The circus made a two-hour stop at the US Airways Center today.
No, the Ringling Brothers and their cast of characters didn’t make an impromptu stop at the arena, but one group of entertainers were under the big top. The Suns played host to the local media this afternoon on the Annexus Practice Court for their annual media day.
It’s sounds simple enough, some reporters, some radio personalities and some tv cameras gathered together to get quotes and talk to players. It was anything but simple. The atmosphere seemed almost as, if not more, hectic than a game night. The practice court, which is usually home to high flying dunks and spectacular passes, was transformed into a media mecca. There were five separate photo areas complete with backdrop and lighting, a mini press conference room with backdrop, podium and chairs, a radio broadcast area and an television set for the Suns live webcast.
Players were shuttled around from photos to interviews and back again, barely getting to stop and partake in the lunch that was provided to them. For two hours they posed for photographers and answered reporters questions. Local FM radio stations scrambled to get players to read promotional scripts ranging from asking fans to call in to win tickets to listing off their favorite “old school” music. At one point I had seen Grant Hill read so many in a row that I wanted to slip a script in for my personal voicemail just to see if he actually just kept reading like he had for every other promo. The day was complete with its own side show as there was a guy wearing only a barrel with the KNIX logo on it (why this makes sense is beyond me. You wouldn’t think you’d want a guy dressed in a barrel as your mascot during a recession).
Even amidst the organized chaos of the day, one thing exuded from the group. From coaches to players and even the staff, a feeling of relaxed and quiet confidence was evident.
After years of being expected to win a championship and the pressures of having a media magnet like Shaquille O’Neal, the team seemed to be more relaxed and comfortable with the fact that they are just here to play basketball. They seem comfortable in their own skin and ready to surprise more than a few critics who don’t think highly of the team.
“We don’t really listen to [media predictions],” Suns guard Jason Richardson said. “We know about it. They’ve pretty much counted us out. Nobody expects much from us, we’re under the radar but we are going to surprise a lot of people this year.”
That was the attitude most players expressed. It was very apparent that this is a group of guys who know their strengths, embraces them and understand their limitations. The Suns as a whole made it abundantly clear to anyone who would listen to them that they are going to run, score points and enjoy the game of basketball. A formula that more than worked for them at the beginning of the Mike D’Antoni years.
For the Suns, a single day engulfed in a circus atmosphere is an improvement over two seasons with the ‘Big Cactus’ and championship expectations putting their every move under the microscope. Being the dark horse suits the Suns just fine, and from the sounds of it, they’re ready to have fun proving it.
(Check back all week for new interviews, videos and pieces from Suns Media day)
