The Superbowl is about to start and while I might have preferred Denver on other grounds, this epic rant by Richard Sherman after the NFC championship game has me totally won over. Defensive corners are seldom the stars, but Sherman in the very last minute had gone one-on-one with the star receiver of the 49ers and had tipped the ball away after an acrobatic half twist and pike that ended up with a Seahawk interception. So there he was, being interviewed, moments later.
Might just mention here the best book on North American football ever, The Blind Side, which is about how the least glamorous position in the game, left offensive tackle – which incidentally was the position I used to play – became the second highest paid position on the team. An amazing story in many ways, by the incomparable Michael Lewis.
Enjoy the game for those who enjoy the game.
Charlie Waters was the Miami and Dallas CB and he was one of the greats. (He was also versatile at QB, safety and wide receiver).
A great football player will make their position work for them. Bradley Clyde was a lock forward and rated the best league player in the world for two years (he may have been runner up once).
Good to see all that gerbil worming hasn’t prevented the game from going ahead.
The snow is because of global warming, squire.
Actually the rant made me want to support the other side. Yes it was a brilliant intercept, but then he went over to rub his opponents nose in it. The commentators criticised him for that and he went off at the interviewer. As my old coaches used to say to me, beat, but never try to humiliate your opponent. That’s not what sport is about. Anyway, recording it and looking forward to seeing it tonight. It’s a great game of strategy and tactics.
Fixed.
It has been pointed out that while most corner backs are not exactly bright Sherman is one of the few of well above average intelligence who actually deserved his academic scholarship and graduated with flying colours.
This kind of kills any excuse he might have had culturally for behaving like an idiotic 7th grade drop-out thug from south central.
I’ve had family who taught in the US for a few terms. Much of the vibrant diversity passes with flying colours, because the repercussions aren’t worth it for either the teachers or the school. Call me what you like but that’s the reality in the US.
How is what Sherman did different to the screeching harpy did in Parliament? “Oh, he’s looking at his watch!” Only difference is Sherman didn’t plan it, and his abusive rant wasn’t scripted by an important hatemonger.
Seattle 22-0. Wonder how Floyd Mayweather and his $10mn bet are feeling?
You guys are a bit slow.
It’s now “Global Climate Disruption”
Let me know when the translation to English becomes available.
Climate Weirding.
BTW it’s +5C in Noo Joisey today so whatever it is, it’s worse than we thought.
Hmm. Are Denver out to break their record for the biggest loss in a Superbowl (45 points). They’re already in second place…
Denver have looked like deers in the headlights since the first play.
Port Adelaide 2007 springs to mind…
No sure if they are going to be pummelled as bad as that Drift.
Peyton Manning finally delivers a TD & 2 point conversion.
Yeah, when I looked it was 36-0.
It.
Floyd looks like proving the idiom about a fool and his money being not exactly inseparable.
23 reasons Richard Sherman is not a dick:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjkiebus/23-reasons-richard-sherman-is-quietly-one-of-the-most-likabl
As someone who grew up with Mark ‘Jacko’ Jackson playing VFL I’m really not sure what all the fuss is about.
Looks like the legalisation of marijuana in Colorado didn’t work out so well for Denver. They’d come into the Superbowl on such a high.
Those boys are pretty unfit endurance wise…but at least they tackle.
Superbowl – a nice thing to have on in the background, but there isn’t much to actually see.
11 minutes sounds terrible, and it is – there’s more happening in test cricket – but the WSJ repeated this exercise with baseball a few years later and found they only average 18 minutes of action, and that was being generous with ‘action’, so it’s not just NFL that has a problem.
Yeah yeah, American football, boo hiss.
And by all means, invoke a “study” by the WSJ, where the sum experience of sport is sniffing the bleacher seats after.
Meanwhile, if you want to view an American football championship game worth watching, might I recommend the NCAA College Football Championship match? (With all commercials and BS edited out)
6 of the 10 largest stadiums in the world by seating belong to US college football teams who tend to pack them for every game. The MCG is the only Australia stadium in that group of 10 and they come last. While size may not be everything quantity has a quality all its own.
On the other hand, IMO professional football in the US isn’t worth watching, Boring, predicable and bland at best.
They match what other people have measured. They mention two at the bottom of the article (including one from 1912!), both at 13 minutes, and this guy stopped the clock at 12 minutes. It’s great, gives you time to eat wings and drink beer and talk to your friends. Just keep half an ear out for changes in pitch in the commentator’s voice so you can turn around in time for some sport.
The opening shot is of players and dignitaries walking onto the field for the coin toss. It’s a minute until the coin is tossed. After interviews, commentary over shots of players and the crowd, it’s 3:20 before kick-off. Play lasts six seconds, then we have 40 seconds of player info, then another play for eight seconds. I’d hate to see the BS they edited out.
Sounds as if you need to avoid American football at all costs Demosthenes.
But it’s so much fun to bitch about right?
Can’t wait for his review on Beijing Opera as I suspect it is more his style.
…btw thanks for the link Zatara. Will enjoy watching it tonight.
I’d love to experience the Superbowl in person at the stadium. An amazing atmosphere by all accounts.
Absolutely would love a Superbowl trip with a lead up tail gate party – brews and smoked BBQ meat.
And buffalo wings!
The mildest of criticism, based on irrefutable empirical facts, is not bitching. Particularly when I point out the good points of the situation. Perhaps you’re a Denver fan?
Does Coca-Cola need Ardmona money to pay for SuperBowl ad? And supposedly Coke supports homosexuals.
Unlikely. SPC Ardmona is owned by Coca Cola Amatil, an Australian company.
Thanks for proving my point. It’s an Australian company.
Disappointingly one-sided game today. Peyton Manning and his Denver Broncos teammates had an off day. But all credit to the Seattle Seahawks – they came to play and they capitalized on their opportunities. Still an excellent spectacle on the day. I was in Miami for Superbowl XLIV, but didn’t get to the game – bought a T-shirt though.
Controlled by an American company.
I tried that line once as well but she still slugged me.