Warren Sapp May Be In Hot Water Over Remarks
March 22nd, 2012
Yesterday, when the sentence on the Saints came down from NFL warden commissioner Roger Goodell, the NFL Network went into overdrive with coverage, which in Joe’s yes was spot on.
This was major news and rather than broadcast yet another rerun of “Path to the Draft,” the NFL Network shoved that canned repeat aside and went live with coverage and analysis from its wide variety of analysts, including former players like Bucs great defensive tackle Warren Sapp, former Super Bowl-winning coach Brian Billick, former front office gurus Michael Lombardi and Charley Casserly, and one of the victims cited in the investigation, Kurt Warner.
This is what NFL Network, or any cable outlet devoted to one sport, is all about. It was outstanding programming.
Later that afternoon, Sapp, apparently appalled at the entire bounty controversy, took to Twitter as he is wont to do and outed who he thought was the source of the leak in the Saints headquarters that got the NFL investigation rolling, former Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey.
Of course, Shockey, emotionally and vigorously denied being the leak, and had a Twitter spat with Sapp over the issue.
Mike Freeman of CBSSports.com, who has solid sources within NFL headquarters, took to Shockey’s defense — though he admitted he doesn’t like Shockey — and claimed he knew who the whistleblower is, and it’s not Shockey.
Whether Sapp is right or wrong about Shockey remains to be seen. But former Tampa Bay sports radio host Toby David was outraged at Sapp outing a current player. In fact, David was so moved he took to his blog and demanded the NFL fire Sapp.
An employee of the NFL is targeting an individual, attempting to reveal them as the person that notified the league of BountyGate in the first place. Warren Sapp, who is an “analyst” for the NFL Network, has accused former Saints player Jeremy Shockey as the alleged leak in “Bounty Gate”. Lets assume this is accurate for the moment (and I’m not so sure it is), what is going on here? This is tantamount to retaliation.
Here’s an analogy for you. An executive (the Saints) were doing something clearly against the rules of their business (the NFL). Lets say the executive was sexually harassing other employees. The business (NFL) finds out, and punishes the executive (Saints). An employee (Warren Sapp, NFL Network) attacks the whistleblower, who happens to be another employee (Shockey, Player) for snitching. That is the definition of retaliation.
An employee of the NFL, Warren Sapp, specifically targets the person he thinks is a whistleblower. First, if incorrect, Sapp has libeled Jeremy Shockey. Second, if the NFL is serious about cleaning up the game, Warren Sapp has to be terminated immediately. This isn’t about freedom of speech. This is about someone that is compensated by the NFL, that TARGETED someone he perceived to be the whistleblower in this case.
This was a fresh angle for Joe. Shockey is still trying to make a living in the NFL. In theory, Shockey could be a target on the field by (Saints?) defenders looking for a payback, or Shockey could be simply blacklisted by NFL front offices. He’s on the verge of the end of his career and if he did blow the whistle, it would be easy to argue Shockey can’t get a job because his skills have eroded, not so much for being a victim of a potential blacklist.
But if Shockey truly was not the source from inside the Saints headquarters, then Sapp may have stepped across an ethical line.
The creator, curator and overall guru of ProFootballTalk.com, the great Mike Florio, also claims he knows that Shockey is not the whistleblower. Rather than finger Sapp, Florio blasts the NFL Network for giving Sapp a platform to spout misinformation.
March 22nd, 2012 at 8:15 am
Sapp stuck is foot in it this time. Right or wrong on his accusation he was wrong for saying it. The whistle blower did the right thing and the best gift to him is protecting his anonymity. Shockey may have good grounds for a lawsuit against Sapp.
March 22nd, 2012 at 8:17 am
Right or wrong it was a dick move
March 22nd, 2012 at 8:29 am
Did anyone really expect anything less from Sapp?
March 22nd, 2012 at 8:34 am
punk move indeed. Any word on maybe a post, or rumor on remaining free agents whispered aroung Bucs??…….
March 22nd, 2012 at 8:42 am
” Second, if the NFL is serious about cleaning up the game, Warren Sapp has to be terminated immediately.”
Huh???
First, I don’t see how firing Sapp will “clean up the game”.
Second, if this were happening to a non-division rival, you people would be sticking up for Sapp and Freedom of Speech.
Thirdly, did Sapp say these things ON NFL Network? Or on Twitter?
If only on Twitter, the NFL can’t do a thing to him. His comments were made off-the-clock as a private individual. And frankly, lots of NFL employees have said worse on Twitter.
And, btw, the NFL report said there were “multiple” sources that caused them to reopen the case and coke to their findings.
If anything, even if Sapp slandered Shockley, it wwas done seperate from the NFL Network and would be a civil matter between Shockley and Sapp.
You people are hypocrits.
March 22nd, 2012 at 8:42 am
Wait…… Are you suggesting that Warren Sapp might be a jackass? Get out of here.
March 22nd, 2012 at 8:43 am
Man…What’s with the Cane on Cane crime. He and Sileo don’t get along either.
March 22nd, 2012 at 9:07 am
Joe,
Any info on the Bucs signing of the New York Giants OL signing yesterday?
March 22nd, 2012 at 9:07 am
Toby should just shut up. Lets fire someone who is blunt and honest and quite frankly great to watch on TV. Last thing i neef is more robots to watch. Keep personalities ON AIR 0please.
March 22nd, 2012 at 9:09 am
What difference does it make that they are a division rival? If anything it would be the opposite. I’d think Bucs fans would stick up for him more if it was about a division rival than a non division rival.
They should just all stay off twitter. 90% of the non-news tweets are ignorance-filled. Stay off twitter people! IE: did anyone see Ahmad Black’s tweet last night? “I love my dudes, no homo” with a picture of him and Pouncey and some other cat. They all had their shirts off in a parking lot with their pants hanging to their ankles all thugged out. If you’re not a starter in the NFL, keep your mouth shut and stay off twitter.
*end soap box rant
March 22nd, 2012 at 9:10 am
Pete, Following Sapp’s Twitter tirade, he was later interviewed by Rich Eisen on NFL Network and repeated what he said on Twitter. I saw the interview. Sapp has a right to his opinion, but the tone of his tweets were that he had found the “snitch” as though Shockey was the bad guy here and he was exposing him. I don’t think he should be fired, but somebody upstairs needs to have him do an on air apology, especially if Shockey wasn’t the informer.
March 22nd, 2012 at 9:16 am
What Sapp did was wrong plain and simple. The bigger Evil here is the NFL reading and keeping up with TWEETS… Isn’t that suppose to be social media … not Media’s Source? SMH
March 22nd, 2012 at 9:17 am
Macabee is right, Sapp has a right to say what he wants and NFL NETWORK should should be held responsible not Sapp. He is a loud mouth and they should have known he would spout off some nonsense. Either way Shockey is a bum and nobody likes him anyway, atleast Amani Toomer doesn’t.
March 22nd, 2012 at 9:19 am
@J2.0 – right on! Love the guy, but dude is a ayse-hole.
And I like FLorio’s take better than Toby David’s, how DARE the NFL give Sapp a podium to spout his misguided hate upon!
March 22nd, 2012 at 9:22 am
I respect 99, but I saw the interview with Eisen as well. I was offended by Sapp using the term “snitch”. Snitch is a derogatory term and shouldnt be used in the case of Bountygate.
Besides, if it was Shockey, who is a tight end, that means the offense knew about it, and Drew Bress is a liar like everyone else in the Taints organization. 99 should apologize on air today.
March 22nd, 2012 at 9:26 am
@Scotty in Fat Antonio
http://www.pewterreport.com/index.php?option=com_k2&Itemid=20&view=item&layout=item&id=7854
Just a depth filler..
I seriously believe and have that gut feeling, 2012 is the year Demar Dotson finally shows up and out plays/pushes Trueblood for that starting spot.
March 22nd, 2012 at 9:54 am
I just lost what little respect I had for Sapp….. What a dick move!
March 22nd, 2012 at 9:54 am
I don’t get it! Sapp is upset that someone turned in the Saints for being the cheap shot artists that they’ve been for the last 3 years? The game has so many casualties to injury already because of the current size and speed of players that adding harm for financial reward is crazy. If someone had a bounty on Bree’s they’d being crying bloody murder!
March 22nd, 2012 at 9:57 am
Besides; the initial investigation was all the way back in 2009! They were told to stop and basically said piss off we’ll do what we want!
March 22nd, 2012 at 10:00 am
NFL should ban Taints from all prime time games in 2012.
March 22nd, 2012 at 10:01 am
The 49ers are reporting the Mike Wallace told them that he wants more $$ than the Larry Fitzgerald contract.
Crack kills.
Glad we didn’t even bark up that tree.
March 22nd, 2012 at 10:04 am
Twitter is SOOOOOO dangerous – especially for emotional people like Sapp.
March 22nd, 2012 at 10:04 am
As a Canes fan and Bucs fan, **** Sapp. He’s an ignorant, arrogant loudmouth prick and he deserves whatever is coming to him.
March 22nd, 2012 at 10:10 am
Anyone else think its stupid that we haven’t heard the Tulloch signing numbers yet?!?…like we do on every other contract like clockwork. Might set market for Lofton, give us an indication what’s holding up Dom, or how much Bucs “offer” to Lofton a week ago, according to La Canfora.
March 22nd, 2012 at 10:13 am
Screw Lofton … Go get David Hawthorne … Do some reading on the guy .. He is good!!
March 22nd, 2012 at 10:19 am
Outing the “snitch” is questionable.
Outing the wrong “snitch” is reckless.
Jumping into the whole topic when Goodell had lowered the boom with full understanding of the seriousness the league takes the matter – stupid.
Can’t see firing the guy over it. But he ought to man up and apologize if its not Shockey.
I do wish we had some big nasty SOB types like Sapp on our team. He was awesome.
March 22nd, 2012 at 10:48 am
Calm down guys. Yes it was irresponsible to out the snitch, or who he believed to be the snitch. Obviously, Sapp wasnt thinking that he was arguing against player safety by embarrassing the person who exposed this dangerous practice.
However, its obvious to me that Sapp felt like Shockey, a former Saint, was snitching to get back at his prior team because Shockey was disgruntled.
It is an honorable thing to blow the whistle on your current employer to help people, it is another to blow the whistle on your previous employer to get back at them. That is what Sapp was inartfully saying.
Still, it was a dumb thing for him to do.
March 22nd, 2012 at 10:50 am
Eric is correct that Sapp needs to apologize to ShOckey – nothing more necessary.
Why are you guys so quick to want people fired? Lol
March 22nd, 2012 at 11:02 am
@Jvato24…
Know of Hawthorne plenty, good MLB sure. But there has to be something to every websites rankings of Top Free Agents, whether its NFL.com, PFT, Peter King…whoever. They all have Lofton much higher, not too mention he’s a few pounds heavier, and they all say more of a thumper. We need people, who hit people, especially stuffing the run game. Plus any taking away from division opponents is good. Hawthorne’s an option…
March 22nd, 2012 at 11:03 am
Sapp must believe Shockey to be the snitch. Shockey and Sapp are both University of Miami alumni, Ex Hurricanes.
March 22nd, 2012 at 11:26 am
If Shockey indeed was the one, the Mayor of Tampa should declare this Jeremy Shockey Day and give him a key to the city.
I really don’t care what Sapp said or what he did. Shockey is D-Bag anyway, and if the Cheater Saints wouldn’t have perpetrated a scam on the NFL in the first place, non of this would have happened. Was Shockey a part of those Cheating teams? Yes. And to think poor wittle Dwew Bwees acts and says he knew nothing about it. I guarantee every player, coach, trainer and assistant knew what was going on in that locker room, including Shockey. They can all $uck it and they’re lucky Goodell let Payton and Loomis off as easy as he did. What a complete, no-class, $cumbag orga
March 22nd, 2012 at 11:42 am
Hello… Sapp is racist as hell anyways if almost 100% of all white Buccaneers fan remembers, not taking anything away from the player.
March 22nd, 2012 at 11:48 am
Fire the @QBKilla. What a jerk and same ole Sapp.
March 22nd, 2012 at 11:51 am
@ Brain I agree. At one time I felt Sapp walked on water. By the time he left I could not wait for him to go. He is a big loveable ham on camera. Out in the real world he is a complete and utter a##hole to adult people. {allegedly}. He did spend alot of time visiting sick kids.
March 22nd, 2012 at 11:59 am
@ Thomas2.2 “It is an honorable thing to blow the whistle on your current employer to help people, it is another to blow the whistle on your previous employer to get back at them.” What?
Exactly why is it “only” honorable to blow the whistle on any dangerous situation on your current employer, but not on a former employer.. This smells like $BS talking, not like this situation of many football players health and carers being put on the line.
I believe if you know something and you do not come forward at the time it happened maybe you have fear that it might cost you and your own personnel safety in your profession. Like not discussing your business partners new bouncing baby, with the Hot underage intern secretary with their spouse. Until after you have gotten a new job that is not tied to this company.
Not saying I agree with Sapp or Shockey or whoever it was that was whispering into the NFL commissioners ear. But I do not think it is unhonorable to bring things up, after you are no longer employed with a company.
March 22nd, 2012 at 12:53 pm
thomas is right. it was the why and when of the snitching that sapp was complaining about (if it had been shockey) not the oooh you told on somebody.
March 22nd, 2012 at 1:05 pm
I didnt say it was wrong to snitch after you leave, but it is much more courageous to do it while it happens when you are with the team.
What Sapp is saying is: Why didnt you speak out to stop it while you were there instead of a year later when there were no ramifications to you?
This all assumes that Sapp was correct about Shockey and it sounds like he wasnt.
March 22nd, 2012 at 1:13 pm
Looks like Sean Payton just outed Warren Sapp. Whoops, Warren!
https://twitter.com/#!/JeremyShockey/status/182874403971928064/photo/1
March 22nd, 2012 at 2:48 pm
Talking himself right out of the Hall of Fame. Come on, man.
March 22nd, 2012 at 4:25 pm
Yeah, now that’s legitimate. lol
March 22nd, 2012 at 5:21 pm
Glad Sapp did this. Snitches deserve to be outed for betraying their former team, Shockey has always been a big douche. I hope the saints throw a bounty on his head just for old times sake.
March 22nd, 2012 at 7:40 pm
sapp is the man.
March 23rd, 2012 at 12:03 am
Anyone notice all the fines levied for excessive force the NFL has been doling out? Goddell’s policy is to clean up the game, both for the protection of players and to avoid future legal issues. The NFL is encouraging whistleblowing. The NFL owns the NFL Network. Warren Sapp is an empoyee of the NFL Network. If you were to go against your employer’s policy on national TV and potentially open him to a libel lawsuit, what do you think would happen? PS- people have been fired for FaceBook postings, don’t be so naive to think what you do on social media is exempt from employer reprisal.
March 23rd, 2012 at 5:25 am
This whole bizarre story is missing the point that The Saints Super Bowl is tainted and that seemingly all around good guy Coach Sean. Isn’t such a good guy.