The University of Colorado has decided to effectively muzzle a journalist who wrote a critical commentary about head football coach Deion Sanders.
The university confirmed Friday that it would no longer be answering questions from Denver Post columnist Sean Keeler at football-related events.
“Following a series of ongoing personal attacks against our football program, and Coach Prime in particular, the CU athletic department, in conjunction with the football program, has decided not to accept questions from Denver Post columnist Sean Keeler at football-related events,” the university said in a statement provided to USA TODAY Sports. “Keeler will continue to be permitted to attend football-related activities as a credentialed member of the media, and other Denver Post reporters will be able to question football program personnel who are available to the media, including coaches, players and staff. Keeler will continue to be permitted to interview and question other CU athletic programs and athletic administrators.”
Why did the state of Colorado do this to this journalist?
The university did not respond to questions about whether it was Sanders’ idea. At a press conference earlier this month, Keeler wished Sanders a “happy summer,” but Sanders expressed displeasure with him and did not take questions, telling Keeler that he was “always aggressive.”
“You hate us,” Sanders said on Aug. 9. “Why would you do this to yourself?”
Keillor later wrote an article calling Sanders “Depositionist Dion” but acknowledging that Sanders had a right to respond.
“I gave the piñata a try,” Keeler wrote. “Friday was Prime’s turn, and he didn’t fail. As the old Chicago song goes, he got what he deserved. So be it.”
Keeler then showed up to a Colorado football practice on Aug. 13 and attempted to question Colorado graduate assistant coach Warren Sapp, but university officials would not allow him to do so.
“Next question,” the employee said.
Keillor has been a critic of Sanders before, penning a column in February criticizing Sanders for some of his bold statements about the team and its potential, including Sanders’ recent suggestion that the team is capable of competing in the College Football Playoff in 2024.
“Deion Sanders is a false prophet, a Bruce Lee of BS, a Harold Hill in designer sunglasses. He’s in the wrong business,” Keeler wrote at the time. “If Coach Prime wanted to run for governor, he’d absolutely succeed. Rallies at breakfast. Rabid fans for miles around. No NCAA. No recruiting rules. No pesky Washington State to beat you up until you pass out in the cold.”
In a story published Friday, The Washington Post said it had asked for specific examples of Keillor’s personal attacks on Sanders and the show. The paper’s sports information staff said Keillor used words such as “false prophet,” “Deposition Dion,” “Planet Prime,” “BS Bruce Lee,” “Deon Kool-Aid” and “circus.”
Deion Sanders’ contract and critical media history
The Post noted that Sanders’ contract with CU contains specific language requiring him to only speak with “mutually agreed-upon media outlets.” Such language does not appear in the contracts of CU men’s basketball coach Tad Boyle or women’s basketball coach J.R. Payne, nor in the contract of Sanders’ predecessor, Karl Dorrell.
The Washington Post also noted that Sanders had engaged in similar behavior while coaching at Jackson State. Jackson Clarion-Ledger reporter Rashad Milligan was barred from covering the Jackson State football team at Southwestern Athletic Conference media day in July 2021, the day after Milligan wrote a story about domestic violence allegations against one of the team’s top players.
The rookie later pleaded no contest to disorderly conduct and was given three months’ probation and a $50 fine, according to court records obtained by USA TODAY Sports. Milligan told USA TODAY Sports that Sanders had been in trouble for similar reporting in other cases. He said he left the Clarion-Ledger voluntarily before the matter was resolved later that year.
Denver Post sports editor Matt Schubert addressed the situation on social media on Friday.
“It’s everyone’s right not to take questions from @DPostSports reporters and columnists,” he wrote on social media site X. “But the reasons CU has given here are entirely subjective. It would be more accurate to say, ‘I don’t like @SeanKeeler’s criticism of our program.'”
In another feud with the media, Sanders recently expressed his displeasure with the media company CBS. When a local CBS television reporter tried to ask him a question, Sanders replied, “CBS, I’m not doing nothing with CBS. Next question.”
Sanders did not say what the issue with CBS was, but he reached out to the reporter a week later to reconcile the matter, suggesting it had been resolved. But it’s unclear how long Keilar will remain under his watch.
Sanders begins his second season at Colorado on Thursday against North Dakota State after his team finished 4-8 last year.
Follow Brent Schrotenboer SchrotenboerEmail: bschrotenb@usatoday.com
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