From the Tampa Tribune:
TAMPA - Mike DePue has been a high school football coach for nearly a quarter of a century, a Bucs season-ticket holder for more than 20 years and, until a recent run-in with the six-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle, a fan of Warren Sapp.
An invited guest of the Bucs as their high school Coach of the Week, DePue says he found himself the object of verbal abuse from Sapp at a recent Tampa Bay practice. Afterward, DePue wrote a letter to Bucs General Manager Rich McKay and Coach Jon Gruden thanking them for their hospitality and the award - which includes a $1,000 donation to Robinson's football program - but notifying them of the altercation with Sapp.
According to DePue, he and two of his assistants, Rob Burns and Vaughn Volpi, were at One Buc Place viewing practice from the sideline when Sapp walked to an area near them and ``threw a tantrum,'' apparently for DePue making eye contact with Sapp.
``I was just looking around in practice and he [Sapp] said to me in a confrontational tone, `Do you see what you're looking for?' '' DePue said.
And as Sapp walked back toward practice, DePue said Sapp used foul language and said he would ``give me more [verbal] grief if I looked at him again.''
DePue's initial reaction to Sapp's outburst was one of shock. He says that being a coach, he knows proper etiquette and protocol during practice. From where he and his assistants were standing, DePue believes he didn't invade any player's ``personal space.'' In fact, defensive end Simeon Rice and Gruden made it a point to greet them during practice, DePue said.
But after the confrontation with Sapp, DePue says the experience at One Buc Place has been soured.
``It just left a bad taste in our mouths,'' DePue said. ``We were invited guests and it was totally uncalled for. But bottom line, I've got much more important things going on in my life than worrying about Warren Sapp giving me a hard time.''
http://tampatrib.com/Sports/MGAP29S54MD.html
TAMPA - Mike DePue has been a high school football coach for nearly a quarter of a century, a Bucs season-ticket holder for more than 20 years and, until a recent run-in with the six-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle, a fan of Warren Sapp.
An invited guest of the Bucs as their high school Coach of the Week, DePue says he found himself the object of verbal abuse from Sapp at a recent Tampa Bay practice. Afterward, DePue wrote a letter to Bucs General Manager Rich McKay and Coach Jon Gruden thanking them for their hospitality and the award - which includes a $1,000 donation to Robinson's football program - but notifying them of the altercation with Sapp.
According to DePue, he and two of his assistants, Rob Burns and Vaughn Volpi, were at One Buc Place viewing practice from the sideline when Sapp walked to an area near them and ``threw a tantrum,'' apparently for DePue making eye contact with Sapp.
``I was just looking around in practice and he [Sapp] said to me in a confrontational tone, `Do you see what you're looking for?' '' DePue said.
And as Sapp walked back toward practice, DePue said Sapp used foul language and said he would ``give me more [verbal] grief if I looked at him again.''
DePue's initial reaction to Sapp's outburst was one of shock. He says that being a coach, he knows proper etiquette and protocol during practice. From where he and his assistants were standing, DePue believes he didn't invade any player's ``personal space.'' In fact, defensive end Simeon Rice and Gruden made it a point to greet them during practice, DePue said.
But after the confrontation with Sapp, DePue says the experience at One Buc Place has been soured.
``It just left a bad taste in our mouths,'' DePue said. ``We were invited guests and it was totally uncalled for. But bottom line, I've got much more important things going on in my life than worrying about Warren Sapp giving me a hard time.''
http://tampatrib.com/Sports/MGAP29S54MD.html