Colorado prohibits press reporter from questioning Sanders

Kyle Bonagura, ESPN Personnel WriterAug 23, 2024, 05:49 PM ET

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• Covers college football.Joined ESPN in 2014. Attended Washington State University.Colorado has actually
• banned Denver Post writer Sean Keeler from asking concerns of

  football coach Deion Sanders or other members of the football program, the school verified Friday.”After a series of sustained, individual attacks on the football program and specifically Coach Prime, the CU Athletic Department in conjunction with the football program, have actually chosen not to take questions from Denver Post writer Sean Keeler at football-related occasions, “the athletic department stated in a declaration provided to ESPN.”Keeler is still permitted to go to football-related activities as a credentialed member of the media and other press reporters from the Denver Post are welcome to ask concerns of football program personnel offered to the media, consisting of coaches, players and personnel.”According to the Post, a CU athletic department media relations staffer told the paper it differed with Keeler’s recommendations to Sanders as”Deposition Deion, “the”Bruce Lee of B.S.,”a “false prophet,”and his usage of expressions such as “Planet Prime,””the Deion Kool-Aid “and” circus.” The restriction is indefinite, according to the Post.The decision comes 2 weeks after a news conference in which Sanders implicated Keeler of” constantly being on the attack”and asked,”What occurred to get you like this? “Included Sanders:” No, I’m serious. I want to help because it’s not typical.” Throughout the exchange, Keeler asked several times if he could ask a football question and Sanders declined before moving on to a press reporter who inquired about his birthday strategies. The press reporter before Keeler at the news conference asked Sanders,”How essential is it for everybody to have Aflac as part of their life?”(Sanders is a paid spokesperson for the insurer.)Editor’s Picks 2 Related In his column following the press conference, Keeler explained Sanders as, “A confident guy who unexpectedly looked and acted and sounded … scared. “According

  to the Post

  , Sanders has distinct language in his contract that says he is needed to speak only with” equally agreed upon media.”In a social media post, Denver Post sports editor Matt

  Schubert stated, “It’s well within anyone’s right to not take questions from [Denver Post sports press reporters and columnists]

  The factors noted here by CU, nevertheless, are completely subjective. It would be more precise to say,’We don’t like Sean Keeler’s critiques of our program. ‘”When asked for information by the Post, a Colorado sports information staffer informed the paper “Keeler had not broken any specific media policies.”Sanders has a history as a coach of using his impact to prohibit press reporters from asking questions about his program. In 2021, a Mississippi Clarion Journal press reporter was disallowed from covering Jackson State, where Sanders was

  coach, at the Southwestern Athletic Conference media day, a day after the Clarion Journal published a story associated to a court filing about an incoming recruit who had been charged with assaulting a woman.Sanders’2nd season as Colorado’s head coach starts Thursday versus North Dakota State( 8 p.m. ET, ESPN). The Buffaloes went 4-8 last season and completed in last place in the Pac-12.