When Warren Sapp complimented his former teammate, Simeon Rice, on Wednesday, it wasn’t a big surprise. The two played together from 2001-03, and Sapp watched up close as Rice earned two Pro Bowl bids in Tampa Bay (he had another while in Arizona) and recorded 41 1/2 sacks with the Buccaneers in those three seasons.
It is unclear, however, why Sapp would tear down Michael Strahan in order to compliment Rice. But tear down Strahan he did.
"Nobody ever talks about Simeon," Sapp said, via the Tampa Tribune. "Simeon was a better rusher than Michael Strahan any day of the week and twice on Sunday.”
OK, go on …
"[Rice] didn't rush the worst lineman," Sapp said. “You know the right tackle is the worst of the five. Strahan played right end [against the opponent's left tackle] his first four years. When they were putting the label on him as a bust, they put 'B-U-S. OK, let's transition him on the other side and see if he can play in his fourth year.'
"They put him at right end and he couldn't do it, so they moved him to the weak guy. One-on-one with the [Eagles right tackle] Jon Runyans for eight quarters every year. Sim won't ever have his name brought up [for the Hall of Fame], and that's a shame. He's one of the best pass rushers I've ever encountered in my life.”
So, that’s not very nice of Sapp, is it? Especially since Strahan -- who, unlike Sapp, wasn’t elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013 but almost surely will be inducted sometime soon -- is the all-time single season sacks leader with 22 1/2 and ended his career fifth on the all-time list with 141 1/2. Rice, meanwhile, is tied for 13th all-time with 122.
Luckily, as usual, CBSSports.com’s Pete Prisco was there to add some perspective to the situation.
Warren Sapp: Simeon Rice wasn't good against the run. Just saying.
— Pete Prisco (@PriscoCBS) June 20, 2013
