PHOENIX — Richard Sherman has two very big moments coming up in the near future. He’s just hoping they don’t overlap.
In a first-person piece for Sports Illustrated, the Seattle Seahawks’ All-Pro cornerback revealed some big news, announcing that girlfriend Ashley Moss is pregnant with the couple’s first child, a boy who is due, as he put it in the article, “any day now.”
So while that’s obviously exciting news for Sherman and Moss, it does set up a possible conflict for Sherman, who is scheduled to play in a rather significant football game on Sunday. The birth of a child is hardly something Sherman would want to miss, but then again, so is a Super Bowl.
Asked about that possible dilemma Thursday, Sherman said, “I’m focused on the game right now. He’s not supposed to come on Sunday. Obviously that would change some things. But I think he’s going to be a disciplined young man and stay in there until after the game. He’s going to do his father his first favor and stay in there for another week or two.”
In a brief chat prior to his Wednesday media availability, Sherman said Moss’ doctor thinks she likely still has a couple of weeks — she is due Feb. 12 — but they have talked about what would happen should their son come early.
“I’ve thought about the possibility of him coming during the game or coming before the game, and we have things in place in case that happens, and we’ll cross that bridge if we get there,” Sherman said. I’d like to not miss the birth of my first kid, but thankfully and hopefully and god willing, we won’t have to cross that bridge.”
Asked if he has made a decision on what he’ll do should Moss go into labor this weekend, Sherman said he does, but wouldn’t give anything away.
“I do,” he said. “I can’t let you know. I guess we’ll find out if he comes on Sunday, won’t we.”
Lynch lectures media
For the third day in a row, Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch showed up for media availability so he wouldn’t face a fine from the league. But this time instead of just repeating a phrase over and over — ”I’m just here so I won’t get fined” on Tuesday, then “you know why I’m here” a day later — Lynch had a real message for the media crowded around him.
“Look, all week I done told y’all what’s up, and for some reason y’all continue to come back and do the same thing that y’all did,” Lynch said after starting a five-minute timer on his phone.
“I don’t know what story y’all are trying to get out of me, I don’t know what image you’re trying to portray of me, but it don’t matter what y’all think, what y’all say about me, because when I got home at night to the same people I look in the face, my family that I love, that’s all that matters to me.
“So y’all go make up whatever you want to make up, because I don’t say enough for y’all to go put anything out on me. But I’ll come to y’all event, y’all shove cameras and microphones down my throat, but when I’m at home, in my environment, I don’t see y’all, but y’all mad at me. And if y’all ain’t mad at me, then what are y’all here for?
“I ain’t got nothing for you though; I told y’all that, so y’all should know that. But y’all sit here and continue to do the same thing. I’m here preparing for a game, and y’all want me ask me all these questions, which is understandable, I can get down with that, but I told y’all, I’m not about to say nothing.”
That took up about a minute and a half of Lynch’s five minutes, and then he made his intentions clear for the rest of his time at the podium.
“For the remainder of my three minutes, because I’m here, I’m available for y’all. I’m here, I’m available for y’all. I done talked — all of my requirements are fulfilled. So for these next three minutes, I’ll just be looking at y’all the way y’all be looking at me. Thank you.”
As he had promised, Lynch was mostly silent the rest of the time, though he did give some shoutouts, saying at various times, “Shoutout Oakland, California. Shoutout Westbrook. Shoutout to my teammates. Shoutout to my real Africans out there. Shoutout to Family First (Lynch’s foundation).”
Asked to say something in Spanish, Lynch said, “Hola.”
And when five minutes were up, Lynch was gone, done with media for the week unless he’s the Super Bowl MVP, in which case there will be an awkward press conference Monday morning.
Musical acts pick Seahawks
For what it’s worth, and probably not a lot, both Idina Menzel, who will perform the National Anthem, and Katy Perry, the halftime performer, are rooting for the Seahawks on Sunday.
Menzel said her decision is less about liking the Seahawks and more because as a New Yorker, she’s required to root against the Patriots. Perry, meanwhile, said she is friends with Russell Wilson and therefore hopes he wins.
Perry also did a pretty solid Lynch imitation at one point, answering a question with “I’m just here so I don’t get fined,” which was Lynch’s answer to 29 questions on Super Bowl Media Day.
Practice update
For the second straight day, the Seahawks had every player on their active roster practicing fully, with the same five players listed on the injury report — Sherman (elbow), Earl Thomas (shoulder), Lynch (back), J.R. Sweezy (ankle), and Justin Britt (knee) — being full participants.
The practice started outside at Arizona State University, but was moved to an indoor facility for the final hour because of rain.
Herald Writer John Boyle: jboyle@heraldnet.com
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