Deion Sanders weighed in on the Michael Vick situation with a rambling column for his hometown (Fort Myers) News-Press last week. Along with comparing Vick to Wesley Snipes’ Nino Brown character from “New Jack City”, Sanders asked his readers to go inside Vick’s mind “so you can understand where he might be coming from. ” (“It reminds me of when I wore a lot of jewelry back in the day because I always wanted to have the biggest chain or the biggest, baddest car. It gives you status.”)

The NFL Network, who hold exclusive rights to Sanders’ public commentary, have axed his follow-up. From the News-Press’ Ed Reed.

Understandably, the NFL did not like that one of the faces of its network was being portrayed as a Vick apologist. Deion sent a column responding to the criticism to The News-Press and the NFL Network on Friday morning.

That night, I received an e-mail from Thomas George, the NFL Network managing editor, which read: œThis column and subsequent variations of it (are) not approved by NFL Network. It cannot run.

It™s unfortunate because Deion really wanted you to see it. It was his best work since he started writing his column in January.

I’m sure if Tim McCarver was available for comment, he’d be sure to advise Sanders that all kinds of negative things can happen when a journalist is just trying to do his or her job.