Deion Sanders blasts top ESPN personality

Sep 2, 2023; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders walks on the field before the game against the TCU Horned Frogs at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Deion Sanders is taking aim at another media member as his dealings with local reporters are scrutinized.

The Colorado coach went after ESPN’s Paul Finebaum on Tuesday after Finebaum criticized Sanders’ role in Colorado’s decision to ban a local columnist from asking Sanders questions during media availabilities. In a Monday appearance on ESPN, Finebaum joined the chorus of media personalities criticizing the move, and called Sanders “a bully and a hypocrite” over the decision.

In an appearance on Robert Griffin III’s “Outta Pocket” podcast, Sanders fired back by suggesting Finebaum was using him to get attention.

“He’s talking about us. How can we be irrelevant and you talking about me?” Sanders said. “Every time I turn around somebody’s sending me a quote that you are talking about me. The fan only blows when you hot, so we must be hot.

“I know what he’s doing, and I’m proud of him, that he’s smart enough to understand that this generation and the start process and the way we communicate in sports is different, and he’s a dying breed. So what does he have to do to stay and keep up with this change? ‘Oh, I gotta go find that big bad wolf and talk about him. So now I keep my relevancy.’ And I’m cool. But I’m not going to help you. I’m not going to add to you. I’m not going to respond, because that’s what you want.”

Of course, Sanders is already responding by offering up this quote. It’s a common refrain from him, as he seeks to present Colorado as college football’s next big thing, and that critics are inevitably going to use the rising program to garner attention and get clicks. That has been the case even when the criticism is coming from a genuine place, or even when there has not been much criticism at all .

Sanders has every right to stick up for himself and his program. However, unless the Buffaloes improve on last year’s four-win season, it’s going to be increasingly difficult for him to lean on his own relevance when calling out others.

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