By TORI ADDISON
Staff Writer
Quite frankly, I do not understand why everyone is in such an uproar over Richard Sherman’s post-game interview last weekend.
It is a bit extreme that some are completely banishing any support for the Seahawks to win the Super Bowl just because of his harmless rant. It does not get any better than watching two divisional rivals battle it out in the final round of the playoffs, and players are bound to get heated at the end of such an intense game. Not only did Sherman’s last-minute tip end the 49ers’ chances of winning, but it also ended Sherman’s once college coach Jim Harbaugh’s third straight run at a championship.
You cannot tell me that you would not be amped if you were in the same situation that Sherman was. It is one thing to be a bad role model (I’m looking at you, Richie Incognito), but showing emotion after a tough game does not make a player an awful person.
If you actually watched the game, you will be more than aware of the brutality inflicted by both teams. NaVorro Bowman’s injury alone was enough to make even Ray Lewis cringe and the constant replay was extremely unnecessary and increasingly painful to watch. You cannot possibly expect a playoff matchup of such importance to be equivalent to a game of flag football, especially in the eyes of the players.
Not to mention, who wants to listen to a boring post-game interview about how good the other team played and how nice it was to get the win? I would rather see true emotion from a player who just laid their heart on the field to win the game for his teammates than hear a slightly different variation of the same speech that is usually given after every single game.
What really gets me is that people think Richard Sherman is this awful “thug” who does not deserve to play in the Super Bowl. What most of his post-interview critics fail to recognize is his extremely impressive educational background.
He was the first player from Manuel Dominguez High School to be accepted into Stanford for both his athletic talent and top notch academics in over twenty years. He was also the Salutatorian of his graduating high school class, which is pretty impressive for juggling homework on top of playing both football and track and field. Sherman continued to impress at Stanford not only athletically, but also in his studies. He would eventually graduate and earn a degree in communications with an almost perfect GPA.
I find it incredible how underappreciated education amongst professional athletes is, especially in Sherman’s case. He is obviously someone who does not accept failure as an option, which is exactly why he is so good at playing football.
When Sherman said he is the best cornerback in the league, he really was not kidding. For being drafted in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft, he has been more than a vital asset to the Seahawk’s defense.
Not only did he lead the top-ranked defense in the NFL to a shot at a playoff run, but he also topped the league by snagging the most interceptions during the regular season. Although his comments about Michael Crabtree may seem harsh, his stats from last Sunday’s game are not exactly what I would call impressive.
With only fifty-two yards receiving and no touchdowns, Crabtree was not exactly a huge element in pushing the 49ers towards victory. Crabtree may be considered a “good” receiver, but there is no question over whether Sherman is one of the best defensive players in the league. He is quick and agile, two ingredients that make for a deadly reaction for the opposing team’s quarterback when it comes time to complete a pass.
In my opinion, it does not matter what he says about the game, as long as he wins. The passion for the game of football that he showed is one of the biggest things missing from players in the league today. So, while you can hate Sherman for what he said all you want, it would be incredibly hard to disagree with any of the claims he made in so called “disrespectful” rant. Although, I hope fans are ready, because when the Seahawks go on to win the Super Bowl, I can only imagine what
