“That Arizona sky burnin’ in your eyes…” Lady Gaga

by Meredith Syms

            For this Arizona girl, there is nothing more breathtakingly beautiful than an Arizona sunset.  Upon seeing one for the first time, many visitors remark on the exquisite purple hue against our desert landscape.  The sunset was particularly spectacular last Tuesday night as that purple hue foreshadowed our beloved Phoenix Suns’ win over the Milwaukee Bucks in the first game of the NBA Finals.  For those unfamiliar, notwithstanding past great players like Steve Nash and Charles Barkley, this is the very first time the Suns have made it to the Finals and Arizonans are very excited.  So, as the games continue, we are all holding our collective breath for that magic hour purple sunset and some magic on the court to go with it!

            With all the hype around the Finals this week, you can imagine how happy I was when the surprise guest speaker in my broadcasting class was none other than former San Antonio Spur, NBA Champion, and MVP David Robinson.  I had the opportunity to ask him about the sometimes difficult relationship between the press and athletes.  He explained he was always vigilant about drawing a line between the press and his family life and knowing when to say no. 

He attributes his successful family life (one of his sons now works in sports for a major network) to this approach.  Robinson always put his family first – before any win – and yet, he still won championships.  There is a clear lesson here.  Commitment to winning on the court at any cost may actually have the opposite outcome.  Instead, winning at life with appropriate priorities is perhaps more likely to result in wins on the court.  I only hope my Phoenix Suns are paying attention!  Go Suns!