Sports are not the most important thing in the world.
I know, it hurts me to write that statement as much as it hurts you to read it.
My reason for saying that is one of the most musically talented people of any generation has died: Prince passed away last week.
The biggest names in the sports world grieved. Gyms, clubhouses and arenas alike became auditoriums for Purple Rain, When Doves Cry, Raspberry Beret and more. Stadiums were adorned with purple lights in honor of the superstar who become synonymous with the violet shade.
The Golden State Warriors, the sports world’s common denominator for the year, were particularly vocal about Prince’s death. Their practice was reported by San Francisco journalists to echo Prince’s greatest hits, as the NBA’s super team blasted the artist’s catalog throughout the halls of its practice facility. The Warriors were also graced with Prince’s presence at their home game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 3.
That game was one of his last public appearances in the sports world, and concluded with a concert the following night at Oracle Arena. Members of the Warriors spoke of the concert as the best they had ever experienced, something some older NBA players could refer to. I’m talking of course about the 1994 All-Star Game after-party, hosted at Paisley Park.
Little details are known of the party, except that it is spoken of in hushed tones, and that it is called legendary. Prince’s motorcycle from Purple Rain rested behind velvet ropes, and the party was a delirium dance craze in semblance of the man who was a symbol himself. People were happy, moving and liberated, each in their own way, and each in an environment that let them feel safe.
Of Prince’s many entertainment acts in the sports world, none are more widely known than a small, private gig he did at the halftime of Super Bowl XLI, non-negotiably the greatest halftime show ever.
Four live guitars in a rain storm created a technical nightmare, and every descending drop was illuminated purple by the stage lights. Prince’s halftime show was weird. Prince spent part of the show throwing shade at fellow artists, and it created beauty out of chaos. Prince’s shadow projected against the giant curtain became the most iconic image of the football game. He was bigger than the biggest sporting event in the United States, at a towering five-foot-two-inches plus high heels.
Lucas Hunter is a sophomore in journalism and electronic media. He can be reached at [email protected].
