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Passing for dollars Retired principal to make toss for possible $2 million
Posted: Tuesday January 04, 2000 11:56 AM
By Brian Crane, CNN/SI Everyone is talking about the intense pressure for Florida State not to lose another championship game. Others say that Virginia Tech's nervousness of playing in such a big game may be its downfall. But when game time rolls around, another nervous person will be Robert W. Moderhak, II. And the pressure is going to be on famed quarterback Joe Theismann. So why would Theismann be under pressure? And who is this Moderhak guy? The two will be working together as Moderhak competes for a possible $2 million during the halftime show of the Nokia Sugar Bowl. Theismann will throw four 15-yards passes at an oversized Nokia phone with a two-foot square hole on the front. Each pass Theismann passes through the hole wins $50,000 for the 54-year-old Moderhak. After Theismann makes his tosses, Moderhak will have one opportunity to throw. If he completes the pass, Nokia will add a zero to the end of the total already won for a possible $2 million. "Believe it or not, I haven't really felt the nerves yet," Moderhak said at a press conference in New Orleans. "Maybe it will hit tonight or tomorrow, but right now, I have that part under control." Theismann is not finding the same to be true. "I'm excited," Theismann said. "But I'm nervous. I've had to deal with the pressure of playing in two Super Bowls. But I'll tell you something, I haven't been able to sleep well for the last month and a half. I want to do this for Bob." Moderhak recently retired after a 30-year career in education where he has worked as a principal at the high school, middle school and junior high levels before becoming assistant superintendent in 1994. He and his wife, Sue, just relocated to Anna Marie Island, Fla., from Longmont, Colo. After moving, the couple looked for a new rooting interest. They chose Florida State. So he got on the Internet and entered a contest to win tickets to the Sugar Bowl as part of the Sprint PCS $2 million challenge. He thought the Seminoles had a good chance at making it to national championship. Theismann and Moderhak had about three days of training together in order get ready for the big event. Moderhak was flown to Kansas City shortly after hearing the news he was picked. Moderhak, who has never played football, welcomed tips from the Super Bowl XVII winning quarterback. "He's taught me to throw straight," Moderhak said. "He's taught me how to throw the ball, and how to execute my stride. It's been great working with him." Theismann admits that his protégé is coming along fine, but won't be the next rookie quarterback in the NFL. "He's shooting about 60 percent right now," Theismann said with a smile. "In the position he's in, he has a better chance of becoming an NFL owner before he's an NFL quarterback. I really want him to win this. I'm going to do what I can to not only make Bob a millionaire, but a multi-millionaire."
Moderhak isn't thinking too much about the money. At the very least, he walks away with $10,000. But if he wins the grand prize, he does admit yearning for one big purchase. "I want to buy a boat," Moderhak said. "If I win, I'm going to name her, 'Thanks, Joe T.'" Theismann is excited about possibly having his name floating on the seven seas. But he also has some extra incentive to well for Moderhak. "There are a lot of quarterbacks around the league who are ready to jump down my throat if I miss," Theismann laughed. Sue Moderhak will be at the Sugar Bowl to cheer on her husband. Their four children, two grandchildren and friends around the country have big plans for the night of the game. "There are two parties in our honor on Tuesday," Sue Moderhak said. "One in our old hometown in Colorado, and one where we live now in Florida. Both told us they will be videotaping the party. Not the event on TV, but with a camera at the party so we can watch it later. We're all really excited for Bob." One of the groups throwing the party made a deal with Moderhak. "They made me a deal that if I win the $2 million, they'd send me the bill for the party," Moderhak says with a big smile. "I think that's fair." Since learning of his selection less than four weeks ago, Moderhak has solicited a lot of help from his friends and neighbors in preparation for his one big pass. One of his neighbors built a replica of the target so Moderhak could practice at home. And if tips from one of the game's greatest quarterbacks weren't enough, he took more lessons. "Having Joe help me was great," Moderhak said. "He gave me some really great tips and has been the nicest person. But to get even more help, I asked the football coach at the local high school down in Florida to help me out. I knew that he is used to taking 14-year old kids and teaching them how to be a quarterback. So he taught me the fundamentals, took what Joe taught me, and broke it down even further." It is obvious looking into the eyes of Moderhak that he just having fun with this whole once-in-a-lifetime experience. He's very cordial with the media. He's sightseeing, attending many parties and social functions surrounding the Sugar Bowl. He realizes he has nothing to lose -- only just about $2 million to gain. Theismann is also having fun. Despite all the pressure on himself, he has made numerous television appearances to promote the event. Among those was a recent spot on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno where he had a less-than-perfect performance. "If you saw the Jay Leno show," Theismann said, "I was just trying to build up the suspense for Tuesday." After all the training, and as the pass draws even closer, Theismann gives his vote of confidence to the new quarterback on his first and -- most likely --last performance. "I know Nokia is getting ready to write that check," Theismann said. "They may as well print it up right now. Because Bob is going to win it."
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