Posted on 09/18/2023 8:57:51 PM PDT by where's_the_Outrage?
Deion Sanders has made Boulder, Colorado, the improbable center of the sports world.
Why it matters: In Sanders' first year, he's led the once-hapless Colorado Buffaloes to a 3-0 start. Among his biggest supporters — Black fans around the country.
The big picture: Black households have been glued to the Buffs' first few televised games.
Celebrities from Snoop Dogg to Dwayne Johnson are hyping the Buffs.
Black teachers, with no previous connections to Colorado, on social media call Sanders an inspiration. Details: Sanders, aka Coach Prime, led the Buffs to a dramatic 43-35 double-overtime win over Colorado State on Saturday.
Lil Wayne, the Wu-Tang Clan and several NFL stars were among those on hand to watch the game as both ESPN's "College GameDay" and Fox's "Big Noon Kickoff" broadcasted pre-game shows from Boulder.
Superstars like LeBron James posted moments from the game on social media, including praising Colorado players' athletic actions.
Zoom in: Not since the Los Angeles Raiders of the 1980s or Michigan's men's basketball team The Fab Five of the 1990s has a team captivated Black America and hip-hop culture like the Buffs have so far.
Carl Suddler, an associate professor of history at Emory University, tells Axios that watching Sanders receive this kind of support from Black folks on social media has been exciting in the early weeks of the season.
"In this 'new age' of college football, he seems to be a one-of-a-kind draw — and hire — that may have more staying power than college football folks may have initially expected."
By the numbers: Colorado Buffaloes merchandise has become some of the hottest sports gear with sales skyrocketing over 800% from last season.
Shirts and hoodies with Prime quotes "We Coming" or "I ain't hard to find" are, well, hard to find.
Catch up quick: Sanders took over a program that was 1-11 last season and used the transfer protocol to revamp the team with former players from historically Black colleges and universities.
He warned players from the previous Colorado Buffaloes team they might not have a spot and urged them to leave to make room for other players.
During the first game, Colorado shocked the college football world by beating TCU, last year's national title runner-up, 45-42, in a contest that drew a large Black TV audience.
What he's saying: "It's tremendous. It's not a burden whatsoever. It's a blessing," Sanders told reporters after being asked about people comparing Colorado to the Fab Five or being called Black America's Team.
Sanders said his players weren't even born when those other teams were playing but his older coaches know and see similarities.
"I don't think our young men inside that locker room understand the moment."
Zoom out: Sanders, known for his swag and boasting, has brought that personality to Colorado and drawn criticism from other college coaches.
Yet that swag once displayed by Muhammad Ali, Jack Johnson and scores of Negro League baseball players is attractive to many Black Americans in the face of discrimination.
"So many people hold on to the misguided belief that there are 'right ways' to do something, to achieve the highest success in sports. And that 'right way' for Black folks ought to be as far from flashy as possible," Suddler said.
Yes, but: While Black America is embracing the Colorado Buffaloes, Boulder is a town with a Black population of 1%.
The University of Colorado has a Black student population of less than 3%.
Nearby Denver has a Black population of 9%, and its Five Points neighborhood was once called the "Harlem of the West."
The historic Black neighborhood where Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington and Miles Davis once performed in packed rooms has become a major base for Sanders' support. What's next: No. 19 Colorado Buffaloes take on No. 10 Oregon on Saturday in what will likely be the weekend's most-watched college football matchup.
Deion is reportedly a man of God and not a racist. I hope he makes it known to those who exploit his color for political gain that he is a believer in Jesus Christ alone.
:=)
EC
Oregon and USC the next two Saturdays, ranked #10 and #5.
It’ll be huge if they go .500 this season. I’m a lifelong fan of the Buffs, my family are too, several friends... and I don’t know anyone who expects them to win their next two games, but if they do... whoa.
I wonder how the white players on the team feel, included? Marginalized?
I’m rooting for coach Prime and the Buffs, but their dream ends Saturday in Eugene.
and if CU doesn’t play a heck of a lot better against oregon than they did against the unranked colorado state university, oregon is gonna crush CU ...
1995-Dallas Cowboys vs. 49ers. Deon shot off his mouth regarding the 49ers. The niners made him eat it. It was nice to see but good for the game. As I remember it was THE game everyone was looking for all season. Happened in November.
2 years in a row. Niners won both of them even with Elvis Grbac, the insult to humanity, as QB. Dallas won the Super Bowl both years I do believe. Charles haley was the gift that gave.
He will never shut up. USC and Oregon will not humble him. “I did it my way” fits.
People don't appreciate how smart this guy is. He's playing the Hero and the Heel at the same time, and both sets of eyes can't look away. Their first and last games so far this year were the most exciting of the weekend.
Pre-season Vegas had them at 3.5 wins for the season...
They will lose the next 2 games! Take that to the bank.
He’s a handsome fella just like the Kenyan. When you got black players and black folk wishing they were him you have a Pied Piper following. It was the same with the Kennedy’s and the royal family klan. People looking for a messiah. Forest Gump running across the country. I think his off-putting has to do with gays. ‘Don’t come near me’. Politicians can’t turn off anyone.
The transfer portal was like using your available weapons. Think Johnny Cochran and the race card. As for his not wanting to coach pros it’s that smart gene again. He knows the pros are into their money first.
Wow…thanks for the info. Was not real obvious from the few videos I saw.
I agree...
With an undersized O-Line and D-Line the ducks and SC will eat the Buffs alive even with the impressive skill players.
Regarding the “race” angle, has everyone forgotten how disrespectful the SWAC schools were to Deion and how JSU school administration embezzled the sports revenue and shorted Deion on the contracted game “gate” revenue he was due?
Making this a black-white thing is myopic at very best...
Wasn’t Colorado favored by like 40 points over Colorado State?
USC will crush them
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