Warren Sapp chose not to act like a buffoon for New York sports radio. Among other gems, Sapp called Chucky "wonderful" and explained why hiring Raheem The Dream was a great move

Joe found time to transcribe Warren Sapp’s Super Bowl week interview with Boomer Esiason and Craig Carton of WFAN-AM in New York. It’s good stuff.

Sapp definitely has improved as a media personality.

Before being asked his pick for the Super Bowl, Sapp spent minutes glowing about Kurt Warner and how the Steelers shouldn’t blitz him. Then Sapp took the Steelers to win the game. Esiason followed with a jab at Sapp telling him he just spent all that time talking up the Cardinals but was picking the Steelers. Sapp laughed about not taking the Cardinals and said, “I don’t have the balls to pick ’em.”

When talk came to the Bucs, Sapp joined the ranks of players to praise Jon Gruden. He even called Chucky “wonderful” and likened his coaching style to Mike Tomlin and Raheem The Dream.

Sapp had a lot more to say about The Dream, explaining how the Bucs know exactly what kind of head coach he will be.

Do you like Jon Gruden, or no?

SAPP: “Jon Gruden brought me a title. Jon Gruden freed me up and, you know, gave me a whole new persepective on the game, how you do this and do that. Hey, a wonderful guy.”

Do you know Raheem [Morris] at all?

“I was here the day he walked in at Tampa. …I raised Raheem from Day 1.”

What kind of job do you think he’ll do?

“Wonderful. Wonderful. You’re talking about a guy that’s going to be on the ground working with his guys be able, you know, hand in hand. You know what I’m saying. That was Jon’s [Gruden] thing. That’s what [Mike] Tomlin’s thing is. Hand in hand. Whisenhunt, ‘I’m here with you.’ …You got to have a relationship with your players now. These dicators and military guys that just do what they do and my way or the highway, No. You’ve got to have some interaction with your players.”

On Raheem The Dream being too young:

“No. No. No. Let me tell you like this here. The thing that Raheem did. Raheem came from the bottom up. And when you come from the bottom up you get checked out by Sapp. You get checked out by Lynch. You get checked out by Brooks. You get checked out by Ronde. You know what I’m saying. He’s been checked and double-checked throughout that organization. He’s golden there. ..There’s no question who Raheem Morris is in Tampa Bay. We know exactly who he is and exactly what it is.

On Simeon Rice and others saying Jon Gruden was two-faced with the players:

“I told you I saw why certain guys are certain ways about Jonny. Jonny will tell you, “I love you, bro. I love you. I love you. I love you.” …(Sapp went on to tell the story about how Gruden never returned his call after Sapp asked him to match a four-year, $16 million offer from the Bengals. Sapp says Gruden told him I’ll call you right back. “I’m still waiting for that call,” Sapp said.”