Colorado issues response to crazy claim about Deion Sanders

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

The Colorado Buffaloes on Monday issued a statement denying a pretty wild claim about coach Deion Sanders and a supposed demand he made.

On Saturday, Denver Sports analyst Jake Shapiro wrote in a column that Sanders had stopped the Colorado band from playing the school fight song after Shedeur Sanders touchdowns so that Shedeur’s song “Perfect Timing” could play over the stadium loudspeakers instead. The claim began to go viral Monday and was seized upon by some of Sanders’ critics as further evidence that, in their view, the coach is more interested in promoting himself and his son than he is in constructing a winning program.

The anecdote received enough attention that Colorado on Monday issued a statement disputing it. Via Kyle Bonagura of ESPN, a school spokesman said that the school fight song is still played following a brief pause to allow for “a small snippet of Shedeur’s song to play,” pointing out that this happened during Colorado’s season-opening win over North Dakota State. The statement also said kicker Alejandro Mata, who has a song of his own, receives the same treatment when he converts a kick.

Statement from a Colorado spokesperson on the report Deion Sanders told the band not to play the school fight song if his son, Shedeur, scores a touchdown and play Shedeur’s song instead. pic.twitter.com/vuMPVQM0Um

— Kyle Bonagura (@BonaguraESPN) September 9, 2024

Shapiro definitely seems to have overstated things. If anything, players having the chance to have their own music played after a big play, however briefly, is a neat way to highlight them as long as it does not trample on school traditions.

Still, there is no disputing that some are growing tired of Sanders’ methods, as they are failing to produce results. The Buffs are trying to put things back together after an ugly showing against Nebraska, a team they beat last season. The coach already created some negative headlines before the season could even start, and their unconvincing first two games are not going to quiet the critics.