The_Philster
12-24-2002, 06:39 AM
TAMPA, Fla. -- Just in case anyone was starting to believe that bone-rattling defense and intimidating personas originated with Warren Sapp and friends, the Pittsburgh Steelers delivered an unmistakable message to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by demonstrating a little thuggery of their own.
And it actually began 40 minutes before the kickoff of a Monday Night game in which both clubs had promised the NFL equivalent of a Texas cage match.
While the teams were still warming up, Steelers linebacker Joey Porter and Tampa Bay counterpart Nate Webster engaged in a lively shoving match near the Bucs sideline. Keyshawn Johnson finally stepped in as peacemaker. That confrontation followed a short-lived verbal spat between Sapp and Steelers tailback Jerome Bettis as the two crossed paths on the field......
more (http://espn.go.com/nfl/columns/pasquarelli_len/1482058.html)
And it actually began 40 minutes before the kickoff of a Monday Night game in which both clubs had promised the NFL equivalent of a Texas cage match.
While the teams were still warming up, Steelers linebacker Joey Porter and Tampa Bay counterpart Nate Webster engaged in a lively shoving match near the Bucs sideline. Keyshawn Johnson finally stepped in as peacemaker. That confrontation followed a short-lived verbal spat between Sapp and Steelers tailback Jerome Bettis as the two crossed paths on the field......
more (http://espn.go.com/nfl/columns/pasquarelli_len/1482058.html)