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A week ago, about this time, there was an instance of talking on the tube. I can't say the proverbial "talking head" thing as the talker was a player, which then presupposes ability. You see, the talking was about comparative ability (see disclosure below).
Then, the next day, there was the talker again, making claims about people's response to his talking. He was throwing around arguments about the use of "thug" being racist (does that apply, as well, to goon [or any other derogatorily thrown word] which many people have had cast upon them?).
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So, a little perspective (after finding out more about who the character was). An article has been quoted (and mis-quoted) many times this past week. Per usual, going back to the source ought to be the rule of thumb. It was a "sympathetic" article from Sports Illustrated (last summer).
Warning: Don't take the bait
But, search on Richard Sherman (see disclosure below) and see the range of material from just this past week. And, we're about six days from the game. In retrospect, there have been many games with drama surrounding them. Perhaps, they're a focal point for underlying social dynamics that need to be much better understood.
So, what can we learn from this?
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Some are now getting behind the Broncos as they would like to see the talker's team defeated. We'll have to see how the remaining days converge to various loci of insanity. Again, will we learn anything?
Like what? Well, this post is in the context of 7oops7 due to the "oops" potential of all, and varied, sorts. So, perhaps, there will be something to write about prior to the game. In any case, we'll follow up after the fact if no motivation comes about.
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Now to the disclosure: I did not see the game last Sunday (neither of them, see below). But, I did see the reactions on TV to the brief incident (over and over). And, the comments on the web are everywhere, from all perspectives. Lightening rod comes to mind.
What is going on? It'll be interesting to watch how this goes until the game (when is it again?). ... I will not see the game and do not watch football on TV (except, for a few moments when there is inclement weather - which seemed to have happened a lot this year - wait, if it's snowing in NJ, I might look to see how the SoCal guy is adapting to the elements). Of course, I can track web-provided updates now and then. ... I have not attended pro games except for some Rams game in LA way back in the 60s. That might have been due to my being at UCLA (classes) and USC (friends), at the time. The LA Coliseum is/was a remarkable structure. As well, I saw a couple of UCLA/USC games there. And, after that, I have been to a few college games. ... To boot, in the particular context of this game, I think that the NFL needs to support the older (current) players who were (will be) damaged during their playing years. Even with the big pay of some (not all), there is still the lord/servant dynamic going on (search that topic here). ...
One operative view to be explored further? Ever notice trash talking from people who are trying to solve really hard problems (other than that insufferable Sheldon on the Big Bang show)? Say: oh, cancer, we're going to beat your arse.
Now, having said that, I see that Sherman has been involved with charities, directly (as in, hands dirty). Too, he bumped up against the best-and-brightest (not on their terms, though) and came away unscathed (it seems). One hope: somehow we need to re-base our whole framework on an operational (meaning motion as orientation) viewpoint such that "truth" is more biological (physical sense of value) than that abstracted beast to which we are all supposed to bow. Perhaps, too, Sherman, if he thought about it, would understand.
Aside: In short, I don't recall being enthralled with any sports game, from beginning to end, in my adult years. Being of an anthropological bent is more fun. Fandom? Strange worldview that seems counter to the autodidact's mindset.
01/27/2014 -- I actually had the WSJ issue (Jan 17, 2014) in my possession but did not get to it until after the Sunday of the games (yes, I stack good newspapers to be read after the fact - my way is not the early bird looking for the worms). Oh well. Reading of "The taunt" (gets back to that sticks-and-stones thing - yet, many good people have been persecuted) would have prepared me. But, given my way, I would actually rather have to deal with things from a new angle (serendipity was the old concept - getting out of the group minds [especially, those spawned, honed, controlled by the various media and their players]), even if the perturbation's effect takes some effort to dampen (to be discussed, at some point). Being in communications, Sherman must know that talk is cheap. But, he plays, too. And, he does charity work (see above). ... He may have many admirable characteristics - mouthing off isn't one. Now, can he put his Stanford indoctrination (PAC-12 bias showing?) to more use than arguing with nitwits, in their milieu? And, that does not mean that he'll have to spend his time with dead white men (more than any other of the lot of mankind's detritus [accumulation from eons on this planet] which is, many times, taken for quality stuff). The human world is bordering on all sorts of cusps; better understanding, and presentation, of these sits on the table (who has picked up the ring?).01/30/2014 -- While reading this article from The Atlantic, and responding thusly (A not very clever viewpoint. --- Is there any sense of entitlement that is stronger than what we see with the (less than) 1%? In other words, the world is/was their oyster. Anything that thwarts the greedy grabbing of the group frustrates their entitlement sense. ... Why go to Hitler as an example? ... Let's try something else. --- We knocked out the commies, and the KGB, but have allowed business to adopt almost similar techniques cloaked under proprietary covers (metaphoric usage, people). Many day-to-day jobs (off-shoring was an attempt to limit oversight) are no better than what the gulag had to offer. Being driven by mechanized overseers (what else are smart systems?) is one characteric. At least, the gulag boss looked you in the face. ... An abstrac'd monster grows in power daily (entangling many further into gulag-hood). Which monster? That being spawned upon an unsuspecting mankind by the Silicon Valley ilks (not all are located in that blessed spot). ... Anyway, Perkins ought to adopt a more creative theme. How did he get his money, anyway?) and pointing to a WSJ book review ( "Members of a nation who rightly regard themselves as residents of a more just and democratic society than many others on the planet are collectively loath to admit that good and honorable policies were consciously overturned by a reactionary minority while thousands of people across the nation found it easier to look the other way.") and a Scientific American opinion piece (In fact, it may be that “in the cloud” really isn't the best term for the services these companies offer. What they really want is to have us “on the leash.”), I re-called a proper use of thug. Remember, Hitler's storm-troopers (booted thugs, whether jackbooted or some other boot). There have been many modern variants on this same theme, having little, if nothing, to do with racist's themes. It has to do with unconstrained power (leading, almost inevitably, to abuse - all types).
02/02/2014 -- Saw some of the pre-show. Not watching the game. At half, Denver was 0. Seattle had run up some points, I can see by browsing news sources. Is Manning frazzled?
02/22/2014 -- Looked at this while doing a post on high-tech photography's growing influence. Denver lost. The taunt issue went bye and bye. There are still lessons to learn, though.
