5 Reasons Why We Needed That Richard Sherman Interview

Last night, on the eve of our annual celebration of Dr. King — one of the top corners in the NFL, Richard Sherman, gave a spirited interview to Erin Andrews, minutes after breaking up a pass that sent the Seahawks to the Super Bowl. And, then… because the Internet, everyone lost their damn minds.

Here are a few reasons why we needed to hear that Richard Sherman Interview:

1. To be reminded that folks like this exist, by the thousands: Dumb People Say Stupid, Racist Sh*t About Richard Sherman
2. To remove the veil and expose the, largely ridiculous, expectations we have of professional athletes. We want them to try to kill each other on the field, but then immediately exit gladiator mode and enter a polished political fundraiser rhetoric. Do the vast majority of NFL fans really think that the pushing & shoving on the field is for show? Or maybe, dudes are actually saying awful things to each other — so much so — that the NFL had to dial back their “Mic’d Up” program to hide the vitriol. We got a small window into what that looks like and we didn't like it, not even a little bit.
3. To state the obvious, Richard Sherman is black. And if you are black, in these United States, you are allowed to perform on the field/stage, but if you step outside of yourself, we (meaning white folks) will call you a “thug” and question how you got into a prestigious university. (Note: 20 minutes after the game, Richard Sherman’s interview with the Fox NFL team was charming, lighthearted, and sincere)
4. To discuss, the copious amounts of ways, white folks are scared of black men. To be fair, I actually think Erin Andrews handled herself pretty well in the interview. But let’s be honest, white America slept with their lights on last night. Maybe we aren’t as far into Dr. King’s Dream as we think we are.
5. And ultimately, to remind us of that time Sherman obliterated Skip Bayless on his own show.

More importantly, Richard Sherman in his own words: ‘To Those Who Would Call Me a Thug or Worse …’