Colorado coach Deion Sanders has made plenty of positive headlines during his time in college football. He also has made some negative ones, based at times on his reaction to questions from reporters that he regards as negative.
In the aftermath of his decision to no longer answer questions from Sean Keeler of the Denver Post, which came chronologically after Keeler wrote a column questioning Deion’s refusal to answer questions for anyone affiliated in any way with CBS (national, local, digital, etc.) because of perceived slights or whatever from someone under the broader CBS umbrella, Sanders was asked at a Saturday press conference about his plan for handling questions that he regards as negative going forward.
Said a reporter, “When I ask a negative question, will you not answer them anymore?”
“That’s being negative right now,” Sanders said. “Like, you taking an approach that I’m gonna be negative. I’m not negative to anybody in here. I would challenge you and ask you, ‘Why?’ or ‘Where’s this coming from?’ So i’m not built like that. I’m not built to hate. I’m not a hateful guy, I’m not a — I come with love. I think if anybody in here has had encounters with me, I don’t come with the bulljunk, I come with the peace and the joy. Now, when you show me where you stand, I might have to change that a little bit. So I’m not gonna match your ignorance or whatever — not saying that you’re ignorant but a person, I’m not gonna match that.”
Still, stopping a press conference to inquire in real time about the “why” (which Sanders did with Keeler during the same press conference where Sanders refused to take a question from the local CBS affiliate because of something someone from CBS wrote or said) is just another way of reacting negatively to questions perceived as negative and/or those who ask them. Why not just answer the question in a positive way and take it up with the person who asked the question privately?
The problem seems to be that Deion has two boxes into which he places those who ask positive questions and those who ask negative questions — those who are with him, and those who aren’t. For Deion, a tough question shows him “where you stand” and makes him inclined not to “match your ignorance.”
That’s very telling. It confirms that Deion wants his press conferences to be populated by those who stand with him. And that he’ll reward them by answering their questions, and by not assuming they’re ignorant.
Sanders also was asked whether he currently feels “persecuted.”
“I don’t know about persecuted,” he said. “This is a way of life for me. You guys act like this is the first time I’ve been shot at. I’ve been lied on, cheated, talked about, mistreated. That’s a gospel song, isn’t it? This is not the first time for this. But, as I mature, instead of shooting back or lashing out or just dismissing you, I want to know why. Like, let’s help each other. Let’s figure out the why. Because if you understand the why in people, that helps you tremendously.”
Regardless of how long he’s been “shot at” by critics or haters or whoever, this is the first time Deion has had the ability to control his interactions with them, beyond simply blocking them on Twitter. Really, that’s what he’s doing with his press conferences. He’s hitting the block button. On CBS. On Keeler. On anyone who isn’t with him.
He said he wants to understand the “why.” But what is he doing to actually do that? And will he truly try to understand the “why” — and what will he do if he doesn’t like what he hears?
Different people have different opinions, about everyone and everything. Some people will like a coach, player, etc. Some people won’t. Anyone who gets bogged down by the criticism will become distracted from the task at hand. And anyone who completely brushes off the scrutiny might be missing a chance to develop and grow. Because sometimes the critics aren’t just channeling their “hate"; sometimes, they’re making a good point.
Deion should be bigger than this pettiness he’s been displaying to those who dare to ask him real, pointed questions about his program. Instead of cutting off or challenging those who disagree with him, he should try to win them over. To see things their way and to persuade them to change their mind. And not to force them to kowtow or cry uncle.
Unless he’s truly not interested in figuring out the “why,” but in whittling the press corps down to a group of reporters who will react to everything he says and does with “wow.”