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Just a few words about the music icon Prince, who passed away yesterday at the age of 57. While you initially think that this should be done by the music critics and fans and not a sports blog, there is a sports connection. Prince Rogers Nelson played varsity basketball while at Central High School in his hometown of Minneapolis. The scouting report on him, according to Prince's high school basketball coach, Richard Robinson was that he "...was an excellent player. He was like the sixth or seventh man. He was an excellent ball handler and shooter." He would have gotten more playing time but he was on a squad that in which the rest of team at least six feet plus. Prince had it rough being only 5 feet 2.

In the big picture, basketball's loss was music's gain. He quit basketball and the rest, as they say, is history.

Prince's music was part of the musical backdrop for my college experience. My freshman year it was the cut Sexy Dancer. The following year, the song was one that you will have to look up on Wikipedia. While "Controversy" was the coming out party for him nationally, I was ahead of the game from hearing his music while doing my internship doing the circuit at the local clubs. He was the one artist that jumped on both sides of the sensuality line when it suited him. But he always did it tastefully. At least for college coeds. The party just continued after college. Years later when he would release a new song, I never called it a comeback.

While I will mourn for Prince, I will also celebrate his music. As he said, "life ain't funky unless it's got that pop."