Strike 1: Going in, the mood was almost festive. Year 2 under head coach Deion Sanders has been the reason for a lot of optimism at the University of Colorado. So with it being fall sports media day at CU, and with a considerable number of local media – including his own media team – gathered in the Dal Ward center, Deion sat down in front of the microphone, talked about how good he felt about his new coaching staff, and how eager he was to have fans see his team when they hold an open practice at All-City Stadium in Denver next week.

Terms like “Best wide receiver room in the country” and “Best secondary in the country” were being tossed around. When the questions started, one radio guy finished his by stating he believes the Buffaloes will win eight games in the upcoming season. Deion responded with “Just eight?” (Las Vegas has them at five and a half.)

It was also his birthday, and he’d just become a grandfather for the first time. He was congratulated multiple times for both. His seat certainly isn’t hot, and there was nothing about the gathering that should have made him uncomfortable. No reason at all to bring along any year-old angst – or “receipts” as he’s been fond of saying – with him to these festivities. Almost every question asked was a layup. It should have been easy.

He even told the gathering, “I have love and respect for 85% of you.”

Except that Deion can’t seem to function without a chip on his shoulder. That other 15%? Talk to the hand.

When a representative of Denver’s Channel 4 TV identified himself as being from “CBS4” as he tried to ask a question, Deion immediately shut him down. “CBS, I’m not doing nothing with CBS,” he stated. “Next question.”

No one in the room had any idea what CBS (the home of 60 Minutes, remember them?) had done to offend him, most especially the local television affiliate – which happens to host his weekly coaches show. But apparently Deion had a receipt somewhere. The speculation is that what was at issue was a CBSSports.com poll that ranked Sanders as the second-worst coach in the Big 12.

Something he should have been able to brush aside as easily as a would-be tackler during one of his famous punt returns.

He got even more combative with a local columnist, who’s past coverage of Sanders’ program hasn’t often been to Deion’s liking. The gentleman tried to ask him a question – after offering a very pleasant greeting – before Deion shut him down, too. “Why don’t you like us?” was his refrain during a brief back and forth. “Why?”

It all felt a lot like the response a certain Presidential candidate would offer in a press conference to a reporter who’s coverage he didn’t agree with. (To his credit, Deion did stop short of calling the Denver Post “Fake News.”)

A better question would have been to ask Deion why he felt the need to drag down the proceedings like that? This setting was the polar opposite of a coach facing a hostile media gathering after a gut-wrenching loss. The vast majority in attendance were there to praise, not bury.

Sure, no one likes a critic, and no one likes receiving less than flattering reviews. However, when your entire brand is built on getting as much attention as possible, even a Hall of Fame player should be better prepared for some negative press. It goes with the territory. Even on a day when everything was as upbeat – at least going in – as it will be at any point during the season.

Now, instead of the talk (and not just locally) coming out of the press conference being about his “improved,” (not “bolstered” – as he scolded another reporter) offensive line, CU’s new conference, his two Heisman candidates or the defensive line he’s been so impressed with in camp, it was all about Deion’s combative responses to innocuous questions.

Sanders’ actions made zero sense. Not for a coach looking for positive momentum for his program after a 4-8 season.

Perhaps tossing out all those old “receipts” might be a solid strategy for Deion moving forward. The “everyone is against us” thing has worn thin. At this point, the chip on his shoulder is just weighing him and his entire program down.