Richard Sherman: Love Him or Hate Him?

As Super Bowl XLVIII fades into the sunset we are left with many subplots of the 2013 NFL season. Richard Sherman represents one of the biggest stories this year. Now that he has won the Lombardi Trophy his status will continue to be scrutinized and put under the microscope. Let’s take a look at this polarizing figure and find out what makes him so intriguing.

Richard Sherman was born on March 30, 1988 in Compton California to Kevin and Beverly Sherman. His Dad works for the sanitation department while Mom works with disabled inner-city children. At Dominguez High School he graduated as the Salutatorian with a 4.2 GPA and lettered in track and football. He then went to Stanford where he excelled in track (long jump, triple jump, and the 110 M hurdles). He played wide receiver and cornerback and graduated in 2010 with a degree in Communications. He started a Master’s degree with his final year of eligibility.

In the 2011 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks drafted the 6’3” 195 lb cornerback in the 5th round with the 154th overall pick. He ran the 40 yard dash in 4.54 sec, had a vertical jump of 40 inches, and a broad jump of 11 feet. He scored a 24 on the Wonderlic Cognitive Ability Test. This test has 50 questions and a twelve minute time limit that gauges problem solving skills in a variety of occupations. The average score by position in the NFL for example is: cornerbacks 18, QB’s 24, and offensive tackles 26.

In three years with the Seahawks, Sherman has 20 interceptions (two returned for touchdowns), 56 passes defended, 168 tackles, and 4 forced fumbles. He was named to the Pro Bowl in 2013 and was chosen as a two time AP First Team All Pro. Born under the Aries sign, these individuals are born leaders with loads of energy, ample confidence and hate laziness. Sherman brings intensity on every play and quarterbacks know where he is on the field.

Sherman has labeled the Seattle defense as the “Legion of Boom” because of their tenacity and physicality. This mindset has produced a Super Bowl demolition of the Broncos and a chance to repeat next year. But Sherman has had his share of controversies which have split the masses into either fan or hater.

Sherman and Michael Crabtree do not like each other a little. It made for great NFL theater to have a receiver and a cornerback challenge each other in a big playoff game. It does not get any better than that. One claims they are the best cornerback in the league and then has to go out there and make the plays to prove it. And he did. The interview with Erin Andrews got blown out of proportion. Do I think that Sherman plays to the camera? YES!!! Do I think that Erin Andrews knew what was going to happen? Deep down I think she had a clue. Or at least her bosses knew what might happen. Move on.

Now we enter the two week period before the Super Bowl and everyone is clamoring for Sherman to provide that locker room quote that will motivate the Broncos. What he did was pay homage to Manning but poke fun about his ability to throw a duck here and there. Harmless stuff but effective because everyone was focusing on Sherman and no one said a word about a second year quarterback named Russell Wilson. Mission accomplished.

Sherman is a master at performing on the big stage and making you hate him. But as long as he continues to do his job at a high level, he will continue to get inside the head of every team he plays. Highly motivated people who are successful at their jobs must maintain a high level of confidence. If they do not they should stay in bed. Sherman oozes with confidence bordering on cockiness. Considering where he started and what he has achieved I think he handles himself very well. He plays a sport where one violent hit can end a career. Every time you walk off the field uninjured is a good day.

The future for Richard Sherman is bright. He is that player that you hate to play against but would love to have him wear your jersey. He is loyal to his troops and they would run through a wall for him. Do you know what he got paid this year? The answer is a mere $555,000. As a general manager I would say I maximized my salary cap dollars for this player.

If you love him or hate him, you have to ask yourself why. The game needs a player like Richard Sherman because he is real. He does not pretend to be something that he is not. He is the same person all the time. I give him credit for that. Call him a thug or call him a self promoter but he brings intensity on every play. How many players can you say that about? The scary thing is that I can see him coaching one day and being very successful. You heard it here first.

Now let’s focus on the greatest sport of all: COLLEGE BASKETBALL!!!!