From: rsmith@strobe.ATC.Olivetti.Com (Russ Smith)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.basketball.pro
Subject: Re: Stuff
Date: 9 Oct 92 18:31:55 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Olivetti ATC; Cupertino CA, USA

In article <Bvv7wI.910@news.cso.uiuc.edu> jdt29225@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Jazzy J ) writes:
>	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?

Studying a disease takes years, transmitting the disease takes seconds,
there is a huge difference. the point I made was to illustrate that air
is in fact present in IV drug use too, contrary to what Jerray said.

>	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 

Well first, they haven't to my knowledge actually required a waiver, they
were simply advised by AIDS experts to look into it.Whether they will take
that advice or not who knows.

But should they actually adopt a waiver form for AIDS it would be 
unprecedented. There is no form NBA players take waiving the right to
sue should they blow out their ACL, or have an aneurysm or contract
any other contagious disease. Why? Because those things are either
impossible to prevent(injuries) or because to the best of their knowledge
there are no players in the league with those infectious diseases. They
know Magic is HIV+ so they would be crazy to not consider the ramifications
should he infect another player during a game.


>	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.

If they're not worried then they won't adopt a waiver. If they adopt a 
waiver then they are admitting it could happen, there's no middle
ground.

One of the biggest problems with AIDS(besides the incredible human loss
from people dying of it) is the incredible financial burden it is creating
through health care and lawsuits. If you think your company is exposing
employees to the threat of AIDS, you better either have insurance, or
have them sign a waiver.


>	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

Relevance? Americans elected George Bush and Ronald Reagan. American made
the New Kids on the Block rich. The people you should ask are the experts
on AIDS. They say its possible but highly unlikely.


>	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.

So is professional soccer, so tell that to the guy who contracted HIV while
playing it. His problem was, they didn't know at the time, the other guy
had HIV, they found out after the incident when they gave both players
AIDS tests as a precautionary measure. We know Magic has HIV, the players
in the NBA should be given an opportunity to freely choose whether they
should play with him or not, without their only recourse being forfeiting
a game they refuse to play in.




Russ Smith
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"Some people got a chip on their shoulder,
and some would claim it was me."
                                Outta Get Me-- Guns N Roses
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