In an era when university presidents and higher education itself are under evermore intense scrutiny, it was too easy to take for granted the work R. Gerald Turner did for Dallas.

In a deliberate, strategic and almost quiet way, he has been building up a university in the center of our city, quite literally brick by red brick.

Turner’s decision to step down next year as president of Southern Methodist University is a historical mark for our region. His three decades of service have accrued to the benefit of Dallas, even to those who have never set foot on the hilltop.

We would proffer this idea: great cities cannot exist without great universities. The ideas and energy such institutions produce, the minds they attract, the young people they shape — these are each at the foundation of a true city, a true polis, as the ancient Greeks would have called this organization of human lives that becomes a society.

With his wife, Gail Turner, as a partner at his side, Turner led the transformation of SMU into a nationally ranked university with increasing standing in the humanities, the arts and the sciences.

He has been driven in seeing its athletics thrive, with a focus on restoring its football team to national prominence.

He worked to increase the share of underrepresented populations in the student body, a crucial part of any serious university’s success.

And he was the leader most responsible for putting SMU on sound financial footing for generations to come by building up its endowment to an enviable $2.03 billion.

We are unabashed in cheering on SMU’s success, because when a city’s universities are strong and vibrant, so too will that city be.

There is more to be done still. We know how hard Turner and the faculty and staff at SMU have worked to achieve R1 research status. That classification marks a university that, in an average year, spends $50 million on research and development and that produces at least 70 research doctorates. Schools that achieve this ranking demonstrate that they can attract and support top research talent.

SMU would be only the second private university in the state, after Rice University, to achieve R1 status.

Turner has put SMU in a position to do just that even as he has seen it expand need- and merit-based scholarships for deserving students who otherwise couldn’t afford to attend.

If we know Turner, we know his move to president emeritus will be, let’s call it what it is, a well-deserved semi-retirement.

Because Turner will always be a part of SMU, and everyone who knows his love for the school welcomes that with open arms.

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Most impressively, the Herons have accomplished all this with Messi absent for nearly three months. Due to international duty and injury, the Argentine GOAT hasn’t played for his club since June 1, missing eight league matches – and Miami won seven of them, crafting a much sturdier collective and plumbing the squad’s lower reaches to gain key contributions from youngsters and role players.

As strong as Messi’s gravitational pull remains, both on and off the pitch, this team has learned how to win without their talisman. It’s a tribute to both Martino’s work and a far more balanced roster, overhauled on the fly by chief soccer officer and sporting director Chris Henderson.

All of this makes Messi’s impending return that much more exciting for IMCF and their supporters – and conversely, ominous for the rest of MLS.

“Leo, like I said the other day, I can’t tell you exactly what time, but he’s already on the field. He is working with his physical therapist, he’s out of the medical ward, he is training with a ball,” said Martino postgame.

“So he has to get back in shape or recover most of his fitness that any player loses when they are out for five or six weeks, and to feel confident that his injury is behind him. But it is something that I believe is not very far from happening.”

Associated Press

Indiana Fever (13-16, 7-8 Eastern Conference) at Atlanta Dream (10-18, 4-10 Eastern Conference)

Atlanta; Monday, 7:30 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: Indiana Fever plays the Atlanta Dream after Caitlin Clark scored 23 points in the Fever’s 90-80 loss to the Minnesota Lynx.

The Dream’s record in Eastern Conference games is 4-10. Atlanta gives up 80.1 points and has been outscored by 4.3 points per game.

The Fever’s record in Eastern Conference action is 7-8. Indiana has a 2-2 record in games decided by less than 4 points.

Atlanta averages 75.8 points per game, 11.2 fewer points than the 87.0 Indiana allows. Indiana averages 82.6 points per game, 2.5 more than the 80.1 Atlanta gives up to opponents.

The teams square off for the third time this season. In the last matchup on June 21 the Fever won 91-79 led by 21 points from NaLyssa Smith, while Tina Charles scored 24 points for the Dream.

TOP PERFORMERS: Charles is averaging 13.9 points and 8.9 rebounds for the Dream.

Kelsey Mitchell is averaging 17.8 points for the Fever.

LAST 10 GAMES: Dream: 3-7, averaging 75.4 points, 37.0 rebounds, 17.8 assists, 6.4 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 42.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 79.0 points per game.

Fever: 6-4, averaging 86.3 points, 38.9 rebounds, 20.6 assists, 5.6 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 46.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 85.2 points.

INJURIES: Dream: Aerial Powers: out (calf ).

Fever: None listed.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.