Sapp retires

[Campbell17]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

Let's take the emotion out of it and look at his resume:

7 straight Pro Bowl selections
96.5 career sacks (2nd highest ever for a defensive tackle)
1999 Defensive Player of the Year

Hard to argue with those numbers. I'd be shocked if he's not in the Hall someday.

Maybe just not his first chance in 5 years, but i agree.

[Dirtbag59]

I say Farve and Sapp get inducted in together and contribute to a GLORIOUS induction ceremony.

[Stuck in TX]

Favre deffinately but Sapp... Im back and forth on him. He was a part of a really nasty Bucs deffense that was almost unstoppable but that whole team was good. He kinda disapeared in Oakland. He did have a long career so maybe he was just old, but I have a hard time believing he gets in on first ballot based on how he finished his career. Favre ended in the NFC championship.... Sapp with a horrible team three years in a row. (which I am in no way blaming him solely for)

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

That was a great rivalry. It'd be fitting if Strahan retired this year as well

It could still happen. He almost retired before this season started, and now that he won it all, why not call it a career?

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by Campbell17

Maybe just not his first chance in 5 years, but i agree.

I don't know...I can't think of many DT's better than he was. He really should be a first ballot HOFer, he had an amazing career and most of it was spent being double teamed. He changed the opponants game plan just by being on the field.
Favre and Sapp should both be inducted together. I'm not sure that Strahan would make it if he actually did retire though.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by Stuck in TX

Favre deffinately but Sapp... Im back and forth on him. He was a part of a really nasty Bucs deffense that was almost unstoppable but that whole team was good. He kinda disapeared in Oakland. He did have a long career so maybe he was just old, but I have a hard time believing he gets in on first ballot based on how he finished his career. Favre ended in the NFC championship.... Sapp with a horrible team three years in a row. (which I am in no way blaming him solely for)

Well, he did have 10.5 sacks as a DT in 2006. But it's not his fault really that Oakland was so awful the past few years.

[Stuck in TX]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Well, he did have 10.5 sacks as a DT in 2006. But it's not his fault really that Oakland was so awful the past few years.

Originally Posted by Stuck in TX

Favre deffinately but Sapp... Im back and forth on him. He was a part of a really nasty Bucs deffense that was almost unstoppable but that whole team was good. He kinda disapeared in Oakland. He did have a long career so maybe he was just old, but I have a hard time believing he gets in on first ballot based on how he finished his career. Favre ended in the NFC championship.... Sapp with a horrible team three years in a row. (which I am in no way blaming him solely for)

oh yeah i agree. I'm just saying how it will look to the people voting. I know some people who thought Sapp already retired... Idiots, but people nonetheless.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by Stuck in TX

oh yeah i agree. I'm just saying how it will look to the people voting. I know some people who thought Sapp already retired... Idiots, but people nonetheless.

Hopefully people will realize that it's rare to retire on top. But I hear ya.

[Dirtbag59]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Hopefully people will realize that it's rare to retire on top. But I hear ya.

John Elway.............Um..............Micheal Strahan (possibly).......I got nothing

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by Dirtbag359

John Elway.............Um..............Micheal Strahan (possibly).......I got nothing

Elway, Bettis, and Bill Walsh is all I could think of

[onlydarksets]

Barry Sanders, Jim Brown.

[onlydarksets]

Oh - by "on top" you mean after a SB championship?

[freddyg12]

Originally Posted by Stuck in TX

Favre deffinately but Sapp... Im back and forth on him. He was a part of a really nasty Bucs deffense that was almost unstoppable but that whole team was good. He kinda disapeared in Oakland. He did have a long career so maybe he was just old, but I have a hard time believing he gets in on first ballot based on how he finished his career. Favre ended in the NFC championship.... Sapp with a horrible team three years in a row. (which I am in no way blaming him solely for)

He had a great 06 in Oakland, but he wasn't doing any interviews. Defensive Players like Sapp sometimes suffer by comparison from their early success, just like Deion did here. Because you don't hear about them, doesn't mean they're not doing well.

I would argue that Sapp could still play DT better than 50-60% of the nfl today.