Kurt Warner

[Rider]

Kurt Warner retired today.
He had an interesting career, to say the least. He burst onto the scene in 1999 with the moribund St. Louis Rams after their starter, Trent Green, got hurt in a pre-season game. I can remember the video of always emotional Rams coach Dick Vermeil fighting back tears saying, "We'll be a good football team with Kurt Warner here." But you knew he didn't really believe it. Who would have? Warner had come from a small college and slogged through a couple of seasons with some Arena Football League team and I think one in NFL Europe, none of which had exactly set the scouts on fire.
We've all heard the stories of Warner working in a grocery store for $5.50 an hour, telling his coworkers, "Someday I'll play in the NFL" while they probably chuckled behind his back.
I've been watching sports for a long, long time. I honestly believe that 1999 Rams season was probably the most improbable I've ever seen in all team sports that I've watched. Seeing Warner pile up incredible numbers, I kept waiting for the magic to wear off, for him to come back down to earth as a rookie who couldn't keep up the pace.
But he did keep up the pace. He won the NFL MVP.
All the way to the Super Bowl, which he won. And won the Super Bowl MVP award as well.
I still think it's the best Cinderella story in the history of sports.
He took the Rams back to the Super Bowl, barely losing that one.
And then he disappeared .... suffering through terrible seasons, mainly with the New York Giants.
The magic, apparently, was gone.
And then he came back again, with a vengeance, this time with the equally horrible Arizona Cardinals, a franchise so bad one could not imagine them even having a winning season, let alone going to the Super Bowl and almost winning it.
But he did that too.
And then came back this year with one of the greatest playoff games in NFL history against the Packers.
He took two horrible franchises to Super Bowls.
He set records over and over in playoffs and Super Bowls.
He wore his religious views on his sleeve, which turns some people off, and I realize that. But he stood tall and produced on the field and worked magic. And by all accounts, he's a model citizen off the field: a loving father and husband. I admire him for that too.
I, for one, will miss him.
So go do more good things, Kurt Warner. You brought the QB game to a new level and were a class act as well.
In five years, I look forward to watching your Hall of Fame acceptance speech at Canton. You've earned it, man.

[Hodag]

thanks kurt
you were a fighter
and you deserve a yellow jacket

[Rider]

Originally Posted by Hodag

thanks kurt
you were a fighter
and you deserve a yellow jacket

Indeed, he does.

[k7]

A class act indeed - his timing was perfect as to not take anything away from the Super Bowl. When he stepped up to the mic, there was not a lot of drama. He got to the point, did it with style & grace and moved on.

Clearly, a class act and a lesson for others, athletes or otherwise, to follow.

Kurt Warner has left the building.

[Human Ills]

+1

[mikew]

Originally Posted by Hodag

thanks kurt
you were a fighter
and you deserve a yellow jacket

I hope it happens but I believe for both him and Eli Manning it will always be out of reach.

2 of the most under rated QBs to ever play the game.

[Misery Goat]

I was pulling for AZ last year, it would've been cool to see him get another.

I'm no Rams fan and I enjoyed watching that season they won it, Bruce and Holt were fun to watch too.

[Rider]

Originally Posted by Misery_Goat

I was pulling for AZ last year, it would've been cool to see him get another.

I'm no Rams fan and I enjoyed watching that season they won it, Bruce and Holt were fun to watch too.

"The Greatest Show On Turf".

[Dranrab Luap]

Originally Posted by Rider

Kurt Warner retired today.
He had an interesting career, to say the least. He burst onto the scene in 1999 with the moribund St. Louis Rams after their starter, Trent Green, got hurt in a pre-season game. I can remember the video of always emotional Rams coach Dick Vermeil fighting back tears saying, "We'll be a good football team with Kurt Warner here." But you knew he didn't really believe it. Who would have? Warner had come from a small college and slogged through a couple of seasons with some Arena Football League team and I think one in NFL Europe, none of which had exactly set the scouts on fire.
We've all heard the stories of Warner working in a grocery store for $5.50 an hour, telling his coworkers, "Someday I'll play in the NFL" while they probably chuckled behind his back.
I've been watching sports for a long, long time. I honestly believe that 1999 Rams season was probably the most improbable I've ever seen in all team sports that I've watched. Seeing Warner pile up incredible numbers, I kept waiting for the magic to wear off, for him to come back down to earth as a rookie who couldn't keep up the pace.
But he did keep up the pace. He won the NFL MVP.
All the way to the Super Bowl, which he won. And won the Super Bowl MVP award as well.
I still think it's the best Cinderella story in the history of sports.
He took the Rams back to the Super Bowl, barely losing that one.
And then he disappeared .... suffering through terrible seasons, mainly with the New York Giants.
The magic, apparently, was gone.
And then he came back again, with a vengeance, this time with the equally horrible Arizona Cardinals, a franchise so bad one could not imagine them even having a winning season, let alone going to the Super Bowl and almost winning it.
But he did that too.
And then came back this year with one of the greatest playoff games in NFL history against the Packers.
He took two horrible franchises to Super Bowls.
He set records over and over in playoffs and Super Bowls.
He wore his religious views on his sleeve, which turns some people off, and I realize that. But he stood tall and produced on the field and worked magic. And by all accounts, he's a model citizen off the field: a loving father and husband. I admire him for that too.
I, for one, will miss him.
So go do more good things, Kurt Warner. You brought the QB game to a new level and were a class act as well.
In five years, I look forward to watching your Hall of Fame acceptance speech at Canton. You've earned it, man.

Dan, I love your sense of narrative. You are a master. Thanks for sharing.

[Rider]

Originally Posted by Dranrab Luap

Dan, I love your sense of narrative. You are a master. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks, Paul. Just something I felt like writing about ...

[wxwax]

I was in St. Louis when Vermeil arrived (Pete Carroll was among the coaches rejected for the job, scuttlebutt was that he was too arrogant and demanding in his interviews.)

I remember the despair when Trent Green went down, he was an excellent QB.

And I remember the tremendous excitement when the Rams starting putting it together. For a city with a self-image problem (don't they all these days?) the Rams were an intoxicating tonic. Marshall Faulk, Isaac Bruce and Kurt Warner were amazing.

I still can't believe they won the Super Bowl, I felt certain that that Titans receiver was going to drag his way into the end zone as time expired. And I also can't believe they played that poorly the next year against the Patriots, who basically outsmarted them.

When Warner left the Rams I was among those who felt he was done. Mike Martz's offense didn't give him much protection and he took a lot of hits while delivering the ball. Eventually it seemed like his accuracy went away.

But with the Cardinals of all teams (remember, they used to be the St. Louis Cardinals) Warner refound his game. Given a chance when Leinart faltered and surrounded by amazing receivers, Warner caught fire again.

And this time I'm sorry to see him go. I know he has at least one more great season in him.

[stunt clown]

Originally Posted by Rider

"The Greatest Show On Turf".

Those who play fantasy football loved that show... Warner, Faulk, Bruce, Holt.

Then Bulger... Warner was a class act during his replacement as well.

Glad he had some good years in Az.

[OuttaMyWay]

Originally Posted by mikew

I hope it happens but I believe for both him and Eli Manning it will always be out of reach.

2 of the most under rated QBs to ever play the game.

yards passing in a Super Bowl

1. Kurt Warner
2. Kurt Warner
3. Kurt Warner


That alone ought to do it.

[Human Ills]

Originally Posted by OuttaMyWay

yards passing in a Super Bowl

1. Kurt Warner
2. Kurt Warner
3. Kurt Warner


That alone ought to do it.

wow I did not know that.

[Cumminsman76]

My wifes, then girlfriends, family had tickets for the Rams. I remember her dad's reaction when Green got hurt. It was a good season. And he's done alot around the city outside football.