Before I get to my thoughts, here is what got Keyshawn all upset.
“Magic Johnson was given a late night television show, because he’s famous and charming. Failed in 11 shows,” he said on “The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz.” Magic Johnson was given a head coaching job of the Lakers, because he’s famous and charming, failed in 16 games. Magic Johnson, not interesting as a broadcaster, given broadcasting opportunity after broadcasting opportunity, because he’s famous and charming. And now, he gets to run the entire Lakers organization because he’s famous and charming. That’s amazing. That’s amazing. He’s a very kind man, to be in his presence is to be awash in all the things people like about celebrity, he will make you feel special, but he wasn’t good at any of those jobs I just mentioned, and he got all of those jobs, bypassing a whole lot of people who are more qualified, because he’s famous and charming.”
Here is what Keyshawn had to say after hearing those comments.
“I’m going to read between the lines. I’m going to read between the lines on this one … To me, he saying because he’s a black dude, that’s the way I look at it,” Johnson said.
“No, I know Dan. That’s not true,” Sedano countered.
Johnson said he didn’t know Le Batard but that’s the way he saw it.
“If you are insinuating that Dan is being prejudiced here…” Sedano continued.
“That’s what I’m insinuating,” Johnson said.
Michael Wilbon and Mychal Thompson have also come out in defense of Magic and implied Le Batard said this because Magic is black.
For the record I don’t think Le Batard said it because Magic is black, I think he said it because like a lot of people he wonders if Magic who has succeeded in many things in his life can succeed managing a team.
We have seen a lot of legendary players and coaches struggle in this position black or otherwise (Phil Jackson, Michael Jordan and Danny Ainge to name a few).
I think why Keyshawn and others feel this way is because when you are black, you are never judged on equal terms with your white counterparts.
This isn’t just in the NBA, but society as whole. We also don’t get equal credit or doing the same or better job than our white counterparts.
One consistent thing that is brought up is our past failures as reasons we won’t succeed in future endeavors. While our white counterparts can fail up, often those opportunities aren’t afforded to black people.
This specific situation I think all parties involved have legitmate claims.
Magic Johnson has gotten plenty of opportunities that maybe he wasn’t qualified for simply because he is Magic Johnson. There are times he has succeeded with those opportunities and other times he has not, but you can’t begrudge him for taking the opportunities, but that doesn’t mean you can’t critique him.
Le Batard simply left out all the successes that Magic has had. One thing I am big on is even if you feel a certain way, you point out how the opposite could work. It is obvious Le Batard doesn’t have much faith in Magic to save the Lakers, but at least explain why he possibly could succeed. That way you protect yourself from these type of accusations.
Keyshawn is a black man and like every black man he understands how we can be marginalized by the media and came to Magic’s defense.
Keyshawn admits he doesn’t know Le Batard and if you look at it from his perspective not knowing the person making the comments one can see why he jumped to the conclusion he did. With that being said, he has to be open as well to the face Le Batard is allowed to criticize just based of what he thinks and it has nothing to do with race.
Like a lot of things in life this isn’t simply a black and white issue, there are shades of gray, but based on Le Batard’s track record I think people should give him the benefit of the doubt, not like this is Sage Steele talking.