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Is Sapp A Hall Of Famer? Yes

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By IRA KAUFMAN

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 8, 2008

TAMPA - One of Warren Sapp's best attributes is his timing.

Until now.

Sapp announced his retirement a few months ago after 13 years in the trenches, and the 1999 NFL Defensive Player of the Year will be eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame beginning with the class of 2013.

But the road to Canton, Ohio, that summer suddenly looks a little crowded for big No. 99, who earned seven consecutive Pro Bowl berths as a dominating defensive tackle for the Buccaneers.

For those who doubt Sapp is sincere about remaining on the sideline, it appears he will make good on his exit strategy after four dreary seasons with the Raiders that produced only 15 wins and 19.5 sacks.

Visitors to Sapp's official Web site (qbkilla.com) are greeted with a simple message:

"I'm Done."

In a recent conversation on Dan Patrick's radio show, Sapp said there's zero chance he'll return to the game he loves, even if Jon Gruden or Tony Dungy privately expressed interest in his services.

Taking Sapp at his word, he'll initially be considered for the Hall in 2013. His chances of making it to Canton in that first year of eligibility depend in part on the quality of the other candidates.

The field could be loaded.

Brett Favre, often linked to Sapp through the years, will be a no-brainer for the Hall of Fame panel. Favre will generate little or no debate about his merits, and his presenter is likely to employ the same tactic used when Joe Montana first became eligible in 2000.

At that time, Montana's presenter gazed out at the panel and said, "Gentlemen, Joe Montana."

That was enough.

Sapp won't be nearly as much of a rubber stamp, especially considering the other potential first-timers on the Hall of Fame ballot.

Quarterback Steve McNair is already retired, and the list soon could grow to include Giants defensive end Michael Strahan, Ravens offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden, Patriots linebacker Junior Seau and 49ers guard Larry Allen.

That is one formidable group of first-time eligibles.

Allen, Seau, Ogden and Strahan officially haven't stowed their gear for the last time, but all four are contemplating retirement, and that quartet packs impressive Hall of Fame credentials.

Ogden, an 11-time Pro Bowl player, helped define the left tackle position for much of this decade, along with Walter Jones and Orlando Pace.

Seau, recovering from rotator cuff surgery, likely won't be back for a 19th NFL season. Along with Derrick Brooks, Seau has stood out from all other outside linebackers for the bulk of a glorious career.

Strahan could go out on top after the Giants' Super Bowl upset of the Patriots, and he'll be remembered as a leader who developed into one of the best pass rushers in league annals.

Allen, an 11-time Pro Bowl selection, is a member of the NFL's all-decade team for the 1990s as a minister of the interior for the Cowboys. San Francisco coaches don't expect him back this fall.

Despite the fierce competition and the limits on the size of the annual induction class, don't sell Sapp short.

It's been 13 years since the Bucs drafted him out of Miami, and every NFL team is still looking for the next Warren Sapp.

Good luck.

Sapp was often boorish off the field, but so what?

Hall of Fame judges are instructed to consider only performance on the field, and by that standard Sapp deserves a bust in Canton.

Defensive tackles aren't supposed to finish with 96.5 sacks and another 200 or so quarterback pressures.

As Monte Kiffin or Dungy will be quick to tell you, the Tampa 2 defense doesn't work without serious pressure up front.

Sapp, so quick and smart off the ball, was the catalyst for that heat until he departed for Oakland as a free agent in 2004.

As the Tampa Bay representative on the Hall of Fame Committee, it could be my privilege to argue Sapp's case in 2013.

If enough voters are willing to overcome personal prejudices, Sapp should be joining Favre in an elite class that would shatter all attendance records for the induction ceremony.

It would be fitting if the quarterback and the qbkilla introduced each other to the crowd on that special day.

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