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Colorado Buffaloes superfan Peggy Coppom, aged 99, has witnessed the tenure of 16 head football coaches in Boulder over the past 80 years.
However, her experience with the latest coach, Deion Sanders, has been unparalleled. Sanders, who was hired in December, visited Coppom's house to introduce himself in January, capturing the moment on video.
The unique friendship that blossomed between them has set Sanders apart from other Colorado coaches. The flamboyant, world-famous Black former athlete from Florida and the unpretentious, white Irish Catholic great-grandmother from eastern Colorado found common ground and became close friends.
"Well, my gosh, this year, first of all, it's been unbelievable, and it's been a lot of fun," Coppom told USA TODAY Sports in a recent interview.
"There's been a lot of excitement and a lot of public recognition, which I didn't ever feel like I should have. But anyway, it happened because of my friendship with him."
Sanders and Coppom's connection gained attention as they appeared together on the cover of Sports Illustrated and Coppom was featured in a documentary series about Sanders on Amazon Prime Video.
Sanders found inspiration in Coppom
The friendship brought joy to Coppom, helping her cope with the loss of her identical twin sister and fellow Buffs superfan, Betty Hoover, who ed away in 2020. Sanders, in turn, found inspiration in Coppom's well-lived and well-loved life.
"Peggy is unbelievable, man," Sanders told USA TODAY Sports.
"She's a pillar of stability. She's a pillar of love, a pillar of hope, of consistency, legacy. And she's so dear.