That's the question, no doubt on everybody's mind today after last nights interview following an NFC Championship win for the Seahawks...
For many of us we judge Sherman by that 30 second blip of his life that happened to be at the closing of the biggest game of his young career and the most emotional setting he has ever played in. But is that fair...to judge a guy for speaking his mind after playing one of the most physical sports in the world that endorses aggressiveness and physicality?
I will be the first to admit my first, real impression of Richard Sherman came off an interview on First Take (a flawed show to begin with) with Skip Bayless, where Sherman avoided the questions Bayless was asking to basically use ad hominem attacks on his character. I felt like Sherman came off the same as many see him today. Rude. Arrogant. Ignorant. Embarrassing...fill in your adjective. However I started to read up a little on Sherman and see what his character is actually about. I quickly found out a lot about him. He is a Stanford graduate who got out of the slums of Compton to get a college degree from a prestigious university and reach the NFL. He did that mind you with not the most athletic abilities, but a drive and desire to be great. He was told he would be better suited as a defensive back than a WR while at Standford and turned lemons into lemonade to become dominant at the position. Despite his hard work and love of the game, he still fell to the fifth round of the draft, a disappointment for him but one that pushed him even more to hone his skills and become a lock down corner. Well I think it is safe to say he has.
Check out this video...
After watching that it becomes clear how much time he dedicates the the game. Listen to what he's saying about QB's tendencies and baiting them into doing what they want to do so he can get an interception. He's literally a football genius! It is unreal.
With that in mind let me explain what I saw last night...I saw a phenomenal play made by Sherman in the corner of the endzone, tipping the ball away to a teammate, who grabbed the game winning interception, punching the Seahawks ticket to the Super Bowl. Next I saw Sherman run over to Crabtree pat him on the butt and stick his had out as if to say "Hey man, great game," only to see Crabtree push Sherman's face away and spark his post play antics of the choking sign, the emotional interview and snubbing of the 49er receiver. To me it was a man who was provoked by an opponent that dissed him and felt the need to defend himself. Isn't it human nature to defend ourselves when someone, whether a friend, or enemy, talks badly about the work that we do? Or tells us we aren't good enough? Imagine doing your job to the best of your ability and someone telling you, you're nothing and pushing you away...we all have this misconception of "Being the bigger man" and walking away and maybe that's easy to do if it were in an office cubicle, or at a bar. But in a physical game where talking is a staple like football, you got your adrenaline running, you're fired up and you feel the need to defend your abilities.
I have no problem with Sherman. I have no problem with the way he plays the game. And I have no problem with him talking, calling out an opponent that snubbed him and claiming to be the best.
Who in the NFL can say they are better than Sherman right now? People purposefully avoid throwing the ball his way. He made the biggest play of his career to send his team to the Super Bowl and that defense is the best in the league. He puts more effort into being great, and learning the game than some QB's do. With the evidence at hand, he is arguably the best corner in the game, and I have nothing but respect for him.
As for the talking, he's pretty damn good at that too, but if you respect him and his game, he is going to respect you and your game and keep his mouth shut. Just ask Larry Fitzgerald.
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