Hall of Famer and Colorado coach Deion Sanders had spent plenty of time recently challenging, and freezing out, reporters who dared to criticize him. Now, Deion is focusing on media members who criticize players.
“The landscape has changed in football,” Sanders said Tuesday at a press conference. “Once upon a time, you guys never attacked college players. Now, they’re making more money than y’all, and some of y’all are envious and jealous about that. So you’re on the attack. It was hands off a college player because he’s an amateur. Remember? Remember that, guys? Now, it’s hands-on. Go at ‘em, any kind of way you want. They’re making more money than me, and I’m mad about it. When you attack ‘em, attack ‘em, attack ‘em, these guys are sensitive. They’ve never been attacked. They hadn’t gone through what a grown man — what I’ve been going through with y’all for years. They haven’t done that. So it is what it is. I know you’re gonna do your job and what you must do. But your job does not say, ‘Attack.’ Because if we flipped the script on y’all, y’all wouldn’t like it.”
It’s too easy to attribute, and to dismiss, any form of criticism to jealousy. Besides, Sanders made the point that players are now getting paid; some would argue that the long-overdue receipt of real compensation makes them professional players, justifying criticism that previously was rare. (But not, if you recall Mike Gundy’s I’m-at-man-I’m-40 rant, unprecedented.)
Also, these kids are in many respects public figures. Especially those who receive significant compensation to appear in national commercials.
And they’re all adults, past the age of 18. Old enough to join the military. Grown men. Not fully grown, but definitely not children.
Moreover, reporters who go too far are subject to accountability that previously didn’t exist. Entire media outlets are dedicated to covering sports media. If a reporter makes it too personal or says something unfair, inaccurate, or just plain dumb, some other reporter who covers reporters will report it.
Deion said the players are sensitive, that they haven’t dealt with criticism for years. For some, years of criticism thickens the skin. For others, no amount of experience at being criticized will make them suddenly not sensitive to scrutiny.
It goes with the territory. It’s part of the price to be paid for getting paid so well, and for being in the public eye. Eventually, the best approach is to adopt the Charles Barkley mindset.
As long as the postman shows up with the check on the first and 15th of the month, I don’t care what they say about me.
