Right?

“Don’t believe everything you think.”

– Popular bumper sticker

As Markieff Morris flew to the floor, I admittedly stood up and started cheering and clapping. Nikola Jokic looked as incensed as I felt. My poor 81-year old father, who had fallen asleep in a chair across the room, was suddenly sitting up and trying to decide who was attacking and if he had peed a little when I jolted him from his late nap. If you are unfamiliar with the play in question, you’ve been missing the most widely-covered Nuggets news in some time. In my mind, Jokic had done unquestionably the right thing in standing up for himself after a play that looked double dirty. Morris stayed on the floor, but I was certain he was dogging it after doing his usual cheap shot bullsh–.

Moreover, I was RIGHT. I was obviously right. My initial assessment that Morris had hit not only Jokic’s ribs, but his knee, proved to be correct in replay, and I was sure his fall had been dramatized for impact, especially the second he was able to suddenly stand and walk off when a stretcher showed up. Just a big faker. Right? The following day, I went looking for opinions on the topic, and was gratified to find the stratosphere primarily agreed with me. Blog after blog and post after post agreed with me. Articles and video too. Shaq and Chuck even agreed with me. Hell, even dad agreed with me once he’d watched the replay and double-checked his drawers. I. Was. Right.

Right?

Well, sure I was, at least for 99% of the crowd I was hanging out with. All of my Nuggets reads were filled with commentary by Nuggets fans who *gasp* heartily agreed with me. In retrospect, maybe I’d stumbled over some national reviews that were also negative – some even ridiculous and hyperbolic – hollering about Joker’s swipe at half the Morii, but I just chalked that up to the internet’s need to feed the beast. I was right. I was right!

Right?

Hmm. I went out to a few Heat-related blogs and posts, and found a very different opinion. There was outrage not only at Jokic’s cheap shot in reaction to a “minor frustration foul”, but at the idea that he might just get off from any punishment whatsoever for being “Mr. aw-shucks MVP”. I mean, Morris was suffering from whiplash. That must have been pretty traumatic. Right? Everyone on that side of the coin was screaming bloody murder about their perspective, and simply putting up a fight for their guy. I mean, if their guy wasn’t right… does that mean… they aren’t right? Surely, they think, their guy is right.

Right?

“We are the hero of our own story”

– Mary McCarthy

When recently delivering some pretty tough news to a family member of a heartbreaking nature, I told myself that the heartbreak was an unfortunate side effect of trying to do the right thing after some truly agonizing self-reflection. In watching the devastation such terrible news can cause, I’m suddenly still not ready to embrace the idea that what I did was fully the right thing. Apparently the hero of my own story is self-soothing his angst with a lot of fast food and sleepless nights. But it was still the right thing. Still the right thing. Still the f—ing right thing.

Right?

To his credit, and showing what kind of a man he is, Jokic took his portion of the blame for the trouble that ensued after the Monday night fracas, relaying his sorrow over his actions, and hoping Morris wasn’t hurt. I’m sure Morris is also feeling similarly troubled by his part of the meleé, but apparently his regrets are… lost in the mail? Maybe he’ll do something grandiose, like renting a blimp. We’ll all just wait here while he decides… Since we all already know what’s right.

Right?

So, in addition to Nuggets Nation, Miami’s fanbase, Strahinja, Nemanja, Marcus, Marcus’ Momma, and every other hero of their own story who has picked their side, we all know what’s right. As simply as CNN watchers and Fox News watchers are sure, as simply as those staring hard at each other across borders or backyards are sure. We know we’re right, we know “our guy” is right. Thank god. At least we are right.

Right?

“Don’t let the wish be the father of the thought.”

– Charlie Skinner via Aaron Sorkin, “The Newsroom”