From: jdt29225@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Jazzy J )
Newsgroups: rec.sport.basketball.pro
Subject: Re: Stuff
Date: 9 Oct 92 17:43:28 GMT
Article-I.D.: news.Bvv7wI.910
Distribution: na
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana

rsmith@strobe.ATC.Olivetti.Com (Russ Smith) writes:

>A good argument? Despite the fact that its based on completely incorrect
>information? As I mentioned in another post, if sex is "a type of contact
>totally away from air", then the vast majority of us are doing it wrong
>because in order to be doing it right we would need to be in a vacuum,
>or outer space. There is always air around. There's even air involved
>in IV drug use. If HIV+ blood is left in a syringe, the virus will
>eventually die. In fact AIDS researchers have often said that one of
>the difficulties in studying the disease is that its hard to keep it
>alive for sufficient studying time, when its outside the human body.

	Then that should be the point, right Russ?  I mean, I think the
	original argument was that the virus is not going to stay alive
	long enough for anyone to contract the disease from Magic.  And
	according to your data, the disease rarely stays alive long enough
	even to be studied -- so what's to say it will stay alive long
	enough for Magic to spread it via miraculous cut-to-cut contact?

>As for Jazzy's point you're correct. In fact when Magic first retired, 
>many AIDS experts were mad at him because they felt it sent a bad message,
>get HIV, and you can no longer be active. Upon his return, they applauded
>him and said that since the NBA is very well educated on HIV and AIDS,
>as long as the players in the league are aware of the risk, no matter
>how slight, there is no medical reason Magic shouldn't play. To date there
>is no evidence that playing in the NBA will put extra strain on magic's
>immune system(which was his reason for his retirement), most AIDS experts
>say exercise helps keep your T-cell count UP and delays the progression
>of HIV.

>However none of this means that Magic is doing the right thing and not
>being selfish.

	I think whether or not Magic is selfish or not has nothing to do with
	it.  Magic's going to play in the NBA next season, and whether he's
	coming back because he's selfish has nothing to do with the fact
	that he's Magic Johnson, and his accomplishments.  The reason I don't
	feel he's selfish is because he hasn't shown any signs of being
	selfish in the past.  I think he's known nothing in his life but
	basketball, and he just wants to play.  Besides -- also look at the
	fact that Magic had to ask Cookie first before coming back.  It was
	as simple as if Cookie had said no, he wouldn't had played.  So,
	he had to have the support of his own wife to even play.

>Put it this way, when the Australian Olympic team voiced concern they
>were ridiculed. Could any player in the league not named Michael Jordan
>honestly state he didn't want to play against or with Magic and not
>get the same treatment or much worse treatment than the Australian team
>got? According to AIDS experts, Magic is not taking any risks by returning
>to the NBA, only the people he will be playing with/against are at any
>risk, no matter how ridiculously small that risk is. The same CDC report
>that quoted AIDS experts as supporting Magic's decision, indicated the 
>same experts advised David Stern to look into having NBA players sign
>some form of waiver releasing teams and the league from liability in the
>event another player contracts HIV from playing against Magic. So 
>anybody who says the NBA is not at all worried about this is completely
>incorrect.

	Well, if the NBA were seriously worried, they wouldn't have let him
	play at all.  If there really was a risk, Magic would not be allowed
	to come back.  All this waiver business can be simply related to
	say, a pre-nuptial agreement.  Yeah, no one entering marriage is 
	looking at a divorce -- but hey, if it happens, you've got to be
	prepared.  This is the NBA's only way to prevent itself from major
	lawsuits, etc.  It's not so much they're worried about Magic giving
	someone AIDS, it's just that they have to keep their bases covered.
	Ever heard of insurance?  I mean, no one expects to die, yet everyone
	carries life insurance -- just in case of the weird chance it may
	happen.

	U can ask the average american and ask him if he thinks Magic is
	going to give anyone AIDS.  I'd say 99%+ will say no.  Yeah, the
	chance exists, but life is full of chances.  And, I'd be willing to
	bet the cat and dog that players will still want to play against
	Magic -- risks and all.  In fact, I think that most of the players
	could care less that Magic has HIV.  Basketball is just a game,
	not a matter of life and death -- and that's the way it should remain.

	Jazzy J

-- 
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|  "I am human and I need to be loved,            | Jazzy J                   |
|   just like everybody else does..." - The Smiths| jdt29225@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu | 
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