Deion Sanders Responds To Bomani Jones' 'He Sold A Dream' Comments

Deion Sanders has given his response to Bomani Jones' criticism of him leaving behind Jackson State to coach at the University of Colorado.

Jones made an appearance on CNN's morning show, CNN This Morning (nice to see they didn't overthink that title), earlier this month to talk about Sanders' departure.

Jones said that Sanders taking the job in a Power 5 was a decision made for himself and not for his Jackson State players.

“He sold a dream and then walked out on the dream,” Jones said. “People have the right to be critical of that.”

He's correct in that people have a right to be critical of Sanders' decision. However Coach Prime has every right to refute Bomani Jones' statements.

And that's what he did.

Sanders Sat Down With Shannon Sharpe To Discuss The Criticism

Sanders was a guest on Shannon Sharpe's podcast,  Club Shay Shay, and the two NFL greats discussed Jones' comments.

(It's a great interview, but the part we're focusing on starts at around the 4:10 mark.)

“CNN had a segment where they asked, ‘Is Deion Sanders a sellout for you leaving an HBCU?’ People said, ‘he sold a dream then walked out on the dream,'” Sharpe said, obviously referencing Jones' comments.

Sanders was quick to interject when Sharpe read of some of the things he had been called like a "con man" and "con artist."

"What did I sell?" Sanders asked, to which Sharpe responded by noting that Sanders never said how long he would stay at Jackson State.

“But what was the dream? The dream is that I wanted equality,” Sanders said. “The dream was that I wanted these kids to get the notoriety and get to the NFL; we did that. The dream that we wanted better facilities, and we’re overlooked and underfunded. I obviously established that.

“The dream was that I believe. I believed that we could win, I believed that we could graduate at a certain rate, I believed we could treat these kids and raise them to be young men; that was the dream.

“Why did you stop dreaming? I ain’t. The dream continues.”

Sanders Had Something To Say To His Critics

It's tough to argue that Sanders didn't deliver on that dream, effectively raising the profile of not just Jackson State Tigers football, but HBCU athletics across the board.

Sanders also added something he wants those who have criticized his decision to consider: what have they given?

“I do understand the people, but what I don’t understand is, do something about it,” Sanders said.

“Why don’t you give a little bit more? Why don’t you spend a little bit more time? Why don’t you really try to bring solvency instead of sitting back and throwing sticks and stones.

“It seems like all the people that are screaming and yelling and bickering and murmuring, check they giving.

“What have they given?”

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