Richard Sherman Paying the Price of Swagger (VIDEO)

Congratulations, Richard Sherman haters. You sniffed out an obvious truth. The man isn’t perfect.

Happy? Feel better? Good, because we need to move on and stop arguing about which player is the “best” in the league at this particular position.

Now, did Sherman bring some of this on himself? Sure. The NFC Championship postgame rant will live in infamy for quite some time.

Personally, I am still partial to the Muppets version:

Sherman was not perfect against the San Diego Chargers on Sunday. Did you expect him to be? Being a great defensive back does not mean that you will pick off every pass that comes your way.

If you expect Sherman to be perfect, you might be a bit delusional. However, if you think that this one game exposes Sherman as a pedestrian DB, you might have had a bias against him prior to the game.

Keenan Allen made headlines by suggesting that Sherman is just a “normal guy.” Sherman may not be the best in the NFL, but he also isn’t a normal guy. Allen has the luxury of coming off a win, and he won’t have to face the Seahawks unless they meet in a Super Bowl.

Also, can we stop debating whether Sherman is a “shutdown” corner? Do people even know what that category means?

If the Seahawks win the NFC Championship game, I doubt Erin Andrews will refuse a Sherman interview by stating, “I’m sorry, I only interview shutdown corners.” Eric Allen and Stephen A. Smith had some solid analysis of Sherman, but they didn’t truly define this category of player either.

They mentioned Darrelle Revis, and they talked about his versatility. Revis is a great player, and may be the pure corner in the game. The reality is that Revis and Sherman are different types of players. Is one better than the other? As soon as the NFL comes up with an objective and universal measurement for judging corners, let me know.

This is much like the oft-mentioned “elite” quarterback. Can it be measured by statistics? Or is just a reputation thing? The debate will continue because there is no clear criteria for the word shutdown.

Look, Richard Sherman has weaknesses. He isn’t a perfect cornerback. But, as Allen and Smith said, he is a great player. Great in every situation? Not necessarily. But, still a great player who was a key part of this team winning a Super Bowl. That is indisputable.

Now, should he have faced the media after the Chargers game? Sure. When you win, you can talk some trash. However, when you lose, you have to step up to the podium and say, “Hey, we got beat. Congrats to the Chargers.”

The love and hatred of Richard Sherman is going to continue. Sherm is not going to stop talking, and that will always draw criticism from fans who don’t like players to run their mouths. He is going to have some great games in the future, and he is going to have some challenges. When he struggles, the critics will be ready, as they always are.

Whether he succeeds or fails, no one should be surprised. Great players do amazing things, but they are also human.

We love Sherman’s swagger here at Emerald City Swagger. Keep fighting, big man. We know you aren’t perfect, and we don’t expect you to be. The fans know what you can do, and they are behind you.

Now, go get the Denver Broncos.