Opinion: Sanders Success Forces Self-Snitching -

When Colorado hired Deion Sanders, few really knew the initial seismic shift that college football would undergo.

After Colorado’s dismantling of Nebraska, Deion Sanders in his first year at the helm, moved to 2-0. Now, with the toughness of the October schedule approaching, the Buffs must find a way. Yet, despite early success, Sanders continues to endure the slings and arrows of unfounded criticism. Granted, every coach faces criticism, but with Deion Sanders, it feels different.

The Gamble

Lost in the story surrounding the Buffaloes is the boldness of the athletic director. Rick George bet on Deion to the point of legendary proportions. First, hiring a coach with less than five seasons of college coach at any level feels like a bold move. Next, George and Colorado offered Sanders a five-year, 29.5-million-dollar deal. In the world of college football, that seems like a rather tame offer. However, Colorado did not possess the money at the time to back up the contract. In that case, George mortgaged his reputation on Sanders delivering the goods.

Criticism Outside

When Colorado tapped Sanders to lead their program, many expected criticisms to follow. At the same time, the types of critique varied. If other coaches and media would’ve narrowly focused on the inexperience at FBS, that seems justified. The track record for coaches jumping levels without coordinator experience does not feel great. However, the change surfaces with what people chose to criticize. The newly- hired CU coach gutted the roster, bringing players from the transfer portal. Now, the hypocrisy: every coach looks in the portal. Few attacked the free agency period harder than Coach Sanders. More on that later.

Criticism Inside

Sadly, a small but vocal part of the Black community chose to join the chorus of naysayers. From questioning the man’s faith to his choice of apparel, people found fault. By explaining that Coach Prime is too loud and lacks humility, he tarnishes other Black coaches. Yes, this is an all-too familiar refrain that echoes against the walls of areas of the community. But why? Again, more on that later.

Around Full Press Coverage

OPINION: Morten Andersen: The Toughest Place To Kick? For Me, It Was This Place

EP 136: Week 3 Studs and Duds
by Full Press Coverage on September 26, 2023 at 7:01 pm

MORE PODCASTS From FPC

NFL: NFL 2022: Five Key Statistics for Week 2

NFL: Kansas City Chiefs Stock Report: Week 2 2022

FULL PRESS BETS: NFL MVP Odds: Patrick Mahomes Leapfrogs Josh Allen For Top Spot

FANTASY FOOTBALL: Fantasy Football Value Picks In Every Round

PODCAST: Full Press NFL Podcast Ep 54: Chargers At Chiefs Preview

Blunt Truth #1

The real reason that Deion Sanders received criticism from the media and some coaches is simple. Despite stating how sports are equal, many hold antiquated beliefs. Basically, they dislike that someone who does not look like them chooses to blaze his own trail. Additionally, the methods during this period fly in the face of tradition. In other words, watching a Black man that works his own way makes many comfortable. Instead of congratulating the Buffaloes for a strong start and generating interest in Boulder again, you read/hear the critique dripping with envy. How dare this coach upset the proverbial apple cart. By bringing HBCU-made talent with him, Coach Sanders made other coaches’ jobs infinitely harder. By changing the game, the dynamic shifts to coaches working harder.

Blunt Truth #2

When you hear someone in the Black community criticize Sanders’ approach to recruiting and how he conducts himself, picture Stephen from Django Unchained. In that movie, you saw a Black man with so much internalized hate that he willingly served a slave owner. In all honesty, we all know people that would think Muhammad Ali talked too much or that as a people that we need to just ” accept living in a White man’s world.” Basically, these notions are a blend of internalized hate mixed with an overwhelming heap of White adjacency. How Coach Sanders chooses to legally run his program is not the concern of people too bitter to comprehend the moment. It’s a typical crab-in-a-barrel mentality that continues to hurt.

Receipts

To the chagrin of many, Sanders keeps quotes and snippets of articles that critique him. Later, he will offer a comment about them. This practice occurs in everyday life. I still keep emails and article comments from people that say I’d never write for a nationally-known website. Yet, here we are. Those morsels of negativity serve as motivation. Spite may be an ugly character trait to some, but it serves as an outstanding motivator.

Overview

If you want to critique Deion Sanders, stick to the Xs and Os. Focus on what in-game adjustment he did or did not make. Everything else feels rather personal. Treat him with the same respect as you would other coaches. Wait, treat him with the respect of a legendary NFL player that chooses to coach instead of golfing. Some of you let bias cloud your judgement. Deion Sanders, like all of us, is far from perfect. However, many extend grace to the truly undeserving.