Larry and Magic Say Nothing, Really

Now that David Stern‘s master plan has culminated in the epic Celtics-Lakers NBA Finals, it’s time to take a massive dip into the nostalgia pool. (Somehow we think the Commish has had those old Celtics and Lakers clips ready to go since last summer. The NBA: Where massive ratings happen.) So, with an eye toward the obvious, the NBA set up a media conference call with Magic Johnson and Larry Bird this afternoon.

We’d be lying if we said we didn’t get goosebumps about the whole thing. Admittedly, we happened to have the exhilarating NBA on NBC theme running through our heads when we got said goosebumps, but still—Larry and Magic! Together again!

Alas, the two legends said pretty much the same things they’ve been saying for the last 20 years. “The cities disliked each other, the teams disliked each other, but we respected each other,” said Magic. Bird added in some obvious analysis on the upcoming series: “I think it’s going to come down to who plays the best.”

That’s the kind of expert analysis you can only get from Hall of Famers. Or, failing that, from me or one of my equally useless (and occasionally unemployed) roommates.

Still, it was fun to hear Larry and Magic wax nostalgic, even if we weren’t brought into the fold. Buried at the end of a long question queue, we didn’t get the opportunity to ask our question, which was tentatively going to be: ‘What’s the most money Charles Barkley has ever owed either of you at one time?’ In case we chickened out, the backup plan was mumbling something about homecourt advantage.

And yet, despite all that, the exchange wasn’t a total loss.

There was—in the midst of a conversation that sounded like something I’ve already heard on ESPN Classic—this one notably awesome exchange.

Bird: “I don’t remember the losses, I only remember the wins.”

Magic cackles really loudly for a surprisingly long time, then says: “You still crazy, LB.”

Ah, Larry and Magic, still crazy after all these years.