Jackson State head football coach T.C. Taylor wasn't pleased with how Jackson State was portrayed in the 60 Minutes feature on Deion Sanders and Colorado. The feature had a portion that aimed to show the difference between the environments of Jackson, Mississippi, and Boulder, Colorado. It showed attractive video footage of Boulder but a rundown house in what is said to be in Jackson.
“The distance between Jackson and Boulder is a thousand miles, and immeasurably further culturally,” 60 Minutes correspondent Jon Wertheim said in a voiceover showcasing the footage. “Sanders went from a city that is 83 percent black to one that is one percent black. From a place with a water crisis to a kind of hipster college town where there’s a shop devoted to kites.”
Taylor, who is also a Jackson State alumnus, wasn't happy with the depiction of the city and he spoke about in Jackson State's weekly press conference per a tweet by WJTV Sports Director Blake Levine.
“It gave a bad look on Jackson, I thought. It did give a bad look on Jackson. Jackson has plenty of bright spots. It’s some good things going on in the city, with this program, with Jackson State in itself.”
Coach Tomekia Reed was vocal about the depiction of Jackson via her Twitter on Sunday evening.
““60 Minutes, y’all made Jackson, MS look horrible. You should be ashamed of yourselves for showing the worst house you can find in America. Making it like that describes us. I’m not even sure if that abandoned house you showed is even in Jackson.”
She also responded to a commenter who attempted to say that she was being negative towards Deion Sanders, saying, “My post is not about Prime! So don’t start that. I am proud of his move, his opportunity. I cheer for them every game. He is showing that once an HBCU coach gets a chance they can make it happen! My post is about how 60 minutes could have shown a better Jackson, MS.”
Neither CBS nor 60 Minutes has yet to respond to the criticism as of this article.
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