The Sherman side of things
For a week now every time I turn on Sportscenter or even a social network, I’m being thrust back into the moment when Seattle shutdown cornerback, Richard Sherman surprisingly shocked the world with his passion filled spew of honesty following the Seahawks’ NFC Championship win. If you were under a rock or simply uninterested because of the Patriots loss, then you probably missed what I’m calling the most interesting moment in the NFL Playoffs 2014, when Richard Sherman joined Fox Sports 1 correspondent Erin Andrews for the post game interview.
Sherman, who was recognizably emotional after the win, takes a jab at San Francisco’s Michael Crabtree for saying that he’s the best corner in the league. The explosive interview, which lasted all of 20 seconds became an instant sensation and has not seemed to lose it’s steam. The 25 year old is no stranger to media scrutiny after countless trash talking episodes and one uncomfortable arguement with Skip Bayless on ESPN’s First Take but is this really a surprise and what is the real reasoning for the interest?
When we were all in school (however long ago that might be) we were taught about the existence of adrenaline, (a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands) and the affect it has on our bodies, right? If not, here’s a quick crash course. So, today you decide to go skydiving. From the moment you arrive to the hanger and actually see the plane and buy your ticket, your heart goes from a regular heart beat to a quickened pace.
Now, depending on who you are, this would be the time you have second thoughts. Next, you change into your jumpsuit, hear some instructions and start getting into the plane. Your blood starts pumping at full speed while the plane takes off. Your heart beats so loud that you think everyone can hear it. Then its your turn to jump. You start feeling anxious like you need air, your heart is pounding and then you jump. All of a sudden you have a huge rush coming over you, a high along with a mix of fear, mixed with excitment and emotion. Why am I bringing this up? Well, this is how almost every athlete feels when they play a big game and it’s exactly what Sherman was feeling after just winning one of the biggest games of his life. Do I think Richard Sherman was wrong in his reaction? Absolutely not. Was it excessive, yes it was.
Taking a step back and thinking and feeling just for one second what that may feel like can put a lot in perspective for the non-athlete. It’s normal for any person under those circumstances to react in that manner when an adrenaline rush and passion meet, whether on the field or off. Speaking of off the field, people in our daily lives react the same way and for smaller things. We’re all guilty of it. It’s nature for a human to behave that way. You probably react the same way after having a day from hell, no coffee and finding out you have to work through the game you’ve been waiting all week to see, it’s called impulse.
Though Sherman, was abrassive and extreme, he recognized the rashness of his comments and took the measures to apologize, which is right. “I apologize for attacking an individual and taking the attention away from the fantastic game by my teammates … That was not my intent.” Sherman reportedly messaged reporter Ed Werder.
Is Sherman the next WWE superstar? Credit: Instagram
The great thing about Sherman is, despite the challenges he’s had within the league, up until now he has made a successful attempt to tone down his trash talking image and letting his numbers speak for themselves and with 166 career tackles, 138 solo and 28 assisted, 2nd year NFL All Pro and earning the highest votes of a defensive player in this years Pro Bowl; I’d say he’s done just that. The bottom line is this: we’re all here to watch a game, which is of no use to us without a little competition. Competition which is healthy on and off the field until someone is disrespected. That changes the entire scenario and I suspect Sherman has learned his lesson and made light of it with the references of him being similar to a WWE wrestler and getting invites from the wrestling conglomerate to make a special appearance. This will all move on as long as the media lets it.
What I’ll never understand though is, how the whole sports world stopped when a guy that’s never been arrested, who graduated at the top of his class in high school, graduated and got his masters from an Ivy League school; a kid who continuously gives back and helps to build his community has, loses his cool for 20 seconds when everyday it’s being found out that there are rapists, domestic abusers, murders and drug dealers right in this same league. I guess that will have to be another story.
