Richard Sherman performed masterfully Sunday night against the San Francisco 49ers, shutting down Anquan Boldin, intercepting Colin Kaepernick and carrying a big stick against the run game.
Of course, to paraphrase Sherman's words, that big stick allows the Seattle Seahawks cornerback to talk a big game. It's also what makes him simultaneously great and obnoxious.
In an interview with NFL Media's Michelle Beisner after Sunday's game, Sherman displayed both apt analysis and then the superfluous potshot.
"There's levels to this game," Sherman said of the Seahawks' 29-3 blowout win. "And I think we showed that we're on another level."
Zero arguing with that. The Seahawks were at 131.9 decibels Sunday night.
Then came the unnecessary jab at his former college coach, Jim Harbaugh. When asked what he said to Harbaugh after the game, Sherman hinted that the 49ers coach blew him off.
"I told him good job, good game, but he didn't give me nothing back," Sherman said. "I guess sportsmanship doesn't go both ways."
Looking at the postgame video, Sherman tapped Harbaugh and immediately jogged away, which didn't exactly give the coach a chance to show sportsmanship. It appears Harbaugh did say something back to Sherman as the cornerback jogged away. We're guessing Sherman didn't hear Harbaugh respond.
Harbaugh was asked in his postgame news conference what he said to Sherman.
"I didn't realize it was him until he was moving in the other direction," Harbaugh said. "He came up and patted me on the back, and I congratulated him and same with Doug (Baldwin), and I congratulate the Seahawks. They played a hell of a game."
The extra dynamic the former coach-player relationship brings to this rivalry at this point is like adding one too many packets of sugar to your already delicious morning coffee.
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