Martz: Warner's Remarks Off The Wall

Martz says Warner's remarks are 'off the wall'
By Kathleen Nelson
Post-Dispatch
02/04/2004


A report from the Baptist Press web site says Rams quarterback Kurt Warner links his faith to the loss of his starting job.
(Chris Lee/P-D)

Remarks by Kurt Warner at a speech in Houston have stirred the embers and heated up the Rams quarterback situation again.

A story on the Web site www.baptistpress.com quotes Warner as saying Sunday that coaches thought his faith had a negative effect on his performance.

"I actually had (Rams) coaches say I was reading the Bible too much and it was taking away from my play," Warner was quoted as saying. "It was OK when we were winning, but now I was (messing) this thing up? People were saying I had lost my job because of my faith."

Coach Mike Martz learned of Warner's comments Wednesday and was taken aback.

"That's so far off the wall, it's incomprehensible," Martz said when reached out of town. "I can't imagine Kurt saying that. Nothing could be further from the truth. If he said that, it's a bald-faced lie. I'm just tired of dealing with this type of behavior."

Warner's comment Sunday at a speaking engagement in Houston appears to be more specific than statements he made in recent interviews with James Brown of Sporting News Radio and on KFNS Radio. In each, he said "off-the-field stuff" had been a factor in his benching after the season opener, a 23-13 loss to the Giants in which Warner fumbled six times. Marc Bulger replaced Warner for the remainder of the season, in which the Rams finished 12-4 and first in the NFC West but lost to the Carolina Panthers in the playoffs.

Warner was unavailable to comment Wednesday. His agent, Mark Bartelstein, said Warner's remark Sunday "is taken totally out of context. He went down to make a speech in Houston about staying strong in your faith. His message was about staying true to yourself in good times and bad. Things were taken out of context. People there said the speech was very positive."

Other quotes from Warner on the Web site that back Bartelstein's assertion include the following:

"You want to say, 'God, how could You allow this to happen?' I thought I was over the fact of being a backup. It was such a shock, but God has allowed me to use this greater platform for Him."

"If you can stand up for your faith when you're on top, you can stand up for it now that you're at the bottom."

Yet his comment about Rams coaches sticks out like a sore thumb to some observers, who think that Warner's interviews are part of a plan to be traded. Think again, Martz said.

"We're not trading him," Martz said Wednesday. "I can't foresee any circumstance where we would trade Kurt Warner, and he needs to understand that."

Bartelstein indicated that Warner had no such subversive plan.

"Kurt loves the coaches and players and has great respect for them," Bartelstein said. "Look how he handled the situation all season. Look at his support for Marc and how he kept things positive."

Asked who would be his starting quarterback, Martz said, "I haven't made a decision on that."

Some observers might take exception to Warner's comment because the Rams have been open to Bible study. Walt Enoch, who works with the Rams through the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, said that the Rams offer separate Bible study groups for players, couples, wives and coaches and that he and Martz have held one-on-one Bible study sessions.

Enoch said he not heard any negative comments about Bible study from anyone at Rams Park.

[HaVoC]

Warner is just trying to hide that fact that he stunk it up
Seriously Martz needs to get his head out of you know where, and go back to being the team janitor.

Warner needs to be traded to Arizona

[DragnSlayrF31]

That article tops my list of "Weirdest Reads Found". Somebody has issues.

[skinny]

This guy is fast turning into a locker room cancer.

He must've sinned somewhere along the line. God wouldn't let nice people be held prisoner by Mike Martz.

What does Brenda think about this?

[RRodkey]

Good to see that other teams are now turning into a "soap opera". The Bucs sure went through it last season.

I just heard the audio on ESPNews. He really didn't say much of anything. I don't like Kurt Warner. Or Mark Buger. Or the Rams. And I REALLY don't like Mike Martz. But this is going to become one of those "things", and it really shouldn't be. If Warren Sapp gets a wink and a "that's our Warren!" from the media for calling the commish a slavemaster, then I really don't think this should become front page news.

[X_MX85]

Originally posted by Leeroy
I REALLY don't like Mike Martz.

Agreed!

[RRodkey]

Originally posted by Leeroy
And I REALLY don't like Mike Martz.

I don't like him either.

[X_MX85]

Originally posted by RRodkey
I don't like him either.

Agreed!

[bigred28]

Warner is just reading the speech that Brenda wrote for him

[BabyBuc]

Originally posted by bigred28
Warner is just reading the speech that Brenda wrote for him

That's against the Bible. The women is supposed to submit to male authority.

[randombuc]

I really don't care about the Lambs. Martz is a fruitcup and Warner is a puddinhead!

[bigred28]

Originally posted by BabyBuc
That's against the Bible. The women is supposed to submit to male authority.

They're not going against the Bible. They're following it to a T

[BabyBuc]

Originally posted by bigred28
They're not going against the Bible. They're following it to a T

Even if she's the boss and writing the scripts?

ESPN played an audio clip of warners response and he said he didn't say it like that. Although he was having a lot of trouble trying to say what he had actually said, and it ended up sounding a bit like what the article said.

I think MR. IR Concussion said it and then forgot about it right away.

Oh yeah, Martz is an idiot. (I haven't said that in a while.)

[bigred28]

Originally posted by BabyBuc
Even if she's the boss and writing the scripts?

you said the woman is suppose to submit to male authority, and that's exanct what is happening...



^ male authority

Maybe Martz and Warner disagreed on the nature of the Holy Trinity or transubstantiation.

[Bucfiend]

I just dont want Kurt ever starting again. Everytime he makes a decent play they show his wife in the stands and I have nightmares.

I'd like to see Mother Angelica put her in her place. She'd shut Brenda up in a hurry!!!


Mother Angelica

What does Brenda say about all of this?

[RamsBucs]

You folks are so hard on Kurt and my Rams!!!

This is just funny. "The coach told me to put my Bible down and study the playbook!" WAHHHHHHH!!!!!

[MCKA]

What'll be even funnier is that Bulger was the Pro Bowl MVP with four TD passes...wonder what boy genius (Martz) will do now about the QB situation.

[BugAhaBuc]

I think Warner needs to stay with the Rams.
That would be a very good thing.
My hope is that Warner really is a cancer and the organization dies!!!!
ooooooh, how I despise that team and especially Martz.

WAKE UP, Martz is not a genius! Hmmmm who was the head coach when the won the Super Bowl? Wasn't him!!! He was riding on the coat tails of Vermille.

Just like that Horse toothed Shanahan....how bright is he?
How well has that loser done without Ellway? He hasn't.
ANOTHER coat tail clinger!!!

OK, I digress...I think my blood sugar is getting low I need to go have lunch.