Deion Sanders Puts Personal Drama on Blast

Earlier this month it was Washington Redskins wide receiver Jabar Gaffney. He went on an epic Twitter meltdown, unleashing a stream of expletive-laced tweets about his estranged wife and his cousin NFL cornerback Lito Sheppard. One example from the since-deleted account read: "Ain't nobody [bleeped] my wife but for anybody saying any slick [bleep] better watch ur girl and not let me get hold to her."

Gaffney briefly was the top trending topic in the world. He later claimed that his account was hacked and asked for privacy.

But there's no doubting the authenticity of the latest outrageous tweets from an NFL personality. Hall of Famer and NFL Network broadcaster Deion Sanders not only live-tweeted an alleged assault by his estranged wife, Pilar, but he sent out a picture of him and his sons filling out a police report.

Sanders' first tweet on the incident Monday night was straight out of reality TV: "Pray for me and my kids now! They just witnessed their mother and a friend jump me in my room. She's going to jail n I'm pressing charges!"

It's bad enough that Sanders put his business in the street, which nowadays -- thanks to social media -- winds throughout the world. Subjecting his sons to endless teasing and mocking makes the decision even worse.

"I'm sad my boys witnessed this mess, but I warned the police department here that she was gone try n harm me and my boys. This is on my mama!" Sanders tweeted in a since-deleted post.

Pilar Sanders was arrested for misdemeanor domestic assault Monday night and released on Tuesday, the same day that Deion was charged with misdemeanor simple assault. The couple are in the midst of a bitter divorce but still live together, though on different sides of their 29,000-square-foot mansion.

"I understand that I have very little chance at beating a Hall of Fame, two-sport man that everyone seems to love and adore," Pilar Sanders said upon her release, proclaiming her innocence. "I'm a full-time mom, 100 percent for my children, and I just haven't been given a fair shake."

Real life clearly has taken a turn from the Deion & Pilar Prime Time Love show that aired on the Oxygen channel. In addition to the divorce proceedings, Pilar has filed a lawsuit against Deion and his daughter, Deiondra, asking for $200 million in damages for libelous and slanderous comments. Pilar also filed a suit in February against Deion and his aunt Laura Jones, claiming that Jones attacked her in the house while Deion watched.

Since dysfunction sells, TV executives probably wish cameras were still rolling on the couple. A Dallas station caught up with Deion as he left the house after Monday's incident, and he was clearly emotional. "My kids, they are scared for their life," he said. "They just saw two women jump their dad in his own house, in his room, in my room. It's sad.

"I got locks on my doors right now," he added. "Is somebody going to have to die? Is it going to be me before the court does something and get this woman out of my house? It's absurd."

No doubt, it's ugly. But dirty laundry is even more unsightly when it's aired on Twitter.

Deron Snyder's Loose Ball column appears regularly on The Root. Follow him on Twitter and reach him at BlackDoor Ventures, Inc.

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