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LOOKING BACK TO THE SUPERBOWL & FORWARD TO 2000
BY 316 (Feb 6)

St. Louis Rams quarterback Kurt Warner  is brought down by Tennessee Titans defensive end Jevon Kearse during first half Super Bowl action Sunday. Kearse was called for a facemask penalty. (Ray Stubblebine/Reuters)

1. JEVON KEARSE. Kearse is a marvelous talent with a non-stop motor. But, based on his comments the last few weeks---and his clearly growing ego---he's still very, very emotionally immature.

Leon Searcy  of Jacksonville battered Kearse in the AFC Championship game---a lot of it one-on-one. Searcy physically beat the stuffing out of Kearse---who was a non-factor in that game, despite the Titans' big win.

I have yet to re-watch the Super Bowl game, but I seem to remember a series of replays run by ABC in which they showed Miller punishing Kearse, everytime he tried to take an inside gap, And then staying with him, step for step, on his outside rushes. It's ironic that Kearse's one big push of the game---on the game-winning TD pass from Warner to Bruce, in which he bull-rushed Miller and got to Warner on his release---may have actually aided the Rams. It played a role in the underthrow, allowing Ike to adjust his route and then break it off.

Of course, noted Ram-basher Dan Pompei on The Sporting News site came up with a new theory on the day after the game. While admitting Miller handled Kearse very cleanly for the vast majority of the Super Bowl ... Pompei claimed Kearse had been battling a shoulder problem for the last few weeks which limited his ability to get upfield. Just for good measure---as if that wasn't enough---Pompei threw in the "fact" that Kearse was becoming fatigued over the long, long NFL season.

I personally found both reasons unconvincing. I mean ...how many players on that field Sunday were sporting some limiting injury? These guys have been playing football since late July. Most of 'em are beat to shreds.

Kurt Warner's high school football coach was at our house last night, showing us pictures of his (and his wife's) week in Atlanta for the Super Bowl. There were several shots of him (and his wife) with Kurt Warner, who looked shockingly pale, gaunt and fatigured. You can only imagine what the guys in the "pit" were looking and feeling like this week.

Kearse still has a long way to go...and Fred Miller showed him just how far that is.

2. ISAAC BRUCE. First and foremost, it seems, Isaac Bruce remains a *very* introverted, proud (some might use other adjectives), stubborn and yet very driven individual. He's also an amazingly gifted athlete, receiver---and seems genuinely dedicated to his faith. There are times he's clearly the much-talked-about riddle, inside in a mystery, wrapped in an enigma.

Usually, Ike seems to want to keep the press at arm's length - but also obviously craves their attention. Their praise. That doesn't make Isaac Bruce a lot different from most professional athletes, though. I personally saw two post-game, lockerroom interviews with Bruce in the moments following the Super Bowl win in which he was as animated as I've ever seen him in that setting. He was clearly on a natural high. I didn't see an ounce of pouting or preening. He was *very* happy in the minutes and hours following the triumph.

That said, I thought Ike's comments in Sports Illustrated after the Vikings game---in which he called himself the best receiver in football---fell flat against Tampa. I kept thinking about those comments when he bobbled---and dropped---what should have been a TD on the Rams' second offensive possesion against the Bucs. I kept thinking: "Fairly tough catch---but the best receiver in football makes it."

Then, just a week later, he comes back in the biggest game in Rams history---and there he does, indeed, play like the best receiver in the game. I'm greatful for his marvelous efforts on Superbowl Sunday---as well as with all the Rams who contributed to this moment we've all enjoyed so much.

Another issue--- Bruce's relationship with Warner---has been one I've been wondering about all season. From what I understand, though, the two---Bruce and Warner---have grown much closer in the past three/four months, thanks to the Bible study classes that take place in Warner's home. As Warner himself said (and I paraphrase), Isaac Bruce is hard to get to know. But once you earn his trust, he's as good a friend as their is.

Warner's and Bruce's reaction on the platform after the Superbowl win made it clear to me that there's now some very real affection between the two. When Warner took the mike and gave glory to the Lord after the win, Bruce stepped to the forefront, nodded his head in agreement and applauded aggressively. My guess---and that's all it is---is that Kurt Warner's play ... and faith ... have 'won Isaac Bruce over.' No problems there---despite some of the backhanded compliments Bruce gave Warner in the season's opening weeks.

There is an interesting subplot to the Warner/Bruce story. Mike Martz said that the night Green was injured against San Diego in pre-season, that it was Bruce who came to him (Martz) and said he was against the Rams trying to bring in another QB to take up the slack after Green's injury. The quote, as I remember it, was: "We're going to be all right with Kurt." When Martz smiled and kind of half-heartedly said he agreed, Bruce kind of grabbed his shoulder and said: "No! I mean it. We're going to be all right with Kurt." Good story.

Finally ... I don't think there's much doubt the problems between Dick Vermeil and Isaac Bruce have never really been solved. It seems like Vermeil did his best to come more than halfway...but Bruce still seems consumed by the "so-called superstar" comments made during their first year together in 1997. Bruce, it seems, never completely forgave Dick Vermeil for making those comments--despite his public pronouncements that he had. To Vermeil's credit, he seemed to understand that he did all he could to right that wrong ... but that, sometimes, wrongs can't be righted with just one person making the effort. To his credit, Vermeil seemed to chalk it up to "that's just Ike," and moved on.

On the other hand, the Rams are now being run by the guy to whom Isaac seems to have an undying allegiance---Mike Martz. In one of the post-game interviews I saw Bruce do, he talked about telling people in pre-season that Mike Martz was the kind of guy who didn't want the opposition to be able to breath during the course of a game. As he said it, you could see on Ike's face the admiration---dare I say love?---he has for Mike Martz.

Thinking about a happy, contended Isaac Bruce, playing  along side the emerging star, Torry Holt, with an explosive Az Hakim in three receiver sets (and 'Catch' Proehl in four wide)...well...the league's problems may have only just started.

3. TRENT GREEN. As Bernie Miklasz said in th the Feb 6th Post-Dispatch, the elevation of Mike Martz to head coach makes it very likely Trent Green remains a Ram through the 2000 season. As Bernie notes, it's probably not lost on Martz that having two exceptional QBs *always* beats having just one. It's obvious the Bucs and Titans' gameplans involved trying to beat up Kurt Warner. The guy is truly a warrior in every sense of the word. But, he ain't bullet-proof. Martz is aware of that more than anyone else.

Moreover, it's likely the offers the Rams are going to get this off-season for Trent Green will not be all that great. The facts are, he's coming off a serious knee injury. I highly doubt any team is going to give up a high No. 1 for him - today. The Steelers? It's more likely they'd give up their two *and* a conditional draft pick or two down the line ... based on Green's performance and playing time.

On the one hand, if the Steelers actually offered the No. 8 overall pick, it seems the Rams would have to give it strong consideration. My guess, though, is that the Steelers won't do that. There's too much potential for the deal to go bad on them. But on the other hand, anything short of a high No. 1 - which they're unlikely to get at this point - and the Rams are best served to say ... "thanks but, no thanks."

Added to the equasion is that Green isn't the *only* QB out there for consideration this off-season. I personally think Trent Dilfer is very limited ... but I'm sure he'd be tempting to a lot of teams. He has had some fairly impressive miles under his belt, and remains fairly young (he turns 28 in March). The combination is tempting, especially in a league that prides itself on finding 'overlooked diamonds-in-the-rough.'

But Dilfer's not alone. Jeff George or Randall Cunningham have probably played their last game as a member of the Minnesota Vikings. George would seem to have the chance to garner most interest. Cunningham's age, high salary and poor '99 season would seem to make him a high risk.

There are others - whatever-happened-to guys, like Rick Mirer and Scott Mitchell. Or the bordering on franchise-or-failure types, like Jeff Blake and Gus Frerotte. Or, interesting mid-range prospects, like Jim Miller. Or older, take-a-chance guys, like Neil O'Donnell ... maybe Doug Flutie ... maybe even Jeff Hostetler. Of course, there's another group of older, former superstars who can pretty much call their destinations---like Steve Young (maybe bound for Denver or Seattle) or the unfortunately far-past-his-prime Dan Marino (who, it's rumored, may have some interest in San Diego).

I mean ... if Kerry Collins can get $16 mill from the Giants last off-season ... then there's certainly a market for all these guys. Green isn't the only dancer on the floor right now. There may be other less-risky, less-expensive options for teams seeking help at QB.

4. KURT WARNER. How much better can he be?

Kurt Warner has literally spent less than a year in Mike Martz's offensive system. When Trent Green was injured, he had been with Martz for about a two and a half years. When Warner stepped in, he had been through a handful of minicamps learning the system, and a couple of weeks of training camp. Knowing Warner's dedication to his profession, his desire to improve ... we can only speculate about what he may be able to do in terms of PERFORMANCE after two or three mini-camps as the No. 1 guy ... not to mention a full pre-season in that role.

Like the rest of this team ... Kurt Warner is only NOW beginning to get a feel for what he can do as a part of this team. Another year together, and there's no telling what may be accomplished.

I'm not suggesting that Warner will ever again approach the 40 touchdown mark in a season. (The 4,000 yard barrier and 60-65% completion rate, though, seem well within reach every year.)

But that doesn't mean he won't be a better QB after another year of studying tape, taking the No.1 snaps. Getting more comfortable making his reads. Having a better understanding of his strengths, as well as that of his line and of his talented receiving corps. A tighter grip on his mechanics (Dick Vermeil *is* right - Warner's mechanics got a little soft at the end of the year). A better grasp on Mike Martz' offensive philosophy. You name it.

In other words, Kurt Warner *can * get better though his stats may not reflect it across the board in 2000.

Had an interesting conversation on Thursday with Warner's former high school coach. He had just gotten back from the Super Bowl---as guest of 'sportshuddle.com'---and we were talking about the game. I mentioned that one of the most disappointing aspects to the entire game was when Warner overthrew Prohel in the back of the end zone at the end of the first half. Warner opened up his left hip and kind of flipped the ball sidearm, almost, and it fluttered beyond Proehl's reach in the back of the end zone. Had Kurt actually stepped into the throw, raised the angle of his throwing arm, Prohel would have walked under the TD throw at the flag.

Anyway, Gaylord (Warner's high school coach) told me that he's had a problem with that since he was a sophomore in high school. Sometimes, when he gets tired, his delivery slides down. It had a lot to do with all the knockdowns he had this year---at least four or five against Tennessee. It's easily correctable. And, with a perfectionist like Mike Martz around, it's something Kurt Warner *will* improve on.

The bottom line is...with the second toughest schedule in the league, the Rams may not rack up 500 something odd points next year. Kurt Warner may not throw for 40 TDs last year. Marshall Faulk may not gain 2,400 odd yards from scrimmage next year, the Rams may not win 13 regular season games next year.

But ... they may actually be a *BETTER*---a tougher, more focused, more precise team.

Scary thought, eh?