Home >  Sports >  Notebooks

Sunday, October 21, 2001

Compiled by Ed Bouchette

The Sapp is running hot these days. Tampa Bay defensive tackle Warren Sapp treats everyone the same, like dogs, and he's not afraid of backlash from the fans.

"Four out of five people in Tampa Bay would rather see me fail than succeed," Sapp said. "I have no illusions about my place in this town. When I'm gone, most people will be happy. It'll be one less Mouth of the South around here.

"I'll just go back to Orlando, go to a lake front and go fishing. I'm all alone on my own ground. I've been on a pedestal. I don't want to be on another one. When they kick it out, it's a long way to fall."

Sapp hates dealing with the public when he goes out.

"I get one day off a week. When I go out, I only have so much time. If you want to say hi, I'll say hi. But I don't want to shake your hand. Do you know how bad my hands hurt? When I get older, I'm going to have hands like Chuck Bednarik.

"I don't want the opinion of people sitting in the 300 section or in front of their television. I don't understand people who want an autograph, but they don't have a pen or a piece of paper. Am I supposed to bring that with me? I don't get it. I really don't get it."

Moore injury problems

The Steelers are relieved they did not get a chance to sign Herman Moore, as they wanted to do.

Moore's career may be over after he sustained torn muscles in his right hip last Sunday and was placed on injured reserve. He had just four catches for 76 yards, although in the Steelers' offense that would have put him ahead of Troy Edwards and not far behind the 119 yards of Plaxico Burress.

The Steelers thought the Detroit Lions might release Moore if he were reluctant to take a paycut, but he re-signed with them, going from $3 million a year to $1.5 million.

He had shoulder and hamstring injuries before the latest setback ended his season.

Moore turned 32 yesterday. He has caught 670 passes for 9,174 yards and 62 touchdowns in his career. He also owns the NFL record with 123 receptions in 1995.

The end is a possibility, Moore said.

"I don't think that can be ruled out. I don't think at this point you can really rule out anything -- from this being not only the end of my career here but the end of my career altogether."

Leaf gets another chance

The Dallas Cowboys are hoping to turn over a new Ryan Leaf.

They have nothing to lose after watching Anthony Wright, a former third-stringer cut by the Steelers, and rookie Quincy Carter try to throw a football.

What, they might not score a touchdown?

The Cowboys have off this weekend, so they are using the time to teach Leaf the offense and evaluate him in practice.

Carter will miss the next six weeks with an injury.

"If we are going to get an evaluation on him, this is the open window, between now and when Quincy is healthy and ready to go," Coach Dave Campo said. "We are going to give him a good dose of the offense the next two weeks to see where he is."

Just this piece of advice from Chargers Coach Mike Riley, who helped convince the Chargers to cut bad-boy Leaf this year. Now, Riley is living the life of Doug Flutie.

"It's the difference between stability and instability," Riley said. "We had an unstable quarterbacking situation for sure, that's probably a kind way to describe it."

Quick slants

The Giants will try to make it 10 consecutive victories against the Eagles when they play tomorrow night. "If you flip a coin 10 times, eventually it's going to land on heads once," Giants running back Tiki Barber said. "We just hope it's not this time."

The 49ers are 4-1 without scoring a point in the first quarter all season.

Chicago has started two consecutive games with the same 11 players on offense for the first time in more than three years. The Bears have had 36 different starting lineups on offense in the past 38 games.

The Dallas Cowboys will wear their blue "throwback" uniforms -- all the way back to the mid 1990s -- when they play Denver on Thanksgiving Day. It will be the first time Dallas wears blue uniforms at home.

When quarterback Donovan McNabb runs for more than 20 yards, the Eagles are 0-2 this season; when he's under 20, they are 2-0.