Contrary to what some may believe after watching Richard Sherman go ballistic on Sunday night, all black people don't run around yelling I'm the best after a day at work like DJ Khaled. Sherman can do it all he wants but he comes across as a blowhard in my opinion. Just so we're clear, I've been aware of Sherman's blossoming talent for over a year now.
However, he did the exact same thing to Jim Harbaugh back in Week 2. He patted his college coach, whom he baited in the offseason on the behind, ran as Harbaugh turned around and waved, then claimed in his postgame press conference that Harbaugh gave him a cold shoulder. Harbaugh is no stranger to postgame drama, but Sherman's twist on reality probably made Fox News swoon.
When the Seahawks lost to San Fran a few weeks later, the bravado was gone and Sherman was busy blaming the refs.
There's a line between being cocky and just being obnoxious. He's moving into that obnoxious neighborhood alongside young Keyshawn Johnson, Justin Bieber and Kanye. It's his shtick though. It worked for Johnson for a brief period until things went sour the year after Tampa Bay won the Super Bowl and their diva receiver became part of the problem.
A few years later, T.O. imploded one year after exploding for a career day in the Super Bowl against New England. Ocho Cinco in Cincy and Randy Moss getting restless in New England started feeling themselves a little much and snowballed from there.
Sherman should be able to do his own thing without getting labeled a thug by passive-aggressive bigots, but let's not raise that moment up as some sort of role model for young athletes. Just as like we shouldn't associate Sherman as a "thug" whose single setting black people back 50 years, I don't want to hear anyone else making that moment a representation of proud black males. Black men aren't a monolith. Sherman is just that; one man.
It was as buffoonish of a moment as Johnny Manziel getting reprimanded by Kevin Sumlin after taunting Rice's defenders in his season opener.
This also isn’t the Martin-Incognito fiasco or a sign of more sensitive times in a PC culture. I’m not posting tweets from people who referred to Sherman by a derogatory name. Nobody needs to be responding to YouTube commenters and bigoted tweets. That just gives the subhuman squalor and lower common denominators squatting in Internet comment sections the pulpit they don’t deserve and proof that they're being heard.
Deion Sanders tried a similar stunt after the Atlanta Braves won the World Series in ‘92 with Tim McCarver and got blasted for it then.
Sherman talked smack, Crabtree mushed Sherman's face mask. In response Sherman ran up to FOX’s Erin Andrews acting like Yeezy at the Grammys. Whether you think his postgame interview was classless or not is a matter of opinion. Personally, I think he needs a chill pill, but he should probably avoid popping any of those for a while unless the SeAdderal Seahawks want another run-in with the NFL's substance-abuse policy. This wasn’t Kevin Garnett bellowing “Anything is Pooossibllee!!” at the top of his lungs.
There are plenty of different ways to be an interesting athlete without tooting his own horn incessantly. Peep Jameis Winston for example, or Roy Hibbert.
This was T.O. celebrating a Niners touchdown at the Dallas Cowboys midfield star just to be cantankerous. Hopefully, he can avoid T.O.’s pitfalls in the spotlight. I don’t mind Sherman saying he's the best because he is, but his habit of calling out opponents after a win is tacky. That's why Redskins offensive tackle Trent Williams nearly caved his helmet in last January. Sherman has our attention, now let’s see if he can he can reign it in or if he lets his Booker T. persona consume him.
