SUPER BOWL XXXIV

SUPER BOWL XXXIV

by Michael Sandler

Super Bowl COVERS_FINAL.indd 5 5/11/07 12:24:48 PM [Intentionally Left Blank] by Michael Sandler

Consultant: Norries Wilson Head Football Coach Columbia University

1411_KurtWarnerRams_PDF.indd 1 5/17/07 11:22:57 AM Credits Cover and Title Page, © Jeff Haynes/AFP/Getty Images; 4, © Tom Hauck/Getty Images; 5, © Jeff Haynes/AFP/Getty Images; 6, ©1988 The Gazette, Cedar Rapids, ; 7, ©1989 The Gazette, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; 8, © Northern Iowa/ Collegiate Images/Getty Images; 9, Courtesy of the University of Northern Iowa; 10, © AP Images/Eric Drotter; 11, Courtesy Jim Foster; 12, © Wayne Paulo/ waynepaulo.com; 13, © Jonathan Daniel/Allsport/Getty Images; 14, © AP Images/Harold Jenkins; 15, © AP Images/James A. Finley; 16, © AP Images/Tim Nordmann; 17, © REUTERS/Tami Chappell; 18, © Don Emmert/AFP/Getty Images; 19, © Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images; 20, © Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images; 21, © Tony Ranze/AFP/Getty Images; 22L, © Tony Ranze/AFP/Getty Images; 22R, © AP Images/James A. Finley; 22 Background, © AP Images/John Bazemore.

Publisher: Kenn Goin Senior Editor: Lisa Wiseman Creative Director: Spencer Brinker Design: Deborah Kaiser Photo Researcher: Jennifer Bright

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Sandler, Michael. and the St. Louis Rams : Super Bowl XXXIV / by Michael Sandler. p. cm. — (Super Bowl superstars) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN-13: 978-1-59716-539-6 (library binding) ISBN-10: 1-59716-539-5 (library binding) 1. Warner, Kurt, 1971–2. Football players—United States—Biography—Juvenile literature. 3. St. Louis Rams (Football team)—Juvenile literature. 4. Super Bowl (34th : 2000 : , Ga.)—Juvenile literature. I. Title.

GV939.W36S26 2008 796.332092—dc22 [B] 2007009749

Copyright © 2008 Bearport Publishing Company, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher.

For more information, write to Bearport Publishing Company, Inc., 101 Fifth Avenue, Suite 6R, New York, New York 10003. Printed in the United States of America.

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1411_KurtWarnerRams_PDF.indd 2 5/17/07 11:23:04 AM Super Bowl Dreams ...... 4 Playing ...... 6 Unnoticed ...... 8 ...... 10 Playing in Europe ...... 12 Getting a Chance ...... 14 Mystery Man ...... 16 Super Bowl XXXIV (34) ...... 18 Roar of the Rams ...... 20

Key Players ...... 22 Glossary ...... 23 Bibliography ...... 24 Read More ...... 24 Learn More Online ...... 24 Index ...... 24

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With two minutes left in Super Bowl XXXIV (34), St. Louis Rams fans squirmed in their seats. The team had blown a 16-point lead. Would the steal their dreams of a Super Bowl title? On the field, though, the Rams’ quarterback Kurt Warner wasn’t worried. He’d come too far to let this chance slip away. Kurt calmly dropped back in the pocket and let the ball fly.

In 2000, the St. Louis Rams (left) played the Tennessee Titans (right) in Super Bowl XXXIV (34). 4

1411_KurtWarnerRams_PDF.indd 4 5/17/07 11:23:04 AM Kurt Warner gets ready to pass the ball.

The St. Louis Rams had never won a Super Bowl.

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1411_KurtWarnerRams_PDF.indd 5 5/17/07 11:23:16 AM Kurt’s football dream began in Iowa. There, as a child, he grew to love the game. Big, strong, and athletic, he was built for the sport. When Kurt tried out for the high school team, he hoped to play . After seeing Kurt throw the ball once, the coach had another idea. This kid was going to play quarterback.

Kurt (#13) played football for Regis High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

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1411_KurtWarnerRams_PDF.indd 6 5/17/07 11:23:23 AM Kurt (#43) shoots the ball during a high school basketball game.

Kurt didn’t play only football in high school. He was also a star in basketball and baseball.

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1411_KurtWarnerRams_PDF.indd 7 5/17/07 11:23:28 AM Warner, Kurt. All Things Possible: My Story of Faith, Football, and the Miracle Season. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco (2000). Wolfe, Rich. Kurt Warner: And the Last Shall Be First. Chicago: Triumph Books (2002). St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Frisch, Aaron. St. Louis Rams: Super Bowl Champions. Mankato, MN: Creative Education (2005). Rekela, George R. Kurt Warner. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow (2003). Schaefer, A. R. Kurt Warner. Mankato, MN: Capstone (2002).

To learn more about Kurt Warner, the St. Louis Rams, and the Super Bowl, visit www.bearportpublishing.com/SuperBowlSuperstars

Amsterdam Admirals 10 Tampa Bay 12 Kearse, Jevon 18, 20 Buccaneers 16 arena football 10–11, McNair, Steve 18, 20 Tennessee Titans 4, 20 18, 20 backup 14 16 tight end 6 Bruce, Isaac 20, 22 Montana, Joe 21 training camp 12 draft 8 Most Valuable Player University of Northern Faulk, Marshall 16–17 (MVP) 17, 21 Iowa 8–9 Holt, Torry 19, 22 NFL Europe 12–13 Vermeil, Dick 14 Iowa 6, 8 playoffs 16 wide receiver 22 quarterback 4, 6, 8, 10, 14, 16, 18, 20

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1411_KurtWarnerRams_PDF.indd 24 5/17/07 11:26:26 AM [Intentionally Left Blank] SUPER BOWL XXXIV

With two minutes left in Super Bowl XXXIV (34), SUPER BOWL XXXIV St. Louis Rams fans squirmed in their seats. The team had blown a 16-point lead. On the fi eld, however, the Rams’ quarterback Kurt Warner wasn’t worried. He’d come too far to let this chance slip away. Kurt calmly dropped back in the pocket. Would he be able to lead his team to a Super Bowl victory?

Tom Brady and the and the and the SUPER BOWL XXXVIII SUPER BOWL XXXVII SUPER BOWL XL

John Elway Kurt Warner and the and the and the St. Louis Rams SUPER BOWL XXXIII SUPER BOWL XLI SUPER BOWL XXXIV

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