Sports brings up a ton of issues about life and how we deal with adversity. With last night’s NBA game, I thought I’d delve into this concept.
Roots of Sport and The Warrior Mentality
Many people liken major sports today to the old Gladiator games of ancient Rome where prisoners literally killed each other for the entertainment of the masses. The more blood, the better. Beyond the old Gladiator games, there is a soldier mentality sold to both young athletes, as well as the fans that sacrificing your body for the team will give you eternal glory. I was just watching the iconic movie 300 the other day, when Leonidas’s wife tells the Spartan King to “Come back with your shield or on it.” There is something in humans that rouses passion and energy from risking your life or health for glory to win a war or even a game. Trust me this is sold to young players at a very early age in practice and at every level of competition. The classic line that if one is hurt, “Rub some dirt on it and get back in there.”
Personal Story
My own experience with sports injuries is rather rich, in fact. In my time playing organized sports from 7th to 12th grade I broke my nose twice, dislocated my right elbow, broke my left hand, sprained both wrists, split my lip getting 8 stitches, countless muscle pulls and sprained ankles between playing baseball, football, basketball and track for those years. However, I really felt the Warrior Mentality’s negative effect my senior year in football. I had great aspirations to play mid to high level college football. I did not have supreme attention junior year as our team was terrible. However, I dedicated myself to football alone quitting basketball (summer session) to focus on lifting weights and catching passes to prepare for my last year. I remember being so anxious about performance that I would throw up before most practices and our first game. The coach for some reason did not have me play my better position of Running Back to start the season, and started me on defense at Cornerback, which I had fully expected to play on both sides of the ball. After one game in the books of solid defensive play and only one carry on offense, we played a ranked opponent in Week 2 of the season. Early in the 2nd quarter, our opponent walked in a kid off the sideline which went unnoticed by my teammate. I saw the action, as the team quick snapped the ball and threw a pass to the kid by the sideline. I knew I couldn’t break up the pass, but I wanted to label the kid. I planted my foot in the ground and laid into him. Unfortunately, my cleats stuck in the ground, and as we went to the ground , my knee twisted and I heard a pop. I was helped off the field. I tried to run on the sideline, but with major pain.
It turns out I tore my Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) on the play. At the time, I really did not know the severity of the injury. I opted to rehab and wear what I now know to be a minor brace (not with the proper stability). After rehabbing my heart out for 3 weeks, I returned to practice only to have my knee give out completely the week of the Homecoming Game. I later learned that the ACL injury is what ended careers like Gale Sayers, Billy Sims and Doug Collins (in basketball). Yet, I was told that my “comeback” was important to the team for morale. The ACL injury required major surgery, hospitalization and 9 months of physical therapy to fully recover. At the end of the season at the football awards banquet, my coach when handing me my certificate of participation said, “Jimmy banged up his knee and decided not to play.” WTF! This is the Warrior Mentality. Treating the young athlete like a commodity and pushing them until they cannot perform.
I do believe that training methods and understanding of major injuries like ACLs, elbow surgery in baseball (Tommy John surgery), and concussion protocols have improved over the decades, however, I know that the Warrior Mentality still looms large.
Kevin Durant
For those of you that do not follow the NBA, Monday night we had the epitome of the Warrior Mentality on display. Kevin Durant is probably the most skilled scorer the NBA has ever seen. At nearly 7’0″, he can dribble and shoot like a guard, and with his long arms, his jump shot is basically impossible to block. In the Western Conference Semifinals, Durant went down with what was deemed a calf strain. He missed the rest of that series, which the Warriors were able to win, and then the Western Conference Finals, which they swept. In the NBA Finals, there has been massive speculation from game to game on whether Durant would return. Of course, with the Warriors who are seeking their 3rd straight title and 4th in 5 years, trailing now 3-1 in the series, Golden State was looking for a hero.
The NBA has a long tradition of players “gutting out” a performance for their teams to lead to a title. The Jordan Flu game comes to mind. The most famous was Willis Reed who limped out of the locker room with a torn quad muscle in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals against the LA Lakers. Reed hit 2 early jumpers and inspired his team, the New York Knicks to win the title. So, every sports fan, has Reed’s limping return etched in their minds when anyone is injured for the NBA Finals. A classic Warrior Mentality image.
However, the mentality cost Durant. Durant decided to suit up and take the risk of further injury on. The reports had the audacity to say, “he cannot suffer any greater injury in playing.” Durant was on fire in the first quarter of the game hitting deep three point shots and helping Golden State to an early lead. Then, early in the 2nd quarter, Durant crossed over on the dribble and his calf seized. He went to the ground, and the masses in Toronto’s stadium cheered like the Roman masses of old as they knew his injury could lead to their championship. That reaction, however appalling, is what the Warrior Mentality is about. Kill or be killed. Savage, as the kids say.
Yet, Durant awaits MRI results today to confirm he has a torn Achilles injury. An injury that takes a minimum of 1 year to recover. Most players after that injury never do recover to their former athletic level. Plus, Kevin Durant was set to become the highest paid free agent of all time in the NBA this off season. He would have been the prized free agent in this rich class. With this injury, it is certain he will lose tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars.
Why did this happen? The Warrior Mentality. I know he wanted to play to help his team win the title, but I’m sure that all the talk shows and fans questioned Durant’s toughness with an injury that happened over a month ago. Did his team need him down 3-1 to win the title? Yes, they did, but it is a team sport. The Warriors have been wrought with injuries in this post season. That can happen when the core of the team have played over 100 games a year for 5 years running. Sometimes, you have to do what is best for the player and not the team.
We will see what happens to Durant, and the Warriors in this Finals run. Hopefully, he will make a full recover and be able to play again in the 2020-21 season (not playing a single game in the 2019-20 season). Will the Warriors management who were tearful at the podium yesterday make good and still try to sign him to a massive deal now that he returned on his shield for the franchise?
They damn well better.
Wegs