I enjoyed the game with the kids last night between the San Francisco 49ers that sent the Seattle Seahawks. That amazing game however was marred by a bizarre rave from cornerback Richard Sherman. Sherman immediately followed the win with a screaming and unhinged rant. The question is whether the Seahawks should be able to discipline Sherman for such a disgraceful performance — just after an equally disgraceful taunting of the 49ers. I would be the first to defend the free speech rights of Sherman to act like a street thug and even diss opposing players like San Francisco receiver Michael Crabtree. However, the Seahawks drew well-deserved praise on this blog for moving against thugs in the stadium in the prior game with the 49ers. How about the thugs on the field? This is not an attack on free speech by the government. The question is whether a company can discipline an employee at work for behaving like a thug. UPDATE: Sherman has been fined by the NFL for his taunting shortly before his outburst on television.
Sherman followed the interception against the 49ers by engaging in raw unsportsmanlike conduct, including a choke taunt to rub salt in the wound of the opposing team. He then was called over by a friendly Erin Andrews who cheerfully asked him for his reaction. Andrews was virtually speechless as Sherman started screaming: “Well, 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!” I realize that Sherman and Crabtree were trash talking in the game, but this is still a game watched by millions of families. It is bad enough, as we have previously discussed, that families have to content with drunken, foul-mouthed fans in stadiums. Now, the players are demonstrating the worst type of conduct and values on television. I am a big supporter of unsportsmanshiplike conduct penalties. However, this was after the game. Should the Seahawks be allowed to fine players for this type of rude and uncivil conduct while wearing a Seahawks uniform on the field?
Crabtree strikes me as showing the same idiocy in this game and should be reprimanded for his own lack of sportsmanship. I understand Sherman’s excuse that he was pumped up and mad but I am tired to just shrugging off the notion that sports celebrities should not be required to be role models. Movie celebrities are often immature toddlers. However, they do not represent a team and represents a city. We have a race to the bottom in both stadiums and on the field as we dismiss this type of conduct as irrelevant or expected. It is part of a society that seems to be losing basic notions of control and civility. I think that people paid millions should be expected to show a modicum of maturity and self-control. If this were a Chicago Bear, I would feel the same way. Indeed, I would be even more disgusted. Between the thugs in the stands and the thugs on the field, we are losing this game to the lowest common denominator.
What is interesting is that a fan can be fired and banned for life for acting like an ass at a stadium, but a player (particularly a good one) seem immune from such responsibility (or the most minimal requirements of society) in appearing on television at a football game.
Later, Sherman only slightly toned down his message, which he must have thought brought him within the limits of civilized society. In an interview, he trashed Crabtree again and said “I was making sure everybody knew Crabtree was a mediocre receiver. Mediocre. And when you try the best corner in the game with a mediocre receiver, that’s what happens.” Thanks for that clarification.
By the way, Sherman is a Stanford graduate with a degree in communications.
UPDATE: There is a rather bizarre notion raised that suggesting that Sherman could be disciplined for this conduct is an attack on free speech. Free speech allows you to speak without government censorship or punishment. It does not mean that adults can say anything without any personal repercussions, particularly while at work. This blog is committed to free speech. Indeed, we have often been accused of being too extreme in our defense of free speech. However, this is not a question of free speech. It is a question of civility and professionalism. If an employee screams profanities at customers or co-workers, it is not a free speech issue. It is a question of the code for employees. If an employee shows contempt for customers or co-workers, it is not a free speech issue. Free speech means that no one can force you not to be an idiot. However, in society, being an idiot comes at a cost with people who do not want to appear idiots. The fact that this would not seem “so bad,” only shows how far our society has diverged from basic expectations of conduct from adults. This is precisely why professional sports is being a beacon for those who want to get drunk and act like juveniles. Call it prissy or prudish if you want. However, I do worry about how this type of conduct is being treated as just harmless trash talk. It is not the content but the conduct that it being raised by some of us. If we cannot agree that this type of conduct is improper for a professional athlete in a game, we have surrendered far too much in our expectations for a civil society.
This just happens when you play with passion. I doubt you’ve ever played a sport well if your hypercritical of this trash talk.
Erin Andrews’ Biggest Regret From That Infamous Richard Sherman Interview
HuffPost Live | By Ryan Buxton
Posted: 08/19/2014 7:24 pm EDT Updated: 08/19/2014 7:59 pm EDT
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/19/erin-andrews-richard-sherman_n_5693021.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular
Nic,
Think about some of the things that certain NFL players have done that should be reasons for them not to be drafted or to retain their jobs.
Excerpt from what WFAA Texas sports anchor Dale Hansen said on Monday:
“You beat a woman and drag her down a flight of stairs, pulling her hair out by the roots? You’re the fourth guy taken in the NFL draft. You kill people while driving drunk? That guy’s welcome. Players caught in hotel rooms with illegal drugs and prostitutes? We know they’re welcome. Players accused of rape and pay the woman to go away? You lie to police, trying to cover up a murder? We’re comfortable with that.”
Sports franchises should continue to set regulations on the actions of their players. The players are a representation of their brand and if suddenly there were an influx of disregarded disorderly conduct sponsorship would decrease for the franchise as a whole. This should apply to all teams and all players.
” . . . some people instinctively react to every derogatory comment spoken by a non-African American about an African-American as intending a racial slur.”
And some non-African Americans instinctively react to every comment spoken by a African American with a racial slur, like my brother.
I pretty sure where the greater harm lies.
Elaine:
You’ve got a legitimate point of view but some people instinctively react to every derogatory comment spoken by a non-African American about an African-American as intending a racial slur. No one can divine intent for sure and it makes no sense to say that because some people called this player a “thug” they intended some racial subtext. Like many have said here Incognito is a thug as he’s anything but African-American, his group-thinking teammates notwithstanding.
It most certainly does!
Elaine:
I’m mikeappleton46. Does that mean we were born the same year?
Well, I posted a reply to Elaine, but it has disappeared into WordMess and with the new format, I cannot retrieve it. I don’t like the inability to access the spam filter.
I’m sorry that my screen name keeps changing. It depends upon how I log-in to WordPress. I’m elainemag46.
mespo,
I’m a hypersensitive apologist because I’m concerned about the way some Americans responded to Sherman’s rant? I didn’t apologize for his behavior. I did, however, feel that the incident was blown way out of proportion. I don’t think the man is a thug because he did some trash talking. Tons of sports figures have done far worse things than he and they escaped that type of vicious backlash.
Sherman fully expected the reaction he got. If so, he played everyone for the fool exposing both racists and hypersensitive apologists and people tired of arrogant jocks filling the airways for their own peculiarly gain. There is something pretty vile about rabble-rousers wrapped up as carney hucksters.
Find me one comment here where anyone abides the racist insults.
The vile and racist reaction was all part of the plan. To shine the light brighter. Race SELLS. As Malcolm X said, “You been hoodwinked, sold a bill a goods, you been bamboozled.” The racists hit their marks and spewed their venom, just like Sherman knew they would. The hand wringers came right in on cue, as predictable as the sun. And Sherman laughs all the way to the bank. He NEEDED the racists, he needed the hand wringers, to keep this from ending after just one news cycle. Book smart, street smart, and people smart. Mr. Sherman is doing just fine. This was all part of the marketing plan. No Wall St guy could have pulled this one off. The Mad Men would be proud.
Mespo, Here’s what continues to amaze me. This act was obvious. The motive was transparent. This was easy. Everyone spoke about Sherman’s book smarts. But, he is also street and people smart. He is a man w/ a plan.
mespo,
Who cares if it was theater? That’s not what the argument here has been about. If it was theater–does that make Sherman a thug? I think some people are missing the point that others of us have been trying to make. The racist and vile reaction to Sherman’s interview was unconscionable. It is what we find way more troubling than his rant.
Sherman’s rant was pure theatre as nick suggests. Leigh Steinberg made the same point yesterday on national radio.
g2-9e689c6d0ab2b831a1672cd65f2dc5f2,
Nick just told you he “called this one right.” Nick is ALWAYS right! And Nick is the one who is always here to give other people advice about their blog behavior. He’s the guardian of the blog. Don’t go tae kwondoing him…or nothin’. I don’t know what we poor benighted people would do without him.
😉
Wow Mr. Neal, Lot’s of hostility. The truth is a mofo but it’s not worth threatening to assault someone. I’m a man of peace. It hurts that I called this one right a couple days ago. But, don’t be goin’ all Grasshopper, Kung Fu, Karate Man on me. I think you’re better than that and Mr. Turley has weighed in on the personal stuff being unacceptable. Just like Richard Sherman’s rant. I think you have potential as a good commenter. Don’t get your ass run by the boss, that would be a waste. And, I’m not bullshitting, I mean what I just said. Keep it civil.