#12 What he said: A conversation with my guy friend.

Michael Thompson always dreamed of working in the NBA.
It was the support, love and understanding of his wife, Tara,
that helped him finally achieve that dream.

Today's Guy:  Michael Thompson

How I know him: He's the Communications Director for the Charlotte Bobcats

Topic:  The importance of having a supportive spouse.

I met with Mr. Thompson about about a month ago to talk about his career in public relations.  I've been learning about branding and marketing, as well as different methods of achieving your dreams through unconventional measures.  But as is always the case, I somehow manage to talk about my main focus, healthy relationships, whenever I talk about anything.  This time it was Mr. Thompson who brought up his wife, Tara, and how instrumental she was in his rise to his NBA dream job.


Me: I wanted to interview you for my blog because when we talked about your career in public relations, you told me how supportive your wife had been. How did you meet and how long have you been together/married?


MT: We met in college and have been together since our freshman year. We were married in 1996.

Me: I did this financial show with Atiya Harris on WGIV a month or so ago, and she read a statistic saying that when women make more than men, the marriages tend not to last. The other day you mentioned your wife had been the bread winner up until a few years ago. How, if at all, did that affect the dynamics of your relationship?

MT: I didn’t know a lot about careers in sports before mine began, but I did know I would never get rich working in this industry so money has never really been a source of problems in my marriage. When I got the raise that pushed my annual earnings past hers I mentioned it to her almost casually on the phone the day it happened, and she’s the one who let out a big sigh of relief. As a couple our focus was always more on getting the NBA job that would allow us to settle down and raise a family, knowing the money would one day be there for us. It took a little longer than either of us anticipated, but it happened and we’re grateful for what we have now.

Me: Your career has taken you through times of earning no money, to working with a beloved franchise (Charlotte Hornets), through Hurricane Katrina, and now back to Charlotte, how did you convince your wife to go on this journey with you?

MT: I don’t think it was a hard sell on my part because she could see and sense the determination in me to get to that dream job. I don’t think anyone could have foreseen the kinds of challenges we would face along the way, but all those challenges made me better at my job and made us a stronger couple in the end. Now that we’re able to plant some roots here in the Carolinas we’re starting to enjoy a little stability, and when we look back at all the uncertainty in the past we’re able to laugh about it.

Me: Basketball is your passion and you spend a lot of time with it. How do you maintain your marriage without your wife feeling like a widow to your career?

MT: By including her and my daughter in my career and day-to-day work activities as much as possible. They rarely miss a game and they like coming to all the promotional events. Before we had a child my wife would volunteer on game nights and help with everything from the dance team to All-Star balloting. Now that we have a child our focus is on helping her enjoy the game and atmosphere at the arena.

Me: With you being so dedicated to your work, and loving the sport so much, does your wife share a similar passion for sports or is she totally bored by them?

MT: She definitely knows her stuff when it comes to basketball. She can tell when we have a lineup on the floor that isn’t working and she knows when not to talk about the game because she senses my level of frustration rising. Even now she says the day we won a championship in the CBA was the third best day of her life, behind my daughter’s birthday and our wedding day.

Me: Many people would not be willing to go the long route to achieve their dreams, career or relationship-wise. What sacrifices do you think people have to make in order to sustain a marriage AND live their dreams?

MT: I have always thought of my career as a partnership with my wife. It was never, “when I get a job in the NBA”. It was always, “when we get a job in the NBA” or “when we get that next job in the NBA” and I think that makes any sacrifices we had to make along the way much more palatable because it was something we were doing together. My advice would be to always focus on the big picture and include your partner in every decision. You’re not always going to agree on a specific course of action, but if you’re both focused on achieving the same goal those disagreements are pretty rare and usually over small stuff.

Me: Do you think you'll ever retire from working with the NBA? Or will they have to roll you out of there like Penn State will have to do with Joe Pa?

MT:  I hope they have to kick me out of the building. I love the NBA – the best athletes in the world playing in the best facilities in front of the best fans. My favorite day of the year is game day, and I get 43 of those every year, plus Playoffs if we’re good and lucky enough. I know I am fortunate to have this opportunity, and I hope I do the job well enough to stay here for as long as possible.