To paraphrase one of the most chilling and beautiful lines of commentary ever, “The streak…is over”. While vastly different in circumstance and magnitude, a similar story took place in Colorado last night. Even though their season is a remarkable success by any metric imaginable, Deion Sanders is hungry for more. Whether it be all-time bad odds or vastly superior teams, Coach Prime doesn’t bow down to anyone. However, last night, he had to. But, what was shocking was his warm show of respect. His vow, masquerading as a warning, became another instantly iconic moment.

In another brilliant press conference, Sanders was at his best. As a result, longtime Prime supporter Shaquille O’Neal had to endorse Coach’s message.

Shaquille O’Neal resonates with Deion Sanders’ message

While wins and losses are par for the course, it’s the resilience one shows that truly defines his career. So, after a miraculous 3-0 start, a blowout loss wasn’t the expectation from an upstart Buffaloes team. But the 2x Superbowl winner took it in stride. Even though opposing Oregon’s coach Dan Lenning had some strong pre-game comments about Colorado, Prime didn’t seem to worry. “I got messages. God bless him, though, man. He’s a great coach. He’s done a great job. They can take their shots, they won.”

However, Sanders also had a clear warning for the opposition. “I don’t shoot. I don’t do that. They won. One thing I can say honestly and candidly – you better get me right now. This is the worst we’re gonna be. You better get me right now.” 

Even though there was a smile on his face, the warning was clear. We may be down, but we’re not out.

That championship spirit and unwillingness to quit is something Shaq can relate to immensely. A 4-time Champion with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Miami Heat, O’Neal understands the importance of dealing with adversity. As a result, he put up the entire exchange on his IG.

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However, skepticism towards Colorado is understandable due to the team’s performance. While they did start off 3-0, expectations were far lesser and seen more as a Cinderella story.

The fate of the Colorado Buffaloes

Even though the team escaped with a victory in Week 3, the chances of their hot streak continuing were slim.

They had lost Travis Hunter for at least a few weeks, a significant loss to the defense. While Shedeur Sanders had been Tom Brady-esque in the final minutes, his limitations were starting to show.

Against a far better Oregon team, those limitations, both from Sanders and the defense, came to the forefront. As a result, after 3 quarters, the scoreboard said, 42-0. While the Buffaloes did record a touchdown in the 4th quarter, it did not make much of a difference.

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Though Deion has put on a brave face, it remains to be seen whether his team can back up his words. For the time being, history suggests that we should trust and believe in Prime. Can the boys from Colorado rally back? Shaq certainly seems to think so.