Obviously, it made it easier for Coach Prime to pull out those “receipts” after his Colorado football team pulled out an improbable opening-day victory over TCU University. For the reporters and other people who watch and cover the college football game, picking TCU to win the game over Colorado wasn’t a difficult choice.
Just last season, TCU played in the National Championship game while Colorado won only one game all season. For many, it wasn’t just common knowledge to pick TCU, but common sense. However, throughout his life and professional career, nothing Deion Sanders has done has been common.
From the time he was a 7-year-old child and made a vow to become rich enough to make sure his mom would never have to work again. Or when he created the Prime-Time persona in his Florida State dorm room because he knew NFL cornerbacks didn’t make nearly the money quarterbacks, running backs, and receivers earned.
Not to mention, becoming one of the few athletes to ever play two professional sports at the same time. No, the word common is not something you associate with Deion’s name. Not only does he know he is unique, but he takes the opportunity to remind you what he is and what he has been if you don’t know or somehow forget.
This bravado, confidence, or simply just a matter of fact is something that may be perceived as arrogance. Especially when it comes from a Black Man who is whipping butts and taking names. Think Muhammad Ali, Jack Johnson, and some other famous athletes or other successful Black Men who remind you of their greatness and their accomplishments.
This fact is not lost on Deion Sanders. “We going to continuously get questioned, because we do things that has never been done, that’s the way life has presented itself. We do things that has never been done and that makes people uncomfortable.” he said at the press conference. “When you see a confident Black Man up here talking his talk, walking his walk, coaching 75 percent African Americans in the locker room, that is kind of threatening. Oh, they don’t like that. But guess what, we gon consistently do what we do. Because I’m here and I ain’t going nowhere. And I’m about to get comfortable in a minute.”
Whether people will admit it or not, Deion is right. His comfort level makes some people uncomfortable. While some people are rooting for him, others are wishing for his downfall. Some will watch him to see him win and others are waiting for him to lose. This dynamic makes him entertaining, or dare I say Prime Time.
Deion ended his press conference by saying: “I just like them to know that I know. That you really ain’t with me. You really ain’t with us. You really don’t believe. You really don’t want to see me win. You really don’t want to see me at victory or at peace or have joy. I know you don’t want to see that, but I love it. It ain’t nothing different. Why would I expect something different? It was like that when I played right? So, I’m just playing another game. I’m just off the field, I’m not on the field now.”
To sum it up, he is the brother you love to hate!