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Instead of beating them, he joined them.
Deion Sanders needs Oxygen
Deion Sanders needs Oxygen
Sports legend on his new reality show.
by Craveonline
May 20, 2008
Deion Sanders and his wife Pilar have joined the reality TV movement. Their show, Deion and Pilar Sanders: Prime Time Love, airs Tuesdays at 10:30 on The Oxygen Channel. This gives fans a chance to see what Prime Time is like now that he's out of the game, and it also gave us a chance to interview Sanders himself.

Crave Online: Were you a guy who would watch Oxygen Channel before this?

Deion Sanders: Most definitely. First of all, I never want to be on an episode of Snapped. Let's get that straight. I never want to be on an episode of Snapped and I really do love it. And Sue Johanson is off the chain. I love her. And the Bad Girls Club is one of the best shows placed on television. I definitely was a fan beforehand.

Crave Online: Did you worry about the cameras negatively impacting your family, like some reality stars have found?

Deion Sanders: Well, we already argue at least once a week out of the month, so nothing can really focus more attention on that. But we are who we are. I don't think any of these shows that have been on that have suffered really have Christian values and have their faith as the first and foremost thing that coupled this relationship, that founded this relationship. We do a wonderful job. We're realists and we're not opportunists. Unlike some couples, we're not taking this show as an opportunity to launch into something else. We're doing this really to substantiate the claim that there are many African American families that live properly and not necessarily argumentative and in disarray and total chaos. So we're not using this show as a stepping stone into launching into something else and I think many other people that have partaken in the reality form, they've done that as a means.

Crave Online: How did the idea of the show come about, did you pitch them or they pitch you?

Deion Sanders: I pitched them. We were just sitting home watching. We're really reality fans and we watch a lot of television, having five kids. Therefore, just seeing nothing of the sort and thinking back to some of the shows that we loved.

Crave Online: Was it a relief when they stopped filming you after three months?

Deion Sanders: It's not bad because you're on a schedule. You know you're going to shoot five days a week probably 10 hours a day. So it wasn't bad at all. We had a wonderful crew, a wonderful crew who became somewhat of a family. My hat's off to Oxygen for blessing us with all the resources that we needed to complete a show and put a great product on television.

Crave Online: Have you seen the show yourself?

Deion Sanders: Oh, definitely. Most definitely.

Crave Online: Did you have any issues over the editing?

Deion Sanders: I'm executive producer. The problem we had oftentimes was it's hard to get everything in 22 minutes. We had so much good stuff. Something that hits the floor of the cutting board is some good stuff. That was the problem. It wasn't a problem with not enough or we can't put that on television. Oxygen really gave us the liberty to do what we needed to do and accomplish what we need to accomplish. But so many funny and humorous scenes will never make the show because of the length.

Crave Online: Maybe on the DVD?

Deion Sanders: There you go.

Crave Online: Would you do another season, or is this a one time deal?

Deion Sanders: Well, the only thing you want to do one time is get married. So no, we definitely plan on a second, third, fourth and as long as we're productive and we're growing as a family, you see the kids mature in the process, we'll definitely be more than willing to do different years of shows.

Crave Online: Did you get a lot of flack for the op ed piece you did about Michael Vick?

Deion Sanders: I'm not going to say I got flack. I'm going to say when I do a column, I did many columns that were very controversial, a lot more controversial than that column. People really want to see the inside of athletes' lives and who they really are. It just seemed odd to me that I really know this guy and I still talk to this guy as of today, and I really tried to explain to the viewers who were readers what happened, and who this guy really is. Some people took it wrong. I think it was many of the older generation really took it wrong and didn't really know how to grasp me really trying to walk them through his thinking and his psyche. So that was really taken out of context, but you've got to take that stuff with a grain of salt.

Crave Online: How much do you miss playing these days?

Deion Sanders: Not at all. Not whatsoever. I have many guys that I've mentored that are great friends and I'm living vicariously through those guys as well as being a fulltime father, coaching all my son's teams and both of my daughters' events. So I don't miss actually playing the game whatsoever.

Crave Online: Will we see you coaching on the show?

Deion Sanders: Most definitely, most definitely. You're going to see me run down sideline. When they score, score. I'm right there with them. You're definitely going to see that.

Crave Online: Can you share any of your NFL wisdom with the kids at that level?

Deion Sanders: No, they really don't comprehend NFL wisdom. You really just show them what you need done and just help them through it and just really inspire and encourage kids that age. You know, eight and six years old, you've really got to encourage them because they're not really disciplined enough to know the ins and outs about football. Some of them aren't that talented and they're forced to play by their mothers and fathers at that age.

Crave Online: Are your kids into baseball at all?

Deion Sanders: Yeah, we have a game tonight as a matter of fact, at eight p.m., and basketball. We play that simultaneously. We always have sports going on simultaneously.

Crave Online: How do you enjoy watching sports on TV when you have firsthand experience?

Deion Sanders: I love it because it's my job. I'm employed by the NFL on the NFL Network so I love the pro games.

Crave Online: Are you watching Jason Taylor on Dancing with the Stars?

Deion Sanders: Definitely. I like it. I think he's doing well. Playing for Miami all those years, I think he's picked up a little of the salsa type of dancing. He's a handsome guy, he's a big guy, he's a strapping guy. He's going to be all right. I like it and I like guys that branch out and step outside their box and allow themselves to be exposed in another venue, another area that they're not as talented it. I really like that in Jason. You know, I like Jerry Rice and Emmett when they displayed their talents on the show also.

Crave Online: Have you ever thought of going on it?

Deion Sanders: They've been asking me since season one. I'm a three time guy with toe surgery and I don't think my feet would last that long.

Crave Online: When did you change from Prime Time to the responsible family man?

Deion Sanders: Well, honestly, I think what you're associating me with was really a persona. This is the wonderful thing about the show. It will really negate the stereotypes that people had of you. Just because I high stepped and danced on the football field, people thought I partied all the time. That wasn't the case. I never drank or smoke, I've never been high a day in my life. I stopped using profanity my sophomore year in college. So a lot of things that people never knew about me will probably be exposed on this show. They're seeing that I'm a homebody. I love home. I leave the house when I have to go earn a living and work but I coach all the kids' teams. I'm there. We take them to school together every morning or we alternate, or I'm picking them up and taking them to practice. So I'm always here. A lot of the stereotypes will be broken when you see the show.

Crave Online: What sort of parenting will we see on the show?

Deion Sanders: We really enjoy, we have a good time and I'm not going to say we're the type of parents who want to be your friends because there's definitely discipline involved, but we are realistic parents. My 14-year-old son, I know he's into girls. I know we're a Christian home but I know very well he loved 50 Cent, so instead of him going to get it in the street, I'd rather go get him the album himself. I know my 17-year-old daughter. I know she's going to be into boys and she's attracted to what she sees on a constant basis. That's an athlete so she's going to be attracted to the athletes, and I know how athletes are. We're really rooted but we really have a good time with our kids.

Crave Online: Does Prime Time ever come out at home?

Deion Sanders: None whatsoever. They bring that out themselves. They high step and they dance and they're the type who when they compete, because my younger kids really never got an opportunity to really witness me play and really understand the game. So they go online and the older kids google me and show them what I used to do. They emulate what they see on the screen, the computer.

Crave Online: What is live like in Prosper, Texas?

Deion Sanders: I love it. It's quiet, it's peaceful, it's growing like crazy. I love it. It's like an unwritten rule where people don't really bother me. Not that I'm some type of superstar but they don't ask for autographs. I eat at the breakfast place every morning at the Cotton Gin. Many of my friends that are athletes, Torii Hunter from the California, LA Angels now, Omar Stoutmire from the Washington Redskins, Kevin Mathis, LaTroy Hawkins, different guys at Major League Baseball as well as football, they live in approximately the same place. Mario Evans, former Cowboy, and I've lured them to Prosper because we want our kids to be raised together in a peaceful, loving city.

Crave Online: What's your physical regimen now?

Deion Sanders: I love basketball. I'm in two men's basketball leagues right now, one in Prosper, one across town. I play basketball probably three times a week and I work out probably four times a week. Really my wife works her but off too. That's why she looks the way she looks. We have a nice weight room in the house so we stay in good shape pretty much.

Not in any way associated with Crave Entertainment, Inc.

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