BOULDER, CO — The plight of the Black athlete and coach has been a very interesting one as it pertains to being received in America for decades. The misunderstanding, the hate, the racism, the under coded language has disseminated through media circles for decades.
The vitriol that has been spewed towards Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders has been sickening at best. Though I personally have disagreed with a few things that Sanders aka Coach Prime has done in his coaching career, such as reprimanding two players who refused to engage in a brawl that included the team during a practice. However, after taking some time to review it, I understood the sentiment even though I still disagree with it. Yet, nothing has detoured me away from seeing the trajectory of where he’s headed with his coaching career and where he ultimately seems to take these young men along the way.
“This team hasn’t scratched the surface of what it’s capable of doing,” Sanders said after the victory over Nebraska.
Sanders made some people wake up; as I often find interesting that the same hate or discussion comes from a lack of choosing to understand. Therefore, fear is allowed to dictate verbiage that would otherwise be reserved on speaking against white coaches who have operated in a similar manner throughout coaching history from several media members who have looked around every nook and cranny for obstacles to throw Sanders way, to flat out wishing his demise on the sidelines.
The lack of understanding proves the cultural clueless nature that is benevolent throughout the sports community especially from the mouths of media members who refuse to simply critique his coaching verses criticizing his persona and character.
Though America has made a few strides in regards to Blacks and minorities having an opportunity to coach or manage, the respect and track record doesn’t mean the same when it comes to white and Black coaches on the sidelines, especially when coaching Black men.
Remember when Mike Singletary, former head coach of San Francisco 49ers, criticized and ultimately held his players accountable including then star tide end Vernon Davis publicly? Singletary had the famous postgame rant that ended included, ‘I want winners!’ Singletary was ridiculed by certain members of the media, yet when Super Bowl champion coach Bill Belichick yells at his players or when Kyle Shannahan washes his hands with players and sends them packing to another NFC team, there is hardly any criticism.
Sanders, who arguably is the best cornerback the NFL had ever seen on the field along with his iconic swagger, and being a very good baseball player in the MLB, he is more than qualified to be coaching on the Division I level.
Make no mistake about it, the wins that he was accumulated have come from Jackson State University; a school that gave Sanders an opportunity to coaching at the collegiate level. He was daunted with the task of turning the frog into a prince. Not only did he accomplish that, but he created a carriage, a palace, and a new wardrobe for years to come.
Sanders opened an otherwise blind eye to not only Jackson State, but to HBCU football in general complete with new uniforms and a state-of-the-art practice facility that the university will be able to take advantage of for years to come. During the water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi, ‘Coach Prime’ made sure his players provided aid wherever they could and were visible in that community.
Many weren’t pleased with how Sanders ultimately departed from Jackson State in order to pursue a challenge at a higher level of Division I at the University of Colorado. That unfortunately will be kept over his head for quite some time, much like the decision being held over four-time NBA champion and Lakers superstar LeBron James.
Many analysts plotted Sanders’ demise before he coached his first practice in Boulder, Colorado. The Coach Prime effect was to ensure that not only would these players get an education, but have an opportunity to be coached up by someone who looks like them and can relate to them in different ways. What he has done to elevate the local economy has not been seen in decades. Bridging the gap between the various racial student bodies has also improved while he added some soul to college football at Colorado.
The defeat of TCU on the road was a statement that magnified beyond the words of Sanders. It spoke more to the vision he had and executing that vision through the talents of his players such as quarterback Shadeur Sanders and wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter, who shook up the college recruitment world a couple of years ago and decided to join Sanders at Jackson State at the time.
Other Colorado players on offense, including running back Dylan Edwards, and the defense has improved each week with each test that comes their way. Watching closely one can see the principles of ‘Coach Prime’ be implemented throughout his team and the diverse coaching staff. The marketing genius that Sanders has along with his magnetic personality has allured celebrities such as Wu-Tang Clan, Cam’ron, and ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith and Shannon Sharpe to witness in person the palace that Sanders is building in Boulder during the team’s first home game of the season; a game that was a sellout and had an average price of approximately $421 per ticket. The ticket prices continue to increase over $500 per ticket thus far.
In the past, Sanders saw the likes of Snoop Dogg, Million Dollars Worth Of Game host Gillie and Wallo, and former NFL champion and Good Morning America host Michael Strahan show support.
As the season ramps up, there is no telling what star will attend the sidelines next. Interesting enough, a small discussion ensued about Sanders creating a distracting environment on the sidelines or in the stadium when these celebs decide to appear.
Was that question asked and emphasized when the Pete Carroll era of USC had big name stars on the sideline next to Reggie Bush, Matt Leinert, and the rest of the Trojans? No.
So why should that be emphasized with Sanders? Do you understand the double standard that is being conveyed?
When Sanders asked media members “do you believe?”. That was not asking media members to fairly criticize when apropos, it was a call to simply stop hating and plotting his and his team’s downfall unjustly.
Sanders has a heavy belief in God and relies on his faith, which might be a bit too much for some. However, the respect has to be given that he is a winner and needs to be given the same grace that his white coaching counterparts are given such as Nick Saban, Dabo Sweeney, Lincoln Riley, and Jim Harbaugh, to name a few. Ironically, Sanders is ahead of the curve with coaching Colorado to two wins thus far, which is a much needed turnaround from last season abysmal 1-11 record and only one win in the conference.
The Pac-12 conference win hasn’t come yet, but the Buffaloes will face the state rival Colorado State, then a week later the Oregon Ducks on the road, and in two weeks and the USC Trojans in Colorado on September 30. Of course Colorado State head coach Jay Norvell had the audacity to send a jab to Coach Prime just days before the two team will face one another.
“I don’t care if they hear this in Boulder. I told them [ESPN] — I took my hat off and I took my glasses off. I said, ‘When I talk to grown-ups, I take my hat and my glasses off. That’s what my mother taught me,‘” Norvell said.
Sanders made sure he clapped back and made sure his words were heard around the world via the YouTube channel Well Off Media, which is ran by Sanders son, Deion Sanders Jr.
“I’m minding my own business watching some film, trying to get ready, trying to get out here and be the best coach that I could be, and I look up and I read some bull junk that they had said about us, once again,” Sanders told the team. “Why would you want to talk about us when we don’t talk about nobody? All we do is go out here, work our butts off and do our job on Saturday. But when they give us ammunition, they done messed around and made it [personal].“
Sanders may not be the person you want him to be, but he’s the person he is and needs to be in order to coach those kids up weekly. He’s paid to win football games, but aside from coaching he is also teaching young men the importance on being productive in society.
