Steve Kerr’s Words a Good Reminder For Us All

ByOwen Sanborn|

June 7, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr speaks to media following the 95-93 loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers following game two of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Twitter during an NBA playoff game — especially an NBA Finals game featuring LeBron James — can be as infuriating as it is hilarious.

One minute you are coming across gems such as these:

Looks like they used more CGI on LeBron's hairline in that Amy Schumer movie than in Jurassic World
— Chillin in my Bacta (@DarthAmin) June 8, 2015

And the next you have to deal with this jumped-the-shark narrative:

At least the Cavs have one clutch player: Delly.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) June 8, 2015

With so many hot takes being thrown around on one social platform, it is difficult to not get caught up in a few virtual donnybrooks with people you have either A) never met before or B) haven’t spoken to since you were JV basketball teammates.

Most of said donnybrooks are in reference to the legacy of James amongst other things. Every socialite with a Twitter handle and thumbs feels that they are just as qualified to roam an NBA sideline as the actual people that get to. That is just human nature, when something is trending one way, it is difficult to not get caught up in the wave and make sure that your own two cents are being heard.

I’m certainly guilty of it…

IT'S EARLY, but... The Cavs look more ready for this. Warriors look shook. Could be a 2012 Thunder situation.
— Owen Sanborn (@owensanborn) June 5, 2015

As I was scrolling through my feed last night, an epiphany rushed through me. I was trying my hardest to not hit the reply symbol to the latest group of Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant homeboys scoffing at LeBron for missing his second opportunity to hit a walk-off shot that both MJ and Kobe would certainly knock down in their sleep, when suddenly Steve Kerr‘s voice seeped into my brainwaves.

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ESPN had mic’d up Kerr for his postgame locker room speech and were replaying it on the postgame edition of SportsCenter. Kerr, as cool as the other side of the pillow (shoutout to Stuart Scott) addressed his team with a flowing slew of words commending them for their epic comeback late in the fourth quarter while assuring them that they will figure out their offensive struggles. In other words, forget about what just happened, stay confident and things are going to be just fine.

As the great American philosopher Jay-Z once said, “On to the next one.”

After Kerr’s address to his team, ESPN transitioned back over to their coverage where Stephen A. Smith and Michael Wilbon were condemning Golden State for playing too “relaxed” and lackadaisical (the exact way they had been playing all season). I looked back down at my Twitter feed, almost feeling the venom of everyone’s words ooze through my delicate iPhone’s screen.

LeBron will never be Jordan.

Matthew Dellavedova was the real reason why the Cavs won this game. Not the so-called King.

Riley Curry would have made more shots than Steph tonight.

Random words about whatever the hell a clutch gene is.

Watching sports is getting to the point of being not enjoyable anymore. Each play, moment and player has their own string of pundits, fans and insignificant low-lifes critiquing their every move. Where are the appreciators of sport? Why can’t we as a society just accept what a magnificent display of competition had just played out before our very eyes for nearly three hours?

LeBron James is putting up numbers that rival my 2k My Player if I put the sliders all the way up. THIS NEEDS TO BE APPRECIATED. Pretty soon he is going to be one of those old, retired basketball players (anyone else notice some grey hairs in his beard??) and we are going to kick ourselves for worrying too much about comparing him to the past instead of relishing in the fact that there is nobody like him in the present.

Listening to Kerr’s speech reminded me that not everything regarding basketball has to be reacted with hyperbole in the media. It is okay to accept defeat, figure out what you could have done differently and then remain confident that you will accomplish what you wish to accomplish. There was no anguish or panic in his voice, and there shouldn’t have been. His Warriors had not lost the Finals after all. It was one game.

NBA players are not going to hit every single shot they take when the game is on the line. Even MVP’s with the rainbow-arching jumpers of some kind of holy ghost are going to have miserable shooting nights. LeBron is not going to recreate his own Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz.

And this is all okay.

We are all witnesses…witnesses to a fantastic NBA Finals thus far (ha, see what I did there?). Do not let the negative hype of some pundits as well as social media drag you down and force it to pass you by.

Next: Golden State Warriors: 5 Adjustments For NBA Finals Game 3

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