Richard Sherman went and did it again! Serving up media gold.... There aren't many things that the Seattle Seahawks Pro Bowl cornerback can say in the week leading up to Super Bowl XLVII between his Seahawks and the Denver Broncos that won't receive disproportionately excessive attention.
Yesterday, Sherman made mostly complimentary remarks about future Hall of Fame Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning. He did mention, however, that Manning throws a lot of "ducks" (an ugly, wobbly pass lacking power and velocity). The media had a field day. The comments were plastered all over Twitter.
Ooooo! Did you hear what Richard Sherman said? Any observant NFL fan would call this a "fact" since Manning returned from four neck surgeries in the 2012 NFL season. Manning, himself, admitted to throwing ducks, but mentioned that they were ducks for a lot of yards and touchdowns.
Today's retweet is from Smart Football (@smartfootball), understanding the over-hyping of...everything...at the host hyped sporting event in America:
"Demaryius Thomas's response to R. Sherman saying Manning throws ducks should just be "Uh my QB used to be Tim Tebow"..."
This was Tebow's throwing motion. Look at it. Juuuust...look at it! Perhaps Tebow should have played baseball.
Seattle Seahawks conrerback Richard Sherman was the talk of the sports world following a 17 second rant immediately following the 2013 NFC Championship Game victory by his team over the San Francisco 49ers. Sherman tipped a Colin Kaepernick pass intended for Niners wide receiver Michael Crabtree in the end zone, intercepted by a teammate.
Seconds after the biggest play of Sherman's career, which sent his team to the Super Bowl, Sherman was interviews by Fox's Erin Andrews. The adrenaline clearly had not leveled off in the loquacious defensive back's system. For those of you living in a cave, or just wanting an encore, Sherman treated America to this:
If you wanted to know why the NFL has a 10 minute cooling off period before player press conferences and locker room interviews, here's Exhibit A.
OVERNIGHT CELEBRITY
Richard Sherman was already well known to Seahawks fans and NFL die hards. Sherman thinks he is the best cornerback in the NFL and I (along with many others) agree with him. Still, casual fans of football may not have known of the star defensive back prior to the NFC Championship Game. To quote the late hip-hop poet, Biggie Smalls, "If you don't know, now you know!"
Twitter exploded with Richard Sherman fodder and the clip of the 17 second rant went viral almost immediately. The NFL star sounded like a WWE performer challenging Crabtree to a steel cage match. Some were put off by the rant. Some agreed with Sherman because, let's face it, if you walk the walk, you can talk the talk, and Sherman has walked the walk all year.
Then there was the small but always loud contingency that saw their once-a-week opportunity to gain 15 minutes of Twittersphere fame by speaking ill of Sherman. Naturally the N-bomb was sprinkled in with Sherman-hating. The word "thug" was used so much to describe Sherman, a Stanford honors graduate, that one may think it was his middle name. Every talking head in television and radio offered an opinion.
Sherman, right, denies his arch-nemesis Crabtree, left, a trip to the Super Bowl. I'm sure I would have quietly asked for a cup of Earl Grey and curled up with a good book immediately afterwards. 1
DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER
To describe Richard Sherman as a big talker is accurate. Calling him a loudmouth, under the circumstances, would not have been unreasonable. To describe him as a bad guy or any other pejorative based solely on his appearance and a short adrenaline-juiced rant, is a reflection of the simple-minded nature of some in our society, needing everyone and everything to fit into a neat category (often negative) and averse to critical thinking art the most basic level.
Still, from every sensational event arises an opportunity for all involved to color in the lines of an incomplete picture. Sherman apologized shortly after in the post game press conference in which he was more mild mannered and composed. He had a very different demeanor after having an opportunity to shower and cool off (literally and figuratively). The media saw gold and everyone rushed in after it.
Sherman, who has had no shortage of media opportunities, came across as intelligent, personable and insightful in the days following the incident. Anyone continuing to label him a "thug" by the end of the week was either not listening to him or simply uses the word "thug" in place of "nigger" regardless of what Sherman (or anyone else) says of does.
His 17 second monologue gave rise to a fame that will last much longer than 15 minutes. Sherman, already well known to sports insiders, became a media star across every format. Sherman has been on every media format from sports television to talk radio to cable news talk shows since he helped punch his team's ticket to the big game.
HATERS GONNA HATE
Sherman, known well in his craft but with limited recognition outside the sports world, took a moment of potential infamy and managed it into the opportunity of a lifetime. Sherman vaulted himself into a position to broaden his appeal beyond the world of sports - a goal of most successful athletes that relatively few attain. A lesser man with a shorter fuse may have chosen to engage his critics by returning verbal fire.
That would not help his brand in the long run. Instead, Sherman chose the highest road available. And in turn, America, always salivating for the next big star, has given him a platform at the country's signature sporting event and biggest television/media extravaganza.
They aren't surrounding him because they think he is uninteresting. 2
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The Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos will meet in East Rutherford, New Jersey in Super Bowl XLVIII. The Broncos advanced by beating the New England Patriots for the AFC Championship and the Seahawks advanced by beating their division arch rivals, the San Francisco 49ers, 23-17, in the NFC Championship Game.
What everyone was talking about after the NFC title game was the rant of Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman. Sherman put the dagger into the 49ers, deflecting 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick's pass for receiver Michael Crabtree in the endzone into the hands of teammate Malcolm Smith. The play, made with 0:22 remaining in the game, snuffed out any hope for the 49ers and sending the Seahawks to their second Super Bowl in team history (SB XL, 2005 season).
Better than the "mike-ed up" segments on ESPN and NFL Network!
OH NO HE DIDN'T (OH YES HE DID!)
Fox Sports sideline reporter Erin Andrews caught up to Sherman almost immediately after the clock read 0:00. Sherman, clearly fueled with game-mode adrenaline, went on a 17 second rant of justification after neutralizing his personal arch nemesis, Crabtree. The rant went viral almost immediately.
Armchair sociologists tried to diagnose Sherman as a symptom of the problem with the American athlete. Simple minded mouth breathers took to Twitter to call the Stanford University honors graduate a "thug" (which, with each passing day, seems to me to be a code word for "black"). I personally think that when you have an athlete, like Sherman, who runs hot in a sport that requires athletes to run hot in order to succeed, and then stick a mic in his face seconds after he made a play to send his team to the Super Bowl, you should expect a hot, adrenaline-laced result like Sherman produced on Sunday.
Today's retweet, by Tom Brady's Ego (@TomBradysEgo) takes a lighter look at the Sherman meltdown.
The Seattle Seahawks rolled the Arizona Cardinals, 34-22, last night on Thursday Night Football. The Seahawks are off to their first 6-1 start in team history. They are also in sole possession of first place in the NFC West.
It wasn't a perfect night for Seattle. It wasn't a highlight-less night for the Cardinals. Cards wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald leveled Seahawks star cornerback Richard Sherman in the second half of last night's game with a crushing block. That effort prompted today's retweet, from Danica Patrick Ewing (@DanPatEwing):
"Fitzgerald with the crushing block on Sherman. If only you got fantasy points for that."
You know how sometimes something isn't as bad as it looks? This isn't one of those times.
The 2013 NFL season is on the eve of its third week of play. So far, there are eight unbeaten teams in the league with a record of 2-0. There are also eight teams in a heap of trouble at 0-2. Today we'll discuss who's the real deal, who's fool's gold, who should not yet push the panic button and who may already be on the clock in the 2014 NFL Draft.
BEST OF THE BEST
At this moment, the Seattle Seahawks are the best team in the NFL. This is a team with no weaknesses, a lot of youth, an oppressive home field advantage and a ton of upside. Head Coach Pete Carroll's team was a last second field goal surrendered to the Atlanta Falcons away from playing in the NFC Championship Game last year. So far, they appear ready to complete some unfinished business.
The statement game for this team was its 26 point shellacking of the defending NFC Champion San Francisco 49ers last week on Sunday Night Football. The running game was punishing. Seahawks running back Russell Wilson operated with surgeon-like efficiency. The Seahawks' defense was an impenetrable fortress.
Cornerback Richard Sherman (1 INT, 1 TFL) and defensive end Cliff Avril (1 sack, 1 FF) have been swarming presences on a defense that is surrendering an average of just over 100 passing yards per game and only 5 points per game. Seattle is the real deal until someone steps up and shows otherwise.
Richard Sherman got his twerk on with the Seahawks cheerleaders after picking Colin Kaepernick off. 1
THE WORST OF THE BEST
The New England Patriots have the ugliest 2-0 start out of any of the unbeatens, so far. Having needed a field goal in the final seconds to beat the Buffalo Bills and an interception in the final minute against an inept New York Jets team, the Patriots have been winning "without no alibi"...U-G-L-Y!
Opponents continue to run all over the Pats, whose defense has not been a real force in several years. Quarterback Tom Brady has struggled to keep his team's head above the water against two mediocre opponents. It isn't his fault. All of his key receivers either left the team via free agency, arrest for murder, or have been out due to injury. Brady will possibly be getting a big boost this week as Pro Bowl tight end Rob Gronkowski reportedly may make his first start of the season this week after missing months of team activity due to an arm injury. The return cannot come soon enough for Patriots Fan.
Belichick had to help throw people out of last week's game before the Patriots could seal the deal against the Jets.
THE BEST OF THE WORST
You are what your record says you are, but the New York Giants level of talent is far beyond that of an 0-2 football team. The Giants did everything they possibly could to help out the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1 by turning the ball over six times. The Giants still had opportunities to win the game until Giants quarterback Eli Manning threw a pick six to Brandon Carr of the Cowboys in the final two minutes.
Last week, the Giants were completely overwhelmed by the Denver Broncos and Peyton Manning, who is playing like he is still in his twenties so far this season. The Giants committed several turnover against the Broncos, too, though most were in the fourth quarter when trailing and taking bigger risks on offense.
The Giants are not going to go on a turnover bender every week. They aren't going to face Peyton Manning every week.They do appear to have a serious problem on their hands in the running game, dead last in the NFL. Still, this ship will turn around sooner than later.
Giants running back David Wilson may be on borrowed time as the starter in the Big Apple. 3
THE WORST OF THE WORST
The Jacksonville Jaguars haven't been able to run the ball and their best player is running back Maurice Jones Drew (72 yds., 2.9 avg. in 2013). They can't pass the ball. They can't stop anyone from running on them. Their passing defense is ranked #2 in the NFL, but that is because nobody has to take the risk of putting the ball in the air when the Jaguars aren't a threat to score or stop teams from scoring under (seemingly) any circumstances.
Most TV stations apologize for failing to televise the home team. This station is apologizing for having to show the Jaguars. 4
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