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http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/falcons/stories/2007/07/30/deion_0730.html
I'm sure you came to this space today looking for Deion Sanders' column.
And he wrote one for you.
But we can't publish it.
Due to contractual obligations, his full-time employer — the NFL Network — has the exclusive right to Deion's image and opinions. They invoked that right this week.
The national backlash Deion received for his perceived defense of Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick and dismissal of dogfighting started on Thursday after ESPN Radio dissected his column. It just happened to be the same day Vick was in a Richmond, Va., court pleading not guilty to federal dogfighting charges.
Understandably, the NFL did not like that one of the faces of its network was being portrayed as a Vick apologist. Deion sent a column responding to the criticism to The News-Press and the NFL Network on Friday morning.
That night, I received an e-mail from Thomas George, the NFL Network managing editor, which read: "This column and subsequent variations of it (are) not approved by NFL Network. It cannot run."
It's unfortunate because Deion really wanted you to see it. It was his best work since he started writing his column in January.
Over the last seven months, I've heard a lot of feedback from readers on Deion.
No, he's not the most polished writer. And he hasn't always been an angel. And he does live in Texas.
What I can say is what he?s been like to deal with since I've met him.
He's easy to talk to. He always has his column in on time. He never cusses, and he cares about his hometown.
That's why the responses from Fort Myers bothered him so much. He had hoped his previous writings on race relations, children and family had shown his character and values. He was surprised that people, after reading the full column, saw him excusing Vick and condoning dogfighting or that he was sticking up for a rich athlete.
"The NFL is like a fraternity," Sanders said when I interviewed him Friday. "The real issue to me is, I think anybody, if someone in their family has done wrong or is doing wrong or made a bad, terrible decision, do we stone them or do we pray for them? I definitely, absoluetly do not condone anything, but I am praying for him."
But he can express none of that to you in his column.
Per his contract, the NFL Network could require him to stop writing his column.
But aside from this week's column, they will permit Deion to continue writing for The News-Press. Deion writes on a freelance basis for us and we have no contract with him. He could have just walked away and focused on his TV career, but he does not want to.
I asked him why. His answer was simple: "It's my hometown. I want to stay connected to my hometown."
And we're glad to have him.
Oops.
I'm sure you came to this space today looking for Deion Sanders' column.
And he wrote one for you.
But we can't publish it.
Due to contractual obligations, his full-time employer — the NFL Network — has the exclusive right to Deion's image and opinions. They invoked that right this week.
The national backlash Deion received for his perceived defense of Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick and dismissal of dogfighting started on Thursday after ESPN Radio dissected his column. It just happened to be the same day Vick was in a Richmond, Va., court pleading not guilty to federal dogfighting charges.
Understandably, the NFL did not like that one of the faces of its network was being portrayed as a Vick apologist. Deion sent a column responding to the criticism to The News-Press and the NFL Network on Friday morning.
That night, I received an e-mail from Thomas George, the NFL Network managing editor, which read: "This column and subsequent variations of it (are) not approved by NFL Network. It cannot run."
It's unfortunate because Deion really wanted you to see it. It was his best work since he started writing his column in January.
Over the last seven months, I've heard a lot of feedback from readers on Deion.
No, he's not the most polished writer. And he hasn't always been an angel. And he does live in Texas.
What I can say is what he?s been like to deal with since I've met him.
He's easy to talk to. He always has his column in on time. He never cusses, and he cares about his hometown.
That's why the responses from Fort Myers bothered him so much. He had hoped his previous writings on race relations, children and family had shown his character and values. He was surprised that people, after reading the full column, saw him excusing Vick and condoning dogfighting or that he was sticking up for a rich athlete.
"The NFL is like a fraternity," Sanders said when I interviewed him Friday. "The real issue to me is, I think anybody, if someone in their family has done wrong or is doing wrong or made a bad, terrible decision, do we stone them or do we pray for them? I definitely, absoluetly do not condone anything, but I am praying for him."
But he can express none of that to you in his column.
Per his contract, the NFL Network could require him to stop writing his column.
But aside from this week's column, they will permit Deion to continue writing for The News-Press. Deion writes on a freelance basis for us and we have no contract with him. He could have just walked away and focused on his TV career, but he does not want to.
I asked him why. His answer was simple: "It's my hometown. I want to stay connected to my hometown."
And we're glad to have him.
Oops.
