I realize this is an issue that has been talked about to death, but every time I hear about it, it makes me mad all over again. Here's why:
Richard Sherman is a celebrity. No one will argue that. He is also, presumably, a functioning member of society, just like the rest of us. He has a job, just like the rest of us. His job may be a little different from the norm, but it's still a job. I understand emotions run high in a game like the one he was playing, but he is still a professional and should act as such. There is a standard for acceptable human behavior and, in my opinion, he did not meet it. But apparently that's ok because he's a football player.
I'm an editor for a news wire company. Would it be OK for me to finish editing a press release and scream and holler around the newsroom that "I'M THE BEST EDITOR!! YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT ME! YOU ARE ALL SORRY EDITORS!!"? Hint: No it would not be OK. I may even lose my job. It doesn't matter if it's true (it probably isn't for me, but Sherman is most likely the best cornerback in the game right now) and it doesn't matter how smart I am, it is still a douchey and gross thing to do.
And that brings me to another point. I don't care how smart Sherman is. I don't care that he graduated high school with a 4.2 GPA or that he went to Stanford or that he is currently working on his master's degree. I don't care because none of that matters. Being smart doesn't preclude you from being a jerk.
Oh, being an editor and playing football aren't the same? OK, let's pretend we are at a Pop Warner football game or even a high school football game. Your son makes a great play and starts in about how he's the best in the game and no one else compares to him, making a big scene in front of everyone. Are you going to be OK with that behavior coming from your kid? Or another kid on the team? If you say yes, I'm going to hand you a hose to put out the fire on your pants, because you are a liar. If it isn't OK for the rest of us, it shouldn't be OK for Sherman or any of the rest of the NFL either.
We all like to get mad and talk about how we are an entitled society with a "me, me, me!" attitude. When we make excuses for behaviors like what we all witnessed last Sunday, we become enablers of that sort of problem. This is probably going to be something that I will feel strongly about forever (not Sherman specifically, but this sort of thing), but I'm going to end (for now) on this note:
1. Sportsmanship is more than just about sports and games. It's about real life and how we can all live together, as civilly as possible.
2. If you are going to apologize, do it for real. Saying you're sorry your comments are distracting from the team is not the same as saying you're sorry for your behavior. That is like when someone says "I'm sorry you're mad" which we all know is a total non-apology.
Like I said, there are standards of what is socially acceptable behavior and LITERALLY EVERYONE should have to abide by them.
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