After leaving his role as general manager for the Golden State Warriors, Bob Myers has found peace in the world of TV analysis, a switch he made to escape the emotional strain of his 12-year tenure as the team’s main roster architect.
During a conversation on “The Woj Pod” with ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Myers spoke about the helplessness he felt in his previous role. He admitted to leaving only one game in 12 years due to emotional overload, a Finals game in Oakland. Although not proud of it, Myers acknowledged that other GMs often resort to this method of coping with the stress. However, he realized that being present for all the highs and lows is what makes the job worthwhile. He didn’t want to miss out on the greatness that could happen and decided to take the pain that comes with losing.
Under Myers’ leadership, the Warriors saw great success, participating in a total of 34 NBA Finals games. Of those, 18 were home games, with 15 at Oracle Arena and three at Chase Center.
Although Myers didn’t specify which Finals game he left early, there were many nerve-wracking moments during the Warriors’ battles against the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors at Oracle Arena.
For those wondering how Myers could leave an NBA Finals game before it concluded, he referenced the movie “Moneyball.” In the film, Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane, played by Brad Pitt, couldn’t bear to watch his team’s games. Myers related to this mindset.
Myers told Wojnarowski that the movie accurately portrays the life of a general manager, the constant torture of not being able to fully engage with the game. He noted that the adrenaline of the job is unmatched, but the movie excellently showed the internal struggle of living that kind of life.
Now, as an ESPN NBA analyst, Myers can watch Warriors games as a fan without the same investment in the outcome as before. This newfound freedom must be a huge relief for someone who used to live and breathe with each game’s result.
If you’re interested in hearing more from Bob Myers, be sure to listen to his conversation on “The Woj Pod.”
