Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman, usually one of the most media-friendly players on Seattle’s roster, hinted on Sunday that his weekly press conference would be different this week, the result of Marshawn Lynch being fined $100,000 by the NFL for violating the league’s media policy.
And rather that just be standoffish with the media, Sherman decided to have a little fun, putting on a skit with the help of teammate Doug Baldwin, as well as a cardboard cutout of Baldwin. Sherman and Baldwin directed their satire not at the media, but rather towards the NFL, which writes and enforces the media policy. Both players dropped several references to their sponsors and pointed out the hypocrisy of the league talking about player safety while scheduling Thursday games, and of warning players about drinking while having a beer manufacturer as one of the league’s top sponsors.
Here’s the video, courtesy Gregg Bell of The News Tribune, and a transcript of the exchange is below:
Sherman: “As you guys can see I brought my guy Doug Baldwin with me today. You always want to share your success with your teammates, so I’m taking any questions.”
Seahawks.com reporter: “What about the busy offseason you’ve had?”
Sherman: “Oh man, it’s been incredible, it’s been incredible. We’ve done a lot of things… you know the other day Marshawn Lynch got fined $100,000, did you know that? A hundred thousand. It’s like, they wouldn’t have even paid him $100,000 if he had talked. Doug, do you think they would have paid him paid him $100,000?”
Baldwin: “No, they sure wouldn’t have.”
Sherman: “Jeez, Louise. But you know who does pay me a lot of money? Beats by Dre, the wonderful headphones that I wear.”
Baldwin: “I like those headphones.”
Sherman: “But the league doesn’t let me say anything about them. Doug, why is that?”
Baldwin: “I don’t know, it sounds kind of hypocritical to me.”
Sherman: “Yeah, it sounds a little bit hypocritical. It seems like we’re in a league where they say, ‘players, please don’t endorse alcohol, no DUIs please,’ but yet a beer sponsor is their biggest sponsor. Doug, how do you feel about that?”
Baldwin: “Like I said, it sounds very hypocritical.”
Sherman: “It’s interesting, it’s very, very interesting. It’s crazy but, in this offseason you have a good time, you get wear Neff shades, you get to wear Neff beanies, you get to eat some Campbell’s up. My girl was sick this week, she got some Campbell’s soup in her. So kids, when you get sick, make sure you get your Campbell’s soup in you, that’s always a great deal, very healthy, very good for you. Chicken noodle soup around this time, it’s flu season.”
Baldwin: “Speaking of health, how do you feel about the NFL making you play two games in five days?”
Sherman: “Oh my gosh, jeez, I almost didn’t realize that, because they’ve been talking about player safety so much, and two games in five days, it doesn’t seem like you care about players safety, it’s a little bit much for me. But Doug, you look pretty healthy, you look like you’ve been eating good, what kind of sandwiches have you been eating?”
Baldwin: “Well, you know I like to eat fresh, so eat my Subway, then I also love to wash my Subway down with a bottle of Martinelli’s?”
Sherman: “Martinelli’s? Sounds like a great beverage. It’s fun to use your time in the NFL to use your time to speak about something you care about, right? Then you don’t get fined $100,000, you don’t get fined at all for this. This is how they want us to talk, right? This is what they want us to do, they want us to advertise, right Doug?”
Baldwin: “Sounds about right to me.”
Sherman: “All right, got to make some money, got to not get fined. Anybody got any questions?”
Baldwin: “Nope, I don’t think so.”
Sherman: “Thank you.”
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