Mind of Mike: Only Deion’s Cult Remains

Deion Sanders has now lost the local media. So what’s left if this upcoming season doesn’t go well? His cult, and that’s about it.

Deion can be charming. I’ve experienced it first hand. He can be gracious and he can be outgoing and pleasant. I’ve seen it. But that’s only if everyone is on his side. As a coach at the Under Armour All America Game when I first met him he was sought after. Everyone wanted to meet Deion, everyone wanted to slap Coach Prime on the back and take a selfie. He was pursued, admired and sought after. And he handled it well as expected.

It’s when people are critical of Deion where he loses it. We saw it at Prime Academy in Texas. We saw it at Jackson State. But these were only little glimpses. Now that he’s a Power Four coach we are seeing criticism at its highest level, and he’s not cut out to handle that.

Heading into last season people doubted him. They questioned his readiness to coach at this high level. His approach, reliant on the transfer portal, was also scrutinized. And in typical Deion fashion, he said he “is keeping receipts”. Deion was going to show everyone they were wrong about him just as he did as a player. Those who dared to criticize Deion the player were proven wrong over and over again and he was going to do it as a coach. He blocked people on Twitter and he made sure to tell everyone who didn’t believe in him that he was going to prove them wrong. His tissue thin skin was showing but he was determined and motivated.

When they upset TCU and started off 3-0 we saw it. The arrogance, the cockiness, the smile and gleam in his eye. He was doing it. He was shutting them up. And then Oregon happened. Cocky turned into “better get us now” but Deion still had that swagger. It all changed after Stanford.

A blown lead of 29-0 led to a 46-43 loss. It was the largest comeback in Stanford history and the worst blown lead in Colorado history. From that point on, everything faded. The gleam was gone. The cocky walk was less enthusiastic and Deion seemed to age weekly. He went 4-8, 1-8 in conference and finished in last place, the same place he inherited Colorado.

Fast forward to last week. Deion looks old. He refused to answer questions from multiple media outlets and has forever turned the local Colorado media against him. He’s become more and more defensive and he’s wearing down physically and emotionally. It’s evident. No more keeping receipts, he’s just avoiding all responsibility. So now what?

One of two things will likely happen. Colorado will come out strong and defeat North Dakota State, Nebraska and Colorado State en route to another 3-0 start. After that it doesn’t get much tougher until Kansas State in October. Deion could be 4-0, re-energized and become cocksure all over again. Will he have learned from being brash after 3-0 last year? Not one bit. He will double down on cockiness. It will be amazing.

Or, more likely, Colorado will limp out to an average start. They could lose to a really good North Dakota State program or an improved Nebraska. 2-2 is very possible or maybe even 1-3. Even if it’s 3-1 he will have to handle questions about a loss and season expectations as I assume they could be favored in their first four games. If the season starts poorly, it won’t end well and we will see the old, defensive, defeated Deion we saw last week. And it could get ugly.

Fans could turn on him as many already are before the first kickoff. The local media obviously won’t have his back now. Not that they ever did, but those who remained neutral will naturally become hostile as human nature dictates. And only his cult will remain.

What’s the cult? The Deion cult is the group of people that defend and side with him no matter what. He can do no wrong and it comes from a combination of star worship mixed in with racial overtones. Luckily for Deion, they will always be there for him as he leaves Colorado and follows Shadeur and Shilo into the NFL in some capacity.

And things will have come full circle once he leaves. Colorado will be left the same mess as he found it, his cult will follow him to his next destination and everyone will move on with their lives as it’s mean to be. It’s inevitable.

Things could have been different. Deion could have arrived with a smidge of humble, could have stuffed his defensive nature for a bit and got along with everyone. Or could they have? That would have only happened if everyone loved him all the time and that was never going to happen at this level of coaching.

Deion is who he is and we saw that last week. Love and adore him and he shines. Criticize him and he will implode and alienate and lose any support he had from non-cult members. It’s starting to get ugly and it will get uglier unless one thing happens. He needs to win.