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LastRow

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A Warner Story That Few Have Heard…

by LastRow
created January 26, 2009, last edited February 10, 2009
9
Vote

Super Bowl week has finally arrived, which means every sound byte will be overplayed, every non-story will grab national headlines. Basically, if a bear shit in the woods, we'll hear about it this week and analysts will probe it to no end up until kickoff. Instead of being about a single football game, this week has become more about a media spectacle that they've made it. Ironically, that's what makes the game what it is today. Everything is blown way out of proportion. We already know that sometime this week Mike Tomlin will be asked, "How long has he been a black coach?". We already know at some point Ben Roethlisberger is going to be asked, "How many times he continues to ride a motorcycle without a helmet"? Anquan Boldin is going to be told by a reporter, "Don't call me that!" And of course Kurt Warner is going to be asked the very important question: "Paper or plastic?".

It goes without saying that Warner's story should one day be told in Hollywood. And yet again, he'll be in the media spotlight all this week. A grocery checkout bagger... Who goes undrafted from the University of Northern Iowa. Which ends up making a splash as the signal caller for the Iowa Barnstormers that leads to the NFL. Who gets a chance only thanks to Trent Green slicing and dicing his knee... Then oh yeah, just winds up in the Super Bowl that year, winning it, (with the Rams no less) and being named Super Bowl MVP. Throw in a couple League MVP's... And yeah, we all know that story. We also know the story of Warner being a position warmer for both Eli Manning and Matt Leinart. While never given the chance in New York, once again Warner in the desert defied the odds, (how ironic before the Rams migrated to St. Louis, the Cardinals had their nest there)... Having been all but left for career dead, and brought into tutor a young quarterback, Kurt has now brought another NFL franchise to the big game that has us scratching our melons and saying, "Are you F-ING serious!?" We did that with the Rams, and once again saying it nine years later with the Cardinals. A cat with such faith, which has made headlines as well throughout his NFL career has given faith to two franchises that before he arrived there were NFL doormats!

From stock boy to Pro Football Hall of Famer some day, (which is debatable to some, for me, it's a no brainer) a hell of a story!! Although just when you think you've heard everything about Mr. All-Pro Bagger/Stocker, as only Kurt can do, he defies you once again!

Over the weekend the following story landed in my inbox... Normally I don't read half the shit people forward to me, but since good ole grandma sent it to me, I gave it a looksy. To my surprise in reading this following story, it's a story that never knew or heard about him! A story that hasn't gotten nearly the attention it should have. Nothing to do with sports, but rather the game that's called life. And perhaps that's why it hasn't grabbed headlines, although it's another hell of a story! Even better than the one that he's written for Hollywood on the football fields...

KURTIS THE STOCK BOY AND BRENDA THE CHECKOUT GIRL

In a supermarket, Kurtis the stock boy, was busily working when a new voice came over the loud speaker asking for a carry out at register 4. Kurtis was almost finished, and wanted to get some fresh air, and decided to answer the call. As he approached the check-out stand a distant smile caught his eye, the new check-out girl was beautiful. She was an older woman (maybe 26, and he was only 22) and he fell in love.

Later that day, after his shift was over, he waited by the punch clock to find out her name. She came into the break room, smiled softly at him, took her card and punched out, then left. He looked at her card, BRENDA. He walked out only to see her start walking up the road. Next day, he waited outside as she left the supermarket, and offered her a ride home. He looked harmless enough, and she accepted. When he dropped her off, he asked if maybe he could see her again, outside of work. She simply said it wasn't possible.

He pressed and she explained she had two children and she couldn't afford a baby-sitter, so he offered to pay for the baby-sitter. Reluctantly she accepted his offer for a date for the following Saturday. That Saturday night he arrived at her door only to have her tell him that she was unable to go with him. The baby-sitter had called and canceled. To which Kurtis simply said, "Well, let's take the kids with us."

She tried to explain that taking the children was not an option, but again not taking no for an answer, he pressed. Finally Brenda, brought him inside to meet her children. She had an older daughter who was just as cute as a bug, Kurtis thought, then Brenda brought out her son, in a wheelchair. He was born a paraplegic with Down Syndrome.

Kurtis asked Brenda, "I still don't understand why the kids can't come with us." Brenda was amazed. Most men would run away from a woman with two kids, especially if one had disabilities - just like her first husband and father of her children had done. Kurtis was not ordinary - - - he had a different mindset.

That evening Kurtis and Brenda loaded up the kids, went to dinner and the movies. When her son needed anything Kurtis would take care of him. When he needed to use the restroom, he picked him up out of his wheelchair, took him and brought him back. The kids loved Kurtis. At the end of the evening, Brenda knew this was the man she was going to marry and spend the rest of her life with. A year later, they were married and Kurtis adopted both of her children. Since then they have added two more kids.

So what happened to Kurtis the stock boy and Brenda the check-out girl? Well, Mr. & Mrs. Kurt Warner now live in Arizona, where he is currently employed as the quarterback of the National Football League Arizona Cardinals and has his Cardinals in the hunt for a possible appearance in the Super Bowl. Is this a surprise ending or could you have guessed that he was not an ordinary person.

Surprising? Yes. Should we be surprised what this cat does? Not at all; it's what we've come to expect from Kurtis!


Who’s gonna win the Vince Lombardi Trophy on Sunday? Vote Here… http://getchapopcorn.blogspot.com/


Enable Comment Auto-Refresher
CheezerAll-Star
287 days ago
Score 5+-
Great story. I was not aware of this history.
Permalink | Reply
LastRowAll-American
287 days ago
Score 2+-
I don't think anybody is! Although since we'll be ODing on Super Bowl coverage this week, one would think ESPN could somehow, you know, work this one in... Instead of breaking the news the Kurtis was the Most Valueable Shopper on Supermarket Sweep!
Permalink
Behbigben15All-Star
287 days ago
Score 2+-
Just to end the argument once and for all, Warner is a Hall of Famer. Even if Kurt's Cards don't beat the Steelers in SB XLIII, Warner is a lock for the Hall. He has a SB ring already and his numbers are great (especially since he was undrafted and had a late start to his NFL career). I mean, come on, Joe freakin' Namath his a HOFer and he threw 47 more INT's than he did TD's and has a career QB rating of 65.5 in his 12 NFL seasons. I most definitely agree with what NY Daily News columnist Gary Myers said on Mad Dog Radio (I heard it on my Sirius Satellite Radio, of course), Namath is a HOFer because of his one good game in Super Bowl III against Johnny U. If Namath is a Hall of Famer because of that, then I think Kurt is a definite HOFer because of this story, alone. End of story.
Permalink | Reply
LastRowAll-American
287 days ago
Score 2+-
Lets Drink now...:-P
Permalink
Sj-hypocycloidAll-American
286 days ago
Score 1+-
Let's not forget that Namath's Super Bowl is pretty much THE Super Bowl. This is the one that made the AFL-NFL merger possible, and it was largely due to Namath. The fact that he went and predicted a win and then had a good game and led his 18-point underdog team to victory is the stuff of legends.


I, for one, will not get on Joe because his NUMBERS look pale compared to today's numbers. Historically, this is a sure-fire HOF QB. No matter what the numbers say.


I'm getting kind of bored with the talk that simply winning a Super Bowl is enough to get a QB in the Hall. There is no position on the field that is more dependent on others. Without wideouts catching the passes or RBs moving the chains...well, that QB doesn't look quite so good. If this argument holds up, then Mark Rypien, Doug Williams and Jeff Hostetler should all be in the HOF.


Warner has about 12,000 yards more than these guys (3 or 4 seasons worth). All of them have one Super Bowl win to their credit. These are awesome achievements, but I hesitate before anointing Warner a Hall of Famer.
Permalink
RawbeezeitzMajor Leaguer
286 days ago
Score 2+-
I don't know if that ends the argument, BBB. I think Warner belongs in the Hall, but I can understand why some would disagree. Losing a job to Marc Bulger hurts. Getting stuck behind Eli Manning and Matt Leinart hurts. And remember, this is a pass-happy NFL. He's also had his best years when given a buffet of WR talent to throw to.
Permalink
SpartyVarsity
286 days ago
Score 2+-
It's a great story for certain. That said, ask the people of St. Louis about Mrs. Kurt Warner circa 2002 and they'll give you an earful about radio call-ins, etc. Kurt seems like a decent enough guy and his story is incredible. He wins on Sunday and I don't see how anyone cannot put him in the Hall of Fame on the first ballot. He doesn't win and I think he gets into the Hall anyway, but not without some debate.
Permalink | Reply
CheezerAll-Star
286 days ago
Score 2+-
Yeah, I remember the stories about the call-ins. That's where she really got the reputation for being crazy.
Permalink
Steel TownDraft Pick
286 days ago
Score 4+-
I'd bet Warner doesn't really give a shit what the people of St. Louis or any other city think of his wife.
Permalink
Behbigben15All-Star
286 days ago
Score 0+-
I didn't here the story about those call-ins. Elaborate, please...
Permalink
Sj-hypocycloidAll-American
285 days ago
Score 1+-
BBB - Here's an excerpt of an article from the December 4, 2002 St. Louis Post Dispatch:


It's no longer a mere Rams quarterback controversy. It has now evolved into a full-fledged Rams quarterback soap opera. And on Tuesday, a new character was introduced into the drama -- Kurt Warner's wife, Brenda.


Brenda made a surprise call Tuesday morning to all-sports radio station KFNS (590 AM, 100.7 FM) to complain about news accounts of her husband's latest hand injury. In the process, she strongly contradicted Mike Martz's statements Monday that he had urged Warner to get an X-ray of his right hand.


X-rays taken Monday revealed that Warner had a slight crack in the bone just below the little finger of his throwing hand, an injury that will sideline the quarterback for at least two weeks.


"Martz did not insist that (Kurt) get an X-ray," Brenda told talk show co-hosts Bryan Burwell and John Marecek. "Martz had nothing to do with it. . . . The doctors never once said that he should get an X-ray."


When Burwell, a Post-Dispatch sports columnist, reminded her of Martz's Monday comments -- about asking Warner to get an X- ray - she replied, "He did not. All week long, I said, 'Kurt, I am a nurse. You should get an X-ray.' He said the doctors just think it's bruised."


As might be expected, those comments created quite a stir Tuesday at Rams Park. It's not every day that the wife of a high-profile player "calls out" an NFL head coach.


Two sources familiar with the situation said the Rams asked Warner to have the hand X-rayed as early as last week. Another source said Warner's Chicago-based agent, Mark Bartelstein, was aware that Martz wanted the hand X-rayed when he spoke with Rams officials Monday afternoon.


Warner, in a telephone interview Tuesday, wanted no part of the "Brenda-gate" controversy.


"I don't want to talk about any of that," Warner said.


For the most part, neither did Martz. When asked about Brenda's comments, Martz said, "It doesn't bother me. It's just a concerned wife."


This is but a small sample of what was going on at the time...
Permalink
Sj-hypocycloidAll-American
285 days ago
Score 1+-
Here's more from October 2003:

ORCHARD PARK - His team is on a two-game losing streak, his offense has plummeted to No. 29 in the NFL, and though the season is just one month old, there's a creepy feeling that with one more loss, the party could be over.


Despite everything, things could be worse for Buffalo Bills quarterback Drew Bledsoe. He could be Kurt Warner, and his wife could be showing up on talk radio shows to defend his honor.


Now that's a crisis.


In St. Louis, Brenda-gate II is raging and players around the NFL are either feeling great sympathy for Warner or are living in fear that their own wives and girlfriends will make like Tammy Wynette and stand by their man.


Brenda Warner, who got her own weekly radio interview show in St. Louis after she phoned a station a year ago to speak up for Kurt, said this week that "they" would seek a trade if Marc Bulger remains the starter.


Could Bledsoe ever imagine his own wife, Maura, phoning in to guard Drew's back against critics? Well, yes he could, but he's confident it won't happen.


"Probably the thing I'm most proud of in my career is that I have a normal home life when I go home," Bledsoe said. "Very rarely do we talk about football, (but) she'll stand by me no matter what. When I went through the thing in New England she was ready to kill people, but when I go home, we don't talk (about football).


"I don't know, maybe she should get a radio show. I'll let her do mine because mine haven't been too much fun the last couple weeks."
Permalink
RomiezzoLegend
285 days ago
Score 1+-
Beautiful story. No other way to say it: truly a beautiful story. Thanks for sharing it with us...
Permalink | Reply
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Categories: Opinions | Opinions by User LastRow | January 26, 2009 | January 2009 | Kurt Warner Opinions | NFL Opinions

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