After forcing most of the University of Colorado's football team into the transfer portal last year, and replacing them with other transfer athletes, former NFL and Major League Baseball star Deion Sanders, now better known as “Coach Prime,” led his Buffaloes to six straight losses to end the 2023 season and a last-place finish in the Pac-12 Conference.
Colorado subsequently finished the most recent high school athlete recruiting cycle ranked a decidedly bad 84th by Rivals.
Still, the man profiled by 60 Minutes twice in one year continues to effectively sell himself as the disruptive force of very disrupted college athletics — for the better! — a morally compassed leader and character-builder of young men. He’s managed to keep generating headlines and attention seemingly every day of the offseason. All while starting his own son at quarterback.
It stands to reason, then, that down the street at Dish Network headquarters in Englewood, Cololorado, they thought Sanders might do a pretty good job of hawking Boost Mobile.
Only in America!
In its press release Wednesday, Dish said that starting April 19, Boost Mobile customers can pay $149.99 for a “Coach Prime-branded” Motorola Razr.
“Adorned in a striking gold and black finish, featuring Coach Prime’s inspiring mantra ‘You Gotta Believe’ and his personal signature, the Motorola Razr Coach Prime edition is not only a stylish, premium foldable smartphone — it’s a symbol of motivation,” Dish said.
Now, we thought that “believe” mantra was actually started by the fictional Coach Ted Lasso over in England. And we assumed Sanders’ motivational tactics revolve around throwing offensive linemen under the bus during press conferences after bad games, threatening to replace them with transfer-portal athletes on the spot.
Perhaps the Motorola Razr is best paired with a new “anytime upgrade” plan? Wireless customers can hit the ol’ transfer portal anytime they grow tired of their gaudy gold device!
In any event, Dish Network — which is now trying to compete in the retail wireless industry as it simultaneously works to build out a national 5G wireless network and stay out of bankruptcy liquidation — thinks it has its guy.
“I grew up watching Deion in Atlanta and am beyond thrilled to have Coach Prime on our team,” Sean Lee, senior VP of consumer product and marketing for Boost Mobile, said in a statement. “Coach Prime is a proven leader who works hard, knows what it takes to win and is a strong community advocate. Get ready for more exciting things to come from Boost Mobile and Coach Prime powered by our own 5G network.”
For his part, Sanders seems to understand the new American art form of empty-suited celebrity pitchman. One of the key techniques: Use lots of all-caps in messaging.
"I’m all about connectivity and BABY, WE GOT THAT!,” said Sanders in Wednesday's Dish release. "It’s been A BLESSING to spend the past couple of months getting to know this WONDERFUL team. Learning what they’ve achieved, what they BELIEVE, and most importantly HOW they aspire to continue to push the envelope.
“First and foremost, my signature motorola razr is NEXT LEVEL and I wanna see each and every darn one of you rocking these!,” Sanders added. "But what I’m most excited about is to be a part of the FAMILY that is building the most modern 5G wireless network all while offering the most competitive wireless plans that can reach EVERYBODY. Like I said, I’m all about connectivity and WE GOT YOU COVERED on every darn aspect!”
