Anybody who knows me knows who my favorite quarterback of all time at any level is: Josh Heupel.

The Oklahoma quarterback from 1999 through 2000 was hardly as gifted as Jason White or Sam Bradford, physically, but he is matched in OU history only by Jack Mildren in terms of sheer will, smarts, guts and importance to the Sooners program.

Yet there is a close second in my book in terms of favorite overall quarterbacks. Kurt Warner.

In 1999, my buddy and I lucked out and picked Warner up as our fantasy football quarterback one week into another NFL season. Warner had taken over for Trent Green in the preseason and had a terrific first week for the St. Louis Rams. It’s not so much that we recognized Warner’s “fantasy worth,” it’s that we needed a QB.

All Warner did was win the league MVP and the Super Bowl MVP.

Heck, I was pulling for the Tennessee Titans in the Super Bowl because I was also a big fan of Steve McNair, and the Titans had been the Houston Oilers.

However, in 10 years, Warner has won two league MVPs. He’s been cut from the Rams, released by the Giants and revived his career with the Arizona Cardinals, who will be in Sunday’s NFC title game against Philadelphia. The Cardinals are the worst franchise in football, and their appearance in a conference title game isn’t a miracle when compared to that plane in the Hudson River this week — but it’s a sports wonder nonetheless.

Warner is MY age, a veritable ancient by NFL standards.

What has converted me from a mild Warner fan to a rabid Warner fan is his ability to do what nobody believe can be done. He is the underdog of underdogs, the everyman who got a shot in the NFL, a guy who was a stock boy at an Iowa grocery store back in the 1990s who has a chance to play in his third Super Bowl with a win on Sunday.

And like he did in 1999, he’s made me look good again in 2009.

Back in November, I e-mailed a former colleague about this odd sports hunch I had, that Arizona was going to surprise the world and play in a Super Bowl. My friend laughed it off.

Another colleague scoffed in the break room when I told him about my hunch, and I seriously believe he questioned my sanity. When asked for a reason why I thought the Cardinals would get to a Super Bowl this year, I said: Kurt Warner.

I had seen this movie before.

Truth is, the Cardinals have a pretty stout defense, a running back playing inspired in Edgerrin James and the best receiver in football in Larry Fitzgerald, who is un-freaking-real when it comes to one-on-one catches.

But Warner’s entire career — from stock boy to the Arena League to NFL champ — has been like a Hollywood script. Why wouldn’t this be a perfect ending?

Laughter. Scoffing. Chuckles abounded.

I’m not even a Cardinals fan, really. But I am this Sunday and will be when they play Pittsburgh or Baltimore in the Super Bowl.

Sure, Philly is hot right now, and — yes — everybody is picking the Eagles to win on the road. However, Philadelphia is 1-4 in conference title games with Donovan McNabb, and Brian Westbrook is ailing.

Plus, all of a sudden, University of Phoenix Stadium (a.k.a The Big Toaster) isn’t merely a solid home-field advantage for the Cards, it’s a nightmare for opponents.

But Arizona has the old man, and his story is just as compelling today as it was 10 years ago. For people to speculate on whether Kurt Warner is a hall of famer, to me, is nutty. He’s first-ballot worthy.

And if the Cardinals WIN the Super Bowl this year, Hollywood might as well get the movie ready. His career has been highly unlikely, but a title at age 37 for Warner would make it unreal.

Doubt this guy at your own peril.