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Kyle Bonagura, ESPN Workers Author
Colorado has banned Denver Publish columnist Sean Keeler from asking questions of soccer coach Deion Sanders or different members of the soccer program, the varsity confirmed Friday.
“After a collection of sustained, private assaults on the soccer program and particularly Coach Prime, the CU Athletic Division at the side of the soccer program, have determined to not take questions from Denver Publish columnist Sean Keeler at football-related occasions,” the athletic division mentioned in an announcement supplied to ESPN. “Keeler remains to be permitted to attend football-related actions as a credentialed member of the media and different reporters from the Denver Publish are welcome to ask questions of soccer program personnel made out there to the media, together with coaches, gamers and workers.”
In keeping with the Publish, a Colorado athletic division media relations staffer instructed the newspaper it took difficulty with Keeler’s references to Sanders as “Deposition Deion,” the “Bruce Lee of B.S.” and a “false prophet” and his use of phrases akin to “Planet Prime,” “the Deion Kool-Support” and “circus.” The ban is indefinite, in keeping with the Publish.
The choice comes two weeks after a information convention by which Sanders accused Keeler of “all the time being on the assault” and requested, “What occurred to get you want this?”
Added Sanders: “No, I am critical. I wish to assist as a result of it is not regular.”
Through the change, Keeler requested a number of instances if he may ask a soccer query and Sanders declined earlier than shifting on to a reporter who requested about his birthday plans. The reporter earlier than Keeler on the information convention requested Sanders, “How essential is it for everybody to have Aflac as a part of their life?” (Sanders is a paid spokesperson for the insurance coverage firm.)
In his column after the information convention, Keeler described Sanders as “A assured man who abruptly seemed and acted and sounded … afraid.”
In keeping with the Publish, Sanders has distinctive language in his contract that claims he’s required to talk solely with “mutually agreed upon media.”
In a social media submit, Denver Publish sports activities editor Matt Schubert mentioned, “It is properly inside anybody’s proper to not take questions from [Denver Post sports reporters and columnists]. The explanations listed right here by CU, nonetheless, are totally subjective. It will be extra correct to say, ‘We do not like Sean Keeler’s critiques of our program.'”
When requested for clarification by the Publish, a Colorado sports activities data staffer instructed the newspaper “Keeler had not violated any particular media insurance policies.”
Sanders has a historical past as a coach of utilizing his affect to ban reporters from asking questions on his program. In 2021, a Mississippi Clarion Ledger reporter was barred from overlaying Jackson State, the place Sanders was coach, on the Southwestern Athletic Convention media day, a day after the Clarion Ledger printed a narrative associated to a courtroom submitting about an incoming recruit who had been charged with assaulting a lady.
Sanders’ second season as Colorado coach begins Thursday towards North Dakota State (8 p.m. ET, ESPN). The Buffaloes went 4-8 final season and completed in final place within the Pac-12.