Writer speculates that Colorado football 'exposure bonus' not enough to keep Deion Sanders in Boulder

Could the recent Colorado football coaching contract bonus Deion Sanders recently received actually be harmful to the cause of keeping "Prime Time" in Boulder? On SI's Emmanuel Walker believes Sanders may see it as a "slap in the face" that he only received a fraction of the "commission" he deserves for making Colorado college football's "It" school.

"Sanders revived a struggling football program, and yet, he only received a fraction of the proceeds that Colorado was able to pocket," Walker wrote. "It was a significant surplus of revenue from attaching his name to the university. That may not be sitting well with him.

"Coach Prime considers himself a marketing master. When he attaches his name and personality to a product, consumers can purchase or put their hands, all of that comes with a cost. He may feel the gesture put forward by CU wasn't enough. Remember, Sanders helped the school make four times the amount of money, based on earned media, than the year before he arrived."

If Deion Sanders isn't happy with Colorado football 'exposure bonus,' nothing in Boulder will satisfy him

Walker's piece was an Op-Ed, not concrete news, but great points were made about Sanders potentially pulling strings behind the scenes to get the Coach Prime-to-USC rumors started in earnest.

If Sanders is in fact upset with the "exposure bonus" in his Buffs coaching contract, there's very little CU can do to please him and keep him happy. The school already looks the other way on most things "Prime Time" and has allowed Sanders to construct his coaching staff and recruiting strategy -- which involves no home or high school visits outside of Boulder -- as he sees fit.

If that's all not enough for him, then the "Prime Time" era isn't long for the Centennial State after all.