Sports Illustrated is taking a ton of heat for naming Deion Sanders, the first-year head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes, as its 2023 Sportsperson of the Year.
Sanders, who coached the Buffs to a last-place 4-8 record, finished the season a six-game losing streak, leaving many to wonder if Sports Illustrated made their decision back in September when the Coach Prime hype-train was in full effect.
Coach Prime is here, and he's just getting started
Deion Sanders is SI's 2023 Sportsperson of the Year! https://t.co/Xebtm9bmNZ pic.twitter.com/Sdt500V93u
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) November 30, 2023
Sanders took the reins at Colorado after concluding his tenure with Jackson State. The move brought national attention to a Pac-12 program that had struggled, winning only one game in 2022 and being distant from its 1990 national championship run.
The charismatic coach immediately garnered hype when he utilized the transfer portal to enhance his roster. The team’s early success, including an upset victory against TCU in the season opener, captured the national spotlight.
However, Colorado’s fortunes took a severe turn for the worse, finishing the season with a disappointing 1-8 conference record – good for last-place in the Pac-12.
SI’s decision to honor Sanders was confusing and controversial … The Sportsperson of the Year is supposed to honor the most deserving man or woman in sports each year.
If we’re being serious, the list of those more deserving than Sanders is quite lengthy. (I guess Sports Illustrated is unfamiliar with Novak Djokovic.)
Needless to say, social media’s reaction to SI’s decision was exactly what you’d expect…
“I seriously had to check & see if this was a parody account…”
It’s not ? This 💩is for real ???
— Ron McNamar (@RonMcNamar) December 1, 2023
“I would have my youth football players deported to Canada for going 4-8 and Deion is getting celebrated for it.”
They still play football in Canada, Coach. A record like that deserves nothing less than being deported to somewhere worse, like England…
— Z_Rich11 (@z_rich11) November 30, 2023
“They went 4-8. Recruits are de-committing. Assistants are leaving. What’re we doing here?”
lol ikr? Coach David Braun took over a 1-11 northwestern team after a scandal and won 7 games but he doesn’t get any recognition? Politics
— Kyle William (@KyleWillia1704) November 30, 2023
“AI must have wrote this in September.”
It's just a social media award now lol
— Alex (@alexflo14) December 1, 2023
“when a scheduled tweet goes wrong.”
“The decision was made at halftime of the Stanford game.”
The decision was made at halftime of the Stanford game.
— Rob from Long Island (@FlyingDutch0116) November 30, 2023
“This really gives all the losers out there hope.”
This really gives all the losers out there hope 🥹
— Amanda Please 💙💚 (@demandaplz) December 1, 2023
“HAHAHAHAHA congrats? Your bar is set very low. You finished last hahaha.”
HAHAHAHAHA congrats? Your bar is set very low. You finished last hahaha
— BlessedImmigrantVeteran (@limeysnyper) November 30, 2023
“Didn’t beat one team with a winning record, went 1-8 in Conference play and finished the season losing 6 games in a row. Seems legit.”
Didn't beat one team with a winning record, went 1-8 in Conference play and finished the season losing 6 games in a row. Seems legit. pic.twitter.com/T3GtzHu5Bv
— PUBLORD (@publordhodl) November 30, 2023
“What an absolute joke. Colorado is 4-8. Unreal!”
What an absolute joke. Colorado is 4-8. Unreal!
— EvilMattCanada (@TheMattCanada) November 30, 2023