Letters to the Editors

Sapp's hit stirs up differing emotions

I am a 63-year-old grandmother and great-grandmother who is sick of the Warren Sapp bashing.If people do not like Sapp's attitude off the field or his personality, then do not invite him to dinner. He is a professional athlete, and all he owes his fans is to be the best that he can be, which he does every game he plays. He is one of the reasons that I am proud to be a Bucs fan. He is also invited to dinner at my home any time.
-- Patricia Firestone, Palm Harbor

Warren Sapp is every mother's nightmare for what her child could become: loud, obnoxious, pompous and condescending, with no common sense.
-- Dottie McQueen, Palm Harbor

I have lost all respect for Warren Sapp. Hitting an absolutely defenseless lineman is inexcusable. It was a cheap shot, something we would not expect from a Pro Bowl player. Get ready, Warren, you are a marked man.
-- David Miller, Lake Park, Ga.

I do not believe that Warren Sapp would ever take joy in hurting someone. Anyone who watches the Bucs would know that Warren was celebrating Brian Kelly's interception, not that a man was laying on the field hurt. He made a clean hit. He did not grab him and throw him to the ground, or hit him in the back, or spear him. He was doing his job, and he did it well.

Mike Sherman should have gone to Jon Gruden, or even the NFL commissioner, with his complaint.He was acting like a child who doesn't know how to take a loss. I didn't see Gruden getting in the face of the Packer player who almost blinded Brad Johnson.
-- Mary Workman, via e-mail

The only thing legal about Warren Sapp's hit on Chad Clifton was that it met the NFL's definition of a block. Every other aspect of it was disgraceful. Sapp knew that Clifton wasn't looking, wasn't a part of the play and wasn't expecting to be struck by a 300-pound missile. Sapp's intent was to injure Clifton, and he carried it out. When will the realization set in that these guys are husbands and fathers and that football is a game, not a war?
-- Jim Lambert, Madeira Beach

The disgraceful exhibition by Warren Sapp in Sunday's Bucs game cannot be tolerated by the NFL. To gloat over injuring someone is inexcusable and should be dealt with severely by the commissioner. The Bucs are a good football team but would, without a doubt, be a much better one without the likes of the obnoxious No. 99.

Coach Gruden, please wake up and muzzle Sapp before he destroys your football team or someone's career. He is a loudmouth cheap-shot artist.
-- Buzz Crabbs, Hudson

Congratulations to the Bucs for donning their tutus and dancing all over the Green Bay Cheesecakes. It's a pity the Buccaneers can't play one of the teams from the Black and Blue Division every week. Heck, even the NFC South's lowly Carolina Panthers have a winning record against the North (2-1). Combined division records: South 26-17-1; North 17-28-0.
-- Jim Carroll, Largo