3 grueling hours of bravado, emotional intensity, and testosterone fueled competition leading to a hold your breath, last second play in which Richard Sherman deflects the ball from Michael Crabtree for an interception propelling his team to the Super Bowl.
A loud, black male with dreadlocks, then takes to the microphone a mere 45 seconds later after his Super Bowl catapulting play, calls a receiver "sorry" and coins himself "the best cornerback in the game" and people label him a classless thug.
To the world, looks are still everything.
Lets look at the entire picture.
Sherman and Crabtree have had a volatile relationship since a meeting at a charity camp (hosted by Larry Fitzgearld) the two attended over the summer. At which,
"Crabtree tried to start a fight with Sherman after the star cornerback attempted to shake hands with the receiver, Sherman's brother told the Times. " Via ESPN.
Fast forward to the NFC Championship game. Sherman is tasked with defending the best 49ers receiver, who just so happens to be Crabtree. Crabtree had 4 catches on 8 targets for 52 yards.
On what ends up to be the game-sealing play, Sherman is mano a mano with Crabtree and gets the best of him by deflecting the ball to be intercepted clinching the game.
After which, Sherman proceeds to pat Crabtree, say good game, and extend for a handshake (similar to the off-season camp incident). The frustrated receiver face mushes Sherman.
Erin Andrews, a reporter from Fox then , seconds later, goes in for an interview with the adrenaline charged Sherman.
“I’m the best corner in the game! When you try me with a sorry receiver like Crabtree, that’s the result you’re going to get. Don’t you ever talk about me.” When Andrews asked who was talking about him, he replied, “Crabtree. Don’t you open your mouth about the best, or I’ll shut it for you real quick. LOB [Legion of Boom]!”Via ESPN.
Ok, it's loud, hostile, far from family oriented but what we all really want!
We constantly complain when the athletes or coaches give the politically correct, prepared, recycled speeches at the podiums (I.E. Bill Bellichek). But when we finally get a taste of that insider moment, that uncensored, brutally honest answer to our questions, we ridicule and cast him as a thug.
Hypocritical nonsense. This is the business of ENTERTAINMENT. What do you expect from an athlete in a moment like that to say to a reporter only seconds after? He's still in warrior mode. He hasn't had the time to let the adrenaline wear off and reflect on the game. It's raw emotion. It's Sports.
I fore one thought Sherman's outburst was extremely entertaining. It was refreshing to hear what a player feels "in the moment" if you will.
Alright, lets go picture in picture and break down his raging, violent, thuggish rant.
He said "I'm the best corner in the Game!"
Well, lead the league in interceptions with 8 and had 16 pass defenses. And plays almost exclusively to the left side of the field, which is targeted more because of the prevalence of right-handed QB's. Targeted a total of 3 times in the game resulting in a penalty , a catch, and a deflection which lead to the game winning interception.
"sorry receiver like Crabtree"
Hmm. Crabtree is the 49ers most dynamic play maker. but Sherman made him look like a "Mediocre" wide-out. 4 catches, 50 yards in 60 mins of football. He may not be a "Sorry" wide receiver but his performance was greatly diminished when pitted against Sherman. Call it what you may, sorry, mediocre, lackluster, average, but sure doesn't help Crabtree's cause.
"Don't open your mouth about the best, or I'll shut it for you real quick! LOB"
He is obviously referring to the in game conversation between the two. Could also be in reference to the distasteful exchange at the camp over the summer. Either or, Sherman pretty much erased any relevance of trash-talk coming from Crabtree's side with that performance. Couldn't have asked for any better proof to back up his statement than the final play.
One on one for a chance to go to the super-bowl, Sherman made the play. Sherman gets to talk.
Did he really say anything thuggish, malicious, demonstrative? Stop it.
Thug defined on dictionary.com is a "a cruel or vicious ruffian, robber, or murder"
Classless is defined as "describing a person or thing as "dirty," "filthy," as being outside the norms of society, or as lacking in any sort of decorum whatsoever.
So if his actions and words didn't warrant any of these labels, looks did.
Look at him!
A loud black man with dreads yelling at a camera. Lets face it. People aren't comfortable with that.
People will deny race has anything to do with it. Just check out Sherman's twitter feed after the game.
Sherman's eloquent response to these truly "classless" people.
Those are the racists.
There is another underlying factor fueling the outrage of Sherman's unorthodox behavior.
White america is terrified of it. Some are old fashioned and hold on to stereotypes that used to fly back in the day but are out dated. Let go of stereotypes people! Move forward. We as a society judge way to much by pure appearance.
Labeled as thug because he falls in accordance to a popular black stereotype. Unbelievable.
When things like this occur it provides a glimpse into the pockets of society that still feel uncomfortable and dislike towards any minority.
Look at the background
Richard Sherman was raised in Compton, California notorious for it's criminal demographic. He received a 1400 SAT score, became the valedictorian runner up by less than a tenth of a grade-point, and earned admission into one the elite academic schools in America in Stanford University. Eventually earning a bachelors degree while flourishing as an NCAA student athlete. Ultimately to be picked as a 5th round pick in the NFL draft.
Accomplishing all this without a blemish in his personal life.
That's right. Even black males with dreads can be intelligent, earn degrees, and stay out trouble with the law.
David Shaw, part of the former coaching staff at Stanford where Sherman played, had a few words to say defending his former player from being labeled a thug.
“Richard was the first to raise his hand [to volunteer for community events. He was there at the beginning [of an event for people with Down syndrome], and he stayed past the end,” Shaw said (via the San Jose Mercury News). “He is the farthest thing from a thug you can imagine. Thugs don’t volunteer to help out at Special Olympics when they’re in high school. But the flip side is a guy who’s ultra-competitive. You put him in that environment, where the game is very personal, and when the gauntlet’s thrown down. He’s ready.”Via "The Washington Post"
What I see
Toughness, attitude, character, a football player, a good human being.
I see a 5th round pick, an underdog, an intelligent, undervalued player that has transformed into a top player at his secondary position, (Played wide out in college). He walks with a swagger, a high degree of confidence that is required to make it from his upbringing, to make it to a prestigious university, to make it to the coveted National Football League, to make it as one of the 11 starters on defense, to being the "best corner in the game". He has the mental make up to make it, to succeed.
Looks are nothing.
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