Magic $ing out. Up to 470 mil! More valuable than Jordan

[mid-post]

I am the real Mamba Venom.

No I am the real Mamba Venom

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOCsNrzlV2k[/youtube]

[darth_federer]

EPIC thread

[CircleCitysportsfan]

A little about me. My major was finance so I'm into business stuff. I'm in my 20s and my business knowledge helped me make enough $ to sit next to Dustin Hoffman at game 7 of the Finals so I get excited.

(L-R) Jake Hoffman and Dustin Hoffman attend Game Seven of the NBA playoff finals between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2010 NBA Playoff on Jun 17, 2010 in Los Angeles, California.
(June 16, 2010 - Photo by Noel Vasquez/Getty Images North America)

http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/Px-vYmdc ... ke+Hoffman

Why lie about sitting next to Dustin Hoffman? If you are going to lie hell...say you were sitting next to playboy models or the President or something.....

[He Filled it Up]

Jeez guys, if you can't even lie about yourself on the internet than what do any of us have?

[Stopshere2]

I don't know who photoshopped that women into those other pics but the below original shows Mamba Venom was definitely there.

[LA Forever]

^WIN!!!

I truly believe Magic will be a key part to bringing an NFL team to the Los Angeles area. He's still the VP of operations of the Lakers though.

[edfmx86]

I don't know who photoshopped that women into those other pics but the below original shows Mamba Venom was definitely there.

[carrottop12]

I want you Mamba!

[Calvin Klein]

that's defintely his son

[Mamba Venom]

I'm actually shocked people want t know something about me.

I was a pretty solid high school player. I did private teams with my uncle (who still coaches) We went all over California and Vegas and played in a lot of tournaments. In Nov of my Senior year just when the highschool season was starting up, I received a scholarship offer to play for UC Irvine.

So after highschool I moved to Irvine and life was AMAZING. What a beautiful place to live and it was very different from the way I grew up. Basketballwize the competition of D-I basketball was more than what I expected. When you are 18 you have the idea that you will just move up to the next level and still be the man. Unfortunately that wasn't the case at all for me. I was really quick but I didn't have enough meat on me to endure a more physical the game was. I always prided myself on being an all-around player and I was a great rebounding PG. I went through camp and my roster spot was secure but I wasn't starting and I didn't really get the burn I thought I deserved. A few weeks into the season I got my shot and for 3 games I did well. But then when I went up for a lay-up I came down and I got injured. It was tough, knee surgery and all. I tried to come back but I was downgraded to the practice squad. I was sure that I would be back on the roster as a sophomore and would get another shot. Summer comes around and the coach pulls me aside and tells me its time for me to move on. Its kind of humiliating to tell this part of the story. Needless to say I was devastated.

I moved my whole life here and my friends and family were rooting for me. Now I had to tell them that I'm not playing anymore. WTF!

So I called my family and decided to transfer to a DII school and still play. But there was paperwork and all that. During the time I was so pissed off about it I could hardly watch my Lakers win their 3rd championship in 2002.


But I transferred to CSUB (because I had family in Bakersfield also) and through a lot of hard work and 5AM training sessions I got my body back and bulked up a little. It cost me some of my speed. I played for another year and a half but I was never the same player. I didn't like Bakersfield all that much (especially after Irvine, CSUB is DI now) but at least the Lakers came to town for the preseason and the mayor called the town Lakersfield. LeBron and Durant's 1st NBA games ever were held in Bakersfield (preseason). Courtside seats were about $200.

My fiance says I waste $ on NBA tickets and I know she is right, but I don't care. I got the game 7 (and many other tix) from stub hub. Thats about the only way to get Lakers tix now days.

After the Lakers won game 6 this year I knew I had to just bite the expensive bullet and get a pair of tix. Now that I'm in my late 20's how many times will I get to watch a player I grew idolizing in a game 7? Probably none. Watching new players is cool but its different. There aren't many guys that still play in the pros that were around when I fell in love with competitive team basketball in junior high. On top of all that is was my brothers birthday just a few days earlier. So I said what the hell, I don't care what it costs, its only $ and I bought a pair of tickets.

And it was the right call. If we lost and I spent thousands to be there it would have been the longest car drive home EVER. But thankfully (if your from Cal), we didn't and it was amazing. I have never been to a game where the confetti fell you know.

I'm not in that picture with Dustin Hoffman... I was back another row and over about 6 seats. But when we were celebrating it didnt stop me from running over and giving him a high 5.

Now I'm proud that I had the experience of playing basketball in college (even though I never really had much impact). I was never good enough to make it to the pros. And looking back on my life it actually may have been a good thing that it happened (it took me years to believe this) because after basketball wasn't part of my life, I learned how to be a better student and I learned to work harder than I ever did when I got the injury.

In 2005 while still in school I opened up a small music store in Bakersfield as part of a business project. The school paid for a small portion and I used student loan $ to pay for the rest. It was one hell of a gamble. I figured if I was going to put all this work into this business project I wanted see if it really worked (a lot of businesses like Jamba Juice and Chipotle started as class projects from Cal States). I also neede d something else to focus on besides basketball. I was (am still am) a little obsessed with basketball. So I put everything I had into the music business and its what I still do today. I have stores in Bakersfield, Ontario CA and San Diego. And a lot of what I did was based on what Magic did who I decided to study in business college (because I am and will always be a basketball fan).

I can't wait for Magic to bring an NFL team LA (eat that Ari) and its really cool that Magic is going to stay in LA. I currently live in Ontario. But I travel a lot. Its tough running 3 businesses and we are gearing up for our busy Christmas shop. I am very proud that my store in Bakersfield is the largest guitar shop in central Cal with over 1,000 guitars Gibson, Martin, Taylor, Fender... I also own a recording studio although we will be closing it soon because its not making $. If there are any basketball fans that also like music holla and hit me up. We can ship stuff anywhere and I would love to help you guys out (say you are a Laker fan for an extra discount).

I doubt many read this whole thing, but you asked you I wanted to respond. I'm a really private person and have never typed this stuff out. Basketball, music and business fascinate me.

[The MVPlaya]

[Stopshere2]

I'll take Hoop Dreams for $200.

[dan_416]

Wow Magic is making some serious mula, but chill out he's not going to give you any.

Don't mean to be a perv, but who's the girl in your avatar?

[Ayt]

I'm Dustin Hoffman and I did not sit next to this fool.

[richboy]

Not sure why we getting the OP life story.

Magic is a good businessman. I don't know if that means he is going to buy the Pistons, Dodgers, or bring a football team to LA.

Last I heard Michael Jordan was worth around 525 million.

[wilhelmthe1st]

[ImmortalD24]

[MitchellUK]

[Ayt]

[Johnny Firpo]