The contours of the land he remembers. The mountains and hills, back roads and buildings flooded his mind Monday and Tuesday, bringing a aura of reminisce to Trent Dilfer. The setting was Hanalei. The Baltimore Ravens quarterback, fresh off a
The contours of the land he remembers. The mountains and hills, back roads and buildings flooded his mind Monday and Tuesday, bringing a aura of reminisce to Trent Dilfer.
The setting was Hanalei. The Baltimore Ravens quarterback, fresh off a victory in January’s Super Bowl, skirted through the town doing vignettes for CBS television (Monday) and speaking to students at Hanalei School (Tuesday).
It was a place he’d seen before.
Fifteen years ago, Dilfer and his family spent an extended period of time — five weeks — living in Hanalei as the guests of some friends. Thus, Monday and Tuesday provided the visual stimuli Dilfer needed to hearken back.
“It was a great experience for me and my family,” said Dilfer, on Kaua’i for the NFL Quarterback Challenge being held Thursday. “We came over here in the summer. I remember the beautiful fireworks and climbing through the mountains with all the local kids.”
For Dilfer, who was 14 at the time of his extended visit, there was something even more memorable.
“Nobody wore shoes,” he said. “So for the first week and a half I’m walking around and my feet are all bloodied and blistered.
“But I tell you, after a couple of weeks, I saw the beauty in it and I never wanted to wear shoes again. I got back to California and I wanted to stay barefoot like the locals in Hawai’i.”
On Tuesday, Dilfer said the elementary students made a real impression on him.
“It was neat that the kids kind of wanted to claim me as their own,” the quarterback said. “That was a nice feeling.”
In addition, Dilfer also touched base with Hanalei School librarian Sue Burrell. She was one of the Dilfer family friends who, 15 years ago, suggested the visit to Kaua’i.
“It was great to touch base with a friendly face, somebody I knew,” Dilfer said. “It was just an overall positive experience.”
Which is something Dilfer had January 28 in Tampa. There his Ravens claimed the Super Bowl XXXV championship with a 34-7 trouncing of the New York Giants.
The victory elevated Dilfer, the Ravens’ starter for 11 of the team’s final 12 games, onto a plane occupied by just 20 other men in the world: Super Bowl quarterback.
“The whole thing has yet to really sink in,” Dilfer said. “But when people put it to me that way, it’s very special.”
Then Dilfer displayed a little of his spirit.
“It’s an exclusive group, but you don’t want to alienate anybody,” the QB said. “There are a lot of great quarterbacks out there, and many who deserve to have won a ring.”
Dilfer said that despite his contribution to the Big Game — 12-for-25, 153 yards and a touchdowns — good fortune played a role in his ascension to Super Bowl champ.
“I was lucky to get in with a really good football team,” Dilfer said. “A lot of this game is about timing, being at the right spot. So I don’t take a whole lot of credit.”
Dilfer is cognizant that his classification as champion will wear off as next year gets under way.
“When the season starts next year it’s a clean slate,” Dilfer said.
That’s exactly what Dilfer began with in Baltimore.
After spending 1994-99 in a Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ uniform, Dilfer joined the Ravens roster for 2000. He was the back up to starter Tony Banks over the first eight games. But Baltimore’s offensive inefficiency sparked head coach Brian Billick to make a change.
Dilfer went under center and directed the Ravens to an 11-1 record that culminated with the Super Bowl.
“I’ve learned to take nothing for granted in this league,” Dilfer said. “I’ve learned to appreciate the bad times. It makes the good times that much more rewarding.”
Dilfer was joined at Thursday’s Challenge by Jeff Garcia (S.F. 49ers), Peyton Manning (Indianapolis), Donovan McNabb (Philadelphia), Jake Plummer (Arizona) and Rob Johnson (Buffalo).
New for 2001, former NFL quarterbacks will participate in the DIRECTV Million Dollar Throw. The list of players will attempt to throw a pass 30 yards for $1 million. Featured will be: Boomer Esiason, Jim Everett, Jim Kelly, Bernie Kosar, Warren Moon, Phil Simms and Steve Young.
Sports editor Jason Gallic at 245-3681 or mailto:kauaisports@pulitzer.net
