mike freeman, usa today
·4 min read
Deion Sanders is again picking unnecessary fights. It seems to be his thing now.
He had some type of problem with a journalist from CBS though it's not clear why. He went after Pittsburgh coach Pat Narduzzi. There was a bizarre moment where Sanders argued over the meaning of the word "bolster." He did the same over the word "chemistry." Then there was this incredibly weird moment when this was asked by someone in attendance:
"This is a non-football-related question. I recently had a medical condition about two months ago, and thank God I had AFLAC ... You’re an ambassador for them, a spokesman for them. How important is it for everyone to have AFLAC a part of their life? It’s amazing, right?"
Yes. Yes. That actually happened. In the year of our lord 2024.
Sanders also attacked a writer for the Denver Post. It was this dispute, with columnist Sean Keeler, which was the most telling of what is currently happening with Sanders.
"You don’t like us, man," Sanders said, after Keeler attempted to ask a question. "Why do you do this to yourself?"
"C’mon," Keeler said.
"Why do you – you always on the attack," Sanders said. "What did we do?"
Sanders then asked him, "What happened to get you like this?"
"That’s a good question," Keeler said.
"No, I’m serious, because I want to help, because it’s not normal," Sanders said.
"We can talk about that," Keeler said.
Keeler attempted to shift the talk back to football.
"Can I ask you a football question, seriously?" Keeler asked.
"No," Sanders said, before adding to Keeler, basically, see you when I see you.
This presser was insane.
What exactly was happening with Sanders? It was actually a giant tell for something bigger at play. Let me explain.
First, overall, the us-versus-the-world stuff no longer works for Sanders. It just doesn't. In fact, he looks weak trying to pull it off. Beating up on the media makes Sanders seem like he’s overcompensating for something else. Like he’s trying to distract instead of communicate.
Please don’t call me a Sanders hater. I’m not. I like him. Sanders has a chance to do big things at Colorado. He’s just wrong here. That type of motivation won’t work for him now. It could last season because it literally was Deion-vs.-Errybody. But not today.
We’re in a different stage for Sanders and that program. It’s the prove it part now. Sanders has to demonstrate to people what he can do beyond taking cheap shots at the media. I liked the fact that Sanders talked a lot of trash last season, but that act is rapidly getting old.
MORE: Deion Sanders reveals he is not happy with CBS, also trolls Pittsburgh coach at news event
What I saw in that Sanders presser was concern. I think Sanders knows this could be an extremely rough season for the Buffaloes. The team started 3-0 last year but finished 1-8 in its final nine games. That’s because while the team has two of the more stunning players in all of college football in quarterback Shedeur Sanders and wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter, there are still huge talent gaps across the roster.
If Sanders has another bad season the microscope will get far bigger than it is now.
So Sanders is working the refs ahead of that possible outcome by attempting to intimidate the media. If things go bad, he wants to preemptively stop journalists from asking tough questions. He wants reporters and opinion writers to feel it’s not worth the trouble. That there will be pain in return if they do.
This is an old school move that I’ve seen coaches do numerous times. In fact, Sanders has done some of this before.
I’m also keenly aware that some people dislike Sanders for reasons that have nothing to do with him as a coach, and you know exactly what I mean when I say that. He’s held to different standards and yes, some of that is because of Sanders himself, but lots of college head coaches over the decades have been wanna be bullies. He's not the first. Just sometimes treated like it.
But none of that applies to this situation.
We've got all the news from the field for you. Sign up for USA TODAY's Sports newsletter.
Some of you will say that this is who Sanders is. That he’s just a jerk. Think what you want but that’s not why he’s acting this way. What Sanders is doing is much more tactical than simply being jerky.
Will any of this work for Sanders? Absolutely not. If Sanders doesn’t win, and soon, more questions will come, and he won't be able to shut them down.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Deion Sanders is picking unnecessary fights. Act is wearing thin.
