ams. After growing up in the streets, having at best a dysfunctional life, I realized that for myself there were dreams I had to obtain, they weren’t options, they were necessities. Finishing high school, going to college and ultimately being successful in the things I did, from working with bands to leading mental health agencies and now plowing ahead in ministry, with the poorest of the poor in America, all dreams I felt the need to go after.
Like many other parents I have found myself also dreaming
for my family. There comes a point in time where one recognizes the
possibilities and obstacles in obtaining their dreams. When family is involved,
sacrifice is required, not just from the individual going for their dreams, but
also those involved in life with that person. More times than not when others
are involved, dreams are threaded together like a fine needlepoint tapestry.
One person noted for accomplishing their dreams, for their
perseverance is Kurt Warner. The former Northern Iowa Quarterback was given a second
opportunity to play professional football while playing for the Arena Football
League Team, The Iowa Barnstormers. He had been drafted as a free agent by the
Green Bay Packers, didn’t make the team and went on to play for the
Barnstorm
ers while also working at the local Hy-Vee Grocery store sacking and carrying out groceries. The St. Louis Rams signed him and his story became what many consider one of the great stories in the history of sports. Kurt Warner went on to play for 3 NFL teams, winning the Super Bowl and being the Leagues MVP two times. He knows what it means to accomplish his dreams.
ers while also working at the local Hy-Vee Grocery store sacking and carrying out groceries. The St. Louis Rams signed him and his story became what many consider one of the great stories in the history of sports. Kurt Warner went on to play for 3 NFL teams, winning the Super Bowl and being the Leagues MVP two times. He knows what it means to accomplish his dreams.
The USA Network recently started a new reality television
program called The Moment. The series, hosted by Kurt Warner follows different
individuals who for one reason or another, had given up on their dreams. The
first episode of the season followed Robert Capita, a father and former sailor
who had dreamed of becoming a professional Yacht Captain. Warner hooks him up
with an America’s Cup legend and Capita begins training for 2 weeks. At the
conclusion of his training, depending on how he has done, he may be offered an
opportunity to captain an America’s Cup Yacht. Without giving the program away,
it was exceptional at showing the reality and sacrifice of chasing ones dream.
Many want to see their dreams come true but often don’t consider the
sacrifice.
I had the opportunity last week to speak to Kurt Warner
about football, dreams and of course his new show. The following is a transcript of that
interview.
Mike Furches (MF): Hey Kurt, it is an honor to speak to you,
I played football in college plus your new project with The Moment is something
that also hits home for me.
Kurt Warner (KW): Well thank you, I am excited about it.
MF: I left a career in mental health and music where I was
doing quite well to go back into ministry and work with the homeless. I went
from a pretty good salary down to $18,000 a year, asking them after coming on
board to reduce it to $15,000 year because they couldn’t afford it.
KW: Wow, that’s awesome.
KW: No, I don’t know it.
MF: Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.
Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken winged bird
That cannot fly.
Kurt, I appreciate your work with your new project.
KW: Wow, thank you.
MF: Some of my friends knew I was going to be speaking to
you and a few of my questions today are from them. One is: What do you think of the current NFL rule
changes and the way the game is played now as opposed to the way it was played
15 – 20 years ago?
KW: I’m a firm believer in the rule changes. For me the
greatest commodity in football is the player. The only thing that is going to
allow this game to thrive like it is right now is to continually find ways to
protect the player. Even though we may change certain aspects of how the game
is played now, it is important to make sure that we make health and safety
first and foremost. I still think this is the greatest game and greatest team
sport that there is. It’s going to thrive and continue to do well even with
small rule changes like we’re making. It is also important that those rule
changes start at a very young age and that we get back to teaching technique
and make sure that we focus in on teaching things that will keep people safe
from a very early age. We need to also see to it that we provide the knowledge
of how to play the game with technique but also the knowledge of injuries,
specifically head injuries. We need to make sure on what to do for coaches,
players and parents, that they are knowledgeable about what to look for and
what to see, what to do, what the protocol is when those things happen. I think
this has to start at the earliest age and has to be continued through to the highest
level of the NFL. We are making some good moves and good strides in the right
direction. I am fully behind those decisions at whatever level as long as they
have the players’ interest in mind which I believe they do.
MF: Your faith has been discussed quite a bit in the public
and you have been open about it. You also see players like Tim Tebow who has been
outspoken about his faith. Sometimes we see mixed reactions of fans towards
people like you and Tebow. You have some fans who love you, others who can’t
stand you and are critical. Can you share your thoughts when a fan is critical
of a player who shares their faith?
MF: You played college ball at Northern Iowa, is that
correct?
KW: Yes I did.
MF: What conference were you in.
KW: We bounced around a bit, we were in the Gateway
Conference when I played, but I know the basketball is in the Missouri
Valley.
MF: Do you follow College Basketball at all?
KW: I don’t follow it a lot.
MF: I live in Wichita Kansas now and our cities team,
Wichita State University from the Missouri Conference just completed their run
at the Final 4. We have several players on our team that are quite noteworthy
for going after their dreams. One player, Carl Hall takes his life into his
hands every time he steps on the court due to a heart condition and two other
players had to pay their way and tuition for the first year as walk-on’s in order
to accomplish their dreams of playing for a team that had a chance at a
national championship. I know your new television series deals with helping
people accomplish their dreams.
KW: That’s really cool
MF: In regards to sports and in life, why is it important
for people to go after their dreams?
KW: I believe that if your dream is rooted in being who God
created you to be, and the gifts that God gave you, I don’t believe we become
fully alive until we’re living in those things that we are passionate about. I
don’t believe we become who God created us to be without living and becoming what
he put inside of us. I think we see it everyday. The greatest impact of people
is when they are sharing their passions with others. One can be passionate as a
teacher, a president, a football player whatever it is, across the board. I
believe that when we live in our passions it has tremendous impact it is
clearly so genuine to people that it truly inspires and impacts them. I truly
believe that kind of like your situation, regardless of the amount of money
that you make, regardless of the struggles that you go through, regardless of the
circle of influence that you have, when you live in your passions, you have the
greatest opportunity to be who God created you to be and have the type of
impact God created you to have. That’s why for me it is so important that we
make sure that our passions and our dreams continue to stay alive.
MF: It’s kind of like in the movie Chariots of Fire:
KW: Oh Yeah!
MF: It’s like the character of Eric Liddell says when he
tells his sister that he feels closest to God when he is doing the things he
believes God created him to do. He feels God’s pleasure when he runs and he
knows he was created to run.
KW: Exactly!
MF: Would you say that God has created each of us to be
uniquely different with unique talents and it is only as we are doing those
things that we find and experience the pleasure of living?
KW: I would totally agree.
MF: Can you tell us some about the television show The
Moment?
KW: It’s on the USA network starting April 11. The time it
airs depends on the time zone you are in but you can check with your local
cable or television listings for that. The premise of the show is on
individuals who were chasing their dreams and somehow, life got in the way and
threw them a curveball. It took them
down a path that was kind of out of their control and there was a decision or a
choice they had to make that forced them to step away from their dreams. I come
back in at a later date in their life present them with an opportunity to chase
their dream again. For me, each episode is kind of like a mini Rocky movie. We
show up, we let them know that this opportunity is ready and available for you,
do you want to chase your dream? If they choose to go after their dream then we
take them through the training, hooking them up with a mentor or a coach who trains
them through the process. They push them to their limits and take them through
different exercises and skills that they are going to need if they intend on
winning their title fight. At the end of each episode they will have an
audition or an interview ready for them in their field of expertise or
experience, a great job with a great company in their field where they are
going to have to convince them about what they have accomplished. They have to
show and prove to themselves that they deserve a second chance. If they get the
second chance then they get the job and it is up to them from there if they get
the job on what they do with the job, where they go and how far they can go. One
of the things I love so much about this show is that we’re not giving away a
dream, we are simply giving away an opportunity for them to chase it again. What
happens, how far they go and what they accomplish is truly up to them. I love that
part of it because I think that is what life is. It presents us with opportunities
all of the time, but what do we do with it? Are we prepared, will we chase
after it? Can we convince people that we
deserve to be there? Are we willing to accept the sacrifices that it takes to
be great?
That’s kind of the show in a nutshell. I am excited about it
from that stand point. Very seldom are we giving anything away, or are we
giving or getting anything for free. We’ve got to earn everything that we have.
That’s what this show is. We provide the opportunity but it is up to you to see
how far we can take it.
MF: And you’ve lived that life?
KW: Yeah, exactly! It has been up close and personal for me.
I know about living it and going for it very well.
MF: Kurt thanks much.
I always enjoyed watching you play, your story, and the fact that you
are open about your faith.
KW: Thank you Mike
and take care.
As I finished my interview I had to admit, my initial
thoughts was this was going to be another same ol same ol kind of show. I
decided to watch it though and was I ever pleasantly surprised. We see a host
of a show that knows about what the individuals on the show are going through. What
I really liked though was the reality of this program that so many “reality”
shows seems to so often miss. We see the struggle and the difficulty of one
obtaining their dreams. We also see passion and in that passion because the
show is so real, we are inspired and moved. It was a joy speaking with one who
had themselves gone after and accomplished their dreams. Hopefully, and I
believe it will, The Moment will inspire others to go after their own dreams
when the opportunity presents itself. In a world where there seems to be a lost
hope of dreams coming true, with The Moment, hope is rediscovered and we can
all see that once again, dreams can become reality.
To see the video opening of The Moment, Click the video below, if the video doesn't appear, click the link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdO1IT-CepI
To see the video opening of The Moment, Click the video below, if the video doesn't appear, click the link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdO1IT-CepI
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