Continuing our offseason profiling of the NFL's TV experts, here's a look at arguably NFL Networks biggest personality, Deion Sanders. For years Deion polarized opinions on the field, and he is no less controversial now that his career has ended. This may go down like a lead balloon, but we're not exactly huge fans of his...

The look:

'Donald Trump circa 1996' seems to be Deion's fashion rule. Even at his most garish - see the all-corduroy monstrosity he wore for this year's Super Bowl - Deion nearly always abides by the Trump's philosophy of braces, waistcoat, a contrast collar and a suit that is about a size too large for him.

Why is this? I can only think that Deion, standing 6' 1", believes himself to be a giant amongst puny human weaklings and is unable to ask for his real size. Deion always sets this ensemble off with his trademark ear-to-ear smile and an earring that says 'I'm considerably richer than you are'. Which he is, in fairness.

What he does:

Intelligent foil to Michael Irvin's nonsensical ramblings, Deion is a man who clearly revels in his relevance to today's stars, and his platform at NFL Network allows him as much access as possible to the younger generation. Sanders is almost exclusively featured on NFL Gameday to provide gravitas, which as an NFL Hall of Famer he unquestionably does bring.

Sanders's 'Primetime' nickname is used by NFL Network to highlight key plays during his 'Let's go Primetime' slot at the end of NFL Gameday Final on Sundays. As a bona-fide legend, a two-sport athlete and one of the best to ever play the DB position, Sanders commands respect when talking about big plays and NFLN propagate this legacy by highlighting Deion-esque plays during their highlight shows. These include anything where a player runs fast or holds the ball up while entering the end zone.

He also appears on selected draft days during the NFL combine - see 'Working with the Pros' below - and made a bizarre attempt to become a reality TV star over the last few years. These, however, are not his most controversial off-field pursuits.

Sanders has also invested considerable time and money into 'Prime U', a Dallas area prep school with a noticeably mixed-message that promotes athletics as 'the hook' but seeks to build it's students into 'dreamers and CEO's'. Deion's words, not mine. The school fired Sanders in 2013 citing him as 'unfit to work with children' after two alleged assaults on staff members.

Strengths and Weaknesses:

Ok let's start with the strengths: He definitely isn't a film guru, but much like in his heyday as a player, he simply avoids commenting on those things that he doesn't feel comfortable with (tackling) and concentrates on the plays on which his voice carries the most weight. Seems generally electrified by big plays, particularly punt and kick returns, and is a much needed defensive voice in an NFL landscape that cherishes offence above all else.

Sanders the broadcaster is the definition of 'polished former-pro' and it's easy to imagine the ex-players lining up to attend broadcasting training camps being shown videos of Deion in full flow. Charismatic and verbose, he is a rarity in modern NFL broadcasting in that his opinions rarely seem contrived or designed to provoke argument, instead you can get a sense that Sanders has a genuine passion for his subject matter. It's a refreshing change from the endless line of players who don't seem to know what they're saying until it comes out of their mouth, and who then have to spend the next 2 minutes defending their oratory genocide.

That's what Deion does well, but there is another side to Sanders, a ruthless self-promoting streak that overrides every action both on screen and off. In many ways, this is no different to any other media personality working in the NFL, but at some point, Sanders appears to have bought into the idea that he is a Messiah-figure in the context of both football and life. His interest in the lives of young players has progressed from a healthy mentor to a few kids who needed his guidance, to a man determined to extend his influence as far as possible.

Taken in isolation, such issues would seem extraneous to Sanders the broadcaster, but there can be no doubt that over the years his role as a 'mentor' has often led to a pretty huge conflict of interest. Remember when Michael Crabtree held out until late October in 2009? Sanders regularly politicked for Crabtree during an unseemly half-season, and that episode prompted Roger Goodell - probably the only man Sanders considers himself answerable to beyond you-know-who - to privately tell him to tone down his promotion of those players he had a relationship with.

But the problem is that now that cat is out of the bag we can't know when Sanders is giving an opinion in an unbiased manner, or because the player(s) involved are one of his selected cabal of players who have been granted an audience with Neon Deion.

Tellingly, we know about this because Sanders couldn't simply help people and keep quiet, he bragged on TV about his text messages to current players, he was embroiled in the Dez Bryant suspension during the latter's college career, and had a strangely manipulative and controlling relationship with WVU prospect Noel Devine. What has been revealed in glimpses each time, is that Deion the smiling politician on our screens every Sunday, is not Deion Sanders. It is Primetime, a polished product that simply ignores these facts and dismisses them when challenged.

Of course, Sanders isn't the first or last TV talking head to have a vested interest in those he comments on, but he is the first to be caught on tape blackmailing the prep school he helped set up and threatening ['](http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2014/01/deionsanders_prime_prep_audio.php)_[I'm going to get more money or else it won't be a school -- period'.](http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2014/01/deionsanders_prime_prep_audio.php)_
Just let that sink in for a second.

Ok so here's the theory: Everything, the endorsements, the prep school, the kids, the NFL mentoring stuff, the TV gig... it's all just a brand. It's all Primetime, and while there may be some incidental benefit to those whose babies Sanders kisses on his ego-driven quest, the overall aim is simply the continued gainful employment and money-making of one Mr D. Sanders. He revels in his ability to schmooze with the important and good, and the only way to do that is not only talk about football, but to promote his name as if he is the second coming.

It's not his only weakness - we mentioned the lack of film study - but it's been many years since I could watch a Sanders broadcast and feel that anything he said was not, when all was said and done, rooted in his desire to make money and be more powerful. We rightly question the off-screen antics of Sapp, Sharper, Irvin et al when they are accused of misdemeanours, yet Deion is never questioned, never investigated and rarely questioned as more disturbing revelations come from 'Prime Prep'.

Clearly, if you believed it was all about the kids, you hadn't read the name of his school.

Working with the pros

Sanders has always had a solid relationship with Rich Eisen, and in many ways that pairing has been the bedrock of NFL Network programming for almost a decade now. There have been additions to the team, people have left, but through it all Deion has been teflon - nothing ever seems to stick. As such, he has been an ever-present at NFLN since his retirement in 2006.

Deion often seems to be above what little back and forth goes on between the Gameday analysts, usually asserting himself in a way that suggests his opinion is more valuable than those of his colleagues. In reality, this is Sanders the pro at work. When he's on screen, all eyes are on him, and watching him wait for Irvin to finish jabbering is like watching a Praying Mantis slowly poise itself ready to launch an unstoppable attack on it's prey. It's both compelling and, in a strange way, uncomfortable.

Watching him interact with Mike Mayock at the combine is like watching a car crash as Deion simply dismisses the 265th pick in the 1981 draft, and uses his own criteria (speed, amount player likes or has referenced Mr D Sanders in interviews) to judge prospects. Watching film is for guys like Mike Mayock. Alpha males like Deion don't need tape, they are tape. They MAKE tape. Or something. You can sense too, Deion's slight distaste for the effeminate Mayock in all interactions. No thigh slaps for you Mike, don't want you getting the wrong idea (even though he's happily married with kids). No, Deion is firmly in the T.O. bracket when it comes to anyone who is slightly camp.

That's what makes Deion so compelling though. Even his detractors must admit that there is something disconcertingly watchable in how he interacts with those around him, rarely showing deference or acknowledging their views unless they coincide with his own. It's almost as if the entire set has been built with Sanders front center, and the broadcast team is unsure of whether they should pull up Deion on his opinions. It's not that he spouts anything particularly crazy (see Bayless, S.) but it's very obvious to anyone watching that Deion doesn't embrace the challenge of verbal disagreements. Again, Sanders is the alpha male, using physical strength to intimidate those weaker than him, while being enough of a wordsmith to make more physically imposing people wary of a confrontation.

One of Sanders's more shameful moments, you may remember, occurred when Bears QB Jay Cutler was injured against Green Bay in the NFC title game two years ago. Deion annihilated Cutler (who required ACL surgery as a result of the injury) live on TV, questioned his heart for not playing on and repeatedly using the same phrase: 'It doesn't matter what the reality is, it is the perception that matters'.

You can't help wondering whether that phrase may have cropped up for Deion before.

Off the Field

See above. A complete liability whose only interests are (in order):

1: Himself
2: Money

Has cheated on his (super hot) wife with a girl Pacman Jones introduced him to. Note to all: Never allow yourself to get in a situation where Pacman Jones is the man fixing you up with a girl, in the same way you shouldn't let Vince Young near your financial affairs or get Brett Favre to advise you on when to take early retirement.

Overall
Here at Pickwatch we try to be impartial as much as is humanly possible. That said, Deion Sanders the broadcaster is inextricably linked to the guy who is actively involved in a whole host of off-field pursuits that color his broadcasting image. It's a shame, because Sanders is clearly personable in isolation, but the double standards that applied to Deion the player really don't make sense any more. He doesn't bring anything to the table that another personality could not bring, so why ignore the mounting evidence that Sanders is... well... a borderline loon who may try to strangle you in a Senator's office, no less?

The mind boggles as to why Sanders is still considered untouchable, and I guess, as Deion often tells us, the thing that will define him is not anyone's opinions, but the truth.