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Warren Sapp is no fan of Michael Strahan

Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Warren Sapp & Michael Strahan were both eligible for the hall of fame this year. Sapp is going in, Strahan is not. This fact surprised some, but not Sapp, who thinks the former Giant is overrated.

"Nobody ever talks about Simeon (Rice)," Sapp told the Tampa Tribune on Wednesday. "Simeon was a better rusher than Michael Strahan any day of the week and twice on Sunday. (Rice) didn't rush the worst lineman. You know, the right tackle is the worst of the five. Strahan played right end his first four years.

"When they were putting the label on him as a bust, they put 'B-U-S. OK, let's transition him on the other side and see if he can play in his fourth year."

It is true that Strahan had only 18 sacks over his first 4 years in the league and that his 5th year was his real breakout with 14. Sapp says that this was mostly due to his being moved to the right side (of the offense), where he didn't have to rush the elite left tackles of the league. He also mentions one of our own...

"They put (Strahan) at right end and he couldn't do it, so they moved him to the weak guy. One-on-one with the (Eagles right tackle) Jon Runyans for eight quarters every year. Sim won't ever have his name brought up (for the Hall of Fame), and that's a shame. He's one of the best pass rushers I've ever encountered in my life," Sapp said.

Rice has about 20 fewer sacks than Strahan for his career, but he also played 3 less years. Also, he managed almost twice as many forced fumbles as the former Giant.

For us Eagles fans, Sapp's implication that playing against Jon Runyan twice a year is having it easy has to be a bit grating. While I've certainly always maintained that Tra Thomas was a better player, Runyan was quality.

Frankly, I can't much stand Sapp or Strahan.

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