Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past 72 hours, you’ve heard Seattle Seahawks’ cornerback Richard Sherman’s post-game tirade after the Seahawks outlasted division-rival San Francisco for the right to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.  Sherman has been maligned by fans and media members all over America for ripping apart 49ers’ wide-out Michael Crabtree during a post-game interview after Sherman deflected a Colin Kaepernick pass to Crabtree that was intercepted by linebacker Marcus Smith sending the Legion of Boom to New York for the Battle for the Lombardi Trophy.

Sherman wasted no time in proclaiming his greatness by saying “I’m the best cornerback in the game,” and he called Crabtree a “sorry” and “mediocre” wide receiver.  The post-game interview with Fox’s Erin Andrews left fans irritated and scratching their heads.  It seemed Sherman took notes from Randy “Macho Man” Savage talking to Mean Gene in the center of the ring at Wrestlemania when talking about his counterpart Crabtree.  Fans sat in disgust watching Sherman belittle his opponent after the game. They commented that Sherman is ignorant and selfish.  ‘That guy represents everything that is wrong with football,’ says the average fan.  Arrogance and classlessness embody the type of player that is Richard Sherman.

As Lee Corso recites on College Gameday, “not so fast my friend.”  The man known as “Sherm,” who has led the Legion of Boom for the past three years, isn’t all the negative things fans say about him.  The best way to describe Sherman is a “student of the game.”  Sherman spends hours in the film room studying offenses and opposing players.  Studying is something that comes as a second nature to the 6’3 ball hawk.  While playing at Stanford from 2008-2001, Sherman received his undergraduate and master’s degree in Communications.  He achieved this all while being an All-Pac 10 defensive nightmare for his opponents on Saturday’s.  Sherman finished his career with a 12-1 season for the Cardinal, but somehow slipped to the fifth round of the draft. 

Some say the chip on Sherman’s shoulder weighs in large part to former Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh.  That’s right.  The same Jim Harbaugh that Sherman sent home to the golf course on Sunday roamed the sidelines in Pao Alto during #25’s career.  Their rocky relationship has led Sherman to believe it is the sole reason he fell to the fifth round. 

But lone behold, when Sherman arrived to the 12^th man, Harbaugh’s foe at USC, Pete Carroll, was waiting with open arms as the leader of this flock of seahawks.  It was with Carroll that Sherman flourished into an All-Pro caliber cornerback throughout his first three seasons.  This year Sherman led the league with eight interceptions while compiling 16 through the last two seasons.  He has revived a dormant life in Seattle and now the Seahawks are flying high. 

As the team’s success has grown over the past three seasons, so has Sherman’s reputation as not only a top-flight cornerback, but also the biggest trash talker in the game.  We all recall the infamous “You mad bro?” incident with Tom Brady after a Seahawk victory last year and also his “blowout” speech following a route of San Francisco in Week 2 of 2013.  Yes, it is a well-known fact that Sherman likes to talk.  Shouldn’t be a surprise if you notice his master’s degree in Communications hanging in his back pocket.  But those who know Sherman, whether a teammate or an opposing receiver, truly understand that Sherman talks “educational trash.”

It’s not the typical bleeps you here on Sound FX. Rather, Sherman gets inside his opponents’ heads with a whirlwind of mind games and psychology doubt.  He’s like an annoying fly that is around your can of pop at a fourth of July picnic – but this fly stands at 6’3 195lbs and has dreads past his shoulders.  Sherman’s size and words intimidate his counterpart and that’s what makes him so dangerous. 

The combination of taking a skilled athlete from the projects of Compton with the mind bright enough to waltz through Stanford like no problem gives you the leader of the Legion of Boom, Richard Sherman.  He’s better than most at all facets of the game.  He’s bigger, faster, stronger, smarter, and will get inside your head.  But best of all, Richard Sherman lures his prey in like a jungle cat and just when the weakling begins to put up a fight, he has him right where he wants, ready to pounce.  Across the league there might not be a bigger and more frightening cat than Sherman. 

And that’s what Sherm loves the most.  People despise him simply because they can’t have him.  He puts on for his city and goes to work everyday.  He puts in all the work in preparation so he doesn’t lose on Sundays.  He’s a student of the game and he knows it. 

Face it people, if you could have Richard Sherman on your team you would do it in a heartbeat.  The league needs more players like Sherm.  He’s the newest son of Seattle and could very well hold the key to the city if the Seahawks upend Peyton Manning’s Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl. 

So fans will boo and opposing players will tremble when they lineup across from #25 on the day of rest.  But as fans boo, players push and shove him, and the entire league rolls their eyes at his so-called “classless” antics, the same truth will be resonating in their minds at that truth remains “I’m the best cornerback in the game.