Back to Football: Sports Interviews

One year and two days ago, I shared this image on Facebook with the caption, "Truf," after I saw it posted by a friend. It went around a little more after that, because you can't deny my caption.

This was shared from a group called 'No Filter'. 7 likes, no comments.

Two days later, the Seattle Seahawks defeated the San Francisco 49ers, in part because they are a good team, in part because San Francisco can't actually win "the big game", and perhaps, just perhaps, because Richard Sherman was so angry with Michael Crabtree that he could not LET them win. Sherman deflected a possible touchdown pass that was then grabbed by another Seahawk, securing the Seahawk trip to Super Bowl 48, where they later outscored the favored* Broncos by a factor of 5.375.

After the game, after Sherman took off his helmet and donned his NFC Champion Seahawks cap, a sports reporter, Erin Andrews, went to talk to him. She wanted him to "take [her] through that last play." Instead of the normal answer of "blah blah blah, stuff we can assume from the circumstances, blah blah blah," he gave us a taste of the adrenaline still coursing through his body and produced something interesting, for a change. I think I heard about it on Facebook and either watched it from another share or sought it out and watched it. When I posted, I included the caption, "Is this ... what?" to reflect my own confusion and amazement.

Erin Andrews was pleased with this interview, and concerned about the racist reactions.

The first comment on my post was from a fellow Packer fan with a similar reaction to the interview, then there were comments referencing a 'lack of class' and another person mentioned that it would cause them to root for Denver. Other friends posted their own, very negative comments on their own Facebook feeds. I was taken aback at this reaction, and instantly recognized the inherent racism, through I didn't have the desire to get into a fray with friends and relatives that evening.

The next day, the country was up in arms about the interview, which sparked a much needed conversation about the politics of respectability**. This article discusses the racism evident in the way NFL player actions are treated in the press beyond the reaction Sherman's interview. I was, once again, happy to hear people in the media giving the arguments that I know almost innately now.

Had there not been the backlash or the ensuing conversation, I might have forgotten the interview, except as an needed change from the ordinary. As it happened, my appreciation for the Seattle Seahawks increased significantly, which is a major triumph, indeed, after that Fail Mary call in 2012***. I'm also now a bit of a fan of Richard Sherman, the player and person, because really, if you want class, go watch golf.

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* When AREN'T the Broncos favored?
** I've always been more on the side of Du Bois than Washington in this debate. 
*** This Ode was actually directed at the Seahawks coach and his celebration with the OBVIOUSLY WRONG CALL. Sorry, I'm still bitter, whatever.

Back to Football: Divisional Drama

This weekend's games were very exciting and somewhat predictable. I went out on a limb and predicted a Baltimore upset and tentatively picked Denver to win at home, then ended up getting the entire AFC Championship game wrong. Baltimore lost me $50 in a friendly bet yesterday too. The AFC Championship game is going to be pretty boring - certainly in terms of colors. My preference is for Indianapolis to win, but I am not sure that they can defeat the Patriots. 

But the NFC Championship is exactly as predicted - Green Bay is going to Seattle. On one hand, the Seahawks are young, hungry killers on the field. Cocky assholes that can put their playing where their mouths are, and they're awfully fun to watch. On the other hand, they weren't able to blow out the 7&9 Carolina Panthers yesterday, and the Packers came from behind to defeat the possibly-better-than-them Dallas Cowboys. Perhaps, the Seahawks just phoned it in, while Green Bay had to claw a win out of this weekend. Maybe, Seattle has a false sense of security and the Packers are actually ready. I guess that we'll know next week. 

Honestly, I really don't care who wins the NFC Championship next week. Of course, I would love for the Packers to win, then go on to win the Super Bowl, I mean, obviously. But I've developed a major football-crush on this Seahawks team. First, there is "the best corner in the game", not the league, the m&th*#f&*#ing game, who's also got a great sense of humor, then their running back is not only good, he's a bastion of gratitude and generosity too, and their quarterback is from UW Madison. But whoever does win this game, I can only hope they are prepared to take the Lombardi Trophy home. 

Back to Football: Wild Card Weekend

Yesterday, I predicted upsets, but not today. I really thought that Arizona could defeat the 7&9 Panthers, but I had no idea that they were also without their running back. I also recall someone mentioning, back in September, that they thought that Carolina would surprise everyone. Getting to the Divisional Playoffs with a losing record is certainly a surprise.

Honestly, I stuck with Arizona because I wanted them to win, but with the AFC game, I really didn't know. Pittsburgh, at home, is tough to beat, but I had a feeling about Baltimore. They might be the team that goes all the way again. After all, they did beat the Patriots during their last playoff match-up, in Foxborough, even.

As for today, I'm really hoping that my picks are wrong and the kitties take the day. I just don't think that will happen. So far, in the first quarter, horsies seem to be trampling all over the very, very orange kitties from Cincinnati, but those orange paws are pointy.

If it was a beauty pageant between the teams' quarterbacks, Cincinnati would definitely win.