I personally think a lot of times CBs in the NFL get too much shit for being cocky or self-centered. Being an NFL cornerback is the closest thing in team sports to being a boxer or MMA fighter in that you’re all alone out there; you make a great play, it’s all you, and you get roasted, it’s allllll you. So I think as a corner you’ve got a little free reign to be a dick, especially when you’re good. It’s arguably the most difficult position in the sport, comparable probably only to QB, and if you dominate at it I think you get a little leeway, which is why even though I’ve never been a fan necessarily of Josh Norman, Richard Sherman, etc I’ve always respected what they can do.
One thing I particularly like about how Norman does it is he goes after the star receivers; he’s not over here chirping the garbage slot guys, he’s going word for word with OBJ and Dez Bryant, two of the most feared receivers in the league. And even further, he’s outplaying these guys. With all that Dez has said the last few days about “dominating” Norman, the numbers show a different story: 12 career targets, 4 catches, 38 yards. Now, Dez’s Cowboys has had some success against Norman’s teams in the past, including this past Thursday, but not necessarily against Norman himself. And earlier this year was the same story; Odell Beckham may have racked up some yards on Norman and the Redskins, but Norman built permanent real estate in OBJ’s head, leading to him quite literally losing his mind on a kicking net the following week, and Washington got the win.
But now we get to the problem here, and it’s what Norman now has to say. Both guys have obviously cooled off a bit since the game and, while they aren’t stepping down from their remarks, they’re coming off a little more centered now. After Dez famously proclaimed on Twitter he’s going to post clips all week of him “exposing” Norman, he then had this to say Monday.
It’s certainly not “I’m sorry, I was wrong and Josh and I are spending the holidays together”, but it’s definitely down a few notches. Anyway, now we have a quote from Josh Norman in the Washington Post, talking about the situation with Dez and how he wants to move on from it.
Oooookay, bro. Yes, people come after you. Sometimes excessively. But let’s not forget that Dez only made the “Washington should get their money back” comment because you legitimately made the same exact comment last year after a Carolina win over Dallas. OBJ may have thrown the first punch or two, but you retaliated both physically and verbally, and it takes more than two, to tango… or something like that.
Bottom line is, act like this crazy badass CB all you want and roast these receivers and chirp them until the cows come home. Just don’t act like some innocent bystander the next day when your team is 3rd in the division and your fans want answers. If you’re man enough to push and shove and talk during the game, be man enough to face the music once it’s over.
Take Zone Sports 