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All About Brad!
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Registered: Jun 2003
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Location: Freezing in Colorado
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Brand new quarterback of the New York Giants, Kurt Warner, has practiced only one day with the team, but he can't he happier. Warner joined host Rich Eisen via Giants cam on NFL Total Access to talk about the tremendous upside of the Giants and his working relationship with Eli Manning. NFL Total Access airs Monday through Friday at 7 p.m. ET/PT (aired June 3, 2004).
Rich Eisen: The two-time MVP synonymous with the St. Louis Rams is now a New York Giant. Kurt Warner, the first MVP on the Giants roster since Lawrence Taylor was there, joins us right now on Giants cam. How you doing Kurt?
Kurt Warner: I'm doing great Rich. Thanks for having me on.
Eisen: It's our pleasure. There's been a media whirlwind in New York City since you've gotten there. What a day you've had, huh Kurt? You practiced and now you're meeting with everybody.
Warner: Exactly. Spending a little bit of time meeting and learning a new language with Giants offense and then been talking for the last couple hours with the New York media. I heard all about it but I don't think anybody could have predicted what it was all about. So I'm getting my first taste of it.
Eisen: When did you arrive in New York on Thursday, or did you get in Wednesday night?
Warner: I got in late (June 2) and got a chance to meet with the coaches for a second and then came back in this morning, got a little workout in and then I was off to do the media thing.
Eisen: Now the word over the last few weeks of speculation was that you would make this move. The word was that you and your agent felt it was the best fit. Why do you think this is the best fit, Kurt?
Warner: I think there were a lot of factors in regards to my family, the situation that they have with this team. I think one of the big factors was the fact that we felt that this team had all the pieces in place to be very successful. It wasn't a situation where we would be coming in and we might not be able to be successful for a couple years, that they were young and weren't quite at that place. We feel the New York Giants are definitely in a position to win, and to win very quickly. And when I met with the coaches and heard about the organization, met the owners and understood what they were all about, and what they were trying to accomplish here, that they wanted to accomplish it very quickly. It just went in with all the other factors, talking with my family and praying about it -- that this was really the best fit for me and for my family. So it was great that door opened up and everything worked out.
Eisen: Obviously you would know that they've pretty much sold the farm, in a way, short term, to go ahead and get Eli Manning. So how does that fit into your plan to play?
Warner: I think everybody understands that this will be Eli Manning's team of the future and for a long time, and that he will be very successful and a very good player. I think the question right now is when does that future begin, and right now I'm here to play and to do everything I can to help the New York Giants win right now, and then we'll just take it one day at a time. I'm here to compete. I want to get back on the field, I want to play, but I also know that this eventually is going to be Eli Manning's team as soon as he's ready to do the things that the Giants need him to do and want him to do and so I can't really speak on the long term and the whole future of this thing. I'm just worried about right now. I want to get back on the field, I want to play, I want to have success, I want to help the Giants win a championship and that's my goal, and then we'll take the subsequent years and the future when that comes. But right now that's my only goal. That's my only focus and we'll see what transpires.
Eisen: Have you spoken to Eli Manning yet?
Warner: Yeah. We were obviously on the field together. We had a chance to get to know each other, sat in a couple meetings, talked with him a little bit. He's a great young man -- very talented young man, very smart young man and no question he's going to be a tremendous quarterback. So it was great to talk to him. I only know him a little bit, but I got a great indication, great first impression and I look forward to working with him.
Eisen: How does that conversation go though, Kurt? Did you guys at all discuss the situation or were you just talking football?
Warner: Basically just talking football. And we both understand the Giants want to put the best player on the field, and I'm sure Eli knows that he is the guy for the future and that the thing that this affords the team and affords him is that he doesn't have to get thrown in before he's ready, that he can continue to grow and learn and when he gets ready, however soon that is or however long that takes, that he knows when he gets in he's going to be successful. And so I don't think there's really an issue. We're going to work well together in whatever capacity, that I look forward to our friendship growing and I look forward to working with him and I look forward to teaching him whatever it is that I can teach him based on my experience. Yeah, I'm sure he looks at it the same way and we're going to push forward, and this is going to be a very positive situation for both of us.
Eisen: Kurt, do you think that the fact that the Giants, a team that had you in for a physical, stepped up so quickly to sign you, perhaps quiets a lot of people out there that believe you can't even hold a football anymore and throw it?
Warner: I hope it does, but who knows. Everybody has their own theories and speculations. I hope that the Giants, just in the one workout that we had, realize that I can still throw the football, I can still play at a high level, that I don't have hand problems, I don't have any physical problems, that I can still do those things. And I think that was a great indication and it was very positive from my standpoint to know that they were willing to step up to the plate and felt that way about me and didn't hold any reservations to different media outlets and what different people have said. They went on what they saw the last time that I played, the last couple of times that I've played, and know that I haven't been injured since then and that I can still play this game at a very high level.
Eisen: Kurt, over the last few weeks, since there was word that you probably weren't going to return to St. Louis, one of the biggest discussions among football fans is what went wrong with Kurt Warner in St. Louis? What happened in St. Louis? What would you say about that?
Warner: I don't know if I have a definitive answer on that. Obviously the injuries played a part and that opened the door for Marc to come in, and Marc to play at an extremely high level and I think those were probably the main factors that led the Rams to decide what they wanted to do for the future. And their future was with Marc Bulger and making him their quarterback, and it wasn't Kurt Warner. So that was the biggest factor, as far as anything else. There's a lot of speculation and a lot of things being said, but I can't speak on a lot of that. I know that we had great years there, great times there, that I will look back on that very fondly of everything I was given and all the opportunities I was given in St. Louis, and I'm very grateful for all of that stuff. But right now I'm looking forward to winning another championship here with the New York Giants, getting back on the field, establishing myself again and taking advantage of this challenge and this opportunity.
Eisen: Are you surprised at how suddenly it came to a conclusion, because I know that you were on the set with us at the Super Bowl and you basically said that in your heart of hearts that you would be back with the Rams. Are you surprised that you're sitting here on Giants cam with us right now?
Warner: Yeah, I suppose there is a little bit of a surprise, but I think over the last couple of months it became inevitable that this was going to happen. And so, back at the Super Bowl, I just looked at the situation and probably what I wanted to happen. I was weighing my thoughts and feelings on that and at the last couple of months and the way things transpired, things that were said. Yeah, I knew that I wouldn't be there and so it seemed to be a long time coming because once you know that that's the scenario, you can't wait for the new opportunity and new challenge wherever you're going to go. So it seems like it's been a long time since I knew this was going to happen and to really get in a position where I could make the next choice, make the next move, and really establish myself again.
Eisen: Well, you have some weapons on your team now. You've got Tiki Barber, Ike Hilliard, Amani Toomer, who is setting records there in New York City. You've got to be excited throwing around on the practice field, seeing that.
Warner: No question. That was a huge factor when I was contemplating coming here with the Giants is that they have a lot of weapons. They've had a solid defense for years. They've got four weapons that stand out offensively that make this thing potent, that gives another team matchup problems in every given situation, so it was exciting to be out there and it was fun to watch those guys this morning and to throw those guys a little bit. I think they've got a long way to go as far as learning the offense and really playing the way they're capable of playing, so that makes it even more exciting. You see them at a level when they're thinking but,not at 100 percent. When they can get everything down and just play football, it's going to be an exciting team and we're going to be able to do some things.
Eisen: And now you don't have to dodge Michael Strahan anymore.
Warner: (laughing) Exactly. He's hit me enough. So now I got my red jersey on whenever he's around so I kind of like that.
Eisen: That's good. Well, congratulations on getting a new home so quickly, Kurt.
Warner: Thanks a lot, Rich I appreciate it.
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:::>^..^<::: ~*~The Journey is more important than the end or the start~*~ :::>^..^<::: |
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06-14-2004 08:30 PM
