals

Lakers great Magic Johnson says he cried for three months after his 1984 NBA Finals loss to Larry Bird’s Celtics, but it made him stronger.

The 1983-84 season was a turning point for the Los Angeles Lakers and the NBA as a whole. After the Lakers had won two world championships in 1980 and 1982 against the Philadelphia 76ers, they took on the hated Boston Celtics for the 1984 title, and the Showtime era started to get serious.

The 1984 finals is seen as the series that started to make the NBA into what it has been in modern times. The Lakers seemed to have the upper hand over Larry Bird and company, but they blew late leads in Game 2 and Game 4, while the Celtics used roughhouse, playground tactics to take home the Larry O’Brien Trophy in seven games.

Magic Johnson was pinpointed as the culprit due to some miscues he had in crunch time. He went into a deep funk following the championship loss, and he told former NBA player Jalen Rose just how bad his depression was (h/t Lakers Daily).

“This was the first time I made critical mistakes for us to lose that championship,” Johnson said. “So I cried, Jalen, for three months, all summer I cried because I let my teammates down. I was the reason why we lost the championship. But the first thing I had to do, Jalen, was identify and say to myself, ‘I’m not as good as I thought I was.’”

Johnson also dropped some valuable self-help and personal development nuggets. He talked about doing what’s known as a “SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) Analysis” on himself in order to figure out exactly how he had to improve.

The Hall of Fame point guard said he would work out multiple times a day that summer in order to expand his game and get ready for the next season. As fortune would have it, the Lakers returned to the NBA Finals in 1985, and this time, they defeated the Celtics. For good measure, they would do so again in 1987 before becoming the first NBA team to repeat as world champs in 19 years the following season.

Self-help author Napoleon Hill once wrote, “Every adversity, every failure, every heartbreak, carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.” It’s fair to say L.A.’s championship loss in 1984 brought it the seed that would grow into the brilliant flower of soon becoming arguably the greatest team in NBA history.

Commanders owners, including Magic Johnson react to big road win

Magic and Mark Ein excited about the 2-0 Commanders.

The Washington Commanders went on the road for the first time in the 2023 NFL season Sunday and picked up a massive 35-33 win over the Denver Broncos.

The Commanders trailed 21-3 in the second quarter before slowly mounting a comeback before halftime. Washington tied the game early in the third quarter and finally took the lead in the fourth quarter. The Commanders would never look back and are 2-0 for the first time since 2011.

After the game, Commanders’ minority partner, Magic Johnson, took to Twitter to express his excitement over Washington’s comeback win.

Johnson was so excited he had another tweet.

It still seems strange to see a sports and business icon like Johnson refer to Washington as “my Commanders.”

Johnson wasn’t the only minority partner to react, as Mark Ein also chimed in on the win.

The Commanders return home to FedEx Field for the next two games against one of the NFL’s best, the Buffalo Bills. It will be exciting to see if the home fans resembles the Week 1 crowd.

NBA Twitter reacts to ‘Winning Time’ getting canceled: ‘Ending on a Boston ring is wild’

Here’s how NBA Twitter reacted to Winning Time getting canceled after two seasons.

HBO has confirmed that after two seasons, the series ‘Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty’ has been canceled.

The news came in as a surprise since the show aired the second-season finale on Sunday night. The show focused on the start of the Lakers dynasty in the 1980s and the “Showtime Lakers” led by Magic Johnson.

Here’s how NBA Twitter reacted to the news of the show being canceled.