"We're on for tomorrow," my partner Jerry told me. Three years of networking, meetings, long distance phone calls, trips to Los Angeles, and positioning had all crescendoed into those four sweet words. At 9:45pm, on Monday night, September 23, 1996, I got the confirmation that I was FINALLY going to meet one of my heroes, Magic Johnnson. The meeting was set for the next day at UCLA's Pauley Pavillion at 3:pm. That's how it happens in the BIG LEAGUES. When you get "called up," you move; making your travel and lodging plans on the fly. So I packed and tried to get some sleep, despite feeling like a kid who was about to wake up to a morning of "CHIRSTMAS DAY PROPORTIONS!" The excitement was mounting!

I had flown to L.A. many times for business and pleasure. This particular flight was a "pleasurable business" one. The nervousness that I should have been feeling was replaced by an overwhelming sense of destiny! I had never felt better before in my life!! My company was in need of a DEAL MAKER, and I was enroute to meet, not only one of the NBA greats, but one of the up and coming MOVERS and SHAKERS in the business world!!! I put my seat in the reclined position, closed my eyes, and enjoyed the "ride before the ride!!!!"

Today, not even LAX could get to me. After landing, I glided through the airport; walking on air. Along with my partners, Jerry and Ryan, I jumped into the rental car and cruised to the hotel. The Embassy Suites was just as I remembered it, a great hotel with SWEET suites. But there was no time for hanging out there. The 10:30am flght landed at 1:00pm, it took 30 minutes to get to the hotel, and we now had 90 minutes until meeting our "Magic contact," Darwin Payton, on UCLA's historic basketball court. Randy Newman's voice was ringing in my ears, "I LOVE L.A.!"

When we walked into Pauley Pavillion fifteen minutes early, I got a sense of how the Bruins must feel when they run onto the floor with a packed house! My adreneline was pumping, despite the fact that the stands were empty. The floor, however, was jumpin' with NBA players and hoopsters from Magic's international team.
Reggie Miller, Eddie Jones, Tracy Murray, all kinds of guys were there. But I was there to see only one; and there he was, BIGGER THAN LIFE...the Man...the Myth...the Legend...Earvin "Magic" Johnson!

We located Darwin and after a little "catching up chit chat," the hoopin' was finally over. Magic walked over and Darwin introduced the three of us to him. He could have had that, "I'm the Man, you know who I am" kind of attitude, but I'll never forget when he shook my hand, he gave me that famous smile, repeated my name and said, "I'm Earvin." I could have gotten back on the plane and gone home at that point! Meeting one of your ALL-TIME FAVORITE sports heroes is an incredible experience! Too bad Ali and Kareem weren't there for the "Trifecta!"

Anyway, once the ice was broken, it was time to get down to business. Since his Magic Johnson Enterprises office is located virtually around the corner from the campus, I figured we would convene there. I could hardly believe my "lying ears" when Magic looked at Darwin and said, "Why don't you just bring them to the house?" I almost blurted out, "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST SAY??!!!" This business trip IMMEDIATELY took on a tone that no other had before it! I had "paid a lot of dues" before this day, and those words made it all worthwhile! We were on our way to Magic Johnson's house! WOW!!! To an "urban entrepreneur," that's the equivalent of a promising singer going to Quincy Jones' home, or an actor on the rise being invited to Steven Spielberg's house, or an up and coming athlete meeting in Lee Steinburg's crib! I could now smell the deal!

I rode with Darwin; Jerry and Ryan followed in the rental car. We pulled out way before Magic who got caught up talking with some fans on campus. I couldn't believe how heavy the traffic going up Benedict Canyon Road was. But what really amazed me was seeing Magic's black, smoked-windowed Mercedes flying past us and zipping through traffic the way he used to make his way down the court on the fast break. I thought to myself, "Magic is even magic driving a car," since we left at least five minutes before him and the traffic was absolutely brutal.

After Darwin told the guard at the gate Magic was waiting for us, he opened the gate without delay. And there was Magic to greet us when we arrived at his mansion. He was still in his hoop gear, sans shoes. We adjourned to the den (past boxes and boxes of basketball shoes) which is a straight walk from the front door to the back of the house. Before being seated, I looked out the window at the pool right outside and the City of Angels down in the distance. As I was taking my seat, I looked right and noticed the Christmas pictures on the mantle of the fireplace. As I was hitting the sofa, I looked left and Magic was seated in a comfortable looking, over-sized chair, eating Gummie Bears. He offered us all some, but only Ryan, who was seated closest to Magic, accepted.

Ryan sat next to Magic since he was a basketball shoe designer my company was representing. Magic was involved with a shoe company called, "MVP" and from Darwin's assessment, was extremely interested in the designs Ryan had drafted. Halfway through the meeting, Magic confirmed it by stating (with that infectious smile), "This is EXACTLY what I'm looking for!" He went on and on about how unique Ryan's designs were. He continued to talk about immediately incorporating them into his MVP line, offering numerous scenarios (from buying them out outright to being partners to royalty payments) for accomplishing it. But the best moment was when he just flatly stated, "We are going to do this." It was a truly surreal moment!! After saying he would immediately get on the phone to his associates in New York, Magic walked us to the door. While we were in the massive hallway (more like a foyer), Darwin told me to explain the "endorsement deal" that my company had been developing with his assistance. After a brief explanation, Magic grasped it immediately and told me, "Now we know," as we shook hands again after saying he would make some calls to get that going as well.

Well, if the ride up Benedict Canyon Road was like slowly climbing to the top of a rollercoaster, full of anticipation, the ride down was more thrilling than any rollercoaster I've ever been on! In fact, it was better than sex! What a feeling of elation! We had just left a meeting with a bonafied "GREEN-LIGHTER" who agreed to GREEN-LIGHT two projects of ours! At dinner, we ABSOLUTELY COULD NOT stop talking about this exciting twist of destiny! The six years of blood, sweat, and tears was finally going to count, and count BIG! Magic Johnson shook our hands and gave us his word. To us, that was money in the bank! As my mentor Thom Bailey would say, "It's all over but the shouting!" Magic said he would follow-up with us within three days. The shouting would begin then.