ALAMEDA – No word on if Warren Sapp will be suspended if the NFL agrees with its officials at Sunday’s game in Jacksonville and Sapp intentionally made contact with umpire Garth DeFelice.
Lane Kiffin is “very disappointed” that two of his captains would rack up four unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in a dead ball situation.
Three of those were on Sapp. They were confusing because it’s still not clear why Sapp – who Kiffin tried to replace with Terdell Sands to avoid the next two penalties – was so irate.
Sapp and Burgess are very good friends. But Kiffin didn’t like them sticking together on this one.
“When you go out and you get personal fouls you’re not protecting your team because you’re doing something that is something on your own and isn’t helping us win,” Kiffin said.
It’s also of importance for Kiffin to check such behavior because Sapp and Burgess are powerful personalities in the locker room.
If Kiffin gives any indication he doesn’t mind how Sapp (especially) and Burgess behaved, all his work to try to fix the locker room’s culture of losing would be setback.
If Sapp is fined and/or suspended, that should be announced sometime Wednesday or Thursday.
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If Kiffin was trying to get a message to JaMarcus Russell, he did with his sharp critique of his play.
He didn’t leave much room for praise, saying there’s “a list” of things Russell must do better.
Of course, a lot of this would have been addressed months ago had Russell been in training camp, but let’s not get into that again.
The good thing is Russell will start against the Chargers. I assume his decision-making would improve with more practice. He’ll get all the first-team reps this week.
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Just in case you think I’m crazy, I know the Raiders lost 51-3 to Buffalo in the 1991 AFC title game. I was only referencing the Raiders’ worst regular-season losses for today’s story.
I watched that game as a 12 year-old in Long Beach, wishing Bo Jackson was playing and maybe the Raiders would have won.
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Kiffin said the team expects Michael Huff (concussion to play) Sunday against the Chargers.
I’ll be hiding out and watching the Lakers tomorrow. Have a safe holiday.
--Jason Jones
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