January 28, 2009

SUPER Bowl XLII sees two quarter-backs that have done this all before going head-to-head in the big dance.

For Arizona's Kurt Warner the game represents another chance to take a down-trodden franchise from zeroes to heroes just as he did with St Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXIV.

Pittsburgh's "Big Ben" Roethlisberger tasted success more recently, however many would suggest that Steelers' win in Super Bowl XL was less because of his performance and more in spite of it.

For better or worse, both custodians possess the big game experience that is vital to their teams' chances of lifting the Vince Lombardi trophy.

There are few more storied tales in the NFL than that of Warner.

Undrafted out of the University of Northern Iowa, Warner was picked up as a free agent by Green Bay in 1994 before being released by Packers before the regular season got underway.

Unwanted by NFL teams, Warner found a home in the Arena Football League for three seasons before spending a year with Amsterdam Admirals in NFL Europe.

What followed was the stuff sporting dreams are made of.

Signed by St Louis as back up to quarter-back Trent Green, Warner soon found himself starting thanks to a pre-season injury to Green.

That year he would lead a St Louis franchise that had lost more games than any other NFL outfit during the 90s to a Super Bowl triumph, collecting the league MVP and Super Bowl MVP along the way.

Two years later Warner would win his second MVP though Rams fell agonisingly short of another championship with a last second loss to New England.

After falling out of favour with Rams coach Mike Martz, Warner was released by St Louis in 2004.

After an unsuccessful stint with New York's Giants Warner landed in Arizona and experienced another disappointing season in 2005, yo-yoing in and out of the starting rotation.

Following a battle for starting honours with 2006 rookie Matt Leinart, Cardinals again put their faith in Warner for the duration of their 2008 campaign, giving the 37-yr-old another shot at a miracle.

Warner finished the regular season with 30 touchdown passes and a quarter-back rating of 96.9 - the third best in the league

Along the way hed led Arizona to their first division title in 33 years and into their first ever Super Bowl.

Roethlisberger's start in the NFL was more of the silver spoon variety.

Starting 2004 as the third string quarter-back for Pittsburgh, injuries to those above him saw Roethlisberger elevated in the third game of the season.

He led Steelers to victories in his first 14 starts, his first loss coming in the conference championship that year against New England.

Following an almost perfect rookie season, the only improvement Roethlisberger could possibly make in 2005 would be to lead his Steelers to a Super Bowl championship – which is exactly what he did.

While Big Ben led Pittsburgh through an improbable play-off run to the Super Bowl and records will show him as a championship-winning quarter-back that year, the tale of the tape tells a very different story.

In the Super Bowl victory over Seattle, Roethlisberger completed only nine of 21 passes for a total of 123 yards, throwing two interceptions and no touchdown, finishing with a rating of 22.6.

Essentially Roethlisberger did everything possible to lose Pittsburgh a Super Bowl, and now he's chasing a happier memory to replace that with.

After being seriously injured in a motorcycle accident prior to the commencement of the 2006 season, what followed was a sub-par year that combined the rigours of injury with the dreaded curse of a championship hangover.

A year of redemption in 2007 saw Steelers return to the top of the AFC North.

In 2008 Roethlisberger re-emerged as the ultimate leader and fronting a team that was heavily favoured from the outset - so it seems few things are able to surprise the Steelers' faithful on route to another Super Bowl.

While Roethlisberger's journey is still in its infancy, Warner will undoubtedly say goodbye to the NFL – win or lose – following the big game at Tampa's Raymond James Stadium.

What will take place in the preceding 60 minutes of football will be an illustration of the leadership qualities of two men who have experienced the highs and lows of an NFL professional - and want another Super Bowl ring.