Weary Warner has 'Houdini' abilities from AFL
by John Hahn
January 29, 2009 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
There were some magical years in the Arena Football League. From 1995 to 2000, quarterbacks broke out of the 90 passer ratings into the 100-plus domain.
From those years emerged Mike Perez of Albany, Aaron Garcia of Arizona, Jay Gruden with Tampa Bay, Todd Hammel of Milwaukee, Sherdrick Bonner of Arizona, John Kaleo at St. Louis, Clint Dolezel with Texas, Albany's Mike Pawlawski, Andy Kelly of Nashville, Ron Lopez with San Jose/Portland, and Peter Tom Willis at Tampa Bay.
And, of course, Kurt Warner, then with the Iowa Barnstormers.
By 2000, you had to have a 100-plus passer rating or you weren't in the top 10 gunslingers in the high-scoring AFL.
In Kurt's three seasons, his passer rating grew each season. Despite starting only his senior season at Northern Iowa, Warner built his reputation on accuracy with minimal mistakes. In the first season (1995), he had 43 touchdowns to 14 interceptions with a 95.0 passer rating.
He improved to 61-15, hitting 107.5 in 1996. Then in 1998, Warner was 79-14 and 118.5, second only to Arizona's Bonner. Compare that to the highest rating ever of 133.9 of San Jose's Mark Grieb and SaberCats' quarterback 133.5 in 2004. Kurt, without a doubt, would have attained those kind of numbers had he stayed in the AFL.
But a higher power was calling for him to center stage in the National Football League. So, how do those AFL numbers compare to his NFL years. Arena numbers are going to be higher, obviously, by all the passing, but putting them into perspective, here's the deal.
This year's 96.9 rating with the Cardinals is third to 109.2 in 1999 and 101.4 in 2001. Win or lose, those are Hall of Fame numbers for someone who fell off production in a 5-year span from 2002 to 2006.
REWIND BARSTORMERS YEAR TO 1995
But rewind the tape back to 1995. His first year was least spectacular, but the Barnstormers got into the playoffs.
"There wasn't much to scout from since his (Warner) days as a Panther (Northern Iowa), so playing him in '95 was in the blind," said former Milwaukee Mustangs head coach Michael Trigg, who now is the head mentor of the af2 League's Corpus Christi (Texas) Sharks.
Milwaukee and Iowa had some classic matchups, despite John Gregory's dominance (5-1) over the Mustangs. "Kurt seemed to always make a play when the pocket broke down or the timing was busted," Trigg continued. "He was frustrating to play against because of his pocket presence and ability to shed tacklers, to get positive yards or scramble to make the plays."
Todd Hammel, in his own right, one of the top all-time AFL quarterbacks, enjoyed playing against Warner. "He could keep a play alive for six of seven seconds," remembers Hammel after 15 years in the league. "His style was to make a play sustain itself until he could find an open receiver."
Now a high school football, basketball and track coach in Coppell, Texas, Hammel said Kurt was, as well, one of the really nice guys in the game.
PLAYERS, COACHES ENJOYED WARNER OFF THE FIELD
Another player, Dave Witthun joined the Des Moines team in 1997 and became Warner's center. "That year, the linemen nicknamed Kurt âHoudini' because he had a knack to escape from pressure. "Nothing bothered him and he would step up in the pocket, reset his feet and make the throws."
Witthun, currently the player personnel director and offensive line coach for the San Jose SaberCats, also said Warner was âan old-school quarterback.' "What I meant by that is, he would bounce back up after a play - good or bad - and move on. He was tough, ready for the next play and he said nothing negative."
Warner did something that few quarterback do today, and that was taking care of those that took care of him. Witthun said Kurt would invite all the linemen over, at least twice a season, for a bar-be-que. "He would supply the food and since we didn't make much money, it was nice to have steaks and ribs."
Witthun predicts if the Cardinals offensive line gives Warner any kind of time to throw he could make Sunday miserable for the Steelers' defensive backs. "If you gave him any time to throw, he would light you up," Dave said. "His accuracy is uncanny. I still see his attitude today hasn't changed. He's the same guy, and just a pleasure to be around."
WARNER STILL THE SAME 11 YEARS LATER
What still remains with the 37-year-old Warner today from his AFL repertoire?
"Kurt is not your prototypical thrower from a mechanics point of view, he is more three-quarters delivery, but his touch is still there on the deep throws to hit the alleys on Cover 2 and gets the ball in/out on the slants, quick outs, and hitches," says Trigg. "I feel Kurt's greatest attribute as a QB is his anticipation of the play and releases the ball a step faster than the coverage when protected - I call it field vision - and the ability to make plays."
Trigg thinks - like a lot of people - Warner (win or lose Sunday) always will be the AFL's "poster boy." Because he represents so much more than just football, Trigg is thankful for his presence.
"You look at him representing his family and faith in a league where the predominant culture is promoted on scandal, firings, off-field issues and multiple negative issues (in the NFL)," said Trigg, a quarterback himself in the early days of the AFL. "Kurt is truly an American success story from the heartland of Iowa, who truly beat the odds to ascend to his sports highest pinnacle.
"When you look at what he has had to battle in his career, particularly after winning the MVP's and Super Bowl (XXXVI), it is fitting tribute to keeping class and patience for the moment that is now - all without anything but praising the Lord and being thankful.
"It makes me wonder why the NFL has not rallied around Kurt Warner for all the right reasons," Trigg continued. "You show your kids the story of Kurt and Brenda Warner and his persistent journey to greatness from real humble beginnings and he is a guy that I can be proud to see my sons wearing his jersey because of all Kurtis Eugene Warner embodies: all the qualities that I hope my young men aspire to be as men."
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