Colorado and why we need to pump the brakes on expectations for Deion Sanders
Deion Sanders has done an incredible job in his first year as the head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes football team. But Paul Meyerberg says we need to bring our expectations back to reality for this team.
Game pulse
Colorado State head football coach Jay Norvell appeared to criticize Deion Sanders on Wednesday, who said on his weekly coach’s show that he takes off his hat and glasses when he talks to “adults” because that’s what his mother taught him.
By contrast, when appearing on camera as Colorado’s head coach, Sanders often wears a hat, sunglasses, or both at news conferences or interviews. That’s his style. Now Sanders has fired back at Norvell as his team prepares to host Colorado State (0-1) in a game Saturday night in Boulder on ESPN.
“I’m a grown man,” Sanders said on his weekly coaches show Thursday in Boulder. “Don’t tell me what I should and shouldn’t wear. Please.”
Norvell’s comments come after he said his players will have to do “videos” with ESPN this week in preparation for Saturday’s game. He said they came away with “a chip on their shoulder”.
“They’re tired of everything,” Norvell said In the show. “They’re really tired. I sat down with ESPN today and I don’t care if they hear it in Boulder. I told them, ‘I took my hat off, I took my glasses off.’ I said, ‘When I talk to the big guys, I take my hat and glasses off.’ That’s what my mother taught me.
CSU fans in the crowd at Norvel’s show in Fort Collins clapped and laughed in support, knowing exactly who Norvel was talking about.
Stay up to date with: Subscribe to our sports newsletter for exclusive content
Norwell doesn’t seem concerned that he’s playing with fire by making these comments. After finishing 1-11 last year, the Buffaloes fell to 2-0 under Sanders because they said last week’s win gave them the impression they were being insulted by the outside world or the opposing coach. Over Nebraska.
“They don’t like us no matter what we say or do,” Norvell said at a show hosted by a local restaurant. “Never mind. Well, let’s go out there and play. That’s how I feel. I don’t feel like taking over the show. I’m tired of it. I mean, I’m tired of everything. I know everybody else is. So let’s play.”
Sanders, 56, appeared on Thursday at a restaurant in Boulder wearing sunglasses and a buffalo hat at his own Coach event. The show’s host, Mark Johnson, brought up Norvell’s comments by saying he wanted to ask Sanders a fashion question.
“If I’m sitting here on stage, I’m going to put on sunglasses and reach down and put my hat on top of it,” Johnson said before Sanders interrupted.
“I know where you’re going,” said Sanders, known as Coach Prime.
“How would you feel about it if I did?” Johnson asked him.
To which Sanders replied, “Do we know you like that?”
“That’s right,” Sanders said. “That’s how we know you. I’m not going to come before you and change who I am because you’re here. I’m not doing that. I’m true to who I am.”
Colorado State trailed by 23 1/2-points against Colorado Saturday before the Buffs beat Nebraska 36-14 last week. After the game, Sanders’ son and quarterback Schedure said the play was “very personal” to him in light of what Nebraska coach Matt Rhule had said and done before the game, which paled in comparison to the direct shot at Sanders. By Norwell.
Rhule stepped on the Buffaloes logo at midfield before the game, offending Shedeur Sanders. But Rule said he meant no disrespect. Earlier this year, Rule made a general comment about his own team-building strategy but didn’t mention Sanders by name or directly criticize Colorado. Colorado took it as criticism anyway because he showed his strategy as opposed to Colorado’s.
Now this.
On Thursday, Sanders elaborated on his sunglasses habit.
“My eyes are very tired,” he said. “I wake up at 4:30 (in the morning) and I’m probably in the office by 5. So by this time you see me, I’m worn out, you know? So imma try to cover my eyes. Eyes say everything a person. That’s why I do it. I do it. It feels good to do.”
Norvell was hired as CSU’s head coach in December 2021 and has yet to face the Buffs in the Rocky Mountain Showdown. Colorado has won eight of its last 10 in the series and dominates the state tournament with a 67-22-2 record.
Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrodenboer. Email: [email protected]
“Total coffee junkie. Tv ninja. Unapologetic problem solver. Beer expert.”