what an azzhole:
He might go down as the most feared player in Tampa Bay Buccaneers history.
The shame of it is that Warren Sapp could have been the most revered, too.
The man has personality, pizazz, magic and magnetism. But what Sapp never had was courtesy or civility. He treated people like garbage -- fans, media, even his own teammates. And, sadly, this is why there is no sadness today.
Sapp is no longer a Buccaneer, but there is no outrage, only acceptance. Not like earlier this month, when the Bucs allowed John Lynch, another of their defensive legends, to walk away. Tampa Bay went ballistic when Lynch left. Talk-radio callers spewed vitriol. Letters to the editor still are pouring in. All for one reason: John Lynch was a great player and a good guy.
Warren Sapp was a great player.
There was no groundswell of support to keep Sapp, even though he desperately wanted to stay in Tampa. He turned a deaf ear on the common fan, and in the end, he got what he had coming -- an unheard farewell.
"No, Warren's not a nice guy, but you can't fault him for that," says Scot Brantley, a former Bucs player who is now a radio commentator for the team. "That's just how he is."
Sorry, Scot, I think you can fault him. It's not so hard to be civil to people. It's not so hard to shake a fan's hand or sign an autograph. Or smile and nod at a guest who has been invited to watch a practice.
Instead, Sapp verbally assaulted that guest -- Tampa Robinson high school coach Mike Dupue. He attended a Bucs practice last season after the team honored him as the area's prep coach of the week.
Dupue was standing on the sideline when Sapp came over and cussed him out -- all because Dupue had the audacity to make eye contact with Sapp.
Dupue used the words "bellicose and belligerent" to describe Sapp and told the Sentinel the incident "left me heavyhearted. I felt sorry for the guy, really."
Sympathy for Sapp? Nah, not me. Just a pang of regret that such a great player could leave so unloved and unwanted. For so long, Sapp was the face of the franchise and the heart of the defense.
In 1996, two young defensive players -- Sapp and linebacker Derrick Brooks -- were sitting in a hotel room in San Diego watching ESPN's Chris Berman, who came on the air and said, "The Chargers play the Yucs today." Sapp looked at Brooks and said, "Damn, we've got to do something about this."
They did something, all right. Sapp, Brooks and Lynch turned the most laughable losers in all of sports into one of the most dominant defenses in NFL history. And, now, ironically, Sapp is going to the same team -- the Raiders -- that the Bucs demolished in the Super Bowl.
Before free agency started, there was the flawed belief that Sapp would attract countless offers and command a huge contract.
In reality, he was courted by only a few teams and signed with the Raiders for $7 million in guaranteed money -- less than three other free-agent defensive tackles and not even half as much as the $15 million being bandied about last summer.
Sapp's skills have eroded dramatically. The name of his Web site is QBKilla.com, but QBAnnoyance.com seems more appropriate these days.
He recorded 51/2 sacks last season and leaves Tampa Bay only two sacks short of breaking Lee Roy Selmon's team mark. I'm glad he won't get the record.
Lee Roy Selmon was a great player, and an even better person.
Mike Bianchi can be reached
at
mbianchi@orlandosentinel.com.
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