Yardbarker: Warren Sapp

Guest Blog: Spek-ulating on Kimbo's Saturday Night

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 10:32:37 -0500

Didn't you LOVE that Patriots column I did? Thought-provoking, witty, one commenter even described how life-altering it was. The story about how it cured his alcoholism was especially touching.

Or perhaps I went completely Web AWOL. One of those two things happened. My bad. Did you miss me?

After five-and-a-half hours of Sox/Halos, I'm too worn out emotionally to be sane in my thoughts RE: the Playoff BBQ de Naz, so I'll reserve comments and allow proper time to reflect. Instead, let's go all the way back to...

Saturday. Nearly a lost day for me sports-wise, due to the nuptials of my friend Ian and his lovely Nicole (congrats, and do what she says, Ian), but I did remember to DVR this weekend's COLOSSAL MMA showdown between Kimbo and Ken Shamr...Huh? What's he doing taking a headbutt on Fight Night?! Considering the way the evening went down, I'm positive I was right to say on my show that Shamrock would have taken this one...

Elite XC has an interesting month or so coming up...Kimbo, who has now been proven to be the all-sizzle no-steak heavy-punching hack many proclaimed him to be, can no longer be the centerpiece of their promotion. Seth Petruzelli is NOT elite. They can ride this story for a month or so, but not beyond unless HE gets fed a beatable "name" fighter who's willing to take a shot at a guy who CAN mix it up a little. I doubt, however that you'd find such a fighter, even Shamrock, who wants a guy like Petruzelli.

On this front, I'll let former co-worker (codename: J-Rod) put the icing on it via email: "Which was better? Kimbo getting knocked out in under 15 seconds by a guy who was 30 pounds lighter, or Gus Johnson going beyond DEFCON 1 into full nuclear play-by-play explosion which included a Rocky drop? In fact I think Gus Johnson's call of the KO was longer then the fight and more energy was exerted..." Yep. We "heart" Gus, by the way.

So what to do now? Though clearly not what the sponsors or organizers wanted when Elite XC came into being, I think it's worth a shot to put the focus on their NEW "most marketable": the lovely Gina Carano. She's 2-0 on free TV, adorable, fights a TV-friendly style, hot, young (that means SHELF LIFE!), and did I mention she looks GOOD to most sane hetero men?

Not to mention she took Kelly Kobold (her "toughest challenge to date") apart for three rounds. And how is there NOT a single bootleg video of her weigh-in striptease? Hasn't technology come far enough? (Ed Note: Uhhh Pat? Here's one. Here's another. You just gotta look under the right rock, my friend.)

I'll pause slightly to see the ratings, but I think that CBS' foray into free MMA is not going well and I'm not sure where else they could turn to keep interest up (if that's even a concern). They need to get creative to avoid becoming Affliction's B-show, which this month's partnership and the supposed talent gap between the two organizations might logically lead to.

Or maybe that's not a bad idea...

Thoughts on Cassel, the Playoffs, and why ESPN Classic prevented me from commenting on the rest of the XC card coming soon...

Pat Spekhardt co-hosts The Shoot Around on Bangor, ME, all-sports leader WZON. In order to get a column on this site, he had to defeat three men in one night, compete against Warren Sapp in a dance-off and admit that Dirty Dancing is one of his favorite movies of all time.

[Jaguars] Warren Sapp Singles Out Jaguars DE Derrick Harvey

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 00:51:18 -0500

Retired defensive lineman Warren Sapp singled out Jaguars rookie Derrick Harvey on Wednesday night when discussing the team's pass-rush problems on...

[Jaguars] Warren Sapp Singles Out Jaguars DE Derrick Harvey

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 00:51:18 -0500

Retired defensive lineman Warren Sapp singled out Jaguars rookie Derrick Harvey on Wednesday night when discussing the team's pass-rush problems on...

Warren Sapp Tees Off On Al Davis And The Raiders Organization

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 12:47:25 -0500

One of the things I always looking forward to when new ex-players and coaches become a member of the media, is whether they give easy/cupcake answers to questions, or if they actually give honest and sometimes difficult responses. Most people won't say anything about former teams and teammates, but with Warren Sapp we knew it was just a matter of time, and Lane Kiffin's firing gave him the perfect opportunity.

Sapp just laid into the Raiders' entire organization this past Wednesday on Inside the NFL, and the comments were so strong that ESPN even picked up the story....

"[Davis] is the common equation," Sapp said on "Inside the NFL." "You take him out, put him at home watching film or whatever he is doing -- you have a functioning football organization. But once he comes over the top, he goes and starts moving it around.

"Al Davis knows football -- it's just '60s and '70s football. That's what it is. He's thinking that Cliff Branch is outside and [Jim] Plunkett is dropping back and you can throw it 80 yards down the field -- deep ball, deep ball, deep ball."

Sapp even said that Davis would call in plays when Sapp was playing for the Raiders.

"I remember the first two weeks I was there, we played a preseason game. Somebody came up one time and said, 'We're going deep right here, dog.' I said, how do you know? He said, 'The phone just rang.'

"All the preparation that goes into a week of work is there, the practicing that you have to put in order to do these things, sometimes [Al Davis] messed with that part of it and that's what kills you," Sapp said on "Inside the NFL."

I thought I had the video, but for some reason it didn't save (I'll keep trying to look for it though). Either way, you get the idea. It was a pretty eye-opening segment and a refreshing change from the usual run-of-the-mill responses you get from ex-players. Warren Sapp still has some work to do on the show, but as long as he keeps up this level of honesty, I think more and more people will start to tune in.

Sapp says Kiffin treated unfairly, blames Davis for Raiders' mess (ESPN)

Warren Sapp Tees Off On Al Davis And The Raiders Organization

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 12:47:25 -0500

"[Davis] is the common equation," Sapp said on "Inside the NFL." "You take him out, put him at home watching film or whatever he is doing -- you have a functioning football organization. But once he comes over the top, he goes and starts moving it around.

"Al Davis knows football -- it's just '60s and '70s football. That's what it is. He's thinking that Cliff Branch is outside and [Jim] Plunkett is dropping back and you can throw it 80 yards down the field -- deep ball, deep ball, deep ball."

Sapp even said that Davis would call in plays when Sapp was playing for the Raiders.

"I remember the first two weeks I was there, we played a preseason game. Somebody came up one time and said, 'We're going deep right here, dog.' I said, how do you know? He said, 'The phone just rang.'

"All the preparation that goes into a week of work is there, the practicing that you have to put in order to do these things, sometimes [Al Davis] messed with that part of it and that's what kills you," Sapp said on "Inside the NFL."

[Raiders] Warren Sapp Says Lane Kiffin Was Treated Unfairly

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 00:49:30 -0500

How dysfunctional are the Oakland Raiders? So dysfunctional that Warren Sapp warns anybody who asks him about signing there to stay far away. ...

[Raiders] Warren Sapp Says Lane Kiffin Was Treated Unfairly

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 00:49:30 -0500

How dysfunctional are the Oakland Raiders? So dysfunctional that Warren Sapp warns anybody who asks him about signing there to stay far away. ...

Warren Sapp Breaks Out The Matrix On DWTS

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 06:54:29 -0500

I haven't been paying too much attention to Dancing With The Stars, but when The Sports Hernia pulls photos like the one above, I'm going to take a gander. Here's Sapp's all-leather, Matrix'esque performance from last night....

Again, I'm rather impressed by Sapp's moves, but that leap did not look nearly as good in video form as it looks in that picture. The big man is still alive though and I'll be watching for some more performances like this down the line.

Bedazzled Undertaker invades Dancing With the Stars (The Sports Hernia)

Warren Sapp Breaks Out The Matrix On DWTS

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 06:54:29 -0500

Bedazzled Undertaker invades Dancing With the Stars

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 22:14:34 -0500

Coming out to the Undertaker's music mashed with an incredibly confusing techno beat, Warren Sapp pays homage to Blade and performs a dramatic twist that somehow manages to make him look like he weighs 175lbs. Doing his best impersonation of...

THE AFTER PARTY

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 15:57:02 -0500

Mariner Moose Terrified of Palin
Todd Jones ending his career before making another comment about hating gays
The Twins Just Won't Go Away
Fukudome jersey not OK on Casual Friday
Sports Illustrated hates the Cubs

Big Papi's bed isn't so popular after all
The Jenny Craig All-Stars...With Baron Davis!
Warren Sapp Tussles with Gay Urkle
Week 4 NFL Power Rankings
Screw Tailgatinga?"It's Time To Start Heaven's Gating

Entourage visits the NFC East
Thanks for choking again, Trojans
ESPN and Yahoo Sports Celebrate Oregon State Win With A HUGE Erin Andrews Sign
Beware Brazilian women
First F1 race in Singapore is good for hookers

MJ at Pippen's All-Star Classic
Dwarf Cage Fighting Catching On In Florida
Lance Armstrong: financial entrepreneur
Michael Phelps is Not a Sex Symbol, Has an Oedipus Complex, ...
Yet another chick who slept with Cristiano Ronaldo

Warren Sapp Continues to Embarrass Himself, Miami Football Program

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 15:44:14 -0500

Something called a "Griffin Matthews," which to the best of my knowledge is a gay Steve Urkel, "tussles with teddy bear Warren Sapp."

Warren Sapp "Tackles The Cha Cha Cha"

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 13:59:55 -0500

Last year I was intrigued by Mark Cuban's foray into dancing on the reality show and this year it's Warren Sapp who I wanted to check out. Here's his first go at the "cha cha" from last night's debut....

Anytime a dude with a belly can pull something like that off, it's sure to impress some people. The NFL continues to own this show, and while I'm not going to be watching it again the rest of the season, I fully enjoyed that performance. Good job Warren, now go and make Inside The NFL exciting too.

Warren Sapp "Tackles The Cha Cha Cha"

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 13:59:55 -0500

Warren Sapp shakes his groove thing on 'Dancing with the Stars'

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 20:06:12 -0500

Not bad for a guy who is well over 300 pounds. I know NFL guys usually fare well on this show, but that was a receiver and a running back. Then again, Sapp was always one of the best celebratory dancers in the league.