Andrew Walter Warren Sapp "Jerry Porter Comments"

Andrew Walter stood by his locker on Wednesday afternoon surrounded by microphones.A record-setter at Arizona State, it wasn't a particularly unfamiliar position for the 24-year-old. In fact, it wasn't even the first time this week such a familiar circumstance had arose -- a ring of 4 Brett Favre Purple jersey
reporters gathered in a close half-circle around his locker all in search of a similar answer.This time, however, "How's that hammy?" was the fifth question in the series, not the usual first.Walter was first drilled with four questions regarding wide receiver Jerry Porter, whose suspension had just recently been cut in half by the NFL and the players association.Microphones close to his face, all in search of capturing a few controversial words, Walter's response was a major letdown."I saw it on the bottom line on ESPN," he said. "[The bottom line] said 'expect him back Wednesday.' I don't know if that's today or next Wednesday.""It is behind us now, and we can move forward," the second-year quarterback added. Walter was seemingly unfazed by the news on his wide receiver -- a player whom he spent much of the offseason working very closely with as a member of the second offense.Instead, it was 300-pound defensive tackle Warren Sapp who offered the most controversial reflection on the situation. A close friend of Porter both on and off the field, Sapp made clear, "I like to have my second-best receiver out on the field, suited up and ready to make plays for me, and that's not happening for whatever reason. But that's the one thing that, more than anything, would affect this ballclub, is him suiting up on Sunday."Forget shoring up a defensive front that allows over 130 rushing yards per game -- a front that is seemingly preventing an entire defensive unit from becoming one of the NFL's elite. That certainly wouldn't affect the ballclub as much as Jerry Porter, now would it?Of course, shoring up the run is one of Warren Sapp's primary jobs."We, as individuals, have jobs to do," Andrew Walter explained. "My job is different than an offensive lineman's job and that's different than a running back's job and so on. Outside things don't really affect what I have to do as a quarterback."Heading into a tough Week 8 matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers -- with or without Porter on the field -- Walter is making sure his job is done."Their front seven is certainly good," he commented on the Steelers' defense. "'Forty-three (Troy Polamalu) is pretty good, too. I played against him in college...[He] does a million different things...he can be on one side of the ball, and be at the line of the scrimmage and then, at the snap, run back to the Cover 2.""They show a lot of different looks," Walter added. "We have to make sure that we are prepared for, fundamentally, how Steelers 43 Polamalu jersey
we are going to lock up to the 3-4, their base defense."As for question five -- "How's that hammy?" -- Walter responded, "It's good. It felt pretty good the day after.""I won't miss any practice this week and should be good to go for this weekend."First thing's last; there's Wednesday's real news.Want to be in the mailbag? . (16)