For all the friendship between opponents after games, no one except Seahawks and their fans embrace the Seattle cornerback.
He plays an isolation position and seems to live the same way.
But don't mistake this man for Pacman Jones and the ‘scrip club' rain, or Hollywood Henderson, the old Cowboy linebacker who called Terry Bradshaw dumb before admitting he snorted coke on the sidelines.
Those guys represent the old stereotype. Their on-field game was also their life plan with the lines of each blurred until personal problems caught up with them.
Don't expect to see Richard Sherman on a police report. This man understands the meaning of legacy.
So far his legend includes the sort of high school grades we all wish we had. His 4.2 GPA at high school earned him a spot at Stanford, where he finished with honors.
Both supporters and detractors say Richard doesn't forget much on the field and off. On the field he remembers positions and tendencies. He sees patterns and reacts.
Off the field, he remembers rudeness and slights. Apparently he and Michael Crabtree have a grudge match that began in the off-season. If I were Crabtree, I'd make friends with the other side. Gain a competitive edge by being nice, not that it would help in the pressure cooker of a championship game.
Sherman is a nice guy. Look at his YouTube clips and you'll see someone engaging in life with a loving attitude. Maybe not the clip where he gets punched in the face by a Washington Redskin lineman, but others.
Sherman's conversation with ESPN's Skip Bayless might not be the best example, either, but who wouldn't want to help the twitching Skipper see a bigger point? Here's an older man with painted hair bouncing on his seat like a three-year-old watching a piece of birthday cake coming to him, except Skip's bounce comes from sticking harsh opinions into sports where they don't always fit.
Imagine Mr. Bayless taking a punch from on NFL lineman. Now imagine him in a neck brace talking to lawyers about out of control athletes with violent streaks.
I've got a feeling Richard Sherman's draft slot has something to do with his antics. Taken in the fifth round, he faces too many first round players with tons of money in the bank. In a way, he's sticking it to The Man every time he makes a play. If being The Man means being wealthy and at the top of your field of endeavor, then NFL receivers are it. And Richard shuts them down.
Earning a rookie contract salary of $550,000, he owns the elite.
Who could resist taunting the Cowboys' chest thumping, mother slapping Dez Bryant? He's got so many vulnerables it would be hard to pick one. Better to let your game do the talking, but if talking is part of your game, chat on.
Sherman isn't the only smart guy in the NFL. In the recent past the Minnesota Vikings drafted Robert Smith from Ohio State. While a Buckeye, Smith criticized the athletic administration for discouraging him from the pre-med classes he needed to get into medical school. When he quit the Vikings at the top of his game, did he go to medical school? Wiki says he quit to 'pursue a career' in medicine.
If he has problems finding a direction for his medical pursuits he could call Richard and ask about his Blanket Coverage – The Richard Sherman Family Foundation.
Coming out of Penn State is another smart guy, one who carries the 'genius' label. John Urschel, offensive guard, is a math wizard who'll finish his five years of college with a bachelor's degree and two masters. With an NFL dream and the means to get there, he'll join Richard Sherman on the IQ squad.
Let's hope the Seattle Seahawks get a chance to draft Urschel. Why not field a great team full of players who understand the dangers of getting hit in the head, but do it anyway? Who better to figure out the safety issues?
Let’s get Richard Sherman in on the monologue.
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