Happy Birthday: David Robinson

I assume in this analogy that Duncan gets to be Gandalf?

I was always impressed by his physique. Even at this stage in his life, I bet he’s in better shape than some NBA players. Oh yeah, he is also the reason I’m a Spurs fan.

Bittersweet with the emphasis on SWEET.

For me, it’s ALL SWEET. How many great players retire on a high like that? I’m reminded of Michael Jordan, who hit that last shot against the Jazz and then rode off into the sunset… And then couldn’t stay retired, so he suited up for the Wizards and we got to watch him play a couple more seasons of ball looking very washed up. Most stars do not have the discipline to hang it up until they are forced to. Worse yet, many of these guys simply do not know what to do with themselves once they retire. Thirty-something-year-old men who have no training or interests outside of playing a little boys’ game. I find that very sad. With guys like Jordan, you can still see that he hasn’t moved on. On the dramatically awful end, you have guys like Lorenzen Wright and our very own Alvin Robertson. Plenty of NBA players have a lot of personal demons that get papered over while they are rich and famous, but just get amplified once their careers dry up. When I think about it, it breaks my heart.

And then we have David Robinson. That last year of his career was storybook. He contributed significantly to the team, while passing the torch to the younger players. He left the game on his terms, and now he’s doing stuff that is equally important to him. And there was no looking back. The man has perspective. He is not wallowing in his glory days; he’s an adult. He’s making an impact on the real world. He is universally respected. And he got his rings. How much better can it get?

A lot of people, even Spurs fans, thought of Robinson as a little soft. He never made playing basketball his number one priority in life. Many people wished he were more single minded, more driven, like a Jordan, Bird or Kobe. For me, Robinson’s concern for learning, music, religion, family, civic duty—these are what made the man human for me. Physically, Robinson is a freak of nature. None of us can know what it’s like to be a seven footer with Adonis biceps who can run like a deer. Even his high character is a bit awe-inspiring. He seems so perfect that he might be completely unknowable. But we can relate to him because he is not a basketball god. He’s just a bright, hard-working, conscientious human being who, oh yeah, happens to be physically gifted.

I could go on and on, but to sum it up, David Robinson is simply a class act. He had class before he ever became a Spur. He played his entire career for us exhibiting the utmost class. He left the game with class. And he’s still our neighbor here in San Antonio, devoting his life to being the best husband and father he can be, contributing to his community, and doing what he can to positively impact a new generation. Class.