Without going into all the details of what happened I want to quickly thank Richard Sherman for proving my point. I said it before and will say it again, all pro athletes should be required to complete Toastmasters before their first game. Now I understand Richard Sherman has a degree in communication from Stanford but… Ok, the thing is this, just because you know something doesn’t mean you are good at it right? And let’s be honest, all my fellow jocks raise your hand if you can relate, those of us with all the trophies on the wall and the letterman jacket full of patches took the easy classes and showed up very seldom to those classes.
For those of you who do not know what I am talking about, you can read about it here at USA Today. To quote Chris Chase at USA Today Sports, “After making a fantastic play that led to a NFC championship-winning interception on what could have been a game-winning 49ers touchdown, Richard Sherman…made his feelings clear in a postgame interview with Erin Andrews.” You can watch the interview here.
About San Francisco receiver Michael Crabtree Sherman said, “I was making sure everybody knew Crabtree was a mediocre receiver. Mediocre. And when you try the best corner in the game with a mediocre receiver, that’s what happens.”
Being a communicator means knowing when to bite your tongue.
Part of knowing how to be an effective public communicator is knowing when and what not to communicate. Richard Sherman should understand this. For the next two weeks leading up to the Super Bowl in February everything Richard Sherman says will be closely watched and analyzed and plastered all over the media. The Seattle Seahawks have to step up against Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos now and I am not sure all this negative publicity is what the Seahawks need lingering over their heads.
It would have been wise to dial the testosterone down a bit, quiet the trash talking and be the better man instead of proclaiming yourself the best corner in the NFL. “I’m the best corner in the game. When you try me with a sorry receiver like Crabtree, that’s the result you gonna get. Don’t you ever talk about me. Don’t you open your mouth about the best or I’m gonna shut it for you real quick.”
My friend Ted Taylor said something I am going to nominate as best joke of the week. “”Best Corner in the Game”? He’s not even the best corner on the Seahawks!”
Well played Sir. Well played.