Steve Kerr's headaches were so bad that he saw spots. He had to grab the nearest wall or chair to keep from toppling over.
So Kerr did what anyone would do in that situation. He tried to stop the pain. He didn't care that it broke workplace rules.
His employer is the NBA, and his medication was marijuana.
Uh-oh.
Golden State's coach tried weed twice in the past 18 months. He's sorry to report that it did not help him deal with the agonizing complications from back surgery.
But Kerr has no regrets, NBA rules notwithstanding.
"Having done the research, it was well worth the try," he said.
Kerr made the admission over the weekend and it ignited a topic that needs some airing out. Medical marijuana could give relief and hope to countless athletes, but there's one big problem.
"It's a perception issue around the country," Kerr said. "NFL, NBA, it's a business. So you don't want your customers thinking these guys are a bunch of potheads."
So it's better to have players, especially in the NFL, get doped up on painkillers. As bad as Vicodin and OxyContin are, they don't conjure up images of players getting high in Snoop Dogg's limo after the game.
That would be bad for business. But as Kerr suggested, do some research.
We're not talking recreational marijuana. Whether healthy citizens should be able to smoke that is a different issue.
We're talking medical marijuana, which is for not-so-healthy citizens looking to get relief, not stoned.
Florida just became one of 28 states to legalize medical marijuana. New York is another, though that hasn't helped Seantrel Henderson.
The Bills' offensive tackle was suspended last week for 10 games after testing positive for marijuana. Henderson was diagnosed with Crohn's disease last year.
He had two surgeries, lost 50 pounds and had two and half feet of intestine removed. Henderson had a history of dope-smoking violations, but I'm willing to say he didn't intentionally contract Crohn's disease and wear an ileostomy bag for four months just so he could have an excuse to fire up a joint.
Marijuana not only eases the symptoms of Henderson's medical condition, it helps relieve the pain from his football condition. He can no longer take the usual pregame opioid goodies that help make NFL games such a viewing pleasure for millions of fans.
Eugene Monroe played five years in Jacksonville and said players were handed a prescription for Vicodin before every game. He played three more years in Baltimore and said players caught the "T Train" before every game.
T is for Toradol. Players would line up, drop their drawers and get a shot. It killed the pain for up to two days.
The downside is the injuries sustained along the way last more than two days. They pile up, which leads to more pain-killers, which leads to addiction and 50-year-old men hobbling around like World War II veterans.
In an ESPN survey of 226 NFL players last month, 61 percent said marijuana is better than painkillers for recovery and pain control, and 42 percent said they have teammates they think became addicted to painkillers.
"I never took anything like the opioids we're talking about," Kerr said. "But NFL guys, those guys are basically in a car wreck every week."
The leagues will loosen their rules, but not until their customers are ready. So if medical marijuana makes you think "pothead," think about the T Train and where it leads.
If that doesn't bother you, you sure shouldn't mind if a few passengers try a different route to relieve their pain.
