Arizona Cardinals: Kurt Warner's Dream Machine?

I had a rollicking, senseless, yet fun-filled span of about 24 hours. It began on Friday afternoon when some old friends blew into town, ending yesterday - they left for Tampa Bay. The experience likely killed out about a million brain cells, but since my basic motor skills are seemingly intact, I can safely say today - I'm ready for some football!

I'm gearing up for the Super Bowl, tuned in for all the great pre-game coverage that most women I know absolutely hate and I absolutely love. What's not to like about Howie, Jimmy and the gang and their mad antics as we count down to the big game of the year? Oh yeah, no Howie and Jimmy on it we're on NBC. Well forget that, Bruce at half time, it's going to be a great game. (Especially if the Cardinals win.)

Checked with Calvin Ayres' bowwowwow yippy yo yippy yay bodog.com to see which way that dog's barking today. I'll keep an eye for a while on the numbers. No surprise on most news reports the Steelers are favored in this match up. Why not? Anyone following football know the Cards have been a long shot for a long time now; this a real anomaly of a season for the franchise. Thing is, this year they have players that have a dream, have heart, mad skills, (Fitzgerald) and Kurt Warner, one of my all time football heroes. Hell, this guy was once a bag boy at a grocery store, told to get a better dream by one of his customers - now he's QB'ing the Cardinals in Superbowl XLIII - that's called getting a better dream.

Warner was denied several times in his initial quest to become an NFL player, but he never let that deter him. He hung in there, proving wrong, when he was given a chance, any naysayers that had previously declined his talent. Warner was the backup quarterback for the St. Louis Rams during the 1998 regular season and the 1999 preseason until fickle Lady Luck smiled on Warner. Previous starting QB Trent Green, was injured during a preseason game leaving Warner to step up into position. Of course Warner had great support that year, RB, Marshall Faulk and wide receivers Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt, Az-Zahir Hakim, and Ricky Proehl. Former back-up Warner completed a history making season as an NFL QB by throwing for an amazing 4,353 yards, complete with 41 touchdown passes. He and his team earned the nickname, "The Greatest Show on Turf" - romping through three consecutive, 500-point seasons, creating an NFL record.

Warner's breakout season as the Rams starter was the year (1999) that brought him out from a career in anonymity; so impressive was Warner, he gained the October 18th cover of Sports Illustrated. The caption read, "Who IS this guy?". That year Warner was named NFL MVP.

Warner kept on dreaming. In Super Bowl XXXIV, he lead the Rams to victory against the Tennessee Titans. Stats for that game; Warner threw for two TD's, made a Super Bowl record of 414 passing yards, which included a 73-yard touchdown to Isaac Bruce with the game tied, only just over two minutes to play. That day Kurt Warner also set another Super Bowl record by attempting 45 passes without a single interception. Hear that Tony Romo? Not one single interception.

Warner is a guy who is smart, driven and carries those words 'get a better dream' with him in his heart. He's not a guy to give up easily, his career stands as proof. The Arizona Cardinals this year have a history making moment facing them. Out of a franchise history that began in 1898, they hold one lone NFL championship game victory dating back to 1947, while they were based in Chicago, two decades before the first Super Bowl game was ever played. In team's history, it has only qualified for the playoffs six times, won a total of five playoff games, three of those during this season's ongoing run in the 2008-09 NFL Playoffs. Talk about needing a dream.

Obviously I'm pulling for the Cardinals. I'm pulling for Warner and his dream. I'm pulling for Larry Fitzgerald, Edgerrin James. I'm pulling for this team's dream to finally hold title to Super Bowl champion and earn that big ring. I'm betting on, with Warner's history, no matter what the statistics are saying, he's going to do what he's always done. Sports Illustrated get another cover ready, but this time it won't read, "Who IS this Guy?".
"Working on a Dream" Bruce Springsteen

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