Warner - Is a Hall of Famer, like it or not
Let me say this: I am not a Warner fan. I'm not a Rams fan. I'm not a Cardinals fan. I also don't care that he started in the Arena league, or that he was a D-II qb...
but what sticks out for me... he took the Rams (yes, the LA/St. Louis Rams that were 0-1 prior to his tenure) to the Super Bowl. And won.
He took the Cardinals (yes, the St. Louis/Phoenix/Arizona) team that was the laughing stock of the NFL before the Lions took over that slot.... to the Super Bowl.
Neither team(s) had dominant defenses... none had a dominant RB...
He deserves it... like it or not
January 30th, 2010 at 12:29 AM ^
He can stock the shelves and mop the floors in Canton so it's ready for Tom Brady's arrival.
January 30th, 2010 at 10:55 AM ^
Kurt is probably going into the HOF. Brady is too. The thing that makes Warner so endearing to people is the fact the he was out of football, he was in the Arena League, he was a normalish guy with seemingly no chance. The truth of the matter is that he was a man with unbelievably high ability that needed to be honed or discovered, or whatever.
He is an everyman. He is going into the hall, and he will be remembered very very fondly for decades to come.
January 30th, 2010 at 12:37 AM ^
Kurt Warner is a HOF'er and the OP summed it up well. In addition I believe he holds several post season passing records.
January 30th, 2010 at 12:46 AM ^
1. He deserves it for all of the on the field reasons already cited.
2. He is a great story; HoF voters love great stories.
3. He was/is a nice guy to the press. When you are nice to them, they are nice to you, and they give you a better image than any PR firm ever could.
4. No police blotter.
5. Reference to God in retirement speech indicates humility, which is another great quality to impress HoF voters.
January 30th, 2010 at 12:49 AM ^
I live in St. Louis now, and he was still sponsoring/organizing winter coat drives at the games here when Arizona would come to play.
January 30th, 2010 at 12:53 AM ^
I'd say he is a borderline HOF inductee. His stats are similar to Troy Aikman, but Aikman won three super bowls. Personally, I believe with the NFL becoming much more of a passing league in the past ten years, Warner's numbers are inflated compared to past HOF QBs and he is not quite "legendary" enough to be inducted.
The only HOF QBs currently in the NFL IMO are Brady and Manning(and Favre if he comes back). If Brees is able to win a couple of Super Bowls before retirement, he has an small chance also.
January 30th, 2010 at 1:10 AM ^
He's close, but I don't think you could justify putting him in and not putting in Steve McNair who had similar passing stats while also rushing for over 3500 yards and 37 touchdowns.
January 30th, 2010 at 10:47 AM ^
I never saw McNair as that good. Don't get me wrong, I know he was good, but I never once watched a game where he really impressed me, other than with his toughness and grit. Warner on the other hand, he threw passes that were so damn accurate you would marvel at them. I've never see a more accurate passer, especially at hitting guys in stride over the middle.
January 30th, 2010 at 1:14 AM ^
A. Guy gets over with the media (er...voters)
B. Superbowl win (in St. Louis for heaven's sake)
C. God
D. Guy actually won some games in Arizona (with Bill Bidwell involved)
As an aside, Steve McNair's O Superbowls keep him out to my mind. Tragic his more recent passing, imho.
January 30th, 2010 at 2:15 AM ^
McNair took the Titans/Oilers to the only Super Bowl in franchise history and was one foot from taking that game to overtime. I don't think winning a Super Bowl should be a requirement for a quarterback to make the Hall of Fame.
January 30th, 2010 at 10:53 AM ^
Yeah a superbowl victory is not a requirement, otherwise Marino wouldn't be in the HOF despite all his records. I think it's possible both will make it in at some point, but Mcnair will have to wait longer than Warner.
January 30th, 2010 at 1:28 AM ^
He is defenitly a hall of fame QB 2 time NFL MVP and has the 3rd best qb rating in history and 2nd best qb rating in the playoffs
January 30th, 2010 at 1:45 AM ^
Not that I disagree with you, I do think Warner should be in the HOF, but Marshall Faulk was a darn good running back. The guy was a threat running it or catching it.
January 30th, 2010 at 2:52 AM ^
What is "not to like" about Warner??
January 30th, 2010 at 11:13 AM ^
His wife.
January 30th, 2010 at 2:34 PM ^
You mean his wife who's a recovered cancer patient? This wife?
http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/uponsun/2009/01/brenda_warner_is_looki…
Yeah, she's a real dog. I bet you could do way better, right?
January 30th, 2010 at 6:42 PM ^
Damn dude. Not talking about her looks, didn't even know what she looked like (from your profile pic, I'm guessing that's your only concern). And I had no idea she was a cancer patient. I was talking more about stuff like this. Kind of thought she was in a league with Doug Christie's wife.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=1626574
I'm very happy with my wife, fuck you very much. Sorry I talked shit about your family.
January 30th, 2010 at 8:08 AM ^
In addition to him taking two 'laughing stock' teams to the Super Bowl, he also has more +300 yard games then all quarterbacks but Dan Marino. He has been the Super bowl MVP, the League MVP, he has tremendous stats that eclipses like 90% of the stats of all other qb's...what exactly has he done or not done to be kept out?
January 30th, 2010 at 8:12 AM ^
I didn't know this was even a question. Of course he's going to be a Hall of Famer.
And for whoever said that it's a passing league now so numbers are inflated, it's a passing league in part BECAUSE of Kurt Warner and the success he had in St. Louis. They were the Greatest Show on Turf before that team went downhill, and then the title jumped over a couple states to Indianapolis, IN.
There are probably more than two Hall of Famers in the NFL right now. Winning is the ultimate "decider" (thanks, Dubya!) of who gets into the HOF from the quarterback position, so Ben Roethlisberger has a good chance and, as much as I hate him, I wouldn't be surprised to see Eli Manning in the HOF someday. If Drew Brees keeps up this pace for a few more years, he'll probably make it, whether he wins a Super Bowl or not.
Plus Chad Henne. Duh!
January 30th, 2010 at 9:47 AM ^
I agree that he should be in, as my OP said. However, it'swas debated by a local sportscaster here in Chicago as "Is he worthy" ... they had a whole piece on his chances on ESPN last night. So, it's obviously debatable. Seems that it will be a short debate though
January 30th, 2010 at 2:58 PM ^
Yessir. I think people would be shocked by just how mediocre guys like Terry Bradshaw were... winning is often the biggest factor to voters.
January 30th, 2010 at 9:23 AM ^
The NFL needs a lot more Kurt Warners and a lot fewer Michael Vicks...
Like it or not, sports stars become role models far too often in our society than they should. It's great to see one of the genuine "good guys" do well.
I think it will be a good thing to have him in the HOF.
January 30th, 2010 at 9:44 AM ^
Great analysis.
January 30th, 2010 at 9:38 AM ^
If Warren Moon is in the Hall of Fame, then certainly Kurt Warner deserves to be in Canton.
They are similar in many ways:
Moon entered the NFL after a stint in the CFL. Warner spent time in the Arena League.
Their stats are comparable. Moon edges Warner out in many career accomplishments, but Warner wasn't given a real shot as a starter until '99. Their career passer ratings are close, with Warner beating out Moon by 13 points.
But here is where they differ:
Warner won the Rams a ring in his first year as starter. After that, he took a previously bedraggled Cards team to the Big Game. 2 appearances, 1 win for Warner. 0 appearances, 0 wins for Moon. (And let's not be naive here - Super Bowls count in the Hall of Fame debate).
In short, if the NFL Hall of Fame wants to stay consistent, they will induct Warner.
Each time they induct a player, they are setting a precedent. If Moon made it and Warner was left out, it would undermine the overall integrity of the Hall.
*Steps off his soapbox*
January 30th, 2010 at 9:51 AM ^
"Their career passer ratings are close, with Warner beating out Moon by 13 points."
If these were grades where 90-100 is an A, 80-89 is a B, etc., consider the above quote. Thirteen points is the difference between an A+ and a B, or a B- and a D+. It's not that close.
January 30th, 2010 at 12:50 PM ^
Warner went to 3 Super Bowls. You're forgetting about his loss to the Pats.
January 30th, 2010 at 10:13 AM ^
I'm surprised that there is even a debate whether he makes it in or not. Not only does he have the stats but he has the awards and Super Bowl success as well.
But more importantly, I just wish he had helped me out a little bit more this year in Fantasy Football.
January 30th, 2010 at 11:00 AM ^
True he only had 6 or 7 good seasons, but so did Steve Young since he was backing up Montana....although Young were consecutive 7 years and Warner had a few miserable years in between....he was able to change the culture of 2 loosing franchises & make them NFL's elite.
I almost feel like they should have a special rule for the first QB to take the Lions to the Super Bowl gets an automatic invitation the HOF, lol.
January 30th, 2010 at 12:39 PM ^
Personally, I like the guy, as he is someone kids can look up to in this day and age of knucklehead sports stars. He has a wonderful story, and the guy could play. If I had a vote, he would get it.
January 30th, 2010 at 12:42 PM ^
Arguing that Warner doesn't belong in the hall is a bit like arguing Denard Robinson "isn't that fast"
January 30th, 2010 at 1:15 PM ^
Nice obligatory Michigan football reference.
Now it ALL makes so much more sense!
January 30th, 2010 at 1:57 PM ^
Warner absolutely belongs in the Hall of Fame. Great career, class act. I wish guys like Warner were more celebrated.
January 30th, 2010 at 2:11 PM ^
Of course Warner is a hall of famer. I've never seen anyone with any credibility dispute this. While he didn't have the lengthiest career, he had some of the most statistically dominant seasons of all time, played in three Super Bowls, and won one. This is not even a question.
I'm going to start a thread called "Pedro Martinez is a hall-of-famer, like it or not." Pedro's hall credentials are about as debatable as Warner's.