OT- Thoughts on Richard Sherman interview

Submitted by Wee-Bey Brice on
By now we've all seen the now infamous post-game rant/interview that Richard Sherman delivered on national television last night. Since the interview, I've been paying attention to a lot of the commentary about it and I'm baffled by some of the remarks, quite frankly. - Was he way too amped up? Yes. Although, he did just make the game saving play to send his team to the SB. If Countess made the same play to send us to the NC, I would probably throw my tv into my neighbors yard in celebration. He gets a pass on this one. - Did he lack humility? Yes. However, so does Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. When you can walk the walk, you earn the right to talk the talk. Not saying he's the MJ of cornerbacks but he has been consistently playing at a high level. - Did he scare the piss out of Erin Andrews? Yep. But at least it was funny. My point is that while he was over the top with his approach, he didn't do anything to deserve to be labeled as a classless thug. He didn't curse, he didn't make personal attacks outside of football and he didn't put his hands on anyone. In other words, he did EXACTLY what we wanted him to do; he gave us quality reality TV. He yelled at the top of his lungs but essentially all he said was "I'm the best in the game, don't throw to my side of the field unless you're throwing to Jerry Rice". Nothing about that statement screams "thug". Of course having grown up on the Eastside of Detroit I'm a little more familiar with actual thugs than most, but I just don't see how he's being labeled as anything other than what he is. He's a very intelligent, Stanford graduate that plays football better than most and will make sure you know that he's better than you. Cocky? Indeed. Classless thug? Don't think so. What'd you take away from the interview? ******sorry for crappy format, posted from iPhone****
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jtmc33

January 20th, 2014 at 10:17 AM ^

According to his interview, the Seahawks won solely because he's the best.   It had nothing to do with the prior 3.99 quarters or Smith's heads-up play to be in position to catch the deflection.

If this was an interview after a win in week 6, then I probably wouldn't care.  But after clinching a trip to the Super Bowl you'd hope that any teamate would spread the wealth a bit.

Joined: 04/15/2009

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Lucky Socks

January 20th, 2014 at 10:17 AM ^

You know what, I agree. Great points. I think he might have taken it a little too far - seeking out Crabtree immediately after the play, choke sign, interview rant with Erin, and another shortly afterward. But overall cocky and fired up would be more accurate descriptions. Thug? He didn't swear, or say anything inappropriate. He just yelled. I've never made the game winning play to make the Super Bowl, but I think I can understand where he's coming from. Not much different than the Bart Scott "CANT WAIT" in my opinion. Funny moment, and Richard probably let his emotions get the best of him...but not a thug...nowhere near it.

Joined: 01/18/2012

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hopkinsdrums

January 20th, 2014 at 10:33 AM ^

Bart Scott didn't call out another player against whom he just competed in the same way Sherman did to Crabtree. He also talked about his team, not himself in the way Sherman did. No class on the part of Richard Sherman. No one asked him if he was the best corner in the game.

Joined: 08/21/2012

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bigmc6000

January 20th, 2014 at 10:18 AM ^

For the death of the carriage return. 

 

You can still hit return on the iphone and it will put in a return so I'm not really sure why posting from a phone makes a difference.

 

As for the post - eh, he's an NFL football player, I've long since stopped expecting them to act like normal people.

Joined: 01/12/2009

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Mike60586

January 20th, 2014 at 10:18 AM ^

It is football.  You just made the play of the game to get you into the Super Bowl.  

What do people expect when you interview someone a minute after the game?  These guys are so amped up, I often wonder why we do not here more of this.

I especially like that it is getting all the stuffy guys worked up.

 

 

Joined: 10/06/2008

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Sideline

January 20th, 2014 at 10:18 AM ^

I thought, wow, what a clown... Then after putting it into perspective, we don't play every snap that they do... And watching Boldin and Crabtree against the Panthers, then seeing this, I would venture to say Crabtree (and quite possibly Boldin too) were giving Sherman crap all game and Sherman finally snapped when he knew he made the play to defeat them. After all the other interviews, he seemed pretty calmed down... Either that or Carroll slipped him a Valium to calm him down

Joined: 12/09/2009

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WMUgoblue

January 20th, 2014 at 10:18 AM ^

Sherman is an elite talent no doubt about it, but he perfectly embodies the typical NFL athlete today. The days of Barry Sanders handing the ball to the ref are over and it's a sad state of affairs.

Joined: 12/06/2009

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WMUgoblue

January 20th, 2014 at 10:31 AM ^

It wasn't just Barry though, Jerry Rice was just as humble. While Deion and Irvin talked quite a bit I don't ever recall them calling out a single player after the game. Now I could be very wrong on that last statement but like I said I don't recall them singling out one player in an interview.

Joined: 12/06/2009

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TatuajeVI

January 20th, 2014 at 10:45 AM ^

There are classy players in today's NFL as well. Calvin Johnson is arguably the best WR in the game and he is soft spoken, classy, and consistently gives his teamates the credit for success. Or how about Manning and Brady, two of the best QBs to ever play the game and act the same way. There are a mix of classy and classless players in all sports, the classiness of the NFL today isn't all that different from the 80s/90s.

Joined: 10/31/2011

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Moe Greene

January 20th, 2014 at 10:22 AM ^

I, for one, would love to invite him to my next office meeting. He'd Terry Tate-ify the joint.

Though I must admit, I cracked up because I thought he was giving the shoutout to LL Bean, not LOB.

The next time I'm interviewed , I'll do something similar: BIG EDDIE'S BIG AND TALL!

Joined: 08/01/2008

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Swayze Howell Sheen

January 20th, 2014 at 10:25 AM ^

Thought he looked like an idiot.

In the ultimate team game, all he could talk about was some kind of perceived slight to his self-proclamation of being the best. Grow up already.

As for those labeling him a "thug", that is dumb. But it certainly wasn't a "classy" move on his part.

All of that said, I would love to see an interview if he gets torched by Payton for the Superbowl-winning TD - that would be priceless.

 

Joined: 10/05/2008

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Committed

January 20th, 2014 at 10:25 AM ^

Who cares.

Dude just played the biggest game if his career, then they shove a microphone in his face.

You'd be emotional too.

Honestly, I don't think he cares about our opinions.

Joined: 04/06/2011

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Section 1

January 20th, 2014 at 12:09 PM ^

I frankly expect this story to be huge, in what is without any doubt at all, the worst week in sports in America:  the Super Bowl preview week.  There is nothing so non-newsworthy, so completely void of import, and so self-indulgently naval-gazing, as the Super Bowl hype week.

And in all of that, this "story" will fit perfectly.

People will suggest -- rightly -- that if I hate the NFL and the Super Bowl so much, then just turn it off and don't watch.  And yes, that is exactly what I will do.  I generally watch about zero complete NFL games every year.  I watch parts of maybe a half-dozen, and I see the highlights that we all get exposed to via ESPN, etc.

I don't watch the NFL.  I don't have a favorite team in the NFL; I pay only enough attention to know how select Michigan players are faring in their new profession.  And I feel wonderful about all of that.  I make it my business to see to it that the NFL gets no more of my money than is forcibly extracted from my cable bill, and no more of my attention than is pure coincidence.

Joined: 06/29/2009

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TIMMMAAY

January 20th, 2014 at 12:13 PM ^

Did he embarrass his team with his comments? Denegrate an opposing player? Scare a nubile young woman just trying to make it in the world (this part is hyperbole). 

No he did not. Emotion is one thing, having some self control entirely another. 

 

Joined: 09/08/2008

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Niels

January 20th, 2014 at 11:23 AM ^

Do I think that, at later moment, RS will look at the video and say "****, I could have played that a bit more chill"? Sure. Do I think that his actions were, taken out of context, pretty embarrassing? I could see that argument. 

All that being said, I can't believe how sanctimonious some people are being on this board.

First of all, his response was GENUINE (and, I might add FRIGGIN entertaining). Not some talking points cut from the Crash Davis school of media engagement, but something that reflected a guy in the moment who was passionate. It's the same reason I find Harbaugh FUN (in an annoying way, but still) because he is all into this without pretense or window dressing.

Second, how many of you who played and or follow sports have not had thoughts like those that RS had in the moment? This **** talking happens all the time on the field with the majority of players, though many learn how to shield it from the media.

Also:

---Crabtree called him out the week before (a mild one, "not the best cb in the NFL...") but still called him out.

---You don't know what was said during the game to set Sherman off (see: Zidane, Z.).   

 

Joined: 09/04/2009

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MGlobules

January 20th, 2014 at 10:27 AM ^

with the way black people celebrate. Or call it ambivalence. We can't really decide whether we want to punish people for doing it creatively, celebrate it, exploit it, join in, whatever. But it's a real thing.

Personally, I think you just draw the (non-racial) line between meanness and unsportsmanlike dissing of others, limit it so it doesn't disrupt the flow of the game, then shut up and accept it. Who cares if some old middle class guy doesn't approve? Well, the money does. But if sport and spectacle don't provide some mildly transgressive possibilities, people will get their bread and circuses elsewhere. . . and the NFL knows that, too. 

Joined: 11/17/2008

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wesq

January 20th, 2014 at 10:54 AM ^

I find this comment offensive. Calvin Johnson, Barry Sanders, Lebron James there is tons of black athletes who handle themselves with class and on the flip side sports is full of classless white athletes like the kid from Ole Miss or Bill Romanowski, Laimbeer, McEnroe etc. White player does the same thing last night and he is just as hated. If you don't think what Sherman did last night wasn't classless you don't understand what it means to have class. As someone trying to raise a son that's something I point to as the wrong way to act regardless of the situation. I grew up idolizing the Bad Boys I get it, it's fun. Playing sports and I didn't always exhibit class it's not easy. But I don't think it's a bad thing to celebrate athletes that exhibit class when it's not easy and root against those who don't.

Joined: 08/21/2009

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taistreetsmyhero

January 20th, 2014 at 11:03 AM ^

because they aren't from compton and they aren't black!

richard sherman is definitely not being looked at as classless in the eyes of the people he grew up with. and that's not because the people he grew up with are inherently classless, it's because that is who they are.

additionally, you do start to see more and more young white kids embodying this culture. case in point:  nik stauskas. everyone loved it when he was yelling "I run this shit" after hitting that dagger three.

 

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taistreetsmyhero

January 20th, 2014 at 11:20 AM ^

some people stay amped up for longer than others. that's just human differences. some people work hard to keep their emotions in check. other people try hard to keep them in check but fail. other people don't try at all. personally, i don't see what the big deal is about people showing their emotions.

additionally, sherman may literally have adhd and was taking adderall to suppress that. 

Joined: 08/08/2012

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pescadero

January 20th, 2014 at 1:38 PM ^

"case in point:  nik stauskas. everyone loved it when he was yelling "I run this shit" after hitting that dagger three."

 

I see a definitie difference between:

 

A) I'm great.

2) I'm great and my opponent sucks.

 

If Sherman had limited himself to A (as Stauskas did) - I'd think it was a little over the top for a professional, but no big deal.

 

I take the denigrating of an opponent, outside the action of the game, in an interview to be the big and bad difference.

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MGlobules

January 20th, 2014 at 11:13 AM ^

you are wasting your time and energy, IMO. His rant was dumb, I agree. And I'm trying to raise a thoughtful kid myself. Gallant, generous--any of those things Sherman's comment was not. And Erin Andrews' reaction was appropriate. What I'm objecting to is the notion that this makes Sherman a thug, the over-the-top response. 

 

Joined: 11/17/2008

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