Projo Pats Blog

By Bernie Miklasz
St. Louis Post-Dispatch

TAMPA, Fla. - As Kurt Warner's incredible journey continues, it's obvious that this is a man who has everything: the enrichment of faith, a fantastic marriage, seven children, professional and personal respect, good health and a comfortable financial future.

So why, on this gorgeous sun-drenched Florida day, is Warner wincing and shaking his head?

The 36th Super Bowl.

That last-minute Tom Brady drive.

The winning Adam Vinatieri field goal.

New England Patriots 20, St. Louis Rams 17.

Warner can't shake the thoughts and images from his head.

"I think about the game that we lost more than any game that I've ever played in," he said Tuesday on Super Bowl Media Day.

Even more than the Super Bowl when Warner threw a 73-yard touchdown pass to Isaac Bruce to break a 16-16 tie and win a world championship for the Rams?

"It's probably a little unfortunate because I probably should be hanging on to the one that we won," Warner said. "It's just that, in that year, we were favored. We were expected to win that game. And so when you don't win, you feel like you miss an opportunity to make history. It's stuck with me more than any other game that I've played in. I'm going to do my best to make sure I don't have to think about this one too much."

Not that Warner, 37, needs an extra motivation, but defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday would help soothe the longtime burn caused by the loss to the Patriots.

And it could be the final act of an unthinkable, incomprehensible American Dream of a story. This man is the ultimate optimist who was laughed at by co-workers at the Hy-Vee when he insisted he'd make it to the NFL. This is the scrapper who played in the Arena League and NFL Europe. This is the nowhere man who came out of the Iowa cornfield to lead the 1999 Rams to the Super Bowl championship and three consecutive seasons of 500-plus points.

This is also the fallen QB who was cut by the Rams after winning two league MVPs and taking them to two Super Bowls. This is the humbled superstar who was benched by the New York Giants after nine games in 2004, even though he had them at 5-4 and in playoff contention. And by the time the Giants were done with Warner, the only team who would take him in were the pitiable Arizona Cardinals.

This arrangement between Warner and the Bidwills was considered the perfect match - in a sad way. If NFL rushing leader Emmitt Smith could grab a final paycheck and run in slo-mo for the futile Cardinals at the end of his career, then the old quarterback could hang on for a while, too.

"The perception around the league about me was that I couldn't play anymore," Warner said. "It was thought, 'There was no more football left in him, and he's basically just trying to survive.' Arizona hasn't won. And they brought in Emmitt Smith, and they may bring in this (Warner) guy because of his name, but it's probably going to be just like everything else. The Cardinals won't win, Kurt Warner can't really play, so I guess it's a fine mix.'

Actually, it was. Starting all 16 games in a season for the first time since 2001, Warner led the Cardinals to the NFC West title and clicked off three consecutive upset wins in the postseason.

"I think the Cardinals knew something that a lot of people didn't, or took a chance on something that a lot of people wouldn't," Warner said. "I knew, personally, that I could still play, given the right opportunity. So that's been one of the neat parts of the story. They took a chance, I took a chance, and together, we've made something special happen."

Warner sees the obvious parallel between the Rams and Cardinals. Before he took over as the starter for the Rams in 1999, the franchise had gone 45-99 in the 1990s. And the Cardinals had recorded just one playoff victory since winning the NFL championship since 1947.

"With this game, and in '99 with the Rams when we were in a similar situation, those are probably the two things that I'm going to take with me more than anything when I leave this game," Warner said. "Just being a part of two organizations that nobody expected anything from, and to be a part of them taking a run to the Super Bowl and exceeding expectations and changing perceptions of those two teams."

The last time he reached this stage, the Rams were in deep trouble, trailing the Patriots 17-3 after three quarters of Super Bowl XXXVI. But in the fourth quarter, Warner airlifted the Rams down the field for two quick touchdowns and a tie score. The miracle rally would end in a victory; everyone on the Rams sideline could feel it.

"There was never any question at that point," Warner said. "We were playing well down the stretch. We had gotten into a rhythm. We had momentum on our side. We felt like if we could get the football, we'd move it and get ourselves into position to win. To the Patriots' credit, they didn't give us the ball back.

"It was tough watching the kick. You don't have the ball in your hands. There is nothing you can do to change the outcome. When you watch it go through, that's when all of the emotions start to hit you. You've just lost the Super Bowl. You didn't take advantage of a special opportunity."

Another special opportunity awaits Warner on Sunday, and he has an old score to settle. The Patriots aren't here, but the Steelers will do.

 Tags  Arizona Cardinals Kurt Warner St. Louis Rams Super Bowl

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