At the risk of intruding upon our weekend bloggers, I wanted to post an update to our prior posting on the Seahawks’ cornerback Richard Sherman. Sherman has now been fined by the NFL, not for his infamous post-game interview, but his unsportsmanlike conduct on the field after the final play against the San Francisco 49ers. He will pay almost $8000 for his taunting of San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree. As someone who has long objected to increasing example of poor sportsmanship (as well as excessive celebration) incidents in football, I believe the fine is well deserved, though (as I previously stated) I felt Crabtree also acted in a rude manner in refusing to shake Sherman’s hand and shoving Sherman’s face mask. I would have liked to see him fined as well.
I thought the earlier discussion over Sherman was interesting in the sharp difference in how his interview was perceived on this blog. I continue to view Sherman’s conduct in that interview to be disgraceful and unprofessional. I do not believe that it is racist to describe a player screaming at an interviewer and into a camera in this way as “thuggish.” I was surprised by many who not only stated that they felt that the conduct was acceptable but by those who said that they liked this type of trash talking. Sitting with my kids and watching the game, I did not view the interview as “thrilling” but obnoxious. In my view, this is a controversy that turns not on the different way people view race but the different way people view conduct. For some, those issues are inextricably linked and race is distorting the view of the conduct. I found many of those views to be insightful. There are clearly racists who came out in this debate, but I do not believe that the majority of people objecting to Sherman’s rant were acting out of some latent racist motivation. I also do not believe that to call out a black athlete for such conduct must only be due to latent racism. I truly believe that a white player would have been similarly criticized by many of those objecting to this incident. Sherman went directly from an unprofessional taunt on the field to an unprofessional rant on television. His conduct warranted condemnation and, as discussed earlier, this is not a free speech issue.
We have criticized people of all races on this blog for uncivil and “thuggish” conduct. It does not matter that Sherman has a degree from Stanford or that he has an impressive life story. He is an adult and his conduct on the field and in the interview was disgraceful for a professional athlete in my opinion. He certainly has company in this ignoble group, but that does not excuse his conduct.
As I mentioned earlier, I thought it was great that the Seahawks have cracked down on thugs in the stadium who taunt and harass visitors from other teams. If this effort is going to successful, the players need to be held to a minimal standard of conduct on the field. Otherwise, we will allow this game (like other games) to decline to the lowest common denominator of conduct.
Obviously, for those who said that they like to see this type of trash talking or that they believe it is too late to conform the conduct of professional athletes, this is a rather moot point. However, I do not. I have long criticized the decline of civility and basic norms of conduct in our society. That may certainly make me prissy or old-fashioned in the view of many. I must admit that I find myself in a diminishing minority. For those of us who hold to such views, Sherman’s taunting on the field and screaming in the interview was all too familiar and outside of the bounds of professional conduct.
I believe that Sherman should have been reprimanded by the team for the interview as unprofessional and unbecoming for a member of the Seahawks (while the interview occurred on the field and he was in his uniform, it is not subject to the NFL rule or fines). Clearly, many disagree and I am glad that we can discuss those different views on this blog without personal animus or assuming the worst motivations of people. There are good faith views on both sides of this controversy. Issues that touch on race produce strong passions as well as strong rhetoric in such debates. We should not shy away from discussing such issues on this blog but we should show that such discussions can occur without labeling people on the other side as necessarily racists or apologists.
The fine was well deserved for the taunting. A fine against Crabtree would be equally well deserved. I fail to understand why his shoving of the face mask was not denounced and penalized.
David W, Exactly! And those of us who see the repercussions of this shameful behavior being a diminishing of sportsmanship, something that is fundamental for competitive sports to survive. I coached kids in baseball for 30 years. A few went on to play college baseball but NONE made a living @ it. While teaching the fundamentals of the game is important, I ALWAYS saw the lessons of teamwork, respect, sportsmanship to be MUCH MORE important as these young men went out into the world. When I have a kid I coached years ago come up in a grocery store, on the street, and thanks me, I know I was successful. I like to think the kids I coached see Richard Sherman as the poster child for unsportsmanship and incivility. The damage he is doing to young black kids is a disgrace. But, for every Richard Sherman there is a Russell Wilson and many more like him. Being an optimist, I believe the positive image will eventually prevail. Few athletes have the intelligence and savvy to pull off the con game of Richard Sherman. And many more have a better conscience.
Hi Kerryn,
Sorry I did delete one comment but I am on the road and did not post a note. Yes, I viewed it as crossing the line by questioning the education and accomplishment of the earlier commenter. I appreciate your point but we have tried to hold the line on making the exchanges personal. I hope that you will continue to share your thoughts on this issue.
Thanks
JT
Nick,
It was all part of the same play that Sherman played…. How can the two acts really be separated…..
Rick Geissal:
Amen on your choice of player and sentiments.
What AY said.
nick spinelli
Mr. Turley, This has been a great discussion. I believe it has been quite civil compared to recent past discussions of controversy. As I said the taunting fine for Sherman was for his giving the choking sign to Kapernick,
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Correct.
Most folks seem to think it was for the Crabtree thingy, but when Crabtree pissed him off he got intellectually lazy, which drains one’s wisdom very quickly.
Mr. Turley, This has been a great discussion. I believe it has been quite civil compared to recent past discussions of controversy. As I said the taunting fine for Sherman was for his giving the choking sign to Kapernick, the 49ers QB. I think the NFL saw Sherman’s act toward Crabtree for what it was, passive aggressive, manipulative taunting. There was bad blood going back between the two, involving handshakes, @ a charity event. They hate each other. Running up to a player, who hates you, right after a devastating loss, and giving him a condescending pat on his rear and sticking your hand out to shake, is taunting. So, I surmise saw Crabtree’s reaction as a push. If you watch the tape, right after Crabtree shoved Sherman out of his face, Sherman gave the fake surprise look and was looking for a flag. You know how players get a free first punch, and the retaliator gets the flag, w/ the instigator throwing his arms out w/ the, “Did you see that” look. That’s what happened, like Sherman was looking for the flag. This guy is a MASTER manipulator. And, as I said previously, it probably won’t end well for him. Hopefully he invests wisely. Over 70% of professional football players end up filing bankruptcy within 5 years of their retirement. If they invest wisely, they can live like a prince their entire life. But, most want to continue to live like kings as they do when they have that salary and endorsement money coming in. Within 5 years they’re broke.
I’m even against the fine…… While his post rant was unacceptable…..to me…. He still enjoys the right of free speech…. And with that right comes your right to be offended…. For what I saw…. He was showing a sportsman like conduct after the play…. If anyone should be fined its Crabtree for grabbing the face mask…..
Tempest in a teacup. It was not taunting and Sherman remains one of the best players in the sport. The use of the word “thug” is a convenient side-stepping of those who use it, as the word they would like to use is no longer acceptable.
You’re wrong on this one, JT, sorry. Much ado about absolutely nothhig.
Rick, Great points. And, you can go to Michael Jordan, Walter Payton, Barry Sanders, Kareem, Magic, the list can go on for days. They didn’t act like Sherman. Your other point that white guys are also called “thugs” is important and the Incognito example is a good and fresh one. There is a long history of white athletes being called thugs. The Stanley Cup Champion Flyers were a “Team of thugs.” The Oakland Raiders basked in their “thug” image.
This will not end well for Sherman. Football is a nasty business. Offensive players are currently being protected by NFL officials for money and health reasons, IN THAT ORDER. Defensive players are not protected. They’re not the stars. Richard Sherman is one chop block away from having his knee blown out. Professional athletes have codes. Sherman has continuously broken that code w/ his mouth and cheap shots on the field. He has paid the fines but obviously is unrepentant. A wide receiver or tight end, almost certainly a black brother, will get Sherman’s mind right. Bet on that.
Mr. Turley, I believe the actions of going up to Crabtree RIGHT after he lost and patting him on the ass was condescending, passive aggressive, taunting. However, there was a more overt taunting for which Sherman was fined. There is video of him running toward the 49ers QB, Colin Kapernick, an orphan adopted by a white family, and giving him the universal choking sign.
Sherman is probably the most reviled player in the NFL BY PLAYERS. Wide receivers hate Sherman the most, and most of them are also black. They say things to and about Sherman that would make his apologists blush or even faint. As I try and put Sherman’s anti hero, money grabbing, manipulative act in perspective, I came to professional wrestling and the late, great, Andy Kauffman. Andy created this elite, Hollywood anti hero Inter Gender Wrestling Champion. He taunted his opponents and acted shamefully, w/ rants like Mr. Sherman. Professional Wrestling has a long history of anti heroes. But, Kauffman tweaked it. When he started getting attacked for his vile words and behavior he started to complain and play the victim card. That had never been done before. Anti heroes had always relished their being the villain.
The act of Sherman has been ongoing for a couple years. I have followed him so I understood the history and the act. He is book, street, and people smart. The motive, as I said @ the outset, is money. Sherman makes 500k a year. Football players, unless you’re an offensive star, make much less than their worth. Union mismanagement is the reason but that’s a long story. This actor knew he would draw out racists. He knew it would draw out the apologists and hand wringers, taking this past a one day news cycle leading into the MEDIA event of the year. The Super Bowl transcends sports. It is in NYC[Jersey actually]. It Is a national secular holiday. This is where athletes make the REALLY big money w/ endorsements. Well, on Jake Tappers show yesterday he reported that Sherman’s agent announced Sherman just signed a $5 million dollar endorsement contract!! Mr. Sherman is indeed VERY smart. He played the racists that he knew would jump into the plan. He REALLY played the apologists and hand wringers. And, like Andy Kauffman, he played the poor anti hero victim. His supporters keep telling us how smart Sherman is. Well, I and others knew that. And, he is MUCH smarter than all the people he manipulated.
I had a post that appeared and then disappeared. Did I cross a line? If so please explain.
I am old, too, but grew up idolizing Bill White, 7-time Gold glove First-baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals. He played the game extremely well and also with sportsmanship. On that team, I could have chosen Ken Boyer or Stan Musial – also sportsmen and gentlemen – but White was special to me.
I cannot imagine highly-competitive and great athletes like Frank Robinson, Jim Brown, Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, Bart Starr or Mickey Mantle ridiculing their opponents.
As to “thug” being a disguised, racial pejorative: Richie Incognito was a thug in St. Louis, as well as last fall in Miami – and that’s what I have consistently called him. He attempts to succeed by bullying and rule-breaking.
issac–say what you will about Sherman’s antics, but to describe him as “an example of semi-literate youth” is quite wide of the mark.
http://mmqb.si.com/2014/01/20/richard-sherman-interview-michael-crabtree/
issac
Firstly, why do you waste your time with this? Secondly, Sherman is nothing more than an athlete who made it through Stanford with a ‘Communications Degree’-two boxtops and fifteen cents. He got into Stanford to play football, not on his academic standing.
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Very uninformed bull.
He was an A student (over 4 point grade avg.)
“Thug” is the new n-word for racists who think Sherman et. al. are being “uppity.”
Dogs don’t eat dogs and Ayn Rand has enough on her hands with her grandson Rand Paul to worry about pro football donkeys.
While I can understand the adrenaline fueled rants, it does not excuse them. The best things sports can do is to provide healthy competition and activity for the athletes and teach them to win or lose with equal grace. Professional athletes have been around long enough not to act like teen agers and should have learned what we call SPORTSMANSHIP. I also agree that Crabtree should have shared in the fine as well, since his conduct was no better. It is not old fashioned to demand good conduct on and off the field since such things are part of the fabric of what makes any society function. Just as vulture capitalism is being shown to be a system that is inimical to the human race, allowing unfettered emotional self promoting conduct contributes to this dog eat dog ideology that will kill any kind of society in the long run. Ayn Rand would be proud of Sherman.
He’s fined $7,800 by the NFL for taunting, but he now stands to make millions for his 15-second post-game rant.
The monetary penalties are no deterrent to people who make 6-figure salaries as a matter of routine. They even feel emboldened to brag about it and, as the endorsements show, we not only tolerate & excuse that type of behavior, we reward it.
Firstly, why do you waste your time with this? Secondly, Sherman is nothing more than an athlete who made it through Stanford with a ‘Communications Degree’-two boxtops and fifteen cents. He got into Stanford to play football, not on his academic standing. He is an example of semi literate youth getting a free ride to useless degrees on their way to the pros and millions in salaries.
You need an ego to be exceptional but let’s leave it at a good football player who was tutored so he could make a C average in order to win games for “Good Old Stanford”. Referring to his life as remarkable may refer to growing up in Compton-Flack Jacket City, but that’s all. He is, like so many others, a celebrity who makes millions and “ain’t nobody gun talk to me like that”.
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