The Ron Brace disaster

So when are all you guys who called me nutz going to apologize? [crickets...]

Now that it is safe I see that there are some guys trying to say that they knew Brace was suspect when he was drafted. Ha.

FredFromDartmouth said:

So when are all you guys who called me nutz going to apologize? [crickets...]

Now that it is safe I see that there are some guys trying to say that they knew Brace was suspect when he was drafted. Ha.

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You are smarter than Belichick. Know more about football than anyone in the world. Happy? You can put that on your resume and I'll 2nd it.

FredFromDartmouth said:

So when are all you guys who called me nutz going to apologize? [crickets...]

Now that it is safe I see that there are some guys trying to say that they knew Brace was suspect when he was drafted. Ha.

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What is your problem?

Why don't you stfu until he gets cut if he gets cut.

patsfaninpa said:

You are smarter than Belichick. Know more about football than anyone in the world. Happy? You can put that on your resume and I'll 2nd it.

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HeHe. Very good.

Can you imagine if the fans made the draft picks?

Every year it would 5-6 tall receivers (like a miniature version of Detroit under Millen). Not just the garden variety tall receiver (like Givens or Price) either but the full-length-fur-coat-wearing covered-in-gold-chains big-ego prima-donna variety.
Also 2-3 quarterbacks each draft.

And they would mortgage the future to trade up (way up) to get that special big receiver. And they would hit the supplemental draft hard each year. Also spend big bucks on washed up stars....hmmm this is starting to sound like Dan Synder and the 'Skins...

FredFromDartmouth said:

HeHe. Very good.

Can you imagine if the fans made the draft picks?

Every year it would 5-6 tall receivers (like a miniature version of Detroit under Millen). Not just the garden variety tall receiver (like Givens or Price) either but the full-length-fur-coat-wearing covered-in-gold-chains big-ego prima-donna variety.
Also 2-3 quarterbacks each draft.

And they would mortgage the future to trade up (way up) to get that special big receiver. And they would hit the supplemental draft hard each year. Also spend big bucks on washed up stars....hmmm this is starting to sound like Dan Synder and the 'Skins...

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You are like a broken record. You say the same thing over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over...............................

eagle eye said:

What is your problem?

Why don't you (Please be quiet - edited) until he gets cut if he gets cut.

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Excuse him for not burying his head like you are. 2nd rounders are not this useless in their 2nd year

He's calling how he sees it.not his fault you continue to hold onto baseless hope

Rare miscalculation by BB IMO. Raji demanding double teams and extra attention made Brace appear to be a more dominant player than he truly is, as he took advantage of the matchup nightmares Raji created.

It could be like the Jared Crick and Suh situation. Crick looked like a great prospect last year because Suh demanded teams to scheme for him and freed up Crick with advantageous matchups. At least we'll get to see Crick for a year on his own to really judge his play, unlike the Brace situation.

Everyone knew that Brace wasn't as good as Raji. The reality may be the Raji isn't the isn't the super stud we thought he was, or at least was seriously overvalued. Consider that if Raji were considered to worth a 16th - 20th pick (like Wilfork was), then maybe Belichick wouldn't have thought Brace worth the 40th pick.

I wonder who is going to be punished for this? Usually when a team screws up like this, someone has to fall on their sword. A 2nd round pick just a complete bust? I hope it's not true, but if it is someone needs to be docked a year's pay or something.

BillBelichickFan79 said:

Rare miscalculation by BB IMO. Raji demanding double teams and extra attention made Brace appear to be a more dominant player than he truly is, as he took advantage of the matchup nightmares Raji created.

It could be like the Jared Crick and Suh situation. Crick looked like a great prospect last year because Suh demanded teams to scheme for him and freed up Crick with advantageous matchups. At least we'll get to see Crick for a year on his own to really judge his play, unlike the Brace situation.

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Raji sat 2007 so they had plenty of tape without him playing by his side. I'm a half cup full guy so I'm still with the kid but jeez he better contribute something this year.

With Ty Warren's IR and Gerard Warren stepping in, Brace will get some PT inside and the paper said he's seeing some reps at DE. Could be a breakout year for Ron Brace and this thread could be renamed The Fred From Dartmouth Disaster

Ron Brace is a 2nd round NT prospect who has been slow to develop, as most NT's are, and as many defensive linemen for the patriots have been.

As ahve indicated a few dozen times over the pst year or so, I think that the 40th pick was early for Brace.

HOWEVER, now it makes no difference whether Brace was picked 40th, 130th or 230th. He is a prospect at NT in his second year. He started one game and did OK. He didn't perform as well as the other DL draftee from 2009 that made the 53. Would I preferred that we were picked at #140 instead of #40? Sure! But that makes little difference now.

There is nothing in what Brace has done or failed to do that makes it reasonable to evaluate him as a bust. If he is now healthy, he will make the team. Personally, I expect him to be inactive for most games, as would be expected for our #6 defensive lineman. I would expect him to active if there is an injury to another DL. It is just possible that he will develop enough to useful in short yardage situations.

Went to training camp practice today and made a point of watching Brace in 11-on-11s. I thought he actually looked pretty good, especially considering it was his first practice of the summer.

He lined up at LE with the 2nd unit, mostly across from Mark Levoir at RT. He looked like he controlled his gap and walked back Levoir 1-3 steps into the backfield on seemingly every play. On a running play away from his side, he looked pretty agile getting down the line in pursuit and got in the play.

I know its a small sample size, but Levoir is at least an NFL-Caliber OT and at least Brace didn't look like he was wearing roller-skates like he did last year vs. the Jets and Bills. Maybe he is better suited for DE than NT

I see lots of future L's and one big W in this thread. Brace will go down as the worst pick in the BB era.

condon84 said:

I see lots of future L's and one big W in this thread. Brace will go down as the worst pick in the BB era.

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If that's the case, it's a testament to BB's past drafting ability.

condon84 said:

I see lots of future L's and one big W in this thread. Brace will go down as the worst pick in the BB era.

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And it would still be orders of magnitude better than Vernon Gholston. . . . :bricks:

If that's the case, it's a testament to BB's past drafting ability.

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We are spoiled.

ctpatsfan77 said:

And it would still be orders of magnitude better than Vernon Gholston. . . . :bricks:

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:rocker:

patfanken said:

Personally this is one of the area where I hate the Pats injury policy. Basically they are letting this kid swing in the wind in the name of secrecy. If he is do out of shape that he can't pass a conditioning test, say so. If he's hurt and because of the injury can't pass the test SAY SO.

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I completely agree, for the exact reason you gave.

SanAngeloState said:

I wonder who is going to be punished for this? Usually when a team screws up like this, someone has to fall on their sword. A 2nd round pick just a complete bust? I hope it's not true, but if it is someone needs to be docked a year's pay or something.

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Someone (or someones) should've been fired - or had his GM duties revoked - for the 2004, '06, '07 & '08 disasters, and for drafting Brace instead of Connor Barwin.

captain stone said:

Someone (or someones) should've been fired - or had his GM duties revoked - for the 2004, '06, '07 & '08 disasters, and for drafting Brace instead of Connor Barwin.

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2007 was a terrific draft.

The jury is still out on 2008, as well as the question of Barwin vs. Brace.