Colorado bans questions from critical media member

Dec 4, 2022; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders speaks during a press conference at the Arrow Touchdown Club. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Deion Sanders and the University of Colorado are escalating their conflict with a media member they see as needlessly critical.

The Colorado athletics department notified The Denver Post on Friday that Sanders will no longer take questions from columnist Sean Keeler, according to the Post’s Matt Schubert. The school cited “a series of sustained, personal attacks” as the reason for the decision, citing Keeler’s previous columns about Sanders which used phrases such as “false prophet,” “Deposition Deion,” “Planet Prime,” “Bruce Lee of B.S.,” “the Deion Kool-Aid” and “circus.” The school added that Keeler’s ban would be indefinite.

Keeler was the journalist who Sanders refused to take a question from during a viral exchange that took place earlier this month.

The school did not comment on whether Sanders had personally asked for Keeler to be banned. However, the coach does have a special clause in his contract that only requires him to speak with “mutually agreed upon media.” Keeler will still be credentialed for games, and will still be permitted to ask questions of other Colorado administrators or athletics programs. Other media members from the Denver Post will be allowed to question Sanders as well.

Sanders has never been shy about bluntly addressing his perceived critics. This is definitely a step up from that, and one has to wonder how he will handle the media if the Buffaloes put together another underwhelming season.