Role Model

Last night the Seahawks defeated the Niners for a shot at a Superbowl ring. The last play of the game was an explosive one; Seahawks Cornerback Richard Sherman tipped the ball away from Niners Receiver Michael Crabtree and the ball was eventually intercepted by the Seahawks. The game ends, Sherman offers Crabtree his hand and a small scuffle ensues, followed by some colorful hand gestures. (If you're not a football fan, stick with me, I'm going somewhere with this.) Afterward, Sherman delivers an interview that will probably be as infamous as Suh's stomping. He called Crabtree a sorry receiver and deemed himself the best corner in the "game", all the while forgetting that his team assisted in the victory that paved the road to New York. The internet lit on fire, with opponents and advocates alike buzzing about. My Facebook feed alone was littered with post after post about Sherman.

I've seen arguments on both sides of the Sherman interviews; advocates claiming "the heat of the moment", opponents claiming "athletes should show more professionalism". More than likely Sherman will be fined for his sign language. His remarks, while demeaning toward Crabtree, did not contain foul language. From the standpoint of "punishments", they will probably go unnoticed. Guess what, I couldn't care less either way. And here's why: Sherman is just another person with an opinion. Would the world care if a similar situation happened in a pick-up football game? Of course not. Because those pick-up players aren't in the national spotlight, paid millions of dollars a year. Worse is said, I'm certain, on playgrounds every school day.

I understand that many children look up to athletes, in fact my husband idolized Cal Ripken growing up. The sun rose and set on him. Hell, it still might. But the point I'm belaboring is, our children's first line of role models should be their parents. My child's reaction to an exciting or discouraging event will more than likely be a reflection of how I would/do react. As it should. My child shouldn't have to watch the television to have their morals and character shaped. That's what I'm here for.

Every day, in every situation I'm in, I think to myself how do I/will I want the Peanut to react. Obviously I'm not perfect (skip backward two posts, you'll read all about that) and she has repeated her fair share of unpleasant words but overall I can say I would be happy if she treated folks how she sees me treat them. There have been plenty of situations over her 18 months that I would have liked to overreact or make a ruckus about certain things but I told myself the day I found out I was pregnant with her, my child will show grace and humility in this life. Lost character traits in many these days, but in her, I will instill these.

One day a little thirteen year old girl (or boy) is going to say something mean about her, it will probably make her cry and she will want to retaliate. But my hope is that she has the poise to continue about her way, with little regard to these hurtful comments. People are cruel. This world is unfair. Life is how you make it. You can hold your head up high or you can hold a grudge. Life is too short to care about how one person thinks about one thing you said or did.

Sherman couldn't care less about how I feel about his reactions, nonetheless what the rest of the world thinks. He has one thing on his mind and that happens in two weeks. Hopefully by then the media around his post game interview will have died down. But knowing the new face of journalism, the hype has just begun...