MIAMI (VINnews) — Last week, an elementary school Rebbi played a powerful ‘mussar’ video for his class. Well…sort of.
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The video was not made by a conventional ‘baal mussar’, or even someone Jewish. It was an NBA player, trying to mentally process a crushing defeat while keeping a positive attitude.
In the video, Rabbi Eli Mann of Yeshiva Toras Emes of Miami is showing his students a clip of the post-game press conference featuring NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo. Multiple ‘frum Twitter’ users commented on the power of Giannis’ positive message, and his refusal to concede failure.
Rabbi Eli Mann of YTCTE of Miami sharing the words of Inspiration from sports’ latest Bal Mussar. pic.twitter.com/MeUDmCl7gz
— Yaakov Langer (@jacklanger) April 28, 2023
In the press conference, reporter Eric Nehm asked Giannis, “Do you view this season as a failure?”
“It’s not a failure; it’s steps to success,” Giannis said. “There’s always steps to it. Michael Jordan played 15 years, won six championships. The other nine years was a failure? That’s what you’re telling me? It’s a wrong question; there’s no failure in sports.”
He continued, “You know, there’s good days, bad days. Some days you are able to be successful, some days you are not. Some days it’s your turn, some days it’s not your turn. And that’s what sports are about. You don’t always win. This year, somebody else is gonna win. Simple as that. We’re gonna come back next year, try to be better, try to build good habits, try to play better, not have a 10-day stretch with bad basketball, and hopefully we can win a championship.”
He also said, “So the 50 years from 1971 to 2021 that (the Milwaukee Bucks) didn’t win a championship, it was 50 years of failure? No it was not. It was steps to it, and we were able to win one. Hopefully, we can win another one.”
This is good mussar!
Giannis Antetokounmpo, a talented basketball player for the Bucks, was asked by a reporter if his year was a failure after being defeated in the playoffs.
His answer is what we should tell all of our yetzer haras and haters.
So well said. pic.twitter.com/eJOQF5QMvU
— Yaakov Langer (@jacklanger) April 27, 2023
Antetokounmpo’s Bucks had the NBA’s best record in the regular season and were a favorite to win the title. Down three games to one in the first round, to an eighth-seeded Miami team that had squeaked through the play-in tournament, they gave up a 16-point fourth-quarter lead, ultimately losing in a heart-breaking defeat.
There’s a youtuber who gave many star players custom sneakers. Giannis was one of only two players sincerely appreciative. He grew up with little, appreciates everything and has good strong values and positive attitude.
they should make him the mashgiach in their yeshiva already if they went that far
The ultimate future is the grave, besides if it’s וחיי עולם נטע בתוכנו.
I will give the rebbe the benefit of the doubt, that these boys all watch games and is totally accepted in their circles.
Is this chinuch now? Showing clips? Then we ask the kids to not be on social media and youtube?
The headline should read “Rebbeim in Florida taking steps to prevent therapy.”
This is what the RAV writes on the first mishna in Pirkei Avos
וְחַכְמֵי אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם גַּם כֵּן חִבְּרוּ סְפָרִים כְּמוֹ שֶׁבָּדוּ מִלִּבָּם בְּדַרְכֵי הַמּוּסָר כֵּיצַד יִתְנַהֵג הָאָדָם עִם חֲבֵרוֹ, לְפִיכָךְ הִתְחִיל הַתַּנָּא בְּמַסֶּכֶת זוֹ מֹשֶׁה קִבֵּל תּוֹרָה מִסִּינַי, לוֹמַר לְךָ שֶׁהַמִּדּוֹת וְהַמּוּסָרִים שֶׁבְּזוֹ הַמַּסֶּכְתָּא לֹא בָּדוּ אוֹתָם חַכְמֵי
הַמִּשְׁנָה מִלִּבָּם, אֶלָּא אַף אֵלּוּ נֶאֶמְרוּ בְּסִינַי:
Therefore I would say even if there is a positive message here this is a very dangerous precedent. (to show such a video to a school wide forum) This guy says things that are בדו מלבם Today it may be something we can agree with, but tomorrow he will say some liberal philosophy. Do this kids know when to listen to him and when not to. I think this rebbi made a mistake.
Who needs mussar sefarim…
Thinking person- even if the heat win the knicks they’re not gonna win the sixers after the sixers sweep the celtics
The Bucks were the first seed in the eastern conference. And they lost to the 8th seed the worst team in the playoffs. So yes the season was a failure, and he failed in his objective to win a championship.
If you were to ask Michael Jordan he would say the 9 years are failures.
This isn’t building for the future, this is a great team and they underperformed and failed.
Are we now advocating for participation trophies?
Maybe people don’t understand sports or the context but this basketball player is very wrong.