My dad had himself a nickname, Black Palms. He was a typical hard working blue-collar man, and his hands were always dirty from the grease and grime at his work. He raised me to be thankful for what I had, and to be loyal to my family as he had modeled it for me.
Because of the love I had for my father, I grew up with compassion and respect for the working class, I always held high regards for the labor they had to put in for their jobs, the communities they served, and the families they raised.
Children from working class families, inevitably, have a special spot in my heart. They often face more challenges to stay safe, and to gain access for education and opportunity to succeed.
This is the primary thing I have, as a person, to relate to Richard Sherman, the American football cornerback of Seahawks of the NFL in the event of the entire post-game interview controversy.
Even though I am never a big football fan, for I have not yet learned to understand how the game plays, I choose to rally and cheer for Sherman since the controversy of his post-game interview swept the social media spectrum when Seahawks won the game against the 49ers of SF on January 19, 2014. After reading and viewing articles and recorded interviews on Sherman, I have concluded he is a fellow man who works hard for what he wants out of life, and he is intelligent and of integrity. He, also, is black.
Sherman grew up in a highly troubled inner city neighborhood, where his father has worked as a garbage truck driver for the city of L.A for over 3 decades. Sherman has been an academic marvel throughout his youth in his community. He grew up among most peers that have rarely made it out of the ghetto, safe or well. In fact, Sherman has earned a degree from Stanford with a BA degree, and is in the process of pursuing a MA degree while playing at NFL.
I respect him being a hard worker, academically, and also professionally as an athlete. I enjoyed viewing the link titled, Student of the Game, where I learned of some secrets to his success in his own word. He studies diligently to know other players and teams well. He analyzes and strategizes, intelligently, the games his team has to play and win. He is strong, he pays great attention to details of his subjects. That's why he is the best cornerback in the Game. I toast to anyone who works hard to pursue excellence.
Sherman also gives back to his communities. He encourages the inner city kids to work for a better life, schools, and dreams. He advocates for growth, for changes, for better life and future and for excellence. He goes against the social expectation and stereotypical labeling, but perseveres to grow to be his own person, and have his stand. He advocates for all to thrive.
I respect Sherman. Even when he is rowdy and loud, especially when he just played an epic game like he did on January 19, 2014 against 49ers of SF.
It seems to me any of these attributes are not enough unless he is soft/well spoken to be acceptable socially. Sherman was not soft-spoken at all during the post-game interview, given the fact that the nature of the game was physically intense, hence the adrenaline level was rocket high to say the least.. to critique Sherman's character and the value he has as a person based on the act of that interview showed me the 'classiness' of those who blowing the whistles.
Sherman knows himself well, and he is his own biggest fan. He knows where he has come from, and what it has taken for him to get to where he is, and will be. He is not timid to celebrate the brilliance that he's partaken to possess and to exhibit. And that alone upsets people who have no ability to appreciate a hard worker, a brilliant hard worker, a brilliant confident hard work, and sadly but truly, a brilliant confident black hard worker that is successful and will be successful for more games to come.
I tip my hat for Sherman and anyone that fights a good fight against social classes and cultural expectations to take their stands.
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