NFL - Sports Rumors

Sun Feb 01, 2009 8:28 am EST

For Warner, spirituality allows no room for superstition

By Joe Zedalis

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner is a born-again Christian whose faith informs his every decision, right down to his jersey number. By choosing No. 13, Warner means to send the message that his spirituality allows no room for superstition.

He was one of five players on the active rosters of the 32 N.F.L. teams to wear No. 13 in 2008. The others were wide receiver Steve Johnson of Buffalo and quarterbacks Richard Bartel of Cleveland, Brock Berlin of St. Louis and Shaun Hill of San Francisco.

Since leading the Cardinals to the Super Bowl, Kurt Warner has had Hall of Fame credentials examined, but it is a conversation he has no interest in. His family is always reminding him of the bigger picture.

Warner is the sixth Cardinal since the franchise joined the league in 1920 to wear the number, and perhaps the last. After leading the franchise to its first Super Bowl, Warner may have his jersey retired someday to the team's Ring of Honor.

"A lot of people believe 13 is an unlucky number," Warner said, "but I've kind of embraced it."

He added: "A lot of negative things come with the No. 13. My life is never dictated by superstitions. My faith is first and foremost. If you believe that God's in control, there is no reason to believe in superstitions."

Source: New York TimesNew Window

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356 Comments

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  1. tiger_hawk19
    1. Posted by tiger_hawk19 Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:10 pm EDT

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    that is awesome:) Go kurt Warner. God will guide you:) GOd is in control. I pray your family to blessed this year.
  2. charles w
    2. Posted by charles w Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:18 pm EDT

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    Numerology? Numbers?
    go to thewillssystem.com and click on the numbers page.
  3. LittleBlue
    3. Posted by LittleBlue Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:44 pm EDT

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    Go Cards, keep the faith Kurt.
  4. Energy Broker
    4. Posted by Energy Broker Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:07 pm EDT

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    Its david vs goliath! cmon david!
  5. The Mob
    5. Posted by The Mob Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:45 pm EDT

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    Number 13, I love it. Go shock the world, and make 'em eat thier words today babey!
  6. brian B
    6. Posted by brian B Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:03 pm EDT

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    Kurt your number 13 will looklike number 31 after the game cause the steeler are going to turn you upside down. a lot of sacks today for the steel curtain. and a lot of apple turnovers for the cardinals. 31-13 steelers
  7. Daniel K
    7. Posted by Daniel K Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:35 pm EDT

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    Yes, Kurt god is in control ;). I am sure god will take 4 hours out of his schedule from "controlling" the situations in places like Darfur, Somolia, Iraq, and Afghanistan, to make sure you win yourself a Lombardi Trophy. Cause even god needs a break from all that hard work he is been doing. Then maybe when he is done with the Superbowl, you can tell him to use his Delorean to go back in time and stop the recession and maybe 9/11 while he is at it. That would be great Kurt. Thanks.
  8. marc j
    8. Posted by marc j Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:49 pm EDT

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    Daniel,
    i am offended by your entry. GOD is omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient. does HE care about the superbowl? i don't know but i do know that he cares about kurt warner and that is what kurt is saying. GOD cares as much about kurt warner as he does about you and all the calamity in the world today. GOD bless kurt for standing in the gap.
  9. Jen
    9. Posted by Jen Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:32 pm EDT

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    Daniel K, you don't understand the God that Kurt is referring to. Your view of God is way too limited. Any god limited by time is no god at all. Kurt is referring to The God who made the universe and has the power to hold it all in His hand and because He loves us give us the ability to make choices and not be forced to be like robots. God didn't force 9/11 to happen or make the recession. Peoples choices led to those. And Kurt never said that God was going to drop everything to manipulate a football game. Kurt just wants to do the best he can and honor God in the meantime.
  10. Derrick S
    10. Posted by Derrick S Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:58 pm EDT

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    "If you believe that God's in control, there is no reason to believe in superstitions."
    Isn't believing god's in control kind of a superstition in itself? I have no real problem with his faith, but I don't get his logic there. If god is real, I hope, for all of our sakes, that god has more important concerns that sports.
  11. east-texan
    11. Posted by east-texan Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:00 pm EDT

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    i also believe in god, and i am a christian, but i also respect other peoples beliefs. its very important to embrace your spiritual side no matter what religion you practice. all that stuff is personal though, and the game will be decided by who is the most prepard and who executes the best.
  12. east-texan
    12. Posted by east-texan Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:00 pm EDT

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    sports break down a lot of barriers. no where else does such a diversity of people come together other than in a war of some sort. go cards cards35 STEALERS10
  13. Crux
    13. Posted by Crux Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:34 pm EDT

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    This bodes well for the Cards, quite a few Steelers have triskaidekaphobia.
  14. Wrok
    14. Posted by Wrok Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:51 pm EDT

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    And halotoesis too...
  15. jason m
    15. Posted by jason m Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:29 pm EDT

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    Say your prayers, and kiss your ass goodbye, Kurt.
  16. Crux
    16. Posted by Crux Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:34 pm EDT

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    Wrooooooooooooooooooook!!! lol
  17. leroy s
    17. Posted by leroy s Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:46 pm EDT

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    God is great all the time-not just on superbowl sunday and he cares for everyone !
  18. soft,n,cuddly
    18. Posted by soft,n,cuddly Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:49 pm EDT

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    It should be a real spiritual awakening for mr. warner today when farrior & woodley & timmons & polamalu & smith & the rest pretty much destroy his plans for glory today.
  19. Minidad
    19. Posted by Minidad Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:01 pm EDT

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    I don't think God controls things like a football game, but I guess he could if he wanted. Cards 31 Steelers 27
  20. Steely Mcbeam
    20. Posted by Steely Mcbeam Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:10 pm EDT

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    It's a shame he's playing the Steelers or I might have actually rooted for him. But God loves the Steelers too.
  21. Steely Mcbeam
    21. Posted by Steely Mcbeam Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:10 pm EDT

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    Actually the superstition about 13 being unlucky may have biblical origins since there were 13 people at the last supper. I don't go for superstitions either...except for desecrating the terrible towel. Woe to all who do so.
  22. DS in LV, TX
    22. Posted by DS in LV, TX Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:49 pm EDT

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    Retired jersey? C'mon now...maybe Fitzgerald, in time, but not Warner's (yet); he'll need to stick around a couple more years and have more success...3 good playoff games don't make for a retired jersey!
  23. AFC dominance
    23. Posted by AFC dominance Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:19 pm EDT

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    If god would even think about controlling a game, the world would be more worse than it is. god has nothing to do with sports. its all based on talent and luck. no offense intended
  24. Crux
    24. Posted by Crux Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:34 pm EDT

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    I'm pretty sure God is a Celtic fan anyways. Saw a commercial.
  25. Christine
    25. Posted by Christine Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:24 pm EDT

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    Whats triskaidekaphobia???

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