The thing I most admire in Sherman...

[pehawk]

Is how he is using his celebrity as a means to be an activist.

A few years ago it was talking about how at Stanford he'd go a few days without eating, even though he was generating revenue for the school. His well intended, yet misfired cardboard cutout routine. Him bringing up how players in the SB do not receive their PB swag/money. Or, that Goodell and NFL execs should have to speak weekly like the players do.

All of it is necessary. All of it is...Smart. Thoughtful. Witty. Lucid. Poignant.

For most it's hard to have any empathy for athletes due to their incomes. But, if you can remove that bias, you can truly appreciate the topics he's addressing.

The NFL has long kept the NFLPA on a leash...one that Upshaw placed around Smith's neck for the owners. The NFL is always the last to the party for any social or cultural sensitivities. The NFL routinely preaches safety while increasing TNF's and making a case for 18 games. They've needed a man like Sherman, a smart leader and reasonable advocate to balance their dominance over the worst union in professional sports.

Nothing he does on the field compares to what he's doing off.

Tip of the cap!

 

[Jerhawk]

Agreed.

I wonder if the job was offered to him, if he's become the NFLPA rep or possible NFLPA president?

 

[fan4life]

Interesting OP. I also believe that #25 is one smart dude. For instance, I have no doubt that his recent comments about how cozy Bob Kraft and Roger Goodell are were not made lightly. Or without the prior knowledge/approval of Seahawks management.

 

[Trenchbroom]

Interesting OP. I also believe that #25 is one smart dude. For instance, I have no doubt that his recent comments about how cozy Bob Kraft and Roger Goodell are were not made lightly. Or without the prior knowledge/approval of Seahawks management.

I doubt that he had front office approval.

I am most impressed with his respect for his fellow teammates. SI article talking about how he was supposed to be by himself on the cover but he insisted that the LOB be on it AND the entire secondary in photos inside. He knows that his higher tier of fame means that he is the lead story, but he recognizes that this is a team sport and that no one (except QBs) should be above the team in the NFL.

Classy. Respectful. And the right thing to do.

 

[Largent80]

Sherman is Football Einstein.

 

[netskier]

Agreed. Probably to preempt, or at least lessen, another planned ref-gate. Three refs from the first have been assigned to this game, if I read correctly.

 

[pmedic920]

I've been a union rep.
I hope if he is ever offered the job, he turns it down.
Yes, fighting for your bothers is cool and he would be good at it but there is much more to it than that.
It really kinda puts you in a no win position.
My view may be a bit skewed because I had to rep through 2 different strikes. Anyway like I said I hope he never does it.

I admire the value he placed on his academics. He is smart and his education shows.

 

[hieroglyphics]

Obviously Sherman loves the spotlight, but I really do think he's very calculated in the remarks he makes. I suppose you never know how the media will spin something but when Sherman talks about issues now in the NFL, the media takes notice.

Its amazing that we have the future face of the NFL (Wilson), the anti-establishment player of the NFL (Lynch), and the guy whose talking about the tough issues facing the league (Sherman) all on the same team.

 

[HawkFan72]

Interesting OP. I also believe that #25 is one smart dude. For instance, I have no doubt that his recent comments about how cozy Bob Kraft and Roger Goodell are were not made lightly. Or without the prior knowledge/approval of Seahawks management.

I doubt that he had front office approval.

I am most impressed with his respect for his fellow teammates. SI article talking about how he was supposed to be by himself on the cover but he insisted that the LOB be on it AND the entire secondary in photos inside. He knows that his higher tier of fame means that he is the lead story, but he recognizes that this is a team sport and that no one (except QBs) should be above the team in the NFL.

Classy. Respectful. And the right thing to do.

Yup. I love that about him.

 

[formido]

I like when public figures are activists for things I agree with. When they are activists for stuff I don't agree with, I think they are stupid celebrities whose opinions aren't any better than anyone else's.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

Anyone who can back up their mouth and attitude with their play on the field is good with me.

I'd love it if the Steelers could find the cap room to sign him away from you. Lord knows we need better DB's. Never happen though.

 

[tom sawyer]

I agree, I like his style .. a lot! He keeps it quite real, and genuine. He love the attention, loves vacation in Chelan, and is extremely brilliant and love how he has embraced great causes and charities. I really think Russ has a big influence on him, as Russ does on most the team of course.

Love ya Sherm!!

 

[ptisme]

Packers fan here... Gotta say I love his toughness. I love his swagger and the fact that he can back it up. Most of all I love how he chewed ass on his team when they were getting pushed around last week and how they responded. Wish we had him on our team....

 

[Scottemojo]

Sherm is black enough.

I love that he isn't afraid to avoid cliches and actually talk about something real. A lot of the same media who roasted Tiger Woods for not speaking on issues will roast Sherm for doing so.

 

[Anonymous]

I like when public figures are activists for things I agree with. When they are activists for stuff I don't agree with, I think they are stupid celebrities whose opinions aren't any better than anyone else's.

I nominate this for post of the month.

Nice work.

(psssst, I get it...)

 

[joeseahawks]

To me, this is a credit to Pete, John and their philosophy and to some extend, Paul Allen. One thing Pete has constantly repeated in his interviews: "We let people be themselves". They don't try to box people to fit into a particular scheme. Guys like Lynch, Sherman, ... are very comfortable being themselves. They don't need to hide. They don't need to role-play. Did you hear what John Schneider said about Lynch's "act"? He said "I kinda love his act".
People from different background, from different views of life can find reasons to root for the Hawks. To me, the Hawks can transcend football ... Their social activism (Pete himself is known for being actively involved with changing people's lives), their religious engagement (Russell is known to wear his faith on his sleeves), their unconventional ways of doing things. How does a team make a 5ft10 their franchise QB, when the whole expert agree, "he is not that good"?

Its amazing that we have the future face of the NFL (Wilson), the anti-establishment player of the NFL (Lynch), and the guy whose talking about the tough issues facing the league (Sherman) all on the same team.

 

[scutterhawk]

I like when public figures are activists for things I agree with. When they are activists for stuff I don't agree with, I think they are stupid celebrities whose opinions aren't any better than anyone else's.

Yeh, kinda like, so really good to have fun, but not so much when there's no fun to be had :34853_tinfoil:

 

[sc85sis]

Obviously Sherman loves the spotlight, but I really do think he's very calculated in the remarks he makes. I suppose you never know how the media will spin something but when Sherman talks about issues now in the NFL, the media takes notice.

Its amazing that we have the future face of the NFL (Wilson), the anti-establishment player of the NFL (Lynch), and the guy whose talking about the tough issues facing the league (Sherman) all on the same team.

You wouldn't without Pete. I don't think any other coach would let these guys be themselves the way he does. As long as they don't violate those three rules, he'll pretty much let them do what they do. He'll talk to them to make sure they're aware of potential consequences and try to guide them--as he did with Sherm after last year's NFCCG post-game comments--but he'll let them be adults and learn from their own experiences.

 

[byau]

Obviously Sherman loves the spotlight, but I really do think he's very calculated in the remarks he makes. I suppose you never know how the media will spin something but when Sherman talks about issues now in the NFL, the media takes notice.

Its amazing that we have the future face of the NFL (Wilson), the anti-establishment player of the NFL (Lynch), and the guy whose talking about the tough issues facing the league (Sherman) all on the same team.

Not sure if Sherman loves the spotlight or not in the seflish sense. According to an article I read (I posted it at some point here) Carroll had brought him in to his office early on and asked Sherman where all of this was headed. Sherman took a serious tone and said that he knew they were the best defense, wanted them to get noticed, and he wasn't willing to wait. Carroll smiled and said that was fine

If you think about it, that's what he's done. The last two years he worked on drawing attention to him (and as a spokeperson of the D, the defense also). And now that they have the attention, he has backed off on the brashness - the attention is there, and now he uses it to

1) draw attention to others (e.g. Wagner)
2) talk intelligently about things he disagrees with (e.g. Goddell)

So I think he loved the spotlight, but moreso for that he wanted to accomplish notoriety for the Seahawks D and later a platform to help him draw attention to other things, not himself.

 

[HawKnPeppa]

I like when public figures are activists for things I agree with. When they are activists for stuff I don't agree with, I think they are stupid celebrities whose opinions aren't any better than anyone else's.

If you think this passive aggressive swipe is somehow thought-provoking, big fail, dude. This is just a bunch of vague 'wishywashiness.' If you have a position, state it clearly.