Richard Sherman made a great athletic play for the Seattle Seahawks in the closing seconds Sunday to earn them a trip to the Super Bowl, unfortunately his on-the-field tirade to Fox Sport’s Erine Andrews is over-shadowing that effort. In fact, Richard Sherman’s shouts of outrage at 49’ers receiver Michael Crabtree so turned off the social media crowd that much of America today is rooting for the Denver Broncos.
Sherman’s tip of Colin Kaepernick’s pass was a terrific athletic play at the most critical time. A play that undoubtedly saved the game for Seattle and a reason to celebrate. What followed on the field was classless and what took play on live national television was rude, crude and offensive. Football fans are used to seeing poor behavior on the field and sidelines during NFL games. These guys are not choir boys and yes Buffalo Bills fans have seen their heroes demonstrate crude public displays over the years as well. Sherman has now raised the bar, or should I say lowered it.
Fox Directors quickly pulled the plug on Sherman’s screaming to Andrews and he was much more in control minutes after the Andrews interview while talking to Terry Bradshaw on the stage set up for the NFC trophy presentation. Then Fox put Sherman on again with the Fox Sports NFL anchors to allow him to describe the defensive gem more rationally. To his credit, Michael Strahan was the only one to question Sherman about “scaring the hell out of Erin Andrews” and asking him what that was all about?
Strahan asked “THE” question. The question most of the Fox viewers were waiting for and one that needed an answer. Sherman’s explanation doesn’t come close to explaining how a professional athlete on that stage could come so unglued after making the winning play, not the losing play, the winning play!
Every year at Super Bowl time most of America has no favorite team to root for. Their team has probably been eliminated or were never in the hunt like those of us in Buffalo. So they find a reason to root for one team or the other to better enjoy the game. Richard Sherman’s behavior has forced millions of football fans to now root for future Hall of Fame QB Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos.
Not that football fans and especially Buffalo Bill fans needed an extra reason to cheer against the Seahawks. Seattle Coach Pete Carroll has never been a favorite because of his cocky comments towards the Bills while coaching the Jets and his National Champ USC teams were deemed arrogant as well.
The Seahawks also have running back Marshawn Lynch who continues to refuse talk to the media on a weekly basis and his attitude in Buffalo forced the Bills to trade him away. Lynch is a force on the field and despite his public antics was well liked by Bills teammates, especially Fred Jackson.
Just with Carroll and Lynch on the Seahawks Buffalo Bill fans would be pulling for the AFC Broncos. Throw in Sherman’s over the top behavior and my guess is 75% of America is online today buying Broncos jerseys to spill chip dip or chilion while watching Super Bowl XLVIII.
Filed under: Koshinski's Korner
Tagged with: NFC, Richard Sherman, Seattle Seahawks
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