Social Media, Social Studies, and Social Justice: Finding the Intersection Between Sports Culture and American Pluralism

In one of the most controversial sports-related moments of the past decade, Richard Sherman of the Seattle Seahawks enthusiastically celebrated his victory in the National Football Conference (NFC) Championship in 2014 during an interview with Erin Andrews of Fox NFL. Almost immediately following the conversation, in which Sherman referred to himself as "the best corner in the game," social media erupted over Sherman's self-confidence and passion. From Twitter to Facebook, Sherman immediately became an online sensation. As the plethora of comments grew, Deadspin—a news website whose tagline is "Sports News without Access, Favor, or Discretion"—collected an array of tweets that were overtly racist.