Mike Martz Talks 'Greatest Show on Turf' Memories, Kurt Warner and Rams' Future
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Mike Martz Talks 'Greatest Show on Turf' Memories, Kurt Warner and Rams' Future
Brendan Marks posted on December 08, 2015 10:59
Former Rams offensive coordinator and head coach Mike Martz called in to The Hollywood Casino Press Box Tuesday.
Martz, the architect of the "Greatest Show on Turf" offense that took the NFL by storm in 1999, discussed several topics, including his best memories from that era, his biggest regret in coaching and the prospect of the Rams going back to Los Angeles.
Read some excerpts and listen to the full interview below:
On difference between Martz and Vermeil:
"(Dick Vermeil) loves the passing game, he really goes. The struggle with Dick...(there were things he wanted to do going into the game but couldn't always pull the trigger during the game). We're all uptight as coaches...my stay with Norv Turner in Washington got that out of me."
"When you walk in there...they want to know you're confident...That's the mindset I got myself into. It didn't matter who was hurt (or what was going on), that was my mindset. Men respond to those things."
On the touchdown on the opening drive of the Rams Divisional win over the Vikings in the 1999 playoffs:
"That's one of the few games I knew what the opening play was going to be well ahead. I told them we're going to call this regardless. And it worked out."
On the Ricky Proehl catch against the Bucs in the 1999 NFC Conference Championship:
"Well Dre Ble just picked it off. We're struggling. They're a great defense. The play was supposed to go to Isaac on an under route...But they brought the safety up on the short side...so Kurt saw it coming and...we made an adjustment to use the fade. Normally, it was Holt there but Proehl was in and made the play."
Do you regret how Kurt Warner's career in St. Louis ended?
"That's an organizational decision. That certainly wasn't my decision. Without getting into all the details, I do. I think it was a mistake not to keep him there. But unfortunately, it's not the way it worked out. And Marc Bulger had a great run after that. It worked out, but I wouldn't liked to stay with Kurt a little bit longer. That is a regret."
On how good Warner was from 1999 to 2001:
"It actually was like three years where he was just on fire. His anticipation and trust with his receivers were unmatchable. We're playing New York in 1999 in our place...we throw a deep turn-in to Isaac...they're coming clean on Kurt. He's going to get hit by two guys. He lets that ball go to Isaac...Isaac comes out of his cut and gets hit in the numbers. It's probably one of the best throws I'd seen in football. He'd stand in there and make some unbelievable throws."
How do so many scouts miss a guy like Kurt Warner coming out of college?
"When a kid comes out of college and he only started his fifth year...scouts are going to be held accountable. They probably poo pooed it a little bit. He goes to Green Bay in unremarkable fashion. The thing that helped him was his time in Europe. He was competing and tough and I was just shocked by it. It's hard to find somebody this courageous and this accurate. The anticipation, the accuracy and the awareness...all those things were big for him."
Do you remember what it was like when the Rams moved from LA to St. Louis?
"It was a very exciting time because in LA, people couldn't care less about the Rams. The stadium was a third full. It just didn't seem like the NFL to me. Then we go to St. Louis...that Thursday night game in Busch Stadium the enthusiasm and love for the team, it was thrilling. I would hate to see that city lose that team."
Here's the complete segment:
http://www.insidestlaudio.com/Pressbox/120815-2PB.mp3
Brendan Marks posted on December 08, 2015 10:59
Former Rams offensive coordinator and head coach Mike Martz called in to The Hollywood Casino Press Box Tuesday.
Martz, the architect of the "Greatest Show on Turf" offense that took the NFL by storm in 1999, discussed several topics, including his best memories from that era, his biggest regret in coaching and the prospect of the Rams going back to Los Angeles.
Read some excerpts and listen to the full interview below:
On difference between Martz and Vermeil:
"(Dick Vermeil) loves the passing game, he really goes. The struggle with Dick...(there were things he wanted to do going into the game but couldn't always pull the trigger during the game). We're all uptight as coaches...my stay with Norv Turner in Washington got that out of me."
"When you walk in there...they want to know you're confident...That's the mindset I got myself into. It didn't matter who was hurt (or what was going on), that was my mindset. Men respond to those things."
On the touchdown on the opening drive of the Rams Divisional win over the Vikings in the 1999 playoffs:
"That's one of the few games I knew what the opening play was going to be well ahead. I told them we're going to call this regardless. And it worked out."
On the Ricky Proehl catch against the Bucs in the 1999 NFC Conference Championship:
"Well Dre Ble just picked it off. We're struggling. They're a great defense. The play was supposed to go to Isaac on an under route...But they brought the safety up on the short side...so Kurt saw it coming and...we made an adjustment to use the fade. Normally, it was Holt there but Proehl was in and made the play."
Do you regret how Kurt Warner's career in St. Louis ended?
"That's an organizational decision. That certainly wasn't my decision. Without getting into all the details, I do. I think it was a mistake not to keep him there. But unfortunately, it's not the way it worked out. And Marc Bulger had a great run after that. It worked out, but I wouldn't liked to stay with Kurt a little bit longer. That is a regret."
On how good Warner was from 1999 to 2001:
"It actually was like three years where he was just on fire. His anticipation and trust with his receivers were unmatchable. We're playing New York in 1999 in our place...we throw a deep turn-in to Isaac...they're coming clean on Kurt. He's going to get hit by two guys. He lets that ball go to Isaac...Isaac comes out of his cut and gets hit in the numbers. It's probably one of the best throws I'd seen in football. He'd stand in there and make some unbelievable throws."
How do so many scouts miss a guy like Kurt Warner coming out of college?
"When a kid comes out of college and he only started his fifth year...scouts are going to be held accountable. They probably poo pooed it a little bit. He goes to Green Bay in unremarkable fashion. The thing that helped him was his time in Europe. He was competing and tough and I was just shocked by it. It's hard to find somebody this courageous and this accurate. The anticipation, the accuracy and the awareness...all those things were big for him."
Do you remember what it was like when the Rams moved from LA to St. Louis?
"It was a very exciting time because in LA, people couldn't care less about the Rams. The stadium was a third full. It just didn't seem like the NFL to me. Then we go to St. Louis...that Thursday night game in Busch Stadium the enthusiasm and love for the team, it was thrilling. I would hate to see that city lose that team."
Here's the complete segment:
http://www.insidestlaudio.com/Pressbox/120815-2PB.mp3