Photo from Google Images
I’ve always wondered how American’s get the nickname ‘Jimmy’ from James, but I now understand how we get ‘Dick’ from Richard thanks to Seattle’s own, self proclaimed best corner in the league, Richard Sherman.
I get it. Some professional athletes need to run their mouth on social media and add a little personal trash talk to the intensity of the game. “Shehawks” and “Forty-Whiner’s” were all fun and games. Where I have the issue is when an athlete, Dick, continues to run his mouth after the game. Um… have you never won a big game? Did you really graduate from Stanford? The W at the end of the game is the final FU to whomever you were talking smack to. Dick however went straight hood on Fox’s Erin Andrews in a post game rant that quickly became a social media explosion. (Video below)
There is a difference between passion and class. Dick proved that even with a prestigious education from Stanford, having class is neither tough nor bought. Class comes from your personal character. Class reveals who you are. And clearly, Dick is a classless bleeeep! And coming me from me, someone who finds most assholes entertaining, I was livid. YOU JUST WON, take the high road! Be a humble winner and enjoy your moment, you’re going to the freaking the Super Bowl!
The good news is that now everyone outside of Seattle will be rooting for the classiest athlete in the NFL, Peyton Manning, on Super Bowl Sunday.
The Denver Broncos beat the New England Patriots 26-16 in a game that felt more like 106-16 for the AFC Championship.
Pat’s QB, Tom Brady, said after the AFC Championship loss “I have a lot of respect for him (Manning.). Certainly, he’s a great player and he played great today.” Pat’s DL Rob Ninkovich said “losing is never easy, but you have somebody as talented as (Manning), who puts in as much work and effort, and has done it for so long, it’s a little bit easier to swallow.”
I’ve never been a Pat’s fan, but I respect any team that has players who respect both the game and players regardless of the outcome.
Three years ago Manning was starting his comeback from neck surgery and there were those who questioned his ability to return.
One year ago he suffered a divisional loss to Baltimore that ended what was becoming the greatest comeback season of an NFL athlete. (And even as painful of a loss it was for Peyton, he still respected the game and former Ravens player, Ray Lewis, enough to congratulate him on his victory. THAT locker room moment was a great moment in sports and defines what having class represents.) And now with less than two weeks away from the Super Bowl, no one guessed that “OMAHA” would be in Peyton’s route back to MetLife Stadium.
Peyton shouted “OMAHA” 44 times at the line of scrimmage during the divisional win against the San Diego Chargers. What it really means, we will never know. What we do know is that “OMAHA” is a clearly a code word that can either call/change a play or tick the defense. So far, “OMAHA” is working on and off the field. Only Peyton Manning could raise $24,800 for his charity; the Peyback Foundation for yelling “OMAHA” 31 times during the AFC Championship game. (Eight hundred dollars was donated from eight different businesses each time Peyton yelled “OMAHA”.)
Peyton is now just one win away from becoming the first starting QB to win a Super Bowl with two different teams. As a future Hall of Famer, this has been Peyton’s year. He broke Drew Brees’ single-season passing yards and Tom Brady’s single-season touchdown record. The Broncos also set a new benchmark with 606 points in a season.
With less than two weeks away from Super Bowl Sunday, this may be the last time America will get to watch one of the best QB’s to ever play the game. On February 2nd, America will be rooting for Peyton.