Bruce showing that career has gone deep
By
Jim Thomas
Of the Post-Dispatch
Thursday, Sep. 16 2004
Georgia Frontiere made a rare practice appearance Wednesday afternoon at Rams
Park. She spoke briefly with coach Mike Martz and president of football
operations Jay Zygmunt. But when practice was over, guess who she walked off
the field with? Why, Isaac Bruce.
Some around the NFL seemingly have forgotten that Bruce exists. But not the
Rams' team owner.
"She's always been great to me," Bruce said. "She's been great to my family
from the first day I met her in Los Angeles. After I was drafted, she sent my
mother a bouquet of flowers, and told my mother she'd take care of me. And
she's held true to that."
Bruce has held up his end of the bargain. Four Pro Bowls; 1996 NFL leader in
reception yards; two-time team MVP; game-winning catch in Super Bowl XXXIV;
career club leader in both catches and reception yards.
He's steadily moving up the NFL's career charts as well, ranking 15th in
reception yards (10,573) and 19th in receptions (697).
"Yeah, (the numbers) mean a lot," Bruce said. "Especially once I'm done
playing. But I don't see that happening any time soon."
At times, coaches, scouts, fans, and the media have short memories. Some would
tell you that NFL stands for "Not For Long." But for those thinking Bruce, at
age 31, was approaching the twilight of his career, he delivered this simple
message through his play last Sunday against Arizona: Think again.
Bruce caught nine passes for 112 yards against the Cardinals, including the
game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter.
"It was a whole lot of fun," Bruce said. "It was pretty much how we scripted
it. It put us a game up in the division. We come out and start off on a winning
note, and expect a carryover."
For the first time since his hamstring injury years (1997-1998), Bruce dipped
below 1,000 yards receiving last season. An ankle injury cost him one game, and
limited him in the regular-season finale against Detroit.
With
Torry Holt seemingly becoming more entrenched as the Rams' go-to wide
receiver, there were questions about whether Bruce's skills were in decline.
Not to the extent of questions concerning teammate Marshall Faulk, but
questions nonetheless.
"Him and Marshall, I get a kick out of people saying they're not the same, and
they've lost speed," Atlanta coach Jim Mora said Wednesday, on a conference
call with St. Louis reporters. "They haven't lost anything. They're great
athletes. They're great competitors. They take care of their bodies."
Mora knows better than most, particularly on the subject of Bruce. As secondary
coach in New Orleans and San Francisco, and then as ***** defensive
coordinator, Mora has faced Bruce more than a dozen times over the years.
"He might be my No. 1 nemesis in the National Football League, Isaac Bruce,"
Mora said. "I love him. I love playing against him. I love when he gets in the
huddle, and he looks over, and we share a little laugh. And he'll come by and
say something. He's just fun to play against, because he's a great competitor,
he's a great person, and he gives you fits."
Bruce has logged six 100-yard receiving games and caught 12 touchdown passes
against Mora teams over the years. Naturally, Bruce hopes to continue that
trend this Sunday, when the Rams meet the Falcons in the Georgia Dome.
Not everyone shares Mora's high regard for Bruce. For example, in The Sporting
News' annual list of the Top 100 players in the NFL, Bruce's name is nowhere to
be found. (Faulk also failed to make the list this year.)
In typical Bruce fashion, he took the Top 100 snub in style.
"Other guys developed," he said. "It doesn't take anything away from my ability
to play. Because whenever you call my number, I'm going to deliver. That's just
what I plan on doing.
"I focus and I train that way in the offseason. I expect to make big plays. I
was never one to call the plays, that's not my job. So my hat's off to all 100
of them."
Rams coach Mike Martz was Bruce's position coach in 1995-96, the Rams' first
two seasons in St. Louis. If there's a difference between the Bruce of the
mid-'90s, and the Bruce of today, Martz doesn't see it.
"He works so hard at keeping himself at that level," Martz said. "I just don't
see a difference. He really practices the same as he's always practiced. The
intensity. He's never lost that passion."
On the practice field, or on game day.
"You talk to players that see him in the huddle during the game, and he's like
a caged lion," Martz said. "He's got this fierce competitiveness in him.
Everybody's competitive on that football field, there's no question about it.
But he's got a special quality to him that very few probably have had that play
this game. I think he's very unique."
And he's not done yet. As Bruce sees it, he's not getting older, he's getting
better.
"I'm 31 years young now," he says. "As far as football's concerned, I'm just
more patient as a receiver. I see things a lot easier. ... I can anticipate
things a lot better. And I've got a big-time running back (Faulk), a big-time
left tackle (Orlando Pace), and a big-time receiver (Holt) on the other side.
So it's easy."
Bruce showing that career has gone deep
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