“If general doesn't panic, troops don't panic” – Shaquille O'Neal equates Deion Sanders to Phil Jackson over locker room psyche
Shaquille O'Neal was floored by Deion Sanders and CSU's performance this past weekend. Heading into their highly anticipated inter-state rivalry showdown, Deion Sanders was dominating headlines for bringing an undefeated record, and the bright lights, to CSU.
Heading into this season, few could have predicted Deion Sanders' time as coach would start off with such a bang. As he and the team geared up for a big showdown with Colorado State, he found himself on the receiving end of criticism from the opposing coach.
With plenty of tension between the two sides, and the bright lights of the world following Sanders and his team, the stage was set.
Early on, it was Colorado State who got the edge; however, thanks to a spirited late-game comeback, the Buffaloes were able to take the lead and secure the win.
According to Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal, Deion Sanders reminds him of the American football version of Phil Jackson. While speaking on the TMZ Sports TV program, Shaquille O'Neal stated:
"When they were down 15, there was a camera that panned to Deion's face, and it reminded me of Phil Jackson. And I've always said, if the general doesn't panic, the troops don't panic. ...
"Before [Phil] got there, me and Kobe, we got swept all the time. But when he came there and stepped in the locker room and we saw he didn't panic, so it taught us not to panic. We know that this guy knows what he's talking about."
How Phil Jackson's demeanor changed the game for Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant
As Shaquille O'Neal explained, by the time Phil Jackson got to LA, he already had a reputation as being one of the greatest coaches in NBA history.
With unparalleled success in Chicago combined with an NBA career of his own to give him even more credibility, Jackson had an air of success about him.
According to Shaquille O'Neal, he and Kobe Bryant felt as though they had to try and keep up. It's something he believes Deion Sanders' players are also going through right now.
"I know exactly what the [Colorado players] are going through because when you are standing in front of someone that has an impressive resume, and you're trying to get to the level he get to, everything you say is golden. I felt that way when Phil Jackson first came to the Lakers."
So far, the team is 3-0, beating out many predictions that fans and analysts made for them. Next up, the team will play No. 10 ranked Oregon, before then playing No. 5 ranked USC.
Currently, Sanders' Colorado Buffaloes are ranked 19th, meaning they will have to continue to upset teams if they have hopes of keeping the momentum rolling. They next play on Saturday, September 23rd, on the road when they face the Oregon Ducks.
(Suggested Reading: Comparing Phil Jackson and Gregg Popovich's records)