Deion Sanders is a lightning rod for controversy and drama, whether he’s trying to stir the pot or not.
Shannon Sharpe is Team Deion all the way and has a solid relationship with the charismatic Colorado Buffaloes coach dating back to their days in the NFL and as on-air colleagues at CBS.
Shannon Sharpe (R) says Deion Sanders (L) receives criticism and hate from some media and fans because he is a Black man who lacks the humility white America wants to see. (PHOTO: Getty Images)
Shannon Sharpe Says Race Dictates the Way Deion Sanders Is Covered
In an appearance on the “Get Got Pod” this week with Marshawn Lynch and Michael Robinson, Sharpe discussed his friend and also suggested that race is the defining factor in the way Sanders is covered.
“The crux of the argument is Black people are supposed to be humble,” Sharpe explained. “Be thankful you’re coaching, be thankful you’re in the NFL, be thankful you’re in the NBA, be thankful you’re the heavyweight champion of the world. Just be thankful that you have a job. Who are you to boast and brag and tell us how great you are? You should just be thankful that you’re here. That’s the expectation for us. And when you don’t do that, [it’s], ‘I’m going to put you in your place.’”
Sharpe reasons that certain people’s criticism and disdain of Sanders dates back to his days as a brash and confident all-world athlete at Florida State and in the NFL. He’s one of the all-time greatest athletes because he played baseball as a side hustle and excelled in that as well. His flashy style was an unapologetic cultural presentation that definitely rubbed some traditional media the wrong way back in the ’80s and ’90s. But his dominance was undeniable.
Shannon Sharpe Thinks Media Vitriol Towards Deion Is Not Soley Racism
Certain media folks have tried to clown Deion, attack his coaching ability and recruiting style. Bash the family atmosphere he has going on in Colorado.
The criticisms of Shedeur Sanders, despite his success this season, and certain reporters belittling the exceptional play of Travis Hunter, are all part of the personal feelings that some have toward Deion.
Sharpe did emphasize that criticizing Sanders as a coach does not mean the analyst is racist. Deion has other aspects of his personality that may not jive with certain people such as his style, religion, and lifestyle — which indicates that any ill will toward Deion extends far beyond his actions on the football field
“Now, a lot of that vitriol is, well, I couldn’t say anything about him then, but I can talk bad about his team,” Sharpe said. “Prime, that’s my dog. He’s not above reproach where you can’t critique his coaching. But when you start talking about, oh he’s a false prophet and he ain’t what he says, now you’re making it personal and he’s giving you no reason to take it there. If you want to say his team hasn’t gotten better, if you want to say his defense hasn’t gotten better, he has done a poor job assembling a staff, that’s well within your right if you’re an analyst. But when you start talking about his religion and how he doesn’t live a certain way, miss me with that.”
Even in this successful 8-2 season, where Sanders is in contention for a College Football Playoff spot, negativity seems to find a way to creep into any narrative surrounding Coach Prime.
Deion Sanders Battles With Media: Flips No. 1 QB Julian Lewis From USC
The latest distraction has to do with his potential move to the NFL or another college team. This comes in the midst of five-star quarterback Julian Lewis de-committing from USC and committing to the Buffs. This implies that Deion will be sticking around in Boulder even after his sons move on to the next level.
Deion not going to the NFL doesn’t mean he will remain in Boulder much longer. Stephen A. Smith says Deion needs to be under the big lights of a big-time program.
“The ideal place for him would be the SEC,” said Smith. “That’s what you need when you Prime Time, and if it ain’t that it’s the NFL.”
So much speculation and opinion surrounding every move Sanders makes, which can be annoying but also keep the cameras on his program which he loves.
Sanders has traded blows with the Denver Post, CBS and ESPN this year at some point. He won’t hesitate to call out anything he sees as counterproductive, malicious or uninformed in Boulder and nationally in college football media.
The incident with Denver Post columnist Sean Keeler serves as an example of Sharpe’s point. After Keeler wrote a scathing column calling Sanders “desperate” and scared, Sanders told ESPN’s Mark Jones that he felt Keeler went after his faith.
A confident black man could be considered offensive to much of society, who’s used to seeing Black men portrayed as either down bad, committing crimes or just happy to be here, according to Sharpe. A brother with too much swag and originality in how he operates is automatically seeen as a threat to the establishment
Look at Deion. He turned college football upside down and some folks still call him names and dismiss the job he’s done on and off the field in Boulder. His authenticity and dedication is often questioned by those who think he’s as much of an opportunist as a man of faith. One can be both.
If it’s his confidence as a Black man that turns people off, then they will continue to be ticked off by Coach Prime, because he’s just getting started.
