You Wanted Inside the Game

What do Madonna and Richard Sherman have in common? We just heard the voices inside their head.

Both find themselves the subject of our clucking disdain today for what they said out loud.  Madonna in social media and Sherman on the regular.

Madonna's Instagram message to her son using the N word that she pulled back saying she was not racist and that it was what goes for an inside joke is pretty straightforward social media faux pas.

But what of Sherman? His outburst at the close of the AFC Championship game set social media ablaze with recriminations for his corse behavior and turned the country against the Seattle Seahawks.

The shock and borderline horror in Erin Andrews eyes as he erupted in pure angry emotion during the post game interview tells you everything you need to know.

The network finally went too far.

The cameras on sidelines, in the sidelines, in the faces of injured or emotional players.  The in-game interviews with coaches.

All of it designed to "take you inside the game."

Well, you just got to go there, America. How do you like it now?

Should he have composed himself? Absolutely. Does he need some media training? Maybe.

There is a reason why there is a cooling off period after games before players and coaches are allowed to talk to the media.

The warrior mentality required of young men to stand alone out there on the island that is cornerback was revealed for all to see.

Did I not react to Sherman's self-absorbed outburst? Oh no, I thought it was terrible for the team and really soiled the joy of victory for the fans.

Was I surprised? Not really. Young players haven't had the years of experience controlling that raw emotional and taking it back to the locker room.

Will that happen again? Sure, but the league and the network will have some strong discussions about avoiding it.

That's the key - walking right up to the line but not crossing over.  Knowing how far you can go and pushing that limit.

Kinda like a quarterback lobbing for the back corner of the end zone, trying a cornerback's skill.

Sometimes, you get the ball slapped right back in your face.