Players feel Bruce's absence
By Jim Thomas
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Saturday, Mar. 29 2008
It's not as if Isaac Bruce was a regular participant during the Rams' offseason
conditioning program. He always preferred to do most of his offseason work on
his own, usually away from St. Louis.
Nonetheless, the start of the Rams' offseason program this week marked the
first team function since 1993 minus the Pro Bowl wide receiver. Cut by the
team at the end of February, and quickly picked up by San Francisco, Bruce no
longer has a locker stall at Rams Park. His absence this week did not go
unnoticed by Rams veterans.
"Isaac's a soldier. Isaac's a future Hall of Famer," offensive guard Richie
Incognito said. "I'm going to miss him dearly. I know speaking with some guys,
we're all going to miss him."
Several players expressed surprise at Bruce's release. But even at age 35, if
it can happen to Bruce, it can happen to anyone.
"That's the business side of it," cornerback
Ron Bartell said. "We all know
we're going to be released or cut one day — no matter who you are. When you
have one of the greats get released, it's a reality check."
As defensive end
Leonard Little sees it, the fact that Bruce is playing for the
rival ***** is even more surprising than his release from the Rams after 14
seasons.
"I can't really imagine him in a San Francisco uniform," Little said. "Even
when we play them, I still won't believe it's him because he's been around here
a long time. It's going to be really, really funny seeing him in that type of
uniform."
Bruce's departure leaves the Rams with only three players from the Super Bowl
championship team of 1999: Little, wide receiver
Torry Holt and offensive
tackle
Orlando Pace. It's four players if you count quarterback Trent Green,
re-signed by the Rams this month after spending the past seven years elsewhere
(Kansas City and Miami).
Speaking of the dwindling number of '99 Rams, Little said, "It's a compliment
to our play, the way we've stayed around the league so long. But this league is
getting younger. We know that, so we've got to take advantage of all the
opportunities we have in front of us."
Green was with the Rams for only two seasons — 1999 and 2000. His preseason
knee injury in '99 sidelined him for the rest of that Super Bowl campaign,
opening the door for the emergence of Kurt Warner.
Even minus Bruce, who caught the game-winning touchdown pass in the Super Bowl
victory over Tennessee, Green hopes the remaining '99 Rams can show the younger
Rams what it takes to win at the highest level.
"Hopefully, we can inspire everybody here," Green said, "and try and get
everybody focused on what the real goal is. And what the real work ethic needs
to be."
Interestingly, even after Bruce left St. Louis, he's doing something to help
the club. A week or so after his Rams release, Bruce received a call from Green.
"I asked him, 'What do you think about the locker room?'" Green recalled. —
"'What do you think about the guys that are there? What do you think about the
coaching staff? The defense? The guys on the offensive end?'"
Bruce always has been known as a straight shooter. Green thought this might be
especially true since Bruce had just been cut.
"He was very honest and up front," Green said. "He had a lot of really positive
things to say about the organization, and about the coaching staff, and the
players. … He had a lot of influence in me wanting to come back."
Unfortunately for Green, he won't be throwing any passes to Bruce in St. Louis.
"I know Isaac wishes he could've worked something out here," Green said. "But
(linebacker) Zach Thomas was released from the Dolphins, so it's a similar type
thing. You understand with the way the (salary) cap is, and you understand the
direction that organizations are going. I know Zach wishes he could've finished
his career there."
Thomas ended up signing with Dallas. As for Bruce, he doesn't figure to be as
helpful to his former teammates when his ***** play the Rams twice this coming
season.
"Yeah, we will be getting up close and personal," Bartell said. "We'll have a
battle."
jthomas@post-dispatch.com | 314-340-8197