Richard Sherman - Thug?

[Berzerker]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/22/richard-sherman-thug-n-word-press-conference_n_4646871.html

For those who aint familiar with American football, Sherman is a defensive back for Seattle covering receivers trying to catch passes from the quarterback. Seattle won and Ricard Sherman went on TV to insult one of the receivers he covered.

I saw what he did and my reaction was he's Bush league, meaning poor sportsman. Cant even win with grace, he's gotta trash talk a member of the losing team. But some people are calling him a thug and he's deftly playing the race card.

He's got a point though, slimy no-class trash talkers aint thugs, not even in the same ballpark.
If he did that and was "white", would white commentators call him a thug? Does his skin color create the difference? And does this mean Sherman just called black folk thugs?

 

[downtown]

If you don't see how "thug" has become a code word for the N word, you aren't paying attention to sports or sports media.

Sherman had what, a 3.8 GPA from STANFORD? Not a thug.

 

[Arachnofiend]

Sherman isn't a thug. I honestly don't even understand what thug means anymore unless it means "black guy I don't like". Bill Belichick is an ass, though:

The way that play turned out, I went back and watched it, which I didn't have a chance to [Sunday]. It was a deliberate play by the receiver to take out Aqib. No attempt to get open. I'll let the league handle the discipline on that play, whatever they decide. It's one of the worst plays I've seen.

For those who ain't familiar with American football, Bill Belichick is the coach of the New England Patriots who lost to the Denver Broncos last Sunday. Wes Welker, a receiver for Denver who formerly played for the Patriots, ran a block on Patriots defender Aqib Talib that ended with an injury and Aqib having to exit the game. This is Bill accusing Wes of headhunting. And that's terrible.

Richard Sherman is a very opinionated, excitable man who loves to play football and is not afraid to be loud about it. He's hardly this way with everyone; he sings high praises for receivers he admires, such as Calvin Johnson. Sherman just really doesn't like Crabtree and really does think he's a mediocre receiver (side note, yeah Crabtree is "above average" at best). I don't see why we should expect these men to be animals on the field and diplomats on the sideline.

Personally the thing that strikes me about that scene is that the reporter had the guts to ask a follow up question after Sherman blew up in her face. That's a woman dedicated to her job.

 

[schlaufuchs]

No, if he was white he'd be called "spunky", "spirited", "colorful (unfortunate pun not intended)", or "a gamer". But because he has the unfortunate distinction to be a) black, b) rich, and c) talented he gets labeled with the terms "classless" and "a thug". I don't think it's intentionally racially driven, but these words have very racial connotations in the US. You see the same stuff in baseball, white players are called "gritty", "veteran", "clutch" and "students of the game", while black (and especially Latino) players are called "athletic", or "physically gifted", "not a team player", "selfish", or "athletic but lazy".

http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2012/08/how-mlb-announcers-favor-american-players-over-foreign-ones/261265/

 

[Formaldehyde]

If you don't see how "thug" has become a code word for the N word, you aren't paying attention to sports or sports media.

Or reading the Omaha police association website...

 

[Berzerker]

but Welker was just blocking, right? No cheap shot? I didn't see the play but I cant imagine he was trying to hurt Talib

 

[Formaldehyde]

"athletic but lazy".

Best Airplane scene by far:


Link to video.

Joey: I think you're the greatest, but my dad says you don't work hard enough on defense.

[Kareem gets angry]

Joey: And he says that lots of times, you don't even run down court. And that you don't really try... except during the playoffs.

Roger Murdock: [breaking character] The hell I don't! LISTEN, KID! I've been hearing that crap ever since I was at UCLA. I'm out there busting my buns every night. Tell your old man to drag Walton and Lanier up and down the court for 48 minutes.

 

[Arachnofiend]

but Welker was just blocking, right? No cheap shot? I didn't see the play but I cant imagine he was trying to hurt Talib

Welker is the smallest receiver on the roster and has had two concussions this season. Accusing him of trying to injure someone that could have just as easily crushed him is downright absurd and the fact that Belichick thought that he would intentionally try to injure anyone is reprehensible.

Of course, the league has verified that Welker's block was completely legal and he will face no repercussions for it because not everyone is as terrible of a person as Bill Belichick.

Of course, no one's saying anything because Bill's a well respected old white dude. I guarantee you that if, say Colin Kaepernick had accused the Hawks of headhunting when NaVorro Bowman went down it would be everywhere.

 

[Dralix]

I honestly don't even understand what thug means anymore unless it means "black guy I don't like".

Pretty sure it has something to do with Skittles.

 

[illram]

Does anyone have any examples of pundits calling white athletes thugs?

 

[Berzerker]

does hooligan count?

 

[Arachnofiend]

Nah, hooligan is too hilarious of a word and nobody really takes you seriously if you say it.

In other news, the NFL likes to mic up star players so there's recorded evidence of Sherman saying "hell of a game" to Crabtree as he extended his hand for a shake. Crabtree smacked him in the face.

So yeah I have a really hard time judging Sherman for blowing up at the guy

 

[JollyRoger]

Sherman was armed with his fists and the sideline. Of course he is a thug.

 

[Berzerker]

Sherman would be a thug if he attacked a neighborhood watch volunteer

 

[de Maistre]

Does anyone have any examples of pundits calling white athletes thugs?

Pretty frequently in hockey, especially in reference to fighters.

 

[Evie]

People are mentally trained to see some behaviors as quality in some people, and defects in others.

Or, perhaps more accurately, people have this idea of a "normal" person, and while they're willing to tolerate (and even embrace, and perceive as quality!) some degree of deviation from that norm, deviating *too* much is bad for you.

Knowing what you want and not letting other walk over you? If you're otherwise "normal", you're being assertive, which is a quality.
Knowing what you want, and not letting others walk over you if you happen to be the "abnormal" gender? You female dog!

Being highly spirited and competitive toward your peers? "Normal" race, you're spunky, you're competitive. "Abnormal" race, you're a loudmouth or a thug.

Of course, the "norm" begins with "straight white male".

(And see the number of pundits and whatnot arguing that PK Subban - the best defenseman in the NHL last season - shouldn't make Canada's olympic team over being "too risky" (despite having an extremely good differential), "too selfish", etc)

 

[Gucumatz]

I thought the interview and how the sports reporter handled it was hilarious. Somehow they were so shocked that an individual pumped on adrenaline after making that kind of play just a few minutes before would be feisty that they awkwardly tried to cut away from Sherman. Sports interviews are often dull, boring, and overly scripted - you'd think they would be prepared for an actual reaction for once.

 

[Kaitzilla]

I thought the interview and how the sports reporter handled it was hilarious. Somehow they were so shocked that an individual pumped on adrenaline after making that kind of play just a few minutes before would be feisty that they awkwardly tried to cut away from Sherman. Sports interviews are often dull, boring, and overly scripted - you'd think they would be prepared for an actual reaction for once.

Oh ya, I remember that awkward cut away

It's so odd and refreshing to hear a player actually voice their feelings instead of the cardboard cutout you get with 99% of the rest of em.

Strahan was bound to mention it right away too


This is relevent:
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/travis-can-we-please-stop-talking-about-class-in-sports-012014

Still a British colony? Them's fighting words!

 

[Formaldehyde]

Does anyone have any examples of pundits calling white athletes thugs?

Look how the Urban Dictionary defines "white thug".

A stupid white kid who tries to be black and wears doo-rags, puffy jackets, long chains, raps and speaks like they came from a ghetto. Most "wiggers" are from rich mainly white neighbourhoods and have perfect familys.

I wonder if Seinfeld knows about this "puffy jacket" thing.

Sherman would be a thug if he attacked a neighborhood watch volunteer

Zimmerman used the word to describe Martin as he was minding his own business at the mailbox kiosk. That must make him not only a profiling hyperbole spewer but an omniscient liar as well.

 

[schlaufuchs]

Zimmerman used the word to describe Martin as he was minding his own business at the mailbox kiosk. That must make him not only a profiling hyperbole spewer but an omniscient liar as well.

That was the joke, yes.