Mar8

Sherman Only Makes Himself Look Worse After “First Take” Appearance

Football, NFL 6 comments
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ESPN’s First Take is quickly becoming the platform for which analysts and athletes alike go to make themselves look ridiculous.  Just a few months ago, it was Rob Parker making himself look bad after his comments about Washington Redskins’ QB Robert Griffin. He has since then been fired from ESPN and made an apology but the damage had already been done. Fast forward to today and it was Seattle Seahawks’ Corner Richard Sherman’s turn to look like a jack ass. If you haven’t seen the video, it is linked here and is also at the bottom of the page.

For those not familiar with the show, the two analysts that are consistently on the show are Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless. The whole concept around the show is for two people, who are polar opposites on most subjects on sports, to debate different topics and/or current issues in sports. Occasionally there are guest hosts and the show even welcomes players to come on and defend themselves either in studio or on the phone.

Terrell Suggs is notorious for coming on the show and debating with Stephen A. and Skip. Thursday, Sherman got his chance to come on the show and do just that after Skip Bayless said he wasn’t in the same class as New York Jets’ Corner Darrelle Revis with regards to being an NFL defensive back. Instead, Sherman took the opportunity to attack Bayless verbally, dance around any question that he was asked and essentially make himself look like an idiot.  Again, the footage speaks for itself but let’s try and put some perspective into some of Sherman’s comments.

“Skip, whenever you refer to me, whenever you speak to me, whenever you address me, you address me as All-Pro Stanford graduate.  Because those are some accomplishments that you will never…you can aspire to…you will never accomplish.  You have never accomplished anything.”

So according to Sherman, everyone should be addressed by their accomplishments and what school they graduated from.  I guess we can call Tom Brady All-Pro, Most Valuable Player, Superbowl Champion, Sportsman of the Year, Athlete of the Year, Michigan Graduate.  That’s a mouth full, so I’m sure he’d be fine with just Tom.  To Sherman’s second point about Skip having never accomplished anything.  Actually Richard, Skip graduated from Vanderbilt, was nominated for a Sports’ Emmy and has a show on the largest sports media company in the world.  Maybe Sherman should start addressing him as Emmy Nominated, TV Host, Vanderbilt Graduate.

“I’m one of the best 22 players in the NFL…”

One of the best 22 players in the NFL?  That’s debatable. There are at least 10 QB’s in the NFL that fans, media members and GM’s would take over Sherman and that’s only one position. Comparing apples or oranges there but what Sherman needs to realize is that just because you’re a starter on the Pro-Bowl doesn’t mean you’re one of the best 22 players in the NFL.  Just so you know.

“In my 24 years of life, I’m better at life than you.”

That one statement epitomizes why this is bad for Richard Sherman.  What does that statement even mean?  Better at what exactly?  Sherman repeatedly tap dances around any question that is asked of him like a spoiled child that doesn’t have the ability to come up with a meaningful answer and thus results to name calling and and criticism with zero weight or credibility behind it. Basically, he’s saying “I can’t really respond to your question because I know you’re right so I’ll attack you personally to try and make myself feel better.”Again, something that kids do.

“I’m capable enough to understand that you are ignorant, pompous, egotistical…”

Well if that isn’t the pot calling the kettle black then I don’t know what is. Pompous and egotistical are two things that Bayless might be but that’s because he gets paid well to be those things on camera and in his writing but ignorant is something he isn’t. But the best part about this statement was Stephen A. Smith’s face while the comment is being made. He knows how ridiculous Sherman sounds and you can tell it by the bitter beer face that he’s giving.

Sherman was invited on the show to talk about sports while at the same time defending himself against comments that Bayless made previously regarding he and Revis.  Skip must have struck a nerve because Sherman hijacked the show to try and “crush” him on national television.  The problem is that the only thing Sherman accomplished was making himself look ignorant and proving Skip correct.

He is quickly becoming the poster child of the NFL for what not to do and what not to say.  In less than a year, he’s called out Tom Brady and tried to confront him/get in his face after the Seahawks beat the Patriots, he’s gotten into a Twitter war with the aforementioned Revis and now this. A word of advice for you Rich…practice what you preach and let your play/tape/numbers do the talking. Champ Bailey is one of the best corners to ever play the game and everyone knows it.  How many times have you seen him run his mouth of to the media?  On the flip side, Randy Moss is arguably one of the best receivers to ever play the game but no one remembers the spectacular plays or the big time numbers. Why?  Because all that is one people’s minds are his childish antics.

Hopefully Sherman will learn from this, grow up a little and get back to what got him where his is and that’s playing football. Like Sherman, Skip Bayless gets paid a lot of money to do the job that he does and he is very good at it. As an athlete you will always have critics. It just comes with the territory.  Lashing out at all of them is not the answer.  And Sherman would be wise to remember that is is people like Bayless who are the reason he makes the kind of money he does and is as known as he is.  Take away the media (TV, internet, radio) and sports dollars would plummet and athlete exposure would be slim to none.

[youtube_sc url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkPUj30GpPs"]

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  • http://www.facebook.com/jmccoy1 John McCoy

    I’m glad I watched the entire video of that skirmish between Sherman and Bayless. You have to really be an ass**** to get me to have sympathy for Bayless. But Sherman accomplished just that.

    • Clayton Crowe

      I disagree with Skip on almost everything he says. He makes some ridiculous statements but he was spot on that Sherman isn’t on the same level as Revis and Sherman knows it. That’s why he got so defensive and acted like a child.

  • http://twitter.com/DaynaOG DaynaO

    I’m not sure how much of the back story you know on this but Bayless spent the entire season bashing Sherman as often as possible, personally & professionally. I think it was about time someone gave him a taste of his own medicine. I think we forget that although these guys are players in the NFL, they are still just normal people who can only ignore constant insults for so long. NEVER EVER feel bad for Bayless. He brings it all on himself.

    • http://www.facebook.com/stefan.jagot Stefan Jagot

      While I agree that Bayless is a professional troll, I don’t know if the best way to combat this is to be pretty arrogant too. ESPN has quite the formula going with First Take now though. It’s become a sports radio talk show, on TV. In terms of a talking head (Bayless) pissing off everyone he can and hopefully getting a reaction like the one he did from Sherman.

    • Clayton Crowe

      I’ve seen and heard Bayless attack Sherman on the professional level but you’d have to find me a video or article as proof that he attacked him personally. And while I understand that it would be difficult to listen to someone talk negatively about me as a player, you have to realize that it comes with the territory. What if Barrack Obama acted like this when addressing someone who attacked him as a President? If you can’t take the criticism that comes with the job then find another career. And it isn’t that anyone feels bad for Bayless as he brings plenty of criticism on himself but this was completely uncalled for. Had Sherman stayed on his original path with bashing Skip about his career then this wouldn’t be as bad because that would be tit for tat but that’s not what happened. And the whole “address me as” thing is what makes him look that much more childish. Get over yourself and prove Skip wrong on the football field.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=636145234 Dave Wilson

    Is Richard Sherman cocky? Yes.Is he an ass? Yes. As a Seahawks fan do I care one bit? No. He is well on his way to being one of, if not the best corner in the league. Is he better than Revis right now, maybe, that’s worthy of some debate. Is he at least on Revis’ level? Yes.

 
 
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