New type of hunger' fuels Pace

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New type of hunger' fuels Pace
Topic Started: Apr 20 2008, 08:01 PM (38 Views)
Deb	Apr 20 2008, 08:01 PM Post #1
The resident Cowboys Chick Posts: 648 Group: SUPER MOD SQUAD Member #211 Joined: February 18, 2007	New type of hunger' fuels Pace By Bill Coats ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH 04/20/2008 One of the first things new offensive coordinator Al Saunders noted when he was hired in January was that the Rams' offensive line "probably will need some attention." He's just hoping it won't be constant medical attention, as was the case last year. "I'd never seen anything like that," said tackle Orlando Pace, shaking his head. "Every week it seemed like somebody was going down and we were on the waiver wire, getting guys to come in, guys off the street. That made it tough for us." It was Pace who set the painful pace, suffering a season-ending injury to his right shoulder in the regular-season opener. The perennial Pro Bowler, who signed a seven-year, $52.8 million contract in 2005, had missed the last six games of the 2006 season after tearing a triceps muscle in his upper right arm. "The triceps was tough, but when I did the shoulder, it was one of the toughest things I've had to handle, not only in my professional career but in my life," Pace said in a rare offseason interview. "I was so excited about coming back and playing last year ... and I couldn't even make it through one game. It was so disappointing. It took me awhile to get over it mentally." Pace, 32, underwent surgery Sept. 20 in Houston to repair his rotator cuff and labrum. Rehab began soon thereafter, although he was in a sling for several weeks. "It feels pretty good," Pace reported. "When it first started, it was a slow process. But now it's a matter of lifting weights and getting it strong again, getting it back up to where I was." His surgeon, Dr. Walt Lowe, has told Pace that he should be fully cleared in time for the start of training camp in late July. "He wants to take it pretty slow," Pace said. "But once I get the strength back up, the contact ... is easy to come back." Coming back from the arm injury worried him more "because you do so much punching," he explained. "The shoulder, being that it's my right shoulder, I seldom get it caught outside. As long as I can keep it close and tucked in, I won't have any reservations about it." Pace has had plenty of company for his almost-daily workouts at Rams Park. Four of the five starters on the offensive line missed significant time because of injuries last year, for a combined total of 42 games: Pace (15 games), guards Richie Incognito (knee, seven) and Mark Setterstrom (knee, 13), and center Brett Romberg (ankles, seven). Only Alex Barron played in all 16 games � but just one at his original position, right tackle. He started the final 15 in Pace's old spot on the left side. Plus, backups Adam Goldberg (knee) and Todd Steussie (foot) were out for a total of 22 games. Desperate, the team brought in six free-agent offensive linemen during the season, which ended with the 3-13 Rams in the NFC West basement. If they are to make significant improvement this year, a far healthier offensive line is required. "As a group, you have to have guys that have played together ... at least know the first and last name of the guy that's playing next to you," Pace said, laughing. The recovery of the unit begins with the recuperation of its anchor. "If Orlando comes back full speed at left tackle, then you've got a marquee player there," Saunders said. Regaining such status is important to him, acknowledged Pace, the last offensive lineman to be the NFL's No. 1 overall draft choice, in 1997. He never sat out because of injury at Ohio State and missed only a handful of games during his first nine NFL seasons, seven of which concluded with an all-expenses-paid trip to Hawaii for the league's all-star game.



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