Sports
Deion Sanders talks a lot about character but his bully tactics show very little of it
Deion Sanders’ news conferences often feel like a sermon. When he’s on a roll, his words have a rhythm and energy that remind me of a Sunday morning in the Black church. He will lead you to believe his purpose for being at Colorado is greater than football. Winning may be important, but developing complete people as well as all-around players is imperative. When he talks about the types of recruits he looks for, he mentions intelligence, speed and toughness, but there is added emphasis when he cites character and discipline. He draws out those words, leaving them to linger in the air for a moment longer.
Today, those words ring hollow. Today, Sanders sounds and looks like a hypocrite. The man who once refused to ignore a petty verbal slight from an opposing coach because “my momma taught me that you ain’t just gonna attack me, and I ain’t gonna sit back and say nothing,” is refusing to take questions from a local columnist because he doesn’t like what the person has written about him and the program.
From my vantage point, that doesn’t look like character. Rather, it resembles cowardice.
GO DEEPER
Sanders, Buffs will no longer answer questions from local columnist
Everyone knows you don’t run from a bully, perceived or actual. You stand up to the person. Would Sanders tell his team to run and hide if facing an opponent that is a two- or three-touchdown favorite? Of course not. He’d tell his players to stand their ground and meet the moment.
But in this case, he either requested or allowed Colorado’s athletics department to notify The Denver Post that no one from the football program would take questions from columnist Sean Keeler because of “a series of sustained, personal attacks” in Keeler’s coverage of the program. Asked for specific examples, a sports information staffer cited the use of phrases such as “false prophet,” “Deposition Deion,” “Planet Prime,” “Bruce Lee of B.S.,” “the Deion Kool-Aid” and “circus,” according to the Post.
I can understand Sanders being bothered by such characterizations, but I also know the skin of an FBS head coach has to be thicker than one-ply toilet paper. However, Sanders has never handled criticism well, going back to his days as a professional football and baseball player.
Free, daily sports updates direct to your inbox.
Free, daily sports updates direct to your inbox.
Sign Up
When he suited up for the Atlanta Braves and Atlanta Falcons on the same day decades ago, Tim McCarver, a catcher-turned-broadcaster, criticized him for it. McCarver was a purist and didn’t like what he believed to be a circus taking place. Sanders later responded by dumping multiple buckets of ice water on McCarver’s head in the clubhouse.
A few years ago while coaching at Jackson State, Sanders refused to take a question from a reporter when the person addressed him at the Southwestern Conference media day as Deion instead of Coach Prime.
“If you call Nick (Saban), Nick, you’ll get cussed out on the spot,” Sanders said to the reporter, referring to the former Alabama coach. “So don’t do that to me. Treat me like Nick.”
Two weeks ago, Sanders dismissively waved off a CBS reporter after learning of the reporter’s affiliation.
“I’m not doing nothing with CBS. Next question,” he said. “It ain’t got nothing to do with you. It’s above that. It ain’t got nothing to do with you. I got love for you. I appreciate you. I respect you. It ain’t got nothing to do with you. They know what they did.”
In that same news conference, Sanders also refused to take a question from Keeler. Once is an accident, twice is a coincidence, and three times is a pattern of behavior.
Sanders made amends with CBS reporter Eric Christensen the following week, offering him a one-on-one interview, but the situation with Keeler likely won’t be resolved as quickly or as smoothly. Department officials have not indicated if or when its position will change, though it said it will continue to credential Keeler and other Post reporters for games, practices and other football events. Keeler will not be recognized for questions from the football program, but he can interview administrators, coaches and participants in other sports.
Attempts to control the sports media are nothing new, particularly in college football. In 2012, for instance, USC briefly banned a media member after he reported a player injury. And last season, the Trojans temporarily suspended a beat writer for reporting a conversation that two players had in front of the media.
There are other examples and battles that are fought that the public never hears about, and without a coach who preaches love, peace and empathy running from the opportunity to show his players how to handle a difficult situation. But that’s what bullies do, right? When they realize they are not likely to win, they turn and run. They give ammunition to critics who might argue their sermons are nothing more than hollow words, coated in style but lacking substance.
Required reading
(Photo: Louis Grasse / Getty Images)
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
The PGA Tour has announced that it will not be hosting an event in Hawaii during the 2027 season, ending a 56-year run of holding a tournament in The Aloha State. The change comes as the Tour and CEO Brian Rolapp have consistently teased a revamped schedule beginning next year.
The Tour was forced to cancel The Sentry at the start of the 2026 campaign due to the dying grass on the Plantation Course at Kapalua amid a local dispute with the company responsible for delivering water to the area.
An aerial view of the golf course from over the ocean prior to The Sentry at The Plantation Course at Kapalua on December 31, 2023 in Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii. (Photo by Ben Jared/PGA TOUR) (Ben Jared/PGA TOUR)
PGA TOUR CEO ADDRESSES LIV GOLF’S UNCERTAIN FUTURE, PLAYERS POTENTIALLY RETURNING
With The Sentry being canceled, the Sony Open at Waialae Country on Oahu served as the Tour’s season opener in ‘26, which was won by Chris Gotterup. The event was in the final year of its sponsorship, although the Tour has shared that it is working toward making the event the opening event on the PGA Tour Champions circuit.
Chris Gotterup of the United States celebrates with the trophy on the 18th green after his winning round of the Sony Open in Hawaii 2026 at Waialae Country Club on January 18, 2026 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images) (Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)
The Tour’s removal of The Sentry and the Sony Open wipes out what has now turned into a traditional two-week stretch on the island to begin a new season.
MATT FITZPATRICK HAS PERFECT RESPONSE TO USA RYDER CUP FANS AFTER PGA TOUR VICTORY
The PGA Tour did not share further details about the 2027 schedule upon its announcement about leaving Hawaii, but with Sentry reportedly being an event title-sponsor through 2035, it will need to find a new landing spot on the calendar. The logical stop would be Torrey Pines in San Diego, which checks the West Coast and great weather boxes, but the venue is also looking for a new sponsor, as its deal with Farmers Insurance ended in 2026.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
View of the 18th hole is seen during the final round of The Sentry at The Plantation Course at Kapalua on January 5, 2025 in Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii. (Photo by Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images) (Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)
The Tour’s decision not to begin next season in Hawaii makes sense, as there are plenty of venues in the lower 48 states that are much easier to operate from, but the departure will have a tremendous financial impact on the state.
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports that The Sentry is estimated to have a $50 million annual impact on the community, while the Sony Open directly generates an estimated $100 million in revenue per year, plus another $1 million per year to Friends of Hawaii charities.
Martin Dugard is a prolific author and writer. He’s also an assistant cross-country coach at Santa Margarita after being head coach at JSerra for 15 years.
His newest book is “The Long Run,” which discusses the 1970s running boom and is a narrative history of four who sparked the marathon boom: Steve Prefontaine, Frank Shorter, Joan Benoit Samuelson and Grete Waitz.
He’s going to have a book signing on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Barnes & Noble, 26751 Aliso Creek Rd., Aliso Viejo.
Don’t be surprised if he tries to run from Rancho Santa Margarita to his book signing.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
For years, Stephen A. Smith’s many football blunders have been easy enough to explain away.
He’s not an NFL guy (remember when he said the three key players for a game were three guys who weren’t playing in the game?)
Stephen A. Smith falsely claimed the Warriors haven’t made the playoffs since 2022, but Golden State reached the second round in both 2023 and 2025. (Jerome Miron/Imagn Images)
He’s definitely not a college football guy (remember when he called Jalen Milroe Jalen “Milroy” multiple times and then read the wrong stat line after a College Football Playoff game?).
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
ESPN forces him into those conversations because First Take has to talk football, and Smith knows that football is the most popular sport in the country and he needs to be seen as an authority (even though he isn’t).
But Monday’s latest mistake is a lot tougher to excuse, because this time Smith wasn’t talking about the NFL or college football. He was talking about the Golden State Warriors, one of the defining NBA dynasties of the last decade.
In other words, he was talking about the sport and the league that’s supposed to be his bread and butter.
JALEN BRUNSON’S SISTER BLASTS ESPN AFTER STEPHEN A SMITH KNICKS RANT: ‘UTTERLY RIDICULOUS’
While discussing whether Steve Kerr has coached his last game with Golden State, Smith confidently stated the Warriors “haven’t been back to the playoffs since that championship in 2022.”
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr looks on during a game against the Sacramento Kings. (Robert Edwards/Imagn Images)
That’s not even close to true. Not only did Golden State make the playoffs last season, but they also reached the postseason in 2023. Last year, the Warriors made the playoffs, beat the Rockets in seven games and advanced to the second round before losing to the Timberwolves. In 2023, they beat the Sacramento Kings in the first round and before losing to the Lakers in the Western Conference semifinals.
So, Smith wouldn’t even have been right if he said they haven’t won a playoff series since 2022. But he didn’t say that. He said they didn’t make the playoffs in any of the past four years, except they did it twice.
Yikes.
This is not an obscure piece of NBA trivia that Smith could be easily forgiven for not knowing. Perhaps he was too busy playing solitaire on his phone and just missed two of the past three NBA postseasons. That’s a tough look for the guy who fancies himself as the No. 1 NBA analyst in the country.
And it’s a terrible look for ESPN, as they keep selling Smith as one of the faces of their NBA coverage.
Stephen A. Smith made a brutal gaffe while talking Warriors playoff history
If Smith made this kind of mistake while talking about the NFL, nobody would be shocked. At this point, sports fans practically expect him to butcher football analysis. It’s almost endearing that a guy with the ego of Smith can be so consistently wrong while also delivering every “fact” with the utmost confidence. It’s part of the Stephen A. experience.
But this one hits differently because the NBA is where he’s supposed to at least know the basics. This is where Smith prides himself as being an authority figure.
Stephen A. Smith incorrectly stated the Golden State Warriors haven’t made the playoffs since their 2022 championship, despite the team reaching the postseason twice since then. (Candice Ward/Imagn Images)
And yet he couldn’t keep the recent playoff history of the Warriors straight. The team whose head coach is in the news every other week. The team that has won four championships since 2014. Arguably one of the most important franchises in the NBA over the past 15 years.
Yes, Golden State missed the playoffs in 2024 after getting bounced in the Play-In Tournament (although they won 46 games that season). And yes, it fell short again this season. But that’s a lot different from acting like Steve Kerr has spent four years wandering the basketball wilderness since winning that 2022 title.
He hasn’t. In fact, the team is 175-153 in the past four regular seasons.
STEVE KERR DOWNPLAYS WARRIORS OWNER’S EMAIL EXCHANGE THAT HINTED AT COACHING MISTAKES: ‘NOT A BIG DEAL’
The Warriors made the second round in 2023. They made the second round again in 2025.
Before burying Steve Kerr on national television, maybe Stephen A. Smith could take 10 seconds to confirm whether the Warriors were actually, you know, in the playoffs.
-
Health2 minutes agoHealthy diets spark lung cancer risk in non-smokers as pesticides loom
-
Sports8 minutes agoPGA Tour signals new era with axing of Hawaii events from schedule
-
Technology14 minutes agoAlexa+ lets you order food like a real conversation
-
Business20 minutes agoNew lawsuit alleges Uber is violating drivers’ rights. Here’s how
-
Entertainment26 minutes agoReview: Trigger warning? ‘For Want of a Horse’ gives new meaning to the term ‘animal lover’
-
Lifestyle32 minutes agoMore is more in this L.A. ‘barn’ exploding with thrifted finds and maximalist flair
-
Politics38 minutes agoFormer state Controller Betty Yee drops out of the governor’s race
-
Sports50 minutes ago
Prep talk: Another book is out from running coach Martin Dugard