The University of Colorado made the right decision to shut down a reporter because of the critical comments he wrote about head football coach Deion Sanders.
The university confirmed Friday that it will no longer take questions from Denver Post reporter Sean Keeler at football-related events.
“After a series of sustained, personal attacks on the football program and in particular Coach Prime, the CU Athletic Department and the football program, have decided not to take questions from a Denver Post writer Sean Keeler in football related events,” university. said in a statement to USA TODAY Sports. “Keeler is still allowed to attend football-related activities as a recognized member of the media and other reporters from the Denver Post are welcome to ask questions of the football program staff available to the media, including coaches, players and staff. Keeler is still allowed to cover and ask questions of other CU athletic programs and athletic directors.”
Why did Colorado do this to a reporter?
The university did not respond to a question about whether this was Sanders’ idea. At a news conference earlier this month, Keeler wished Sanders a “good summer” before Sanders showed his displeasure and refused to ask her a question. He told her that he “always attacks.”
“You don’t like us, man,” Sanders said on Aug. 9. “Why are you doing this to yourself?”
Keeler wrote about it afterward, calling Sanders “Deposition Deion” but admitting that Sanders had the right to push back.
“I got my pinata,” Keeler wrote. “Friday was prime time, and he didn’t miss. I was coming, as the old song ‘Chicago’ goes. Okay .”
Keeler showed up at Colorado’s football practice Aug. 13 and tried to ask a question to Colorado assistant coach Warren Sapp. However, the university staff did not allow him.
“Next question,” said the employee.
Keeler had criticized Sanders before. In January, he wrote an op-ed criticizing Sanders’ bold statements about his team and his abilities. Sanders recently suggested that his team could make a run for the College Football Playoff in 2024.
“Deion Sanders is a false prophet, the Bruce Lee of BS, Harold Hill in designer colors. He’s also in the wrong business,” Keeler wrote at the time. “If Coach Prime wanted to run for governor, he would kill it. Meetings for breakfast. Adoring fans for miles. No NCAA. No recruiting rules. No Washington states. I beat you senseless in the cold.”
In a report published Friday, the Post said it was asking for specific examples of how Keeler attacked Sanders and the program. The news outlet said that a sports information worker cited his use of terms such as “false prophet,” “Deposition Deion,” “Planet Prime,” “Bruce Lee of BS,” “Deion Kool-Aid” and “circus.”
Deion Sanders contract and history with important media
The Post noted that Sanders has specific language in his contract with CU that requires him to speak only to “agreed media.” Such terms do not appear in the contracts of CU men’s basketball coach Tad Boyle or women’s basketball coach JR Payne. Nor was the contract of Sanders’ predecessor, Karl Dorrell.
The Post also noted that Sanders has done this before, when he coached at Jackson State. Rashad Milligan, a reporter for the Jackson Clarion-Ledger, was barred from covering the Jackson State football team at Southwestern Athletic Conference Media Day in July 2021. This came a day after Milligan wrote story about an allegation of domestic violence against another. of the group’s top recruit.
The employee later reached a no-compete agreement and received three months of probation and a $50 fine, according to court records obtained by USA TODAY Sports. Milligan told USA TODAY Sports that Sanders has other issues with similar issues to his own besides that story. He said he opted to leave the Clarion-Ledger later that year before the situation was resolved.
Denver Post sports editor Matt Schubert addressed the situation on social media on Friday.
“It’s well within anyone’s rights not to answer questions from @DPostSports reporters,” he wrote on the X website. “The reasons listed here are CU, though however, it depends entirely. It would be more accurate to say, “We don’t like @SeanKeeler’s criticism of our show.”
In a separate beef with the media, Sanders also recently expressed displeasure with the CBS news company. When a CBS television reporter tried to ask a question, Sanders said, “CBS, I don’t do anything about CBS. Next question.”
Sanders did not say what the problem was with CBS, but extended an olive branch to the reporter a week later, indicating that the situation had been resolved. However, it is unclear how long Keeler will be in his home.
Sanders opens his second season at Colorado on Thursday against North Dakota State. Last year, his team finished 4-8.
Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com
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