T.C. Taylor, Tomekia Reed blast '60 Minutes' portrayal of Jackson in Deion Sanders interview
Jackson State football coach T.C. Taylor and women's basketball coach Tomekia Reed took issue with the portrayal of the city of Jackson during a Deion Sanders-focused "60 Minutes" segment that aired Sunday.
The segment, which focused on Sanders' rise in coaching from JSU to Colorado, juxtaposed the city's water crisis and 83% Black population against the quintessential college town feel and 1% Black population of Boulder, Colorado.
"It gave a bad look on Jackson I thought, just being honest with you," Taylor, a McComb native who played at Jackson State and was a member of Sanders' staff at JSU, said Monday. "Jackson has plenty of bright spots. Plenty of bright spots. There are some good things going on here in the city with this program, with Jackson State with itself.
"When you see things like that and how they kind of portrayed it ... they are the media they can control the narrative. If you from here, if you are born and raised you know what the city of Jackson is all about, as well as the state of Mississippi."
“I had never fathom coming here,” Coach Sanders says of the @CUBuffsFootball.
“I ain’t ever even vacation here, man. I ain’t ever been skiing or whatever you call it.” https://t.co/wtgTJBgjn6 pic.twitter.com/CjZwDf2Dug— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) September 18, 2023
The 60 Minutes piece showed views of the Jackson State football facility and a rundown home in contrast to pristine landscapes and cityscapes in Boulder.
That prompted Reed to call out "60 Minutes" on Monday on X, formerly known as Twitter.
"@60 Minutes y'all made Jackson, MS look horrible," Reed wrote. "You should be ashamed of yourselves for showing the worst house you can find in America and make it like that describes us. I'm not even sure if that abandoned house you showed is even in Jackson."
@60Minutes y’all made Jackson, MS look horrible. You should be ashamed of yourselves for showing the worst house you can find in America and make it like that describes us. I’m not even sure if that abandoned house you showed is even in Jackson. #ThisisHome
— Coach Tomekia Reed (@CoachTReed) September 18, 2023
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Reed then doubled down with another post: "It was comparing Jackson, MS to Boulder, CO. They showed very nice locations in Boulder and showed the worst they could find in Jackson, MS. We have so much more to show that wouldn't have hurt @60 Minutes to take the time to spotlight."
It was comparing Jackson, MS to Boulder, CO. They showed very nice locations in Boulder and showed the worst they could find in Jackson, MS. We have so much more to show that wouldn’t have hurt @60Minutes to take time to spotlight.
— Coach Tomekia Reed (@CoachTReed) September 18, 2023
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Coaches blast 60 Minutes' Jackson portrayal in Deion Sanders interview
