SAN JOSE, Calif. -- The feeling-out period is over and San Francisco 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman leans forward in his chair, taking care to make eye contact with each of the 20 kids as they listen with rapt attention.
It's time for Sherman to get serious with the kids, who are serving time in unit 1B at the Santa Clara County Juvenile Hall. He's been talking for about 15 minutes, with each side slowly easing into real conversation.
The questions come slowly, ranging from what sport Sherman would have played if not football (track) to whether he plays Madden (he's more of an NBA 2K guy) to whether it hurts to tackle someone (not usually, but a recent stinger against the Los Angeles Rams earns mention) to what his first purchase was when he signed his NFL contract (a 2011 BMW 745).