Warren Sapp Is In The House
July 26th, 2014
Former Bucs great and Hall of Famer Warren Sapp is bouncing around One Buc Palace. He will work NFL Network’s broadcast of Bucs practice Sunday.
Former Tampa Bay great and Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive tackle Warren Sapp is bouncing around One Buc Palace this weekend and has full run of the place.
From talking to players to sitting in on meetings to chatting it up with coaches and bonding with old friends like Bucs linebacker coach Hardy Nickerson and Lovie Smith, let’s just say things are not boring.
Sapp, an analyst for NFL Network, is in town for the network that will broadcast portions of tomorrow’s training camp practice live.
For Lovie, having Sapp around is like homecoming of sorts and Lovie is enjoying every minute of it.
“It is hard not to know that Warren is in the house,” Lovie said. “It seemed like old times. I turned around and [heard], ‘Hey Love.’ Took me back to 1996. I looked around and saw Hardy Nickerson there [with] Warren Sapp. I loved every day that I was around him. Seeing how a Hall of Famer plays, but how he practices, Warren Sapp practiced as hard as anyone. And for a defensive lineman, when he comes around, it has to pick you up a little bit.”
Of course, Sapp is the standard of player that the rest of the Bucs’ defensive linemen are held up to. The Bucs often uses tape of Sapp’s sacks to demonstrate to the current defensive linemen how things are done properly.
Sapp is close to Gerald McCoy; the two are tight. They talk almost daily. Sapp is like GMC’s personal sack coach. And Sapp readily admits that GMC is a better player at this stage of his career than Sapp was.
Joe got a chance to talk to Sapp today — well, got a chance to listen to Sapp — and Sapp noted the fact GMC mastered Bill Sheridan’s defense (which Sapp used a string of profane four-letter words to describe) is proof GMC is farther along as a player than Sapp was at the same age.
You know how Joe has written several times before how he has no worries about the defense? Well, Sapp is so geeked about the Bucs defense this season the big fella can’t stay in his seat he gets so excited.
Over the next day or so, Joe will drop some gems of what Sapp had to say about the Bucs. Joe is confident Bucs fans will lap it up.
July 26th, 2014 at 9:28 pm
Joe,
Aside from coaching demeanor, how would you say this compares to a first or second Schiano camp day?
Thanks.
July 26th, 2014 at 9:32 pm
Oahubuc:
Joe touched upon that in his practice notes. At times, much quicker tempo. No fake crowd noise pumped in (thankfully).
Yet.
July 26th, 2014 at 9:44 pm
One word – substance!
It’s good to be a real professional team again!
July 26th, 2014 at 9:45 pm
Thanks Joe. Guess I’d better scroll down.
July 26th, 2014 at 9:52 pm
@Arhitek – Amen to that…
July 26th, 2014 at 10:27 pm
I understand why #55 said what he said to try an “temper expectations” about the D, no doubt their WILL be some growing pains, but why I believe we fans can share in Sapp’s enthusiasm is because while Brooks and Sapp as wide eyed rookies came into the unknown scheme of the Tampa 2, NONE of our defensive studs are anywhere near being rookies, not to mention the Tampa 2 is FAR from an unfamiliar or unknown scheme. Brooks and Sapp weren’t 3 or 5 year vets when introduced to a scheme that honestly EVERY defensive player in the league by now should atleast have some working grasp of. That alone is all the optimism I need.
July 27th, 2014 at 8:18 am
When Sapp is talking on TV it is very useful to find the MUTE button on your remote. Great player, ass of a person. Always will be.
But is he can help ANY present Buc player get better, more power to him.
July 27th, 2014 at 9:05 am
Sure Sapp is outspoken and brash. Besides being one of the best Bucs ever, that’s what I like about him.
July 27th, 2014 at 1:47 pm
I was loyal to schiano until the game when rice and sapp told the world that our D didnt play to our strenghts.
You could see how much Sapp loves the Bucs, and how bad schianos defense was!!