“To those who would call me a thug or worse because I show passion on a football field, don’t judge a person’s character by what they do between the lines. Judge a man by what he does off the field, what he does for his community, what he does for his family.” Richard Sherman
If you saw the 2013 NFC Champions Seattle Seahawks’ victory over the San Francisco 49ners in Sunday’s game than you know emotions were running high. Who would go to Super Bowl 48 between the two teams came down to one play. As the 49ners Quarterback attempted to throw a touchdown pass intended for receiver Michael Crabtree, the ball was deflected by the Seahawk’s Richard Sherman, which caused the balled to be intercepted by the Seahawks. Victory!
However the media was set ablaze by Sherman’s words (trash talk) during the post-game on field interview with reporter Erin Andrews. See below…
From the media and some public reaction to the video, you would think the man had said he sodomized Jesus’ mother on the 50 yard line. Sherman is being called everything from ghetto, immature, classless, no taste, to the more harsh, thug, monkey, baboon, etc. Oh yes it got hella racist. Some headlines have stated that Sherman “scared” Erin Andrews with his aggressiveness. Comparing it to the “aggression that is needed to drown dogs” like former felon Mike Vick. Others have said his trash talk wasn’t the problem but it’s the “way” he talks trash. He doesn’t do it as eloquently as Muhammad Ali…Really with this?
(Past trash talk against Tom Brady)
Who doesn’t know that athletes talk trash to each other or as it’s really called on the field and in the locker rooms “talk shit”. Gasp, the horror. Commentators are proclaiming how he is setting a poor example for young athletes who apparently don’t talk trash but will start to now after hearing Sherman do it.
What am I missing hear? For those who believe he is setting a bad example or being a negative role model for youngsters, fuck you. Their parents should be their role models like Sherman’s parents were to him. His father whom he idolizes was a garbage man and his mother works with disabled children. With these positive role models in Sherman’s life, he finished second in his class at Manuel Dominguez High School and only received 1 (ONE) “B” and all A’s while playing football and running track. You know because that’s how thugs keep it real (sarcasm).
In 2013 the Stanford University Grad donated 30 helmets to his old high school and told students during a Q&A session “the NFL can last just 3-1/2 years. Your education is going to carry you further.” Yep spoken like a true thug (more sarcasm).
Trash Talk from Ocky;
Fuck you 49ners fans, Bronco fans and you racists, over your lame manufactured outrage. If only people could get this galvanized about shit that really matters as opposed to a football game.
Banner Photo courtesy of Seahawks.com
I’m glad you wrote this. It’s funny because Erin Andrews, the interviewer, commented today that she wasn’t afraid at all and that she rather enjoyed the honesty and spontaneity of Richard. She spoke about how sports has gotten so watered down and every millionaire athlete has handlers who airbrush all of their thoughts before hand. When I watched it live, I knew there were going to be the holier than though parents who pegged him as a bad influence. These are grown ass men playing a dangerous and brutal sport with testosterone coursing through their veins. Let those men rant after a damn football game. Richard Sherman trips me out. He can be a douche sometimes but sometimes douches are very necessary. He’s also made himself the one to watch for the next two weeks leading up to the Super Bowl. The man is a communications major. Me thinks he knows what he’s doing.
Roland, do you think there would have been as much outrage if Erin Andrews was black? Do you think people were really upset because he was speaking in an aggressive tone with a white woman?
She could’ve been any race. I think he just sounded so angry and many people saw it as a personal attack on another player. I think people would’ve reacted the same had it been Pam Oliver, who is the black female sideline reporter. He’s apologized so everyone has moved on from it.
BTW, I’m thinking about changing my avatar to Federer since you have the Spanish bull for yours.
Naw, Bruh! If he had said that to Pam Oliver, the only thing anyone would have commented on was that “Jack’d Up Weave” Girlfriend was sportin’! Sherman yelled at a blonde, blue-eyed what gal! Of course there was major white outrage within seconds!
LMAO at “Jack’d up weave”. At this point, that weave is a Pam Oliver staple. It’s a part of her brand now. Lol.
yeah but it doesn’t have to be that way. I’m sure there’s a stylist somewhere near her to get that shit together. LOL
Yes! Fed is playing like he was in 2011/2012 again. Sadly, i’m not convinced that either one of them will win the Aussie.
Federer is two forehands away from Shady Pines Retirement home. Nadal has a good chance but Djokovic is the favorite.
I was just talking to a friend about this. Personally, I love the trash talk. I think that’s what’s missing from the game today. As for Sherman’s rant, it was no big deal, but you know hypocritical racist puritans will find fault with anything.
Let them eat cake…
You know I think it was the dreds. And the fact that he’s black and had some bass in his voice. You know black men with dreds ranting on tv scares the sensitive folk. The men on ESPN today all got a kick out of it. Sports people get it. Everyone else simply have nothing else to do.
@rolandgarros28 – while our appearances do play a role in how we’re received by others, I think it was something much more than hair. White people like their Black men in a certain package. They want them non threatening, yet knuckle dragging and slightly submissive. If you’re aggressive as well as intelligent they will label you uppity or arrogant. Imagine if it was a white player with that kind of bravado. The beer drinking bubbas would love him long tyme.
Well whatever it is, it’s a mute point now. He just issued a public apology for his behavior so the PC patrol wins another round.
Exactly!
They need to back off this man!! His adrenaline was up his testosterone was flowing!!! If you play sports we all know the feeling. I appreciated his trash talk… Let’s keep it going!!!
What this is really about is a big muscle bound black guy with a beard and dreadlocks raised his voice and white people got scared. White America gets scared anytime a black man, in this case Richard Sherman doesn’t show deference, and doesn’t kowtow to white sensibilities. Any kind of aggression on the part of a black man is quickly met with opposition. So the fact that the comments quickly became racist is no surprise. When it comes down to it nothing has really changed.
That was hella funny. He got hood and white america is afraid of the hood (that’s why they don’t drive through the hood… unless they wanna cop some). They really don’t understand that everyone from the hood isn’t a thug.
I like this guy.
Another point I wanted to make was that it’s telling that Michael Vick was mentioned in this artificial controversy even though he is irrelevant to the discussion about Richard Sherman. It goes to show that even now white people see us(black men) as interchangeable. The insinuation that Mr. Sherman or other African Americans share responsibility for Michael Vick’s animal cruelty is a fine example of how black people are not viewed as individuals but as a collective threat. But America is supposedly “post racial” now, bullshit!
I have absolutely no problem with trash talk. I also have no issue with this particular interview posted, and I agree with the below comments. He is a man and an athlete, and that aggression goes hand in hand with such an aggressive sport. I will say this though. Richard Sherman is upset. He is upset that that he is an outstanding conerback, arguably the best right now, who hardly gets any public recognition for it.If you don’t follow football you probably would even know who this guy was. That reason could be because of his trash talk. This dude frequently gets in the personal space of players and talks trash. I am sorry but if you are talking ish so close to someones face where someone can count the taste buds on your tongue, then you are too close, and you are liable to get rocked.
Also the dude is smart, its clear that he wants more public recognition for his talents, and he is doing extra things to make sure people know his name.
If you ask me his “rant and rave” have put him on the spot to be the player to watch for Superbowl 2014. I hadn’t planned on watching it but now after watching this video, I may just be a bandwagon supporter of Sherman. Educated on and off the field, can’t go wrong with that my brother!
http://nextimpulsesports.com/2014/01/20/richard-sherman-hater-video-will-change-mind/
ppl need to get over themselves. This man clearly had a rival who said something about him and he just wanted to show him up over his victory. yes he was upset and yes he was shouting but i dont see anything ghetto or whatever about it.
Ocky, I just saw this piece but this is I hope a dead issue but you hit the nail on the head..fuck the whole damn lot of them haters and the media too. If it was a white athlete in a similar position you would have heard that Crabtree started this as he was unsportsmanlike in not shaking his extended hand. But Sherman has 2 things against him, he is black and he wears locks..oh oh DOUBLE WHAMMY..yup so crucify him.
Tired of these media sharks and their patronizing attitude. If that bitch of a reporter hadn’t pushed a mike in Shermans face immediately after a championship game we probably would not have heard about it. Sherman should have slapped her sorry ass. I know I wanted to. #GoSherman #GoHawks….