Sapp: Schiano Running “Mafia-Style” Operation
October 8th, 2013
“Look, Boss, you know and I know there’s only one boss around here. And it ain’t the Jersey guy.”
Could Warren Sapp get whacked in the next 34 days, before the Bucs enshrine him in their prestigious Ring of Honor on Nov. 11?
It seems No. 99, according to No. 99, just put himself in danger. Sapp spoke out against Greg Schiano during a new NFL.com podcast with Brian Billick. Sapp took direct shots at Schiano’s competency and says he needs to change his consigliere ways.
“If I’m down in Tampa, I’m questioning this whole thing because it’s a mafia style,” Sapp said. “I know [Mike] Glennon is not the quarterback that Josh Freeman is. There’s no question about it. The film tells me this. Practice tells me this. Even my quarterback demeanor tells me this. If you wouldn’t let [Freeman] throw the ball at the end of the game, why is Glennon throwing the ball at the end of the game? Why is [Darrelle] Revis standing eight yards off [Larry] Fitzgerald running a slant route and nobody’s there? Touchdown! Are you kidding me? Let’s lock up our No. 1 corner who we’re paying $16 million and then we rotate the coverage. There has to be a plan. Because when you’re my way or the highway, you must win now. Because guys don’t believe in your way when you’re losing. And you lose the way they lost the first two weeks, you gave away those football games. And whenever you’ve given away football games, your style needs to change.”
Just when you think it can’t get any lower for the Bucs, Sapp, the franchise’s second Hall of Famer, a guy who has spent a lot of time over the past year at One Buc Palace and has had a private meeting with Schiano, has now joined the ranks of those who publicly say the head coach is leading the Bucs in the wrong direction.
Sapp’s damning comments, ironically, stop only a hair short of calling Schiano a laughingstock.
What next?
October 8th, 2013 at 6:26 am
Seems like a lot of pundits write articles saying Schiano can turn it around, Freeman was the problem etc.
Seems like the ex players think Schiano is the problem.
I’m tempted to think the career pro ballers know more about what’s up than the career sportswriters.
October 8th, 2013 at 6:32 am
I am looking forward to him being gone.
October 8th, 2013 at 6:38 am
Not that Sapp cares but he knows Schiano wont be here for the Nov. 11 game against Miami. Schiano will be watching on TV.
October 8th, 2013 at 6:39 am
A 4 game winning streak would make Schiano Mr. Popular, and Sapp would be in his corner. I know that seems impossible after 4 losses. But it’s not.
It all depends on how the team is coming out of the bye and how the cards are dealt.
This week, for example, we now know Vick is out. Maybe that will give us a slight edge, maybe not. It all depends on a few things. No matter how unlikely it is still possible. I don’t care what the odds say. I care about what the team does.
And I’m willing to wait things out. Really, that’s all we can do as fans.
October 8th, 2013 at 6:44 am
William, replacing Schiano mid-season would be a huge blunder. It means an interim head coach who will have a good chance at keeping the jobfor a year or two…and thereby losing out on a good coa h this off season.
Regardless, I am not convinced Schiano is going anywhere.
October 8th, 2013 at 6:44 am
Thank you Mr Sapp.
October 8th, 2013 at 6:55 am
I’m looking forward to the team proving its critics wrong.
Go Bucs.
October 8th, 2013 at 6:58 am
Sapp is always good for a quote, however as more details come to light this whole “mafia” “dictator” stuff is losing its weight. Yes Warren, Freeman is more talented than Glennon, but he stopped caring.
October 8th, 2013 at 7:10 am
Soooo, once again the national media knows all the details/conversations of every situation and passes rash judgement. Why, because they are PAID to do so. Makes me laugh. Haters going to hate.
October 8th, 2013 at 7:13 am
Warthog,
Did you see Ronde’s comments yesterday? He said Josh was manipulating and all the stuff said about Schiano is overblown. He, unlike Warren, played for Schiano last year.
October 8th, 2013 at 7:18 am
Don’t have to win out to get a wild card this year. The NFC is looking weak with NO and Seattle being the only ones that look competent out there.
October 8th, 2013 at 7:19 am
lightningbuc,
You see Ronde’s comments? He said he believes Schiano can get the locker room back on his side. … That’s all you need to know that the coach is toast.
October 8th, 2013 at 7:31 am
Vic,
Sorry. I don’t have a crystal ball like you do.
October 8th, 2013 at 7:33 am
I find it interesting that Sapp uses “Mafia Style” and many others who post here call Schiano “pizza nazi” and a host of other stereotypical names. I hate to believe that there is a racial thing going on here between Freeman and Glennon…please tell me that’s not the case!!!
October 8th, 2013 at 7:43 am
“If you wouldn’t let [Freeman] throw the ball at the end of the game, why is Glennon throwing the ball at the end of the game?”
Sapp just said before this that film tells him so much but he seemed not to know the answer to this…. Film tells everyone Freeman is the INT KING over the past few year and faulters under pressure… Glennon has to be given the opportunity to show IF he can be trusted with the game on the line…. JF proved he could NOT be…
If Sapp couldn’t see that on film than I seriously doubt his scouting report between JF and MG… Sapp just comes off sounding bitter IMO!
October 8th, 2013 at 7:45 am
Let’s be Real, Warren Sapp is one of the best bucs in history… he is also a big turd!
October 8th, 2013 at 7:59 am
Bucs 24 Eagles 23
October 8th, 2013 at 8:00 am
Love how Sapp gets a pass on his ethnic stereotype – love how everyone (Sapp, Shaun King, others) piles on the Bucs while they lose, but will be on the bandwagon when they turn it around.
October 8th, 2013 at 8:22 am
If a Hall of Famer sees this, what do you guys think Jackson, Nicks and Goldson all think? They come from winning playoff teams and now they are exposed to this circus run by a amateurish coach.
Schiano has got to go.
October 8th, 2013 at 8:23 am
Forget about what the pundits say, what ex-players say, and for god’s sake don’t pay any attention to what posters say. This is an easy one . Just count wins and losses. They will decide Schiano’s fate.
He knows this and he has doubled down. Yesterday, he named Jordan Rodgers to the PS. He is not going to get any experienced QB help for Glennon. He’s decided to ride this one out. Well that’s fine by me.
I will pull for my Bucs, but there is nothing any of us can say here that will change the win/loss column for the Bucs. That’s entirely in Schiano’s hands. All you and I can do is count wins and losses!
October 8th, 2013 at 8:25 am
atlanta 1-4, giants 0-5 just saying great coaches lose too
October 8th, 2013 at 8:41 am
This isn’t a poker game. Is Greg Schiano being 1-9 out of his last 10 just a string of bad beats where the cards just didn’t get dealt the right way? Do you expect Matt Ryan, Cam Newton, and Russell Wilson to go down with injuries like Michael Vick? Are you hoping the stars align in a certain way that gives Greg Schiano some kind of cosmic insight on doing a better job at managing a football game in the closing minutes?
I happen to be a very good poker player and I can tell you that winning and losing in poker is not determined on how the cards are dealt. It’s how you play the cards you have. Greg Schiano has shown, in particular this year, that he doesn’t know how to play and win with the cards he has.
October 8th, 2013 at 8:43 am
The 1st official act of the Little General on opening day of training camp last year caused him to lose the locker room. He has done nothing to gain it back. The great thing about Sapp is his independent attitude and freedom to speak the truth. I’ve always admired him for that.
Now Schiano will do something incredibly stupid to get even with Warren and his family like having security throw them out of their box and making them wait in a rest room until the halftime presentation. This final blasphemy will get Greg fired and probably black balled from the NFL.
October 8th, 2013 at 8:51 am
I’ll take my chances with the rookie who makes rookie mistakes but is the first in and the last out, rather than a struggling 5 year veteran who is missing meetings, team breakfast, and is late to bus on game day.
October 8th, 2013 at 8:54 am
Sapp continues to embarrass us as Bucs fans. Dumb thugs like him shouldn’t be given the time of day.
October 8th, 2013 at 8:57 am
@bucsfan13
Please do not compare Sciano to any coach who has won Superbowls. playoff games, divisions or even has had a winning season.
October 8th, 2013 at 9:01 am
I want the Bucs to win, but please Rutgers fans let it go, Schiano is not a god, or decent or fit he is destroying this football team and it’s time for a change.
October 8th, 2013 at 9:19 am
When is this nightmare going to end?
October 8th, 2013 at 9:20 am
When has sapp ever been a thug? Choose your words carefully.
October 8th, 2013 at 9:23 am
Another former player with hindsight vision that doesn’t dare say anything bad about another player but rips the coach. Great scoop. I’ll ask again, where was all the player insight on Freeman’s molecular meltdown over the past year? Didn’t hear a peep from Becht, Sapp, Lynch or any other player other than Boomer Esiason who EVERYONE discounted.
You’re losing it. Joe has NOT heard one player NOT talk about the inconsistency of Josh Freeman over the years. Geez, Darren Sharper nicknamed Freeman “Six Flags” on NFL Network, something Joe linked to and used repeatedly. –Joe
For the love of God, find a new drum to pound because the continuous reviews of Schiano’s style are beyond the “broken record” and simply builds the case further that the media has a grudge with Schiano over his approach to media access. I find it interesting none of the media ever pointed out even the most obvious arguments against Freeman
Again, you’re losing it. First, Joe has no beef with Schiano’s approach to media access. The NFL sets the basic rules on media access. No coach is required to go above and beyond. Joe doesn’t care. Second, Sapp weighing in yesterday with such strong language, from a guy the organization is celebrating next month, is new and hardly piling on. –Joe
vs Jets: Freeman has a snap go into the endzone for a safety. Later that game throws an interception that is converted for a TD on the Jets possession. THAT’S 9 POINTS! WE LOST BY 1!
The safety, as pointed out here and on ESPN and NFL Network, was a communication screwup by Davin Joseph and Jeremy Zuttah. –Joe
vs Saints: Freeman fumbles, Saints convert a FG on the following possession. THAT’S 3 POINTS, WE LOST BY 2!
vs Patriots: Freeman throws an INT with 30 seconds left before the half against a PREVENT DEFENSE with V-JAX 1 0n 1 with Talib. Patriots immediately convert it into 3 pts and simply blew us out from that point on.
This is why I say the media has an ax to grind with Schiano, NOBODY in the media, particularly the PLAYERS/ANALYSTS like to connect these dots. OR the common denominators since our Super Bowl days which would be the Glazier boys and the glorious MR DOMINICK who has assembled this circus atmosphere, NOT ONCE BUT BACK TO BACK coaching hires.
Again, there are all kind of media that has been critical of Josh Freeman among other Bucs. Gil Brandt, in a story flushed out here that originally was on NFL.com, ranked Freeman as one of the worst QBs under 30 in the NFL. It was a damning critique. Even Ronde Barber, on FOX, has talked about how Freeman had troubles on field, versus no trouble off. –Joe
October 8th, 2013 at 9:26 am
Well if it were a mafia operation the Bucs would be winning. The mafia gets things done.
October 8th, 2013 at 9:51 am
Do you forget that Sapp also said Freeman would be the MVP in 2011??? Yeah Warren, stick to playing because you were good at that. You suck at evaluating talent.
October 8th, 2013 at 9:54 am
Joe, you obviously have an axe to grind with Schiano.
Joe has no axe to grind with Schiano. Joe tends to trend negative when his team wins 1 of 10 and isn’t improving. –Joe
To make the snide remark that Sapp stopped just short of calling Schiano a ‘laughingstock’ shows your pettiness. Stick to blogging and leave the snide remarks and pettiness to us.
Joe was merely pointing out the irony, especially considering the two men spoke on the same day. –Joe
October 8th, 2013 at 10:09 am
It’s a bit offensive that Sapp refers to an Italian coach as “mafia style”.
I wonder if a white reporter said of a black coach that it is “ghetto style” if that would be OK.
October 8th, 2013 at 10:10 am
Bobby, Bobby M, Ricky Bobby,
And all the Bobby’s of the world. Just count the wins and losses and you can’t go wrong!
October 8th, 2013 at 11:14 am
@Splengo…W’s will come now that we have a drug free QB.
October 8th, 2013 at 11:22 am
I agree with sapp how the heck can you play a zone on Fitzgerald 8yards away let him get an easy easy TD totally misusing Revis and his abilities is why I really don’t like the coach these days
October 8th, 2013 at 11:30 am
@ light – what is the connection between black and ghetto? Do YOU know the meaning of GHETTO?
October 8th, 2013 at 12:04 pm
Sapp’s always rude, but what did he say that’s wrong?
October 8th, 2013 at 12:16 pm
[…] The rest of the article can be found here: JoeBucsFan.com […]
October 8th, 2013 at 12:40 pm
“Sapp’s always rude, but what did he say that’s wrong?”
As far I can tell, what Joe & the others object to most is the idea that Free is a better QB than Glennon. I haven’t seen anythig here that disagreed any of the other point that Sapp pointed out…are those Free’s fault too? I guess time will tell.
I feel it’s telling that all these ‘problems’ with Freeman ( missed photo, missed bus, missed meetings ) have all come this year, after coach made it clear that Free was going to have to be an all pro to get another contract. Anyone able to point out anything from last year, & before, that stated Free was a discipline problem ? If so I’d like to see it. I agree that Free played himself out’a here, I just have suspicions that Schiano helped as much as he could, along the way. And those suspicions are what are turning me against him & questioning whether I want to renew the season tickets I’ve held since the RayJay opened. Just My side.
October 8th, 2013 at 1:22 pm
Atta Boy, Sapp. Give Schiano both barrels on behalf of( most) us fans that know how toxic the current regime is. Apply the pressure as you did to entire offenses back in your heyday. We need one more sack out of ya, big fella. Send Schiano to the turf at Gillette Stadium where he’ll make a great fluffer/ lb coach for Bilicheat.
October 8th, 2013 at 2:00 pm
Freeman didnt put revis 8 yards off fitz IN THE REDZONE! Freeman put the team in position to win 2 of 3 games for our defensive playcalling to blow it. Do u see the 9ers or the ravens blitz or drop back? conservativeness is playing soft and allows plays to be made on the other side of the ball that applies to offense and defense. Freeman should have had 2 tds in the loss to NE and if so likely a position for another comeback. Take a look at where our first 3 opponents defenses ranked. But fu ck all that shoulda coulda woulda cuz thats past glennon got underwood and crabtree so hopefully the passing game can actually do somethin. Schiano is making progress tho allowing the fake punt and also passing at the end of the game.
October 8th, 2013 at 2:15 pm
Sapp grew up in Plymouth. What does he know from the mafia. The tater mafia? The indoor foliage mafia? The Zellwood sweet corn mafia?
October 8th, 2013 at 5:46 pm
Calling Shiano “mafia” makes as much sense as calling Tony Dungey a Crip. Shiano is about as mobbed up as Richie Cunningham. Josh Freeman sucks, doesnt show up to team meetings, practice or his Passing Clinics-screws kids out of 150 bucks. He’s a puke. Warren Sapp is funny, but man is he dumb, and evidently now, a racist. He runs played football like a chronic black criminal
October 8th, 2013 at 7:31 pm
Obviously, Sapp is right.
October 8th, 2013 at 10:34 pm
I’m Losing It…..” Joe hasn’t heard one player not diss Freeman”…. Shaun King, Anthony Becht, Ian Beckles, the list goes on and on, were all very “discreet” to say the least regarding Freemans “personal” distractions yet they blast the coaching style in great detail on Schiano’s tyrant atmosphere.
Again, I’m Losing It…..” Joe has no beef”….. the “media” refers to the coverage in general not just JoeBucs. As a whole the media, particularly local media, are sensational deadline meters vs journalist or analyst. You are posting others content, I get that however you shouldn’t take it personal when fans get tired of the “media’s” constant bashing of a coach . If I recall correctly the local media grew sick of “Dungy Ball” and “Chucky”, both Super Bowl winning coaches. Well now look where we are. If that goes on ownership or management, why haven’t we heard the uproar during this whole debacle calling for Dominick? That guy built this series of coaching fails followed by the most incompetent handling of Freeman seen in all of our teams history. SO YES, IT COMES OFF AS AN AX TO GRIND.
The safety doesn’t negate the TD, we lost by 1. Regardless, find me an article connecting these dots to Freeman. Some how Schiano’s poor coaching is to blame for L. David’s late hit and the kickers missed FG to seal the game but nobody can connect the dots that all Freemans turnovers led to scoring drives for the opposing team? Warren Sapp, a hall of fame QB who routinely told Dilfer DONT GIVE THE GAME AWAY, cant connect those dots?
My comments are my opinion to the articles you post, not to you personally but whether you agree or not, my experience in working with NFL players gives me a higher degree of how it operates, particularly with the media, than most.
October 9th, 2013 at 1:16 am
Bobby:
Last Joe checked, neither Shaun King nor Anthony Becht nor Ian Beckles are on the Bucs roster.
October 9th, 2013 at 2:30 am
You know, that pretty much summed up what I have been struggling to articulate.
There’s a side to 99 where he’s not afraid to be genuine – and that part of his personality instantly reveals that not only does he know what’s going on – he’s not afraid to tell the truth to everyone.
Would have been much easier to give the standard non-interventioist network line – he actually has nothing to gain by saying this.
He’s just being the leader no one else in that locker room can be. Yhe guy with nothing to gain, and absolutely no fear. He’s a Lion and while no one puts a Lion on a leash, no one butters his bread for him either.
He’s being Sapp.
Sometimes he pi$$e$ me off – and sometimes I think he’s WAY off – and other times he’s that guy who sat in the hotel room with Brooks and decided to agree to be more than he had ever been, he decided to become a Lion. I have disagreed with some of his takes – but I was never in a NFL locker room. If he truly has had total access to OBP – then I think you can take 99’s word to the bank.
Not JUST about SSchiano, either…
Because if 99 tells you about what he’s seen on tape – you should believe him – QBKILLA HUNTED QB’s. It’s too bad 99 didn’t have somebodies ear, before SSchiano ran off the most productive QB in Franchise history, and left you with a really tall, really skinny, heck-of-a-thrower, the-almost-a-Rutgers-QB-recruit…thrid round draft pick, next sacrificial lamb, of a starting QB…who the next guy will no doubt treat like Don SSchiano treated Freeman.
…it just makes me sick.
October 9th, 2013 at 2:39 am
@vic
Yes, I saw the Ronde that spoke with forked tongue. He hedged, he kinda said SSchiano WAS manipulating people…before saying SSchiano was not manipulating…
There was no hedging with Warren, and Warren didn’t stutter. He called what he saw – no ambiguity whatsoever.
October 10th, 2013 at 2:37 pm
“Mafia” because he Italian? What a double standard. That’s insulting and degrading. “Lombardi Style” sounds more appropriate to me. If the table weren’t tuned, prejudice or racism would be the headline of the story.