The rivalry between Alabama A&M and Jackson State has intensified since the start of the spring season and spilled over into the fall ahead of their meeting Saturday in Huntsville.
On Monday, Bulldogs head coach Connell Maynor, who has never been shy about engaging in playful banter with opponents, targeted Deion Sanders and his scooter.
At the end of his media session, Maynor jokingly said he hurt his ankle over the weekend and wanted to know whether Deion Sanders would send him a scooter.
“You got an extra scooter for me? Maynor asked. “If you got an extra scooter, send me one down here. Thank you.”
Sanders had been seen operating a custom Daymak Boomberbeast 2D Heavy Duty AWD 3 Wheel Scooter provided by Aflac as the coach recovers from recent toe surgery.
Also read: Connell Maynor sends a message to Deion Sanders and Jackson State: ‘Bring it’
But Monday wasn’t the first time Maynor directed comments at Sanders.
In the spring, Maynor called Sanders “the enemy” when asked during an interview would he consider giving his contemporary advice.
He later told Sanders to “recruit some more 5-stars” in reference to the Tigers’ highly-touted recruiting class.
“You talk about all the 4-and-5-star you recruit,” he said last April. “You are not the only one who recruits 4-and-5 stars, we do, too.”
Sanders responded to the war of words and the upcoming war on the field between the two teams.
“It’s a little rivalry. It’s a little (bad) blood,” he said. “The coach (Maynor) said something about me but I won’t shoot back because I don’t do that.
I’m really good at that. I don’t choose to that. I’m on this high road right now. I take the high road — I’m a different dude. Everyone is waiting for that at the conclusion of this matter. We will just have to sit and see.”