I take a little offense to that too. I was absolutely a Buc fan at that time. I was watching that game too. I defended Sapp too, but only for that reason. Of course the hit was legal, that’s not even debatable. However, it was still a cheap shot. In that article you linked, Terry Bradshaw and Jimmy Johnson both agreed it was a cheap shot. Just because I don’t defend a cheap shot doesn’t mean I’m not a fan. I don’t care if every single player on the Bucs defended it, it doesn’t change reality. Just as Sherman is supposed to defend his player, the players on our team are supposed to defend their guy. That’s the way it works in sports. Imagine if they bashed him, how terrible would that have been for our team chemistry. Hell even that cheap shot by the Panthers gunner was downplayed by his teammates, and that was an illegal cheap shot. For you to not know or understand how it works is quite alarming.

Clifton had about as much of a shot to make that tackle as I did. Sapp lined him up and took him out. You are an idiot if you think Sapp really thought Clifton was going to make that tackle. He knew he had an opportunity to put him to sleep and he took it. It’s no different than during a kickoff having our biggest player go straight for the kicker and take him out as a possible defender. There’s no rule against it, but it’s not the way it’s supposed to be done.

To say I’m not a fan for disagreeing with that him pisses me off to a level I can’t explain in words. You are 100% wrong. How about I say you are not a fan if you don’t defend Aqib Talib and believe in everything he does. So just because Sapp is one of the all-time greats, I have to defend him no matter what he does? Give me a break with that, what a bunch of bologna. That concept is too stupid for words, and I’m shocked that someone (Niko) that I respect so much could make such an asinine statement.

I was at that game. I think Warren did what he was taught to do. Brian Kelly had just intercepted the ball and was in the process of returning it for a TD, a HUGE play.

Mike Sherman stood up for his player who was seriously hurt. I commend him for that actually. I think Shaun King’s comments are stupid, irrelevant, desperate, immature and totally asinine. Clear enough? The idiot Shaun King just made a total fool out of himself with those comments and if you think that makes me less of a Buccaneer fan for saying so you are just as foolish as he is.

That typed, I’m still hoping for an alternative for our new HC. But if it’s Mile Sherman I’m going to support him and the Buccaneers with the same enthusiasm I have always had for them. and with season ticket money as well.

So I agree with Shaun King, but its not only Sapp your going to piss off. Mike Alstott, Derrick Brooks, Simeon Rice (ok maybe I’m pushing it with Leaping Rice), John Lynch, you risk the ire of all of those Bucs players who defended Sapp when it happened.
You can read about the incident here http://www.bucpower.com/1102sapp.html

At the time, the Bucs and Packers both were tied with the Best record in football at the time. The Bucs won 21-7 in a close heated battle.

Sherman is one of the very few people that had the balls to stand up to Sapp. If there is anything that I could pick about him that I like the most, it is that fact. If the situation was reversed, I would only hope our coach would have defended one of our players in the same way.

Mike Sherman – HC
Tom Clements – OC
Jim Tomsula – DC

Which i am actually ok with. The OC and DC make this attractive. Sherman just steers the boat. Tomsula and Clements will actually train the crew.

I’m still very much a Sapp fan. To just think he will no longer come around if Sherman is the HC is a bit unsettling. The Glazers are burning dangerous bridges. They let most of the greatest players this franchise has ever had, just walk (or get booted) out the door. Not always in a friendly kind of way.