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Who can say that Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders is not living in his purpose, his moment for life?
He may or may not personally wish he could have this moment for life. I don't know.
Just don't say he is a moment. He says he's a monument, and his already stone-solid legend is taking on even more statuesque proportions by the day.
A monument is defined as something that purportedly will last forever such as a building, sculpture or structure built as a memorial.
His haters might wish his monument was an inscribed marker on a tombstone. He says he gets death threats coming in every week.
A monument is also defined as something venerated for its enduring historic significance.
You will be hard-pressed to find a cornerback in the NFL who does not appreciate Sanders' history and contributions to their position. He single-handedly took CB salaries from one of the lowest paid to one of the highest in the NFL.
When he played, he was one of the fastest players ever to grace a football gridiron. He was also one of the fastest talkers, plus one of the flashiest dressers and personalities.
He also had a purpose, something like Muhammad Ali.
Ali knew that talking and behaving in a brash manner would draw publicity and help line his family's coffers, because many people would pay to see him get beaten to a pulp. Sanders, in similar fashion knows that people will pay, win lose or draw.
The average ticket price for a Colorado University football game in Boulder has skyrocketed since he arrived on campus.
Win, lose or draw, Coach Prime isn't going anywhere despite what his legion of critics want. He also has legions of supporters, especially his many children, including his players who see him as a father figure.
Travis Hunter is his "honorary son" and a superstar two-way player who is growing in the mold of Coach Prime.
Coaching two of his biological sons on the same team in a Power-5 conference has its ups and downs. But this is a moment that their family will never forget. The sports part is secondary to their extended family ties.
The family man is also one of the most polarizing figures in American sports history. Some people will never forget that he supported Colin Kaepernick's efforts to return to the NFL.
Kaepernick is known for kneeling before San Francisco 49ers games during the national anthem in the 2016 season as a form of protest against police brutality. A former Superbowl quarterback with exceptional running ability, he did not last long in the NFL after his action that catalyzed a wave of protests in professional sports.
Sanders said that Muhammad Ali was once vilified for his polarizing activism but later became beloved. Some people took that to mean that Deion was putting Kaepernick in the same category as the great Ali, who was an unapologetic Black Muslim in the 1960's - one of the few Muslims in professional sports at the time.
Sanders is one of the few African American head coaches or coordinators in the FBS and the NFL, but he outshines every coach in getting publicity and some people may not like that fact.
Already one of the most popular interviews and brand salesmen in the world, he is becoming known as one of the most confident coaches ever. Whether or not he joins the ranks of the best coaches ever remains to be seen.
But he believes he will be. He believes he can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens him.
Love, hate or disregard him in this moment of life, you cannot deny that Deion Sanders is an American classic...4 life.