Richard Sherman is a Loudmouth, But Not an Original 4
It might have been better if Richard Sherman had let his play on the field do all his talking.
Much was made on social media of the unsportsmanlike display of Seattle Seahawks defensive back Richard Sherman after he made a game-saving play in the final seconds of the NFC Championship Game between Seattle and the San Francisco 49ers.
While there is no question that Sherman’s gestures and trash talking at the end of the game were certainly un-called for and slightly diminish the greatness of his play, they are in no way original.
In fact, loud-mouthed defensive backs playing in the Super Bowl dates back to the very first NFL-AFL Championship Game when Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Fred “the Hammer” Williamson garnered headlines for his boasts about how he would handle the receivers for the NFL Champion Green Bay Packers.
“Two hammers to (Boyd) Dowler, one to (Carroll) Dale should be enough,” Williamson claimed.
Interestingly, Williamson and Sherman actually have more in common than just their bravado.
Both players attended schools known more for their academics than their football, Williamson at Northwestern and Sherman at Stanford.
They also were both lightly regarded coming into the NFL.
Williamson was an undrafted free agent and originally signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers. After spending one season in Pittsburgh, Williamson developed into an All-AFL defensive back during four seasons with the Oakland Raiders. He then moved to Kansas City where he ultimately played three seasons. Read the rest of this entry →