Tim Benz: Steve Kerr's attack on NFL misses some key points

The NFL'S national anthem debate is receiving commentary from all corners, including from those in other sports.

NBA coach Steve Kerr has previously been outspoken in his support of the NFL players who are peacefully protesting during the anthem. Thursday, the Golden State coach was asked about the topic again in the wake of the new NFL "policy" implemented this week.

NBA coach Steve Kerr says the NFL's anthem decision is what's wrong with our country right now pic.twitter.com/lyDZwFmDa6

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) May 24, 2018

Here's where Kerr is right.

The NFL is pandering to its angry fans. And President Donald Trump has been guilty of throwing gasoline on this fire since September, thus furthering the political divide in this country.

He's also right when he suggests the debate is bleeding over from patriotism to nationalism. Nationalism occurs when "policy or doctrine" gets handed down in the name of unifying a collective national belief.

Trump's comments on Fox News that those who don't stand for the anthem should consider leaving the country are coming dangerously close to that mentality.

Trump on NFL players who don't stand for the national anthem: 'You shouldn't be playing. You shouldn't be there. Maybe you shouldn't be in the country.' (via Fox) pic.twitter.com/xx6eJ9qXNY

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) May 24, 2018

Here's where Kerr is wrong.

The flag and the national anthem aren't "fake patriotism." That's actual patriotism. Sorry Steve, but that's not a bad thing. There is a difference between patriotism and nationalism.

If you want to accuse the league and the Oval Office of basking in patriotism for the sake of public relations, I'm right there with you. But there are pure patriotic feelings associated with those two symbols for many in the United States.

Kerr is also tragically flawed in making it sound like it was Trump or the NFL who blurred the lines between Colin Kaepernick's original message and the flag/anthem.

C'mon, coach. The first guy to do that was Colin Kaepernick himself. Don't rant about getting off-message when it comes to police brutality and making it about the flag. Kaepernick did that the minute he took a knee. The instant that act took place, any chance he had at making his plea against civil inequality heard went out the window. He shifted focus away from his own point.

Kaepernick made a decision to grab a piece of low hanging fruit by using the anthem and the flag as a fulcrum to stage his protest. Kerr is guilty of exclusively blaming the other side for biting the same apple.

Also, it's ironic Kerr would be so critical of the NFL and so effusive in his praise of the NBA when the two leagues now have anthem rules that are very similar.

Here's the NBA's : "Players, coaches and trainers are to stand and line up in a dignified posture along the sidelines or on the foul line during the playing of the National Anthem."

As The Sporting News points out, similar to what the NFL now plans to do, the NBA league office "will determine how to deal with any possible instance in which a player, coach or trainer does not stand for the anthem."

Last year, it also sent out a memo reiterating its stance.

Just because the NBA worked in concert with the union on the rule in a better manner than the NFL has, that doesn't change the fact that the rules are now very similar.

Let's be clear. Kerr is ripping the political-right and the NFL for preening and pandering on this topic. And he's right.

Yet, he's doing exactly the same thing in the other direction.