Richard Sherman Sounds Off

[dropcap]P[/dropcap]erhaps it is his undeniable talent. Or perhaps it is his big mouth. Seattle Seawhawks’ Richard Sherman is both the best cornerback and trash talker in all of football.The All-Pro corner lashed out following Seattle’s victory over San Francisco in the National Football Conference Championship game nearly two weeks ago. After batting down a pass intended for the 49ers’ Michael Crabtree, Sherman exploded during his postgame interview, calling San Francisco’s wide out sorry and mediocre. Even as a San Francisco 49ers fan, I do recognize that Sherman is the best cornerback in the NFL. His talent — the way he reads the opposing quarterback, his coverage and the manner in which he intercepts a perfectly thrown pass — is incomparable. In other areas however, namely sportsmanship and game conduct, the Seahawks’ defensive back is lacking.Before his 15-second postgame outburst, Sherman allegedly ran over to Crabtree, extended his hand and said, “Hell of a game, hell of a game.” After the fact, the Stanford University graduate stated that he approached the 49ers’ receiver in good nature. Despite hearing Sherman’s “well-intentioned” comments, I still have my doubts about the purpose of his words. I believe that Sherman merely said what he said to Crabtree because he wanted to clean his tainted image. Consequently, he was put in a hypocritical position in which he was forced to say something that he did not mean. He knew that he was wired up and that NFL fans across the nation would be able to hear his every word. He saw this as an opportunity to demonstrate to America and all fans that he is not the trash talker people make him out to be. Maybe others would like him as well — and not just Seahawks fans — if he stopped being so arrogant toward other players. He simply has a horrible way of expressing his feelings.I acknowledge his immense passion for the game, and I may never realize the amount of joy he gets from such. I am not trying to take the win away from him. I am merely stating that the way Sherman does it — in such unlikable fashion — gives him a negative image. Instead of drawing negative attention to himself, he should be respectful of other teams and players. I am not concerned with the kind of person he is off the field. I am simply focusing on the way he expresses himself on the gridiron and the immense amount of trash talk and players he incites. He takes his passion to a whole other level that does not align with competition, and instead directs itself to provoking problems with others. He needs to find a common ground where he can still express his passion, but in a more respectful manner. Ivan Munoz is a political science and English double major.