MrDollarBills wrote:Instead of the great win by the Nets last night, this is the narrative:
There is nothing that can be said here that paints Irving in a positive light. He has **** ed this team. He's not showing leadership, or anything. Leaders show up and do what they have to do. This guy just said **** it and some of you expect us to be cool with that?
I just view it completely different then you do.
1) I dont think he "**** the team." not at all. I dont think he but us in some catastrophic situation like Harden is with the Rockets where he wants out, refuses to try, and will only accept trades to a few teams. Kyrie is missing time to take care of himself. I'd want that for any player struggling.
2) Leaders show up is really simplifying things. Leaders certainly step out when warranted. Is KD a leader for missing all of last year? of course he was injured so thats ok. If a family member dies or gets COVID and they dont play to be with them does that make them "not a leader" for not showing up? There is obviously a scale. you dont skip out on work to go see the new Avengers movie. but mental health, emotional health, physical health, A global pandemic, A terror attack with tiest to racism, Kenosha police off the hook... where do you draw that line?
It is hard for me to tell someone that they are mentally or emotionally well enough to return to work and need to worry about ME the fan who tunes in for entertainment and not the THEM, the person going through the mental/emotional issues.
3) I do expect fans to be cool with it once they remove themselves emotionally from the situation of "i want my team to win, he isnt playing, i dont know why, and he eneds to play cause go nets". When you step back and see that the guy is out for personal reasons, realize thats private, sympathize with what the country is going through and black men are going through, its understandable and you wait for details before taking a dump on the guy like he is just doing what harden is
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MrDollarBills wrote:
... you keep giving real world work examples where things are tough in the world but you are still expected to show up, but let me paint another real world work example for you:
-You are suffetring from depression and anxiety because of what just happened in Washington combined with Kenosha and the long list of social injurtice issues.
-You are having anxeity attacks, you let your employer know, right before your shift starts, you wont make it in for personal reasons
-when they press you further, you say, its anciety/stress around the capital terror attack
here is what happens next:
-you can use your time off or be granted an excused paid absence in the short term
-your employer is legally bound by workplace laws and HIPPA where they can not disclose the reason, other then personal issues
-you have ZERO obligation to the public to state why you are missing time from a legal standpoint
-You have ZERO obligation to your co-workers to tell them why you are out. and HR/your employer cant tell them beyond "personal reasons"
If you miss enough time, you are required to file FMLA (family medical leave) forms to miss extended time WITH pay, once verified by a medical professiional depending on state/insurance/contract.
You may WANT to tell your co-workers something (Kyrie texted them, they choose to keep it private)
you may WANT to issue a public statement if you are a person of celebrity... in general those usually come out later in the process. once treatment is given, a resolution is there, a decision is made, a plan is in place. Celebrities typically to come out and say "i had a drug relapse" or "i had an axiety attack". they usually wait until they are in a more stable, definitive place and say" ive entered rehab with the support of my family and friends after a relapse and hope you respect my privacy as i get better" or "For my entire life, ive suffered with anxiety, in the troulbling time in our country, i have struggled to keep what was once managable managable. im working with my family and counsellors to get to a place where i can focus on ___________ again"
This is early in the process. I'm sure Kyrie, once he is in a more definitive place, has talked to family and the team and has a plan, will address it. until then, he needs to take care of himself. fans should support him the way levert, durant, and the team is.
It is sad to think that fans would turn on a guy who is out for personal reasons instead of supporting him and hoping he sorts it out