We All Underestimated the Colorado Buffaloes

During our podcast when we talked about the upcoming football season RD asked me about expectations for Deion Sanders and Colorado. I made sure to say that I thought they would be good, but it was going to take some time. I figured being in the Pac 12, the final year of the conference, all the transfers and just the jump from division 1-AA to division 1 was going to force some hard adjustments.

Colorado came out in week one and put it on TCU. The game was close throughout, but Colorado looked faster. Colorado looked more prepared. Shaduer Sanders looked ready for the big stage. Travis Hunter proved time and time again why he was such a coveted recruit. And Colorado won. They were 21 point underdogs, the game was played at TCU, TCU is coming off a title game appearance, and Colorado beat them. All of the talk was about how cool this was. I was happy for Deion and the players who stuck it out with him. I thought it was cool that they went into a hostile environment and got a big time win.

The Buffaloes had their home opener this past Saturday. Nebraska is not what they used to be, but they are no slouch. This is a Big 10 team. They got a new coach who some people like. They were hoping for a similar turnaround that Colorado is having right now. And the game was pretty close into the third quarter. I was nervous for a Colorado letdown. I figured that would give all the jackasses not giving them credit even more ammo. And then the floodgates opened. The score was 10-7 when I left my son's football game. When I got home it was 36-14. Colorado ran past Nebraska. Travis Hunter had another highlight play. Shadeur Sanders played another excellent game. They talked and backed it up. I loved the post game stuff with Shadeur Sanders. They are now the hottest team and hottest ticket in all of college football.

Colorado was very bad a season ago. They went 1-11. They had so much roster turnover. I loved the hire of Sanders, but again, I thought he needed some time. I was wrong. My expectations were way too low. Colorado is a legit college football team. They have the guys to have a special season. This could be one of those exceptional turnarounds in sports we see and love. They should be a bowl team. Shadeur Sanders is backing up the talk. Deion is backing up the talk. Travis Hunter could be invited to New York at the end of the year. He could be a first round pick already. When I look at their schedule I think they could finish as good as 9-3 or 10-2, and as low as 7-5. That is a massive shift from where they were a season ago. They have some tough upcoming games, that is for sure. They have to go to Oregon and play the Ducks, who's defense has been much better than I thought. They get USC at home. but Caleb Williams looks every bit the part of a guy who can win the Heisman again. They have to travel to UCLA, which is a winnable game, but a tough place to play. They do have to play Oregon State. And they finish the year with a trip to Utah. The schedule is not easy, but I think they like that. They want to prove people wrong. College football is also a fickle game. Crazy things happen all the time. Colorado could pull some upsets and end up being in the CFP talk late into the season.

I am a Michigan fan through and through, but I have bought into the Colorado hype. I love Deion and I like this team. They have been the best story of the young college season so far, and I think they will continue to be one of the top stories, especially if they pull off some massive upsets. This is fun and Deion Sanders is so perfect for the college game. My hat is off to Colorado and I am so very sorry for underating them going into the season. Colorado is legit. They are a very good team. Watch out for them the rest of the year. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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I Believe in Coach Prime at Colorado

Deion Sanders is moving from Jackson State to Colorado. I always figured Sanders was going to move on to a different job. I just thought it might be a bigger profile school.

Before I get into that, the job he did at JSU was incredible. In three seasons he had a record of 27-5. JSU went undefeated this season. They blew out almost every opponent. Sanders was able to pull in high profile recruits. "College Gameday" made an appearance at JSU this past season. Sanders was out there beating the drum for HBCU's, and he did a great job of getting them more recognition. I wonder what is going to happen now, with Sanders gone, to HBCU football. Time will tell. There are some big names coaching HBCU football teams, but they don't bring the same weight as Deion does, but they are still well known names. Now, let's talk about Deion taking the Colorado job.

I do not think this has to do with a paycheck. I know there are some rumors about money at JSU, but none of that has been proven. Deion is also already a very, very rich man. He played two sports professionally and played them both very well. He was a better football player, but he had the talent to be exceptional at two sports at the highest level and he was compensated as such. Money is not the issue here.

I think Deion took this job for the challenge. I think he did what he could do as best he could at JSU and he wanted another challenge, a tougher challenge. HBCU football is top notch now, so Deion was ready to try his luck elsewhere. Colorado is in bad shape. They have not had a winning record since 2016. They were bad last year and even worse this year. They won one game. Colorado was a big time player in the 90's, but they have not made a ton of noise since. Even joining the Pac 12 has not raised their level of play.

This is about as tough a challenge as Deion could get. This feels like a semi lateral move. I think Colorado is only a little better than JSU. But Deion is already changing things there. He told the current players to get in line or transfer out. He told them he was going to be bringing his own players over at crucial positions. The way he put the message out there was kind of messed up, but at least he was honest with them up front. And he is already showing his ability to bring over quality players. His son was the best QB in the SWAC last season. He is now a Buffalo. Travis Hunter was the number one overall recruit last season, Deion got him to commit to JSU on signing day and Hunter crushed in his freshman season. He is now a Buffalo. There are other players who have entered the portal and put it out there that they want to play for Deion. If I was a college player I would be tempted to go play for him. He was electric to watch when he played and I love the passion he has for the game. Deion is going to do just fine on the recruiting trail. The stuff that makes this job tough is competition. As I said, Deion will get solid players, top level recruits, but it is going to take time. Colorado is not a job that he will be able to switch in three years. It is going to take time. Colorado is not only very bad, they play tough Pac 12 teams. Travis Hunter should fit in fine at the D-1 level, but who knows about the other kids coming over from JSU. JSU is D-1, but they have not played athletes the caliber that they will see at Colorado. They are going to have to play Oregon. Oregon is very good and has top recruiting classes every year. Oregon State has continued to get better. Utah has won the Pac 12 twice. UCLA and USC have one more Pac 12 season before they bounce. The schedule is going to be hard at first. The weather is going to be a factor. It gets cold and snowy in Colorado. Some kids will have to adjust. The administration better give Deion time. He is going to need, at the very least, three years. I fully believe in him, believe in his recruiting and his excellent coaching. But he needs a long leash. The powers that be need to be patient. It will eventually pay dividends, but he needs time.

All in all I love this hire for Colorado. They had the best coaching hire in college football. Full stop. I also think this challenge is perfect for Deion because he is not afraid of anything. He will succeed. If he gets time. I'm so stoked to watch him coach.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Nick Saban is a Stupid Head

I have been following all the Nick Saban nonsense. I am a college football fan, and during this time of year there are not too many sports that intrigue me. I love the NBA, but these conference finals have been nearly unwatchable. I do not like MLB. Baseball is boring and dull and takes forever. These run of the mill little league NFL leagues are bad, bad football. And the college sports landscape is really rough right now. So college football news is my go to. And there is no recruiting news I follow because I honestly do not care what an 18 year old has to say. They can make all the verbal commitments they want, that does not mean a thing until they are at the school, and even then things can change. But this story, this particular recruiting story has been impossible and so, so intriguing.

For the non sports fans out there, Nick Saban did a speech a week or so ago and made claims that Jimbo Fisher only had the top recruiting class because he paid every kid to go there. He claimed they all had a promise of instant NIL success if they attended A&M. Saban didn't stop there. He also accused Deion Sanders and Jackson State of giving the top recruit in the country a one million dollar deal to go there. Deion and the recruit instantly went after Saban and let him know how wrong he was. The recruit made a point to say, via Twitter, that, "if I got a million dollars, why is my mom living in a one room apartment with five kids?". It was such a perfect response. Deion went after his neck. Deion called him out over and over again. It was great, and what I expected Deion to do. He stood up for himself and his players. I loved his response. Seriously, go look up his response, it is poetry.

Not to be outdone, Jimbo Fisher went after Saban's neck, throat, heart and his soul. It was brilliant. I loved every single second of his presser following Saban's remarks. It was simply perfect. I also appreciated how Fisher did not talk around how there is rampant cheating in college football recruiting. He called out Saban. He said he thinks he is "god", and "the czar of college football". He also let it be known that Saban isn't the saint that he makes himself, and ESPN for that matter, out to be. He told the reporters to go out there and check on Saban's past, that they wouldn't necessarily be surprised by what they found. But he also never said he didn't cheat. He never said he did, but he also never said he didn't. I know he came out and said that only one of the ten 5 stars they signed has a NIL deal already, but who knows what he is hiding from everyone else. And I like that he didn't say either way how he got such a great class.

What I think this all really boils down to is Saban is frustrated that he doesn't control college football recruiting anymore. My dad has said it many times, but prior to NIL, Alabama and Nick Saban were like an NFL team that had all 30 first round picks. Every kid wanted to go there because they knew they had a straight line to the NFL. They may have had to sit for a year or two, but if they started eventually they were going to get drafted. They also got any transfer they wanted, again for the same reasons. Alabama is like a minor league football team, and the NFL loves them for that. They also love Saban for that. But now with a somewhat level playing field, Saban is frustrated and lashing out. He is making wild accusations. He is yelling and whining and complaining because he is not getting his way. He is acting like a selfish child who cannot just take their ball home. Saban has to deal with a new reality, and he doesn't love it. He's always wanted to be the czar, as so many have made him out to be. He has always wanted to be the Bill Belichek or Greg Poppovich of college football. But it doesn't work that way. Those guys are pros. Those guys are at the highest level. The players they coach make millions upon millions of dollars. College players don't, but now some can. And others can go wherever they want and make money and start right away. The kid at Jackson State, Travis Hunter I believe is his name, decided he wanted to go to a HBCU and play right away. He didn't want to sit out a few years and wait. He wanted to play and show his talent. And maybe he wants HBCU's to get more attention. Or take the kids that signed with A&M. Maybe they have been told they will have a very, very good shot at playing immediately. Maybe some were guaranteed to start. A&M is not some world beater. But with a class like this, maybe they can make some noise. And there are so many other players who made their own choice to go to the school they wanted to and play sooner than they would if they went to Alabama. The NIL has made it, as previously stated, a more even playing field. This has seemed to make Nick Saban upset, and I am here for it all. I'm so sick and tired of his holier than thou attitude. He is not the bell of the ball anymore. He has real competition. And it is pissing him off.

This rules. I hope Jimbo Fisher, Deion Sanders and every other coach in college football continues to go after Saban's neck. That would be best.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Florida State Football Needs Deion Sanders

Florida State football is off to a rough start. They looked good in their opening game against Notre Dame though. Things looked like they may be coming back a bit in that game. Then the hail mary happened against Jacksonville State. Then the Wake Forest game happened. And now, with a rough schedule coming up, things look like they may get worse.

With their worst start since the 70's, Mike Norvell doesn't seem to be the long term answer at head coach. I was not a fan of the hiring in the first place. Norvell did a solid job when he was at Memphis and he turned that into a big time job, getting the FSU position. But this team has not been good since Jimbo Fisher left. I felt like they gave up on Willie Taggart too soon, and now Norvell may not make it through the next few weeks, let alone the rest of his contract.

With all this being said I think FSU should go after Deion Sanders hard to be their next head coach. To me this is an absolute homerun hire. This is akin to Nebraska hiring Scott Frost. This is the same as Michigan hiring Jim Harbaugh. Deion was a star player while at FSU, and he has done a very solid job in his two seasons as Jackson State's head coach. But what I like even more about Deion, why I think people at FSU would love to have him as their coach, he is passionate about the game, but even more so about his players. He goes to bat for his players. He talks them up in the media all the time. Michigan actually has a transfer this season from Jackson State, Daylen Baldwin, and he was interviewed recently about playing for both coaches. He was glowing when he talked about Deion. He liked him, Michigan just gave him a better shot at the pros, and he is from Michigan. But he seemed to really like what Deion brought not only as a head coach, but as a grown man. He talked about his passion for everyone on the team. You can see it when Deion does interviews. He is out there talking about how HBCU's need more coverage. That they have legit pros playing at HBCU's. and Deion is out there stumping for the greater good. He seems to love it. Think about having that passion and pairing it with the money and resources FSU has. Deion would thrive.

Sanders also knows the program inside and out. He has gotten the taste for recruiting the past two years. He has a goldmine of recruiting in the state of Florida. Young kids know about Deion and they want to play for Deion. His son was a solid recruit, who had multiple offers from higher D-1 schools, but he chose to play for his dad at JSU. And now with the NIL intact, again, think of the damage he could do as the head coach at FSU. He would get FSU back to getting top recruits. Some of the four and five star kids that are kind of scoffing at FSU because they have seen the poor job Norvell has done are opting for schools like Florida or Miami or Ole Miss or Georgia. I think if FSU gets Deion as the head coach those kids think twice. They keep FSU in their top five of schools. Michigan had success in basketball under John Beilein, but it wasn't until he left and they hired Juwan Howard did they start to get five star kids. In Juwan Howard's third season at Michigan he has the second best recruiting class in the country. That is because kids know him, when they meet him they like him and he played at the school and had a long pro career. Deion could bring that aspect to FSU football.

If Florida State want to be relevant again, if they want to be a perennial top 25 team, if they want to get back to being a contender, the best thing they could now is hire Deion Sanders. He brings instant credibility and he would have that team humming in a year or two.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Where Does Florida State Go From Here?

Florida State fired Willie Taggart earlier this week. I thought this may be coming, just not in the middle of the season.

I'm not a big fan, usually, of a coach being fired during the season. Let them finish it out, then let them go. Also, I do not think Taggart got a fair shot. The fact that boosters raised the money to have him removed, a near record breaking 17 million dollar buyout, shows they wanted him gone. This, I feel, has a lot to do with the on field product, but I think if he had been given one more season, he could have turned this around. Also, I don't think he would have been fired so quickly if he were Jimbo Fisher, who left this team 2 years ago, or Mark Stoops, who has Kentucky playing okay, but not great. I think you all know what I am getting at with these 2 comparisons. I also think Taggart is a solid head coach. He did great things at Western Kentucky, and while he left them ASAP, I feel like he was a perfect fit at Oregon after they let go of Mark Helfrich. I am not concerned for Taggart though. He has that humongous payout, and I would be shocked if he wasn't coaching a division 1 school at the start of the 2020 season. There will be some openings, probably some fairly big time schools, and many of them will jump at the chance to hire Willie Taggart.

As for Florida State, I really don't know where they go from here. As little as 5 or 6 years ago, they were a national title winner. I believe they were the last BCS champs. They then made the initial playoff. Then Jimbo Fisher decides to leave them for Texas A&M, I still don't understand that, and they were left searching. I thought they hit a homerun with Taggart, but clearly, I was wrong.

Some names that have popped up since Taggart was let go are fine. I think Bob Stoops is a solid head coach, and college is a much better fit for any coach than the dumbass XFL. But, Stoops left Oklahoma out of the blue, with so many unanswered questions hanging over him. I was stunned when he left. And, Oklahoma has been better, at least more consistent, since Lincoln Riley took over. Maybe Stoops knew his days were numbered, but still, he left under bizarre circumstances.

Lane Kiffin has said he would be interested in the job, but we have been down this road with Kiffin before. How many more times can he fail up into a job. He was horrible at Tennessee, and left them the moment the USC job was open. He then scorched Earth with that team, and that team's fan base. It was so bad that he was fired in the middle of the night, after a plane ride home. He then went on to Alabama to be an offensive coordinator, and he turned that into the head coaching gig at Florida Atlantic. Sure, he has some fun teams there, and he is a big time JUCO recruiter, but FAU is no better than a 7 or 8 win team. And when he has to play the upper tier, power 5 schools, FAU gets destroyed. I know FSU is in the ACC, but a team like Clemson would relish the fact that they could destroy a Lane Kiffin coached team. I feel like Miami and Manny Diaz would love the challenge. Hell, even the times they play Florida, Dan Mullen would wipe the floor with them.

And then this morning I heard that Deion Sanders has become a viable candidate for the opening. I actually think this would be kind of cool. He went to Florida State. He was there when they were a power. He has clout. He could get into any recruit in the nation's home and wow them. He oozes charisma. He knows the game. But, he has never coached at this high a level before. Yes, he is leading his son's high school team, but that is high school football. College is such a different game, and FSU, that is major division 1 college football. I look at some former players that are coaching now, and it takes time. I love that Michigan basketball has hired Juwan Howard, but I know it will be a few seasons before they are elite. This is his first time. Patrick Ewing has Georgetown potentially as a tournament team this year, but this is year 3 for him. Herm Edwards took over Arizona State, and while they were ranked for a moment this season, that team has fallen back to Earth. They are a 6 win team at best. Sure, that means bowl eligibility, but one of those early December bowl games. I imagine it would be tough for Deion to, one, not get every top flight recruit, and 2, not be that good for a few seasons. He would inherit a team that is light on QB's and receivers. A team that struggles defensively, even against inferior opponents. He would also have to deal with the exact same boosters who raised enough money to buy out Taggart. It is a tough situation.

So, if I were FSU, and thank goodness I have zero affiliation and do not like that team, I would give Deion Sanders the job, knowing that it would be a rebuilding project. That is what I think would be best for everyone involved.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He is ready to return the glory to his old team and become the head coach. Do you hear that Marquette High?

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Give it Up Tim Tebow

Tebow is not getting to first base anytime soon

Why won't Tim Tebow just give up, and give in to the fact that he is destined to be a commentator on ESPN for the rest of his life? He is very good at doing that, or hosting shows that have to do with pumping people up. Basically, he is a good looking young man, that had his shot at the NFL, couldn't cut, but has found something that he really thrives at doing. He is really, really good on TV, much to my surprise.

With the news that he is going to be holding a workout for 20 MLB teams this week, he still hasn't given up on his pro sports dream. There are many, many problems with his new plan to become a pro baseball player. First off, as I have already stated, he is great on TV. He exudes charm and professionalism while doing television spots, or talking college football. I do not like Tim Tebow, the person, at all, but damn, he is good on TV. He should just stick with that. He is really good. Next, he hasn't played competitive baseball since he was in high school. Sure, he was a decent high school player, he hit over .400, and had some power, but, I played with kids at my high school, who had no shot at the pros, that were much, much better baseball players than Tim Tebow. High school baseball is not that tough. you have to be incredibly good, Bryce Harper good, in high school, to be considered a top prospect that can make the majors at a very young age.

This leads me to the next problem with Tebow and playing pro baseball, he is 29. I know that is young in regular life, but in pro sports, that is ancient. Sure, baseball players can play well into their late 30's and early 40's, but the guys that have careers that last that long, they have been playing professionally since they were in their early 20's. Late 20's, early 30's in baseball, that is getting near the twilight of your career. Take Albert Pujols for example. When he broke into the majors, he was considered an older rookie, at 21 years old. Sure, he proceeded to be dominant for the next ten years, but when he left the Cardinals for the Angels, at 31, his career has fallen on harder times. He is not the feared hitter he was when he was younger. He was only 2 years older than Tebow is right now before his career kind of started to break down. Pujols is an all time great, but he is 36, and many people consider him past his prime. Hell, they considered him past his prime when he was 32 or 33, only three years older than Tebow currently is. Why would a team want to take a chance on a guy that may only give them one, two years tops, of good baseball.

Another player to look at, one that may not be as famous, or as respected as Pujols, Ryan Howard. Here's another 36 year old player, that was great for one or two years, in his early 20's, that has fallen off the map. He doesn't have really what it takes to be as feared as he once was. He gave the Phillies three great years, but after getting hurt, and older, he is not the same. His best days were in his mid 20's. He was younger than Tebow when he was mashing the ball, but now, he just doesn't have it.

That is just 2 examples of players that were great when they were younger than Tebow currently is, that have fallen on rough times. You could even look at some other people that have tried the whole crossover from one pro sport to another. Michael Jordan comes to mind first. He is the greatest basketball player of all time, but he could not hack it in double A baseball. He barely hit over .200, and he went back to basketball ASAP. Russell Wilson, who was drafted out of high school to pro baseball, also couldn't hack it in double A, hitting in the low .220's. Deion Sanders was great at football, and he was decent at baseball, gaining the leadoff spot for a pretty good Braves team in the 90's, but he was not nearly as good at baseball as he was football. He was also much younger when he played both sports professionally. The most famous person, that was successful at playing two pro sports at a very high level, was Bo Jackson. Tim Tebow is not even close to being anywhere near Bo Jackson's athleticism, and he never will be.

Basically, this all seems to be a publicity stunt, or he just won't let this dream of being a pro athlete die. He had his chance at pro football, and he couldn't cut it. He couldn't make the reads, the throws or run an offense the way it needs to be run professionally. Sure, he may be better than some teams second and third string QB's currently, but no NFL team is going to give a 29 year old washed out, spread option QB, that can't throw, a contract. It's not happening. And with the MLB, I mean, who is going to sign a guy that is almost 30? You don't sign with a team and then immediately become a pro, unless you are Robin Yount or Ken Griffey Jr, both hall of famers. You have to go through the minors. You have to take your lumps, and if you are lucky, you get called up after two or three years of bouncing around on buses and staying in dingy motels. I don't think Tebow can handle, or even wants to handle, that lifestyle. He is used to the finer things in life now. He had his shot, and he had a very short career in the NFL, but he made it.

I know hundreds of thousands of people that would give an arm to have his NFL career. He needs to let the dream die. No GM in the MLB will sign him. He is too old and too much of a distraction. Major league baseball likes to draft young kids, usually 18, 19 or 20, and let them grow in their minor leagues system, and then bring them in the pros when they are 21 or 22. That's how it goes.

Sorry Tim Tebow, but your pro sports window has passed, and just let the dream die. Pro baseball is not happening for you.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He once held an open workout for professional soccer. The problem was not Ty's age, it was the fact he did not like soccer and therefore was not good. Follow Ty on twitter @tykulik.