Edition: U.S. / Global

PRO FOOTBALL; Sapp Has the Final Say: 'I Am a World Champion'

Published: January 27, 2003

The world might have been a quieter, more peaceful place if Oakland had humbled Warren Sapp today. But Sapp and the Tampa Bay defense buried the Raiders, and now Sapp's reward will be absolute freedom to yap.

''Going to have a good time because the whole world is going to know about these world champions,'' Sapp said, 18 words among millions to come.

When the Buccaneers lost in past playoffs, Sapp had never played great games; he was an accomplished player known more for his verbose style. Over the years, he had been involved in many spats, with everyone from his teammate Keyshawn Johnson to Giants defensive end Michael Strahan to Green Bay Coach Mike Sherman, with whom he nearly came to blows after a game this season.

Sapp, however, had never had a signature game for his career. As the Buccaneers prepared last week to play under sport's brightest lights, Sapp seemed at ease, chattering to reporters in the days leading to the Super Bowl, sunglasses covering a cut he received against Philadelphia last week.

He kept talking once Super Bowl XXXVII began, and he played exceptionally. He haunted Oakland quarterback Rich Gannon, helped to stuff the Raiders' running game in the first half and eventually collected a sack and knocked down a couple of passes.

And he talked and talked and talked. He jabbered at the Oakland offensive linemen, nodding his head, pointing. He talked to teammates. He jabbered at the officials, once pleading for a call so vociferously that the referee Bill Carollo pushed him away so Carollo could hear his colleagues.

When the Bucs' Derrick Brooks intercepted a pass and ran it back for a touchdown, Sapp soared down the sideline, his arms spread like wings of a bird -- a 300-pounder. ''I am a world champion,'' he said after the Bucs' 48-21 victory.

Oakland guard Frank Middleton said before the game that one of the keys to stopping Sapp was to ''shut him up.''

''You want to keep him quiet,'' Middleton said. ''If he is talking a lot, that means he is having a great game. He is one of those guys who likes to keep the pressure on you and keep talking the whole game. You cannot allow him to do that, you have to keep him quiet.''

That will not happen now, or forever.

Photo: Talking all the while, the Buccaneers' Warren Sapp helped stuff the Raiders' running game in the first half. He wound up with a sack and a smile. (Vincent Laforet/The New York Times)