Deion Sanders on Sean Taylor

I think some people's previously formed opinions of Deion are clouding their judgement of what he said.

I thought he spoke very well on several matters in that video. And for the record it was Jamie Dukes that brought up Vick (twice)

Dukes is a clown, to be sure. But when Deion started with this whole "we marched on the Jena 6, are we gonna march on THIS?" tone, I'm sorry, but that's just grandstanding and doesn't solve anything.

Further, I think he really shot himself in the foot by even dignifying Dukes' mention of Vick -- he should have just categorically stated that the Mike Vick has no relevance to Sean's or Darrent Williams' murder. Instead he goes on this looney-eyed rant about being a dog owner himself and not valuing the life of a dog more than that of a human being.

Regardless of whether I agree with that sentiment (I do), or whether the sentiment is actually correct, it was wholly irrelevant to the discussion of Sean Taylor and the time he spent blathering about that could have been better used discussing so many other lines of conversation. But, as usual, Deion was more interested in being flashy than in being substantive.

I never liked Deion..
he is so arrogant

Ridiculous, That was 8 minutes I will not get back.

it was only a matter of time before someone in the media compared the Williams and Taylor murder,because they all see Taylor as a Thug or criminal so its like bound to happen sooner or later.Misperception is the word I think.

Three comments:

1. Deion Sanders may have been a very good football player but he is not someone I would go to for lessons in logical thinking. That was a tenuous argument he made - and that's being very polite.

2. People who make links between the Darrent Williams murder and the killing of Sean Taylor [we know it was a homicide but do not yet know if it was a murder] are not stretching all that far. Both were young NFL players who seemed to have long and bright futures in the league and both were gunned down while in their early 20s. The cases are not identical by any means, but there is sufficient similarity to point out the similarity of these two tragedies. I don't recall any huge outcry that Darrent Williams was some kind of thug so I don't think a reference to him demeans Sean Taylor in any significant way - - except for the fact that Taylor was a far superior player to Williams.

3. The Michael Vick situation is irrelevant to Sean Taylor's death. Period. Exclamation point.

SC, I don't have any reason to think Darrent Williams wasn't a great, upstanding young man, but the reason I reject the comparison is that Williams was out "clubbin" with a bunch of NBA players, an argument broke out, and he was shot. By all accounts, none of this was his fault, but the old saw of "stay away from trouble, and it won't go looking for you" was broken out at the time that happened.

In Sean's case, you can't use that argument because the man WAS avoiding that kind of trouble.

I am not so bothered by what Deion said. He did ramble a bit but his sentiments point to a larger sociophilosophic debate about race and violence in America. I also understand what Wilbon has been alluding to in his articles this week.

Perhaps this is not the time to engage in these sorts of heavy topics--given that folks are in a mourning period for one of our favorite players. We're gonna take it personal as fans of Sean Taylor and defend him at this time--it is our nature as fans to circle the wagons in this manner. And the facts are that Sean Taylor was just protecting his family, at home trying to defend them, and apparently murdered. It could be completely random--it could not be--the future investigation will hopefully bear to light these facts. But some may feel that these sorts of tragic events represent a seminal opportunity to discuss previously neglected issues in our society. Whether that discussion leads to some action--that is another question...

My opinion is that Dukes and Deion have some valid points, but I don't think either of them conveyed them very well in this segment and their points do not necessarily apply to Sean's murder.

I can't stand Deion, but his comments about stopping black on black crime come from the heart. However, they may be a little pre-mature, we don't know who did this yet. His other issue of the authorities not investigating black athletes' murders IMO is completely wrong. I am pretty confident that the local police in DW's situation and the local police investigating Sean's murder want nothing more than to catch the vermin that took these young fathers away from their children. He didn't directly say it but if he is looking for the NFL to investigate, I'm pretty sure if the local authorities needed anything from the NFL it would be provided, but the NFL has no jurisdiction to investigate any criminal matters.

Dukes' comparsion of the Vick, Darrent Williams situation and the tragedy of Sean's murder is a big reach and doesn't make any sense. I understand his argument of guys breaking the ties to negative influences from an athlete's past, but his connections between Vick, DW and Sean is completely wrong. By all accounts Sean had broken ties from the negative influences and was completely focused on his family and teammates. Is it possible the murderer was somehow from his past with an old "score" to settle, yes. But this could also be a home invasion gone wrong. Either way the dots Dukes is trying connect, just don't

Actually here is a really circular way that it's related to Vick.

I didn't know this and I'm not sure if it's been mentioned, but apparently Taylor used to have about three pitbulls guarding his property. However, after the whole Vick incident Taylor decided he didn't want to deal with any backlash about having pitbulls (even though he wasn't mistreating them by any means) so he gave the dogs away.

I wonder what, if anything, might have been different if the dogs were there that night.

Actually here is a really circular way that it's related to Vick.

I didn't know this and I'm not sure if it's been mentioned, but apparently Taylor used to have about three pitbulls guarding his property. However, after the whole Vick incident Taylor decided he didn't want to deal with any backlash about having pitbulls (even though he wasn't mistreating them by any means) so he gave the dogs away.

I wonder what, if anything, might have been different if the dogs were there that night.
I remember reading this also. I believe ST would still be here if those dogs were there.

I just put my Siberian Husky to sleep a couple of weeks ago (15 yrs. old) and I never worried about my wife home alone with him there. Even at his advanced age he would die to protect her and worst case give her time to get to our firearm.