Just because someone is book smart and overcome certain situations, does not mean they have class or grace. The same way success in business or money earned isn't a predictor of class and grace. I'm fairly certain that the choices we make help define how people perceive us. Richard Sherman made a choice about what to say and how to say it and there are now people that have certain perceptions about his class, grace, sportsmanship, etc. We are each responsible for our choices and if we are so naive to not know how the choices we as individuals make impact others perceptions of us, be it in a classroom, field of play, or office environment then we're not very smart or savvy about the nuances of how people form and maintain relationship of every kind regardless of what the book learning says. The guy has a right to say what he wants, however he wants to say it....it's odd that people don't understand that the choices he made about how to express himself will influences people perception of him, rightly or wrongly. This is life, not racism.
For me he made a poor choice and if you don't have any other reference points to his character that's going to inform your opinion of the individual. I'm not a fan of people that self-promote, be it on the field of play or at the office or any other venue. We all know the dude that gives you his resume every time you talk to him, that guy is a , just like the name dropper at a party and for me the trash talking athlete regardless of race.
I will edit this with a note that I realize the definition of class and grace may very well be different for every person on this board and I don't presume that my definition is right for anyone other than me.