A day after making the game-ending play that sent the Seattle Seahawks to the Super Bowl, and insulting one of his opponents on live television, Richard Sherman took to his blog on SportsIllustrated.com to address his actions and the criticism that erupted after his brash post-game interview.
Sherman, a player for whom the word polarizing is barely adequate, has been the subject of media attention and criticism before, but last night's game and his interview kicked it into high gear.
See also: Super Bowl-Bound Player's Rant Lights Up Twitter
Sherman addressed critics and his actions during and after the game:
To those who would call me a thug or worse because I show passion on a football field—don’t judge a person’s character by what they do between the lines. Judge a man by what he does off the field, what he does for his community, what he does for his family.
But people find it easy to take shots on Twitter, and to use racial slurs and bullying language far worse than what you’ll see from me. It’s sad and somewhat unbelievable to me that the world is still this way, but it is. I can handle it.
This NFL season, player critique has generated its own controversy for tones that some have found racial in nature, and reaction to Sherman has been no exception. Such controversial complaints have also been directed at 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick as well as Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III.
The growth of social media has helped fan these flames, providing a platform for people to publicly air their grievances.
While it is unfair to say all of Sherman's critiques have been racial in nature (some just call his conduct unsportsmanlike), it is a facet that is hard to ignore and is now as visible as ever. Deadspin recorded in a post some of the most racially charged (and outright racist) tweets about Sherman after his outburst (Warning: The language is, as you would expect, extremely NSFW).
A bit of background on Sherman and the events that sparked these latest outbursts:
— Sherman is generally recognized as the best cornerback in the National Football League.
— Sherman is not shy about letting people know this.

Cornerback Richard Sherman #25 of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates after he tips the ball leading to an interception.
Image: Jonathan Ferrey
— After giving up almost no yardage in the NFC Championship, 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick threw a pass toward receiver Michael Crabtree in the endzone. The Niners were behind by six points but had moved almost the entire length of the field. A touchdown would effectively give the Niners the win.
— Sherman blanketed Crabtree, found the pass in the air and tipped it up, allowing a teammate to make an interception, ending the game in Seattle's favor.

Cornerback Richard Sherman #25 of the Seattle Seahawks tips the ball up in the air.
Image: Jonathan Ferrey
And then thing got interesting.
Sherman ran up to Crabtree, smacked him on the rump, and got pushed away. Sherman than ran toward Kaepernick and put his hands around his neck to mimic the choking sign.
Then they got more interesting.
Sideline reporter Erin Andrews found Sherman for a post-game interview, in which the cornerback ... well, just watch:

Sherman, for his part, insisted that he had been trying to congratulate Crabtree on a "good game," and that the tirades were "just a small part of the person I am."
He finished his blog post to critics by focusing on football and the upcoming Super Bowl matchup with the Denver Broncos.
"It’s the No. 1 offense vs. the No. 1 defense. It’s a match made in heaven, and we couldn’t be more excited," he wrote. "If you’re any kind of competitor and you have any kind of dog about you, you want to play against the best. Finally, we get the opportunity."