Paul Finebaum Used Two Words To Describe Deion Sanders Amid Reporter Controversy

We are just days away from the start of the college football season for the Colorado Buffaloes. The Buffaloes are entering year two under Deion Sanders after having a three-win improvement last season, going 4-8.

Sanders has been in the news again. I t was announced that Colorado has prohibited Denver Post columnist Sean Keeler from posing questions to Sanders and other team members of the team. This was due to a "series of sustained, personal attacks on the football program and specifically Coach Prime."

ESPN's Paul Finebaum criticized Sanders on Monday's "Get Up." He called Sanders' actions disgraceful and labeled him a "bully" and "hypocrite," stating that it reflected Sanders' lack of readiness for primetime.

"Coach Prime is showing he is not ready for primetime, Greeny," Finebaum said. "I find this whole thing disgraceful. Deion may want to talk about love and joy, and that seems to be what he's spewing out, but treating reporters like this seems like we're in some autocratic country. This is not America. The fact that it is in his contract is even more absurd... I find him to be a bully and a hypocrite."

Finebaum pointed out that Sanders' behavior follows a pattern, referencing a similar incident at Jackson State . In July 2021, Sanders banned Jackson Clarion-Ledger reporter Rashad Milligan from covering him and his Jackson State players' appearances at SWAC media day. This came after Milligan reported on an incoming Jackson State recruit facing a domestic violence charge.

In that same segment, ESPN's Dan Orlovsky defended Sanders, saying that these people are allowed to stand up for themselves instead of constantly being dragged around.

"At some point, some of these people are allowed to stand up for themselves and not just constantly get dragged," Orlovsky said. "I don't think he's being a bully; he's just saying, 'Hey, if this is mainly what you do or only what you are going to do in relation to me or the program, we're not going to have any interaction...' Not everybody should get a seat when it comes to having the opportunity to cover a program or their head coach."

Orlovsky concluded that Sanders won't be able to escape all the criticism and knows that. But calling him a bully and hypocritical is extreme, according to Orlovsky.

Sanders and the Buffaloes will kick off their season against North Dakota State on Thursday, Aug. 29, at 8:00 p.m. ET.

Related: Paul Finebaum Gives Controversial Coaching Grade For Colorado's Deion Sanders