Richard Sherman knows content, bro
By: Mike Harms
Tags: Seahawks, Richard Sherman, Content Marketing, NFL, Journalism

Screenshot of Richard Sherman’s multimedia hub on The Players’ Tribune.

I’m a Richard Sherman fan. “You Mad Bro?” was my Facebook cover photo for a minute. My best pal, who’s also my #1 rival in all athletic competitions, called Sherman an asshole following his infamous Michael Crabtree interview. I loved it. And my best pal being grumpy, well that was gravy.

Still, I didn’t bother reading Sherman’s weekly column. I get it in my email inbox but I never opened it.

Then the kerfuffles happened with our local Seattle media, and Sherman skipped a press conference. Mainstream media outlets got up in arms, too. This got me thinking. About press conferences.

I’ve attended a few of them plus I watched The West Wing in the late 1990's, so I know what a press conference is: A bunch of journalists crammed into a room asking questions to a person(s) who’s in front of a microphone. Then, those journalists all rush like mad to take the exact same comments from the exact same person(s) and crank out a story that’s … unique.

Except it often doesn’t work out that way. Instead, press conferences frequently yield the same story, one that gets published many times across many different media outlets. Also, press conferences are boring, leaving reporters desperate to glean a moment — any moment — that rises above the mundane. Ironically, when that “moment” occurs, frequently it involves an athlete being irritated by a press conference — like Cam after the Super Bowl; or Iverson following the death of his close friend.

I wasn’t mad (bro) when Sherman skipped his press conference. This isn’t the late 1990’s and media has changed a bit since The West Wing. Heck, even presidential candidates and president elects rarely do press conferences anymore.

Then, Sherman gave one of my favorite quotes since “You mad bro?” when he Tweeted this:

If I have something to say then I will write it myself.

He’s right. Athletes are their own storytellers. This is old news — social media and platforms like The Player’s Tribune have been around for a minute, giving athletes the ability to bring their content directly to the public. When Kobe announced his retirement, he didn’t hold a press conference. He published a personal note.

Sherman is taking the athlete storyteller to the next level — the athlete as journalist. He Tweeted as much when he said:

I understand that I can write my own story

Right again. Sherman is smart and articulate. He has a platform, The Players Tribune, with millions of readers. He has millions of social media followers. That combination of eloquence plus audience scares some journalists. Because no one can get the inside story on an athlete, like an athlete himself (or herself).

I went back and read several of Sherman’s columns. They are good. Some of his columns are really good, like when he takes the NFL to task. Sherman calls out the NFL for throwing a flag on Antonio Brown for “sexually suggestive” twerking, while cheerleaders gyrate through similar moves every week. He notes the double standard of a penalty on Josh Norman for “shooting” a bow and arrow, while Norman’s team — the Redskins — won’t change its name despite offending many people.

Sherman also provides a nuanced takedown of the “poopfest” that is Thursday night football, with this classic quote:

I’d like to put Roger Goodell in pads for a late game on a Sunday, in December, in Green Bay, on the frozen tundra — then see what time he gets to the office on Monday morning, knowing that he would have to suit up again on Thursday.

Hell, yes.

I read this recent article which says that first-person athlete stories are heavily edited:

Athletes — who have dedicated their lives to their sport of choice, not writing — often rely on behind-the-scenes help when it comes to public communications. If you see your favorite athlete or celebrity’s byline on a surprisingly eloquent piece, well, there’s probably a reason why it’s so well-written.

Good writing and good editing go hand in hand. That’s why reputable media outlets employ copy editors. Writing is a craft that one hones over time, just like any skill. I don’t know how much editing goes into Sherman’s columns but, his spoken words are similar to his written ones — clear and concise.

The NFL would do well to empower more of its athletes to be storytellers. NFL ratings are down this year, which suggests that people are growing tired of the standard storylines. Embracing new content platforms isn’t enough. The league should embrace new content creators. And some of the most interesting creators are the people who actually play the games.

One straightforward way to inject more life into NFL storytelling is: Allow players to post to social media during the games. Yes, I said it. Let them Tweet, Snap, Insta, etc. while a game is happening. It won’t ruin the games — the teams and players will police themselves against Tweeting from the huddle or Snapping from the bottom of a pile. But Instagramming one’s self after a touchdown, that would be some cool content. Imagine a selfie of Zeke from inside the Salvation Army kettle.

Players and coaches already give in-game interviews. And those are extremely boring. So why not change it up a little?

The press conference is a dinosaur. By now, we all know that the only reason a player shows up to a press conference is…say it with me…“So I won’t get fined.”

I’m not mad (bro) at Sherman for skipping a press conference. I’m not mad, either, at a reporter who asks an athlete tough questions. There will always be a push-pull between athletes and reporters to tell meaningful stories. That because many good stories require a level of exposure that’s not always comfortable.

Technology has lowered the barrier for content creation, empowering more people than ever to be their own publisher. Which means, among other things, that high-quality storytelling is more precious today than ever before. Those who excel at storytelling will find their audience, without needing to hold a press conference.