Following back-to-back losses for the struggling San Francisco 49ers, head coach Kyle Shanahan discussed the reality of online distractions. He hinted that there could be a lack of focus among the roster during his interview with local media on Wednesday.
“The vibe in our locker room is exactly how you would think it’d be,” Shanahan said. “We’re upset with where we’re at in our record, but we’ve got a tight group and we play together. I think if you live in the world online, whether you’re dealing with our profession or your kids dealing with social issues in school, you’re not going to be happy if you’re dealing in the world online. And I’ve definitely coached long enough that I don’t deal in that world. Only online I look at is usually movie stuff and rap battles and funny things that animals do. Good or bad.”
Given the world these players have grown up in, some born after the year 2000, many don't know any better than to live most of their lives online. And while the internet isn't a bad place in totality, it's undoubtedly a place full of distractions.
Whether it be fans showing love or spewing hate, it gets to a point where being online is doing far more harm than good. And when that's the case, Shanahan wants his players to remain focused on the goal at hand.
49ers HC Kyle Shanahan reiterates need for ‘focus' among struggling team
To have ultimate focus on the team during a season as tough as the 49ers' has been this year, Shanahan gave a vocal reminder of how easy it is to get wrapped up in the online nonsense.
Related San Francisco 49ers NewsArticle continues below
“When you listen to good stuff, like that’ll mess you up more than anything,” Shanahan said. “And then when you listen to bad stuff it’ll crush you. That’s not why any of us do this. You’ve got to work with younger guys on that. I think it’s harder just because of the world that they’ve been brought up in. But don’t make someone else’s reality your reality. You’ve got to focus on what your job is and never get away from that.”
With how much time people spend online nowadays, it's tough to get players to buy in to the idea of removing social media from their daily routines.
But, following LeBron James' decision to drop social media during the season, it could be a trend that catches on in the Bay Area.
