“It happened. And we move forward.” Aye! Coping mechanisms. Gotta love ‘em! In this life, there are many. Psychologists have refined explanations for how it is that people deal with anxiety, tensions, stress, loss, and disorder. But that’s not what this is about – this is about what it takes to make coping worthwhile.
James Harden is perhaps reflecting on that notion just now. Not in some drastic, horror laden way. I mean, it is a game we’re talking about – with a few other things admittedly attached, but really, c’mon. We’re talking about a game.
Walk on…
I remember, when I was still in my youth, that I first heard the mantra, “Whatever doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger.” I remember I liked that, the notion of it – the concept of it. That the tests of life serve us well if we consider them in the light of the long-term. And I do not mean to diminish the profound nature of that concept by bringing it up here and now – but rather, I’m highlighting it as one of the great things about sports and recreation. About seasons. And about the stuff of life being seasonal. And about our being, as in – all of us, being, whether we like it or not – just as human as we can be.
Walk on…
So to James Harden: Do we think you should be MVP after that – games 5 and 6? Or nah? Hmmm…this is the noise people make when they are finding it hard to see a way. Hmmm.
Should Rocket fans be disappointed? Yes. Of course. But who am I to say, except that if they are disappointed, well, that’s certainly understandable.
After taking full blame – complete responsibility for the instant loss, and the series loss, “But it happened – and we move forward,” said James Harden himself.
Season’s over. Next up for the Harden and the Rockets? Next season.
Walk on…
So what is it that makes coping worthwhile? Ahhh, I’m glad you remembered to ask. I would submit to you that it is this: Hope.
Perhaps that’s all we need to have a good day, yeah? A little something to look forward to…
Source:
Associated Press. (2017). Spurs rout Harden. MSN Sports. Retrieved May 12, 2017. Available: http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/spurs-rout-james-harden-rockets-114-75-to-win-series/ar-BBB2p3E?li=BBnba9I&ocid=iehp
By Dr. Rodney J. Blackman
Dr. Rodney J. Blackman is the Chair of Recreation Management at the United States Sports Academy, and can be reached at rblackman@ussa.edu.