Paul Finebaum questions if attention is becoming a distraction for Colorado, Deion Sanders

There are now questions if Colorado and Deion Sanders have too many distractions amid the attention drawn by the program after its 3-0 start to the season.

ESPN’s Paul Finebaum wondered that following a wild but chippy overtime win over Colorado State for Sanders and the Buffaloes. Because it’s Sanders, attention follows him everywhere.

But will it become too much for this particular team? Finebaum attempted to answer.

“This is what happens when the world of celebrities that 20 years ago hung out at Southern Cal games and then moved in primarily to other venues, it looked like a Lakers final,” Finebaum said on The Matt Barrie Show. “You know from Lil’ Wayne to The Rock. I mean, was Jack Nicholson? It was just amazing. But my argument Matt is that it has to be a distraction. If you’re Deion Sanders, I mean you have to be almost as tired as you are right now.”

Leading up to the game, there was trash talk aplenty, starting with Jay Norvell’s comments about Sanders’ hat and sunglasses attire talking to reporters. Not to mention this is an in-state rivalry with a lot more attention than year’s past.

Colorado, Deion Sanders primed for distractions?

Combine all of that with the practical media tour to Boulder this week, it was bound to blow up at some point for Colorado and Sanders. At least, on the surface.

“When Stephen A. Smith and the Shannon Sharpe’s and the Lil Wayne’s and all these guys show up, they have to be entertained because you know, they’re all flying in on private planes and they all want to hang with Deion and there’s so many interviews to go along,” Finebaum said. 

“I mean, can you imagine other coaches doing what he has gone through. So you expected that last night but he better get real. Deion ought to say let’s start getting back to football now that we have two top 10 teams ahead.”

Finebaum does make a point. Oregon and USC are up next and those schools are No. 10 and 5 in the latest AP Poll, respectively.

“I know Shedeur kind of got in between us,” Sanders said of the beef with Norvell and hype around the game. “I can be petty if they’re petty, but I ain’t got time for that. I’m on to bigger things. I’m happy for the brother. I really am. I’m happy that they fought and played a good game. I’m happy that he’s a head coach. I’m happy for any brother that’s doing it and successful, man. I truly am.”