Where the Buffaloes Roam…

So, I haven’t had inspiration nor time (more time than inspiration though) to write a new post. So, in light of recent college football events, I am just going to repost what I wrote last December right after Prime Time came to Boulder…pretty on point, folks. Well, except for the Conference bullet point. Chaos has proven that one wrong. Can’t win them all…

The Cast

By The Fillerbuster

December 9, 2022

Let me pass along my temperature of subjectivity to you.  I am not a fan of CU.  I also am not NOT a fan of the Buffs.  I pay attention since I have lived here since 1997.  I am a Virginia Cavalier through and through.  I remember applying to Virginia when my stipulations were that a school be in the top ten nationally of academics, athletics, and partying. CU was on that list also.  Of course, that was in 1995, but that is neither here nor there.

The point is that I am extremely unbiased in this piece.  I am not on either side of the Colorado-Colorado State side of things aside from my wife graduating from CSU.  Therefore, I am just noting this from my distant gallery seat.

PRESENCE:

That being said, the hire of Deion Sanders as Colorado’s football coach is EXCITING, folks.  You are excited to have him as an alum.  You are excited to have the media suddenly have Boulder on their immediate radar.  You are excited after many years of subpar football.  You are excited about Deion simply being in TOWN.  I apparently am using the excited word more than Tim Tebow back in the day.  But, the buzz is real for graduates, locals, fans, and haters.  I can try and step outside of myself and only imagine what I would be feeling if this happened at UVA.  He chose here because he sees something, and, in a week, he has already generated enthusiasm about the football program.

QUOTES:

His quotes are going to be legendary and published frequently.  He has that swagger.  He says simple phrases in a different, edgy way.  He was asked if he was worried about anything in his first year, and he A) corrected the media member that he doesn’t get worried but MAKES people worried and B) said she should be worried about getting her spot in the room for future, busier press conferences.

RESUME:

He started his college career at Jackson State, a program with no expectations at any level.  What he did there was exceptional.  He went 23-2 in his last 25 games, got them a conference championship, bowl bids, and high profile recruits who were turning down the likes of Clemson, Oklahoma, Georgia, and Alabama.  He probably would be sought after for his personality, background, and stature alone, but no one can say he didn’t earn a shot at a bigger program the hard way.

MONEY:

Here is something fans can cherish.  Deion doesn’t need money, and definitely didn’t come here for the money.  Instead of this job being a stepping stone like past coaches, this is an end game for him most likely.  He won’t be looking for gigs that pay a million more a year because he already has a million underneath his mattress or in his couch cushions.  If he left CU, it would be for much different reasons. Plus, he probably could live alone on what he made for the Hot Dog Express.  CU fans can feel pretty good about him not looking at shiny objects or greener grass.

BOULDER:

Let’s talk about geography.  Whether you want to admit it or not, or just don’t know, Boulder is a very cool town.  It has sucked in college students for decades and will continue to do so.  It is a town that you can walk for a day and immediately yearn for.  Well, it just sucked in its biggest catch yet.  And since Deion liked it and saw something here, you can bet that non-football playing high schoolers are already Googling it for a possible landing spot. 

RECRUITING

Then, we talk about the actual recruits.  He already has players transferring, there will be more, and you know that the ones in process are now considering CU.  Putting Deion on your list will be a regular thing for top recruits.  Then, to bring this full circle, after he has top players coming onsite for visits, the town will be his ally to suck in some more people.  They will help feed each other.  Colorado is a cool destination again, and not just because our state has legalized a lot of substances.

HOME FIELD:

CU’s biggest ally should be its altitude.  Teams have been coming into town and beating the Buffaloes regularly over the last few years.  Deion probably understands this and will get that advantage back on the map.  Winning on the road will follow, but beating tired teams in the fourth should be a priority when conditioning their athletes.

NIL:

I don’t think Deion will have ANY problem in guaranteeing recruits that they will get their share of NIL money.  He has put them on the exposure map, and the money will follow for anyone worth it.

HISTORY:

He played two sports at the highest level.  He won two Super Bowl titles in the NFL and is considered far and away the best cornerback who has ever played.  He never won it all in baseball, but some of that is because the end of the baseball season overlaps into the football season.  Check out this baseball stat.  In 1992, he hit FOURTEEN triples in 97 games.  Let’s also not forget he ran track in college.  On May 16, 1987, he helped his track team win the conference and then flew back to help the baseball team win the title also.  Same day.  He was also all-state in hoops in high school.

Every kid wants to be the best in the world at one sport.  He was pretty dominant in two sports.  Say you wouldn’t want to follow that pedigree around for four years and pick that brain.  He was a winner, and you love surrounding your kids around that success.

NETWORK:

He went to Florida State, played in Atlanta and Dallas (along with other places of course), and coached high school in Texas.  He has ties to some degree in three hotbeds of football.

STATE:

What is the #1 rule of recruiting in college football?  Don’t allow anyone to leave your own state.  Colorado has some good talent, and you need to capture all of them.  No kid will not go through the process now without at least checking Boulder out.

SCHOOL:

Colorado has been cool for a while, but that isn’t what I want to touch on.  They have already won a national title (1990).  They have been to the mountaintop, so this isn’t some daring vision by a new coach.  They simply lost their mojo, but the resources and money are there.  Any parts of the table that aren’t set at this point will be taken care of in short order with Sanders around.

CONFERENCE:

Whatever happens after USC and UCLA leave for the Big Ten, Deion has helped possibly save the Pac-12.  They were looking for an identity, and they got a big one now in house for the moment.  His title can’t stop the massive money shifts for conference allegiance, but he has sure drawn a line in the sand.

SUMMARY:

That’s my take on it, all.  I am oddly pumped about it and wanted to put that enthusiasm in words.  There are probably more categories I could bring to the table.  There are probably things I am forgetting or not emphasizing enough.  There are some things you might disagree with above, or some historical items I could have highlighted better.  But, in the end, the town where the Buffaloes roam now has legitimate, substantial, and real…hope.