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+---- Thread: I would love to have one shot at Warren Sapp (/thread-224487.html)
- rickheel - 11-26-2002 04:13 PM
Tuesday, November 26
Clifton sidelined for rest of season
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By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com
Green Bay Packers officials and a source close to Chad Clifton confirmed to ESPN.com on Tuesday that the third-year veteran, injured in Sunday's loss at Tampa Bay when hit by Bucs defensive tackle Warren Sapp on an interception, will miss the balance of the season.
Packers coach Mike Sherman, who confronted Sapp after the game, hinted in his postgame interview that the team's starting left offensive tackle might be out for a prolonged period. He reiterated those concerns on Monday and that proved to be the case.
Clifton remained in a Tampa-area hospital Tuesday but was expected to be moved back to Green Bay, possibly later in the day.
The former Tennessee standout, a second-round selection in the 2000 draft, suffered torn ligaments in his hip, and substantial bleeding into the pelvis, and there is some suspicion of spinal damage as well. At this point, the injuries are not considered career-threatening, but there will be further tests and Clifton faces a long rehabilitation.
The play on which he was injured occured in the third quarter, on an interception by cornerback Brian Kelly, and far removed from the action. Video showed that Sapp launched himself into the unsuspecting Clifton, who had his head turned, and appeared to be slowing down.
The hit, of course, precipitated a well-documented confrontation between Sherman and Sapp just minutes after the game.
With the injury to Clifton, the Packers will be forced to finish the year without both of their starting offensive tackles. Right tackle Mark Tauscher already is sidelined by a knee injury. It further weakens an already battered offensive line, one in which starting right guard Marco Rivera is playing with a torn knee ligament.
Starting center Mike Flanagan, who has moved to left tackle on other occasions when Clifton was injured this year, likely will start there the rest of the season. Longtime veteran Frank Winters probably will move in as the starting center.
Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com.
- MsNole - 11-26-2002 10:47 PM
I am by no means defending Warren Sapp, but have this to say about... the hit was legal and by this I mean no flags were thrown. Sapp by no means meant to hurt the other player. So why all of the fuss? My God, football is a rough sport. Players get hurt all the time. I just don't understand why everyone is making a bigger deal out of this than any other injury...
- DamascusTerp2 - 11-27-2002 02:23 AM
MsNole Wrote:I am by no means defending Warren Sapp, but have this to say about... the hit was legal and by this I mean no flags were thrown. Sapp by no means meant to hurt the other player. So why all of the fuss? My God, football is a rough sport. Players get hurt all the time. I just don't understand why everyone is making a bigger deal out of this than any other injury...
- rickheel - 11-27-2002 04:12 AM
Ms Nole,,,,,,,,,,,did you see where the hit happened? It had ABSOLUTELY NO BEARING ON THE OUTCOME OF THE PLAY!! It was, and I mean WAS, a CHEAP SHOT!!! Sapp is an *******. He was laughing about the hit while the guy was on the ground. I hope they fine the crap out of him, suspend him and teach the rest of those cheap shot artists a lesson. That kind of crap has no place in football. You are talking about someones livelyhood.