Merril Hoge calls Kurt Warner "uneducated and irresponsible"

A day after former NFL player Amani Toomer said Kurt Warner was trashing the game of football for saying he wouldn’t want his kids playing the sport, ESPN analyst Merril Hoge decided to pile on Warner for the statement. Never mind that Warner backed off the comments.

Hoge has been outspoken on the issue of concussions and head injuries after his career was cut short and he successfully sued the Chicago Bears for the way he was treated for the concussions. Hoge took umbrage to Warner’s comments since the concussion issue has created a firestorm of controversy when it comes to parents letting their kids play football. Hoge called Warner’s comments “uneducated and irresponsible”.

“I think it’s irresponsible and unacceptable,” Hoge said of Warner suggesting that football is a dangerous game for children. “He has thrown the game that has been so good to him under the bus. He sounds extremely uneducated.”

“Head trauma is not the issue here — it’s how head trauma is treated,” Hoge said. “The game is safer than it has ever been because we’re being proactive with head trauma. That is the biggest issue.”


“I can’t believe that he would share that message because now moms and dads that are out there, and Billy wants to play, but they are uneducated and they are unsure, and they love Kurt Warner, they’re like, ‘He doesn’t want his kids to play? Why should I let my kids play?’”


I guess what Warner should’ve said was that the game of football was good to me but the league should be taking better care of their players. We make the league a lot of money and we deserve to be treated better, because at the rate players are getting head injuries there won’t be an NFL.

I wouldn’t call Warner irresponsible and uneducated, he just had a bad choice of words. He probably would tell his kids the risk of long term injury if they decide to partake in the sport of football.

Kurt Warner says Gregg Williams deserves a second chance

The NFL is a league of second chances. Ask Pacman Jones and Michael Vick about the chances they’ve had to redeem themselves in the eyes of the league. Kurt Warner is also a forgiving man. That has to do more with his religious background. I know anyone that put a hit out on me would never be forgiven.

Warner believes former New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator, Gregg Williams, should be given a second chance to be on an NFL sideline. Warner was named specifically in the NFL investigation into the bounty program Williams was running while he was defensive coordinator of the New Orleans Saints.

 “All this talk about Gregg Williams receiving a “LIFETIME” ban from NFL,” Warner wrote on Twitter. “I disagree, we all deserve a 2nd chance!”


A fan responded to Warner’s tweet by pointing out that Williams already got a second chance when the NFL first warned the Saints that bounties would not be tolerated, and that Williams ignored the warning and continued the bounties. But Warner says the NFL should continue its long tradition of giving people the opportunity to redeem themselves.


“Guys that have gone 2 prison? Failed multiple drug test? Taped practices? All got 2nd chance!” Warner wrote.


Warner is the type to let bygones be bygones and just let it go. But Williams and the Saints had been warned before and he failed to heed the leagues warning. And with the recent video about putting specific San Francisco 49er players on the shelf, doesn’t help his cause to get another chance.

Kurt Warner Lobbies For Randy Moss To Think About Arizona

No one really believes that Randy Moss is retired. It’s like a myth or urban legend of sorts, like Elvis and Tupac still being alive, big foot, and the yeti. There was the Philadelphia Eagles rumor, which turned out to be all talk. Now there is some Moss talk going on in Arizona.

Over the past two offseasons the Arizona Cardinals have lost Anquan Boldin and Steve Breaston. Larry Fitzgerald did his most damage with those two working with him and Kurt Warner at the helm. It owuld seem ideal that the Cardinals would be open to trying to lure Moss to the desert since they do have a void at receiver. Nothing aginst whoever they have now, but I don’t think Early Doucet has any DBs shaking in their cleats. I think it would also make Kevin Kolb’s transition a pretty smooth one.

Speaking of Warner, in an interview with 620 KTAR’s Burns and Gambo, it sounds like Warner was openly lobbying for Moss to rethink his retirement and come to Arizona.

“I don’t think there’s any question he could help,” Warner said. “I still think there’s something in the tank for Randy. . . . He has a great relationship with Larry Fitzgerald. That could be a huge plus coming to this organization.



“I think a deep threat is something that they need. They need somebody that can stretch the field. As good as Larry is, that’s not the player that he is.”


True indeed, he could help the Cardinals, and they do need someone who can go deep. Problem is there isn’t much help on the market. If I were sitting in their front office I’d make Moss an offer he couldn’t refuse. I don’t know if he’d take it but it’s worth a try.

Personally I think Moss is a long way from being done. I just think he’s waiting for the New England Patriots to call him and see if he wants to come back there.

Matt Leinart Sounds Defensive

Even though Matt Leinart wasn’t a top five NFL draft pick there are some who give him the dreaded bust label. That’ll happen when you have a celebrated college career (Heisman Trophy,national championship, Manning Award, Johnny Unitas Award, Walter Camp Award and two Archie Griffin Awards). I wouldn’t call him a complete bust, more like a flop which to me is a notch below bust.

After flaming out with the Arizona Cardinals, where he was beaten out by Kurt Warner, Leinart landed with the Houston Texans in a backup role. He’s now a free agent and personally I don’t think this joker will get a legit shot at a starting job again. It never helped that he had an image as a “party guy”, something he picked up while he was starring at USC.

In an interview on ESPN Los Angeles Leinart talks about his days in Arizona and the bust label that has been bestowed upon him.

“I’ve heard everything. I’ve heard everything. I’ve seen everything. For me I haven’t proven anything, so I haven’t proven that I could play game in and game out. I understand that. I believe I can play and I’m not one to make excuses. I’ve never made an excuse with my time in Arizona. It just didn’t work out for whatever reason. Those are reasons people outside of the organization won’t understand, but it didn’t work out and it wasn’t a right fit, so you move on. You kind of look at the timeline of what has happened to me and with having a pretty good rookie year and the second year getting the injury and Kurt Warner played himself into the Hall of Fame in the last 3 years. There’s not a lot I can do about that. I battled with a Hall of Famer two training camps in a row. I thought I competed as well as he did and obviously Kurt was a great player. He took us to a Super Bowl. I truly believe he got himself into the Hall of Fame those last couple of years. Last year with everything that happened it just didn’t work out. I said what I said about the situation and I moved on, so there’s people thought I never got a fair shot. People that think I can’t play. There’s a lot of things. For me I’ve worked hard this off-season and I’m always work hard. I’m always ready. I’m always prepared and like I said it’s just always about being a quarterback, but being the right situation. For me hopefully that situation comes up this year and I can thrive and show I belong in the league and I can play because I know I can and that’s what I plan on doing.”

Sounds like he’s on the defensive throughout the interview. I guess I would hate being labeled as a bust when you really haven’t been given a chance to play. But the stats will tell you why he’s been glued to the bench. I do agree that Warner played himself into the Hall of Fame while he was with the Cardinals. When you watched them play last season they looked lost without him.

For Leinart it’s just not going to happen.

If Warner can’t go the Cardinals are in trouble

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner left today’s game against the St.Louis Rams with a head injury.It could possibly be a concussion,we’ll have to stay tuned for that.If Warner can’t come back the Cardinals,are in trouble.The offense, behind Matt Leinart has stagnated and i think Arizona should be rethinking their plans for a quarterback of the future.I won’t sell Leinart short yet,but what has he really done since coming into the NFL.The starting job was handed to him and he couldn’t seize the oppurtunity. To make a deep playoff run,they need Warner to shake the cobwebs and comeback.If he doesn’t I can see their season going down the toilet.The only thing that saves them is being in a weak division(NFC West) that they almost can get into the playoffs by default.