Brace brushes aside media criticism

[shmessy]

People bash him for the same reason they bashed Blaine Gabbert after he recently opened his mouth following criticism: no one likes a whiner.

Wrong.

A whole lot of us liked Rodney Harrison.

Two of the heroes of the 70's-80's Patriots (Steve Grogan and Raymond Clayborn) were two of the biggest whiners about the media on the team.

And you would have HATED Ted Williams.

A player with a chip on his shoulder is a VERY good thing.

Go watch the 60 minutes of ESPN Martyrdom that called "The Brady 6". You want to see whining??????

 

[mayoclinic]

People bash him for the same reason they bashed Blaine Gabbert after he recently opened his mouth following criticism: no one likes a whiner. Here’s something I’d much prefer to hear out of a Patriot (channeling TFB):

Interviewer - Is it hard being in the NFL?

Ron Brace – It’s extremely demanding, BB expects the best and it’s up to us to deliver. That said, I love playing with these guys and am fortunate to play in the NFL, this is a dream for me.

Interviewer – Are you a bust?

Ron Brace – I don’t think so, I trust BB to make the best decisions for the team and he’s chosen to keep me on the roster for a reason. Things haven’t gone like I would have preferred them to but all I can do is work on being a better player and better teammate.

If Brace said that people would be talking about his great attitude and how they'd be rooting for him.

Different players motivate themselves in different ways. Brandon Graham - a binky of many on this board in 2010 - recently called himself a "bust" in order to motivate himself:

With health troubles limiting him to 16 games over his first two seasons in the NFL, Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham has acknowledged that he's a "bust," a label that he's going to use as motivation heading into the 2012 season.

"Right now, I'm a bust, so I'm going to deal with that," Graham said, according to Jonathan Tamari of the Philadelphia Inquirer. "I'm a bust, and I'm going to keep being a bust. Even when I make plays, I'm going to still act like I'm a bust. You know what I'm saying?"

Eagles' Brandon Graham labels himself a 'bust' - NFL.com

Ian Rapoport noted:

Graham was drafted 13th overall, a guy whose stock was soaring on draft day. I remember when I first met him as a prospect, Graham was bright-eyed and optimistic. And during the entire process, he remained that way. Doesn’t seem that way anymore, though.

His career was derailed quickly. A slow start as a rookie. A torn ACL and soon microfracture surgery. A late start to 2011 on the PUP list, and little production. And now … he’s a bust, according to himself and Eagles fans.

I understand why Graham is calling himself a bust. He’s trying to stay motivated. He’s trying to always be humble. It makes sense. Maybe that will help.

But it’s also kinda sad, too. Two injured-riddled seasons have led some to second-guess the fit of a guy who seemed like he was landing with the perfect team. But what could Graham have done? Not gotten injured? Not suffered an ailment that led to devastating microfracture surgery? Not done it during an offseason that already featured a lockout?

Eagles DE Brandon Graham’s situation makes me think twice before using the word “bust” - NFL.com

Ron Brace has certainly underwhelmed his first 3 years. Injuries have played a role. The Pats tried making him into a 3-4 DE, a role for which which he wasn't naturally suited. He hasn't complained, he's worked hard, and BB seems to have valued him enough to keep him on the roster for 3 years. I think it's a long shot that he makes the roster, and even longer that he stays a Pat long enough to get a second contract. But if he can use irritation with the media to motivate himself to play to a higher level, I'm all for it.

The real question is whether BB makes a move for Connor Barwin if he hits free agency after the season.

I've been as big a Barwin fan as anyone since Cincinnati moved him to DE in 2008. But there's way too many variables to even think about that question this early.

 

[Guimond3434]

I'm a little late to the discussion here about Brace, but (I may be wrong) his rookie year he was pretty far down the depth chart (I think he was on PUP?). He didn't start appearing in games until the latter half of the year, and when he did get a shot (due to injuries), he was completely over-whelmed. He was not ready at all to be playing, and it was obvious. He had a very tough rookie year. Which is fine....some players start off slow.

His 2nd year, he battled injuries and was simply out-performed by Myron Pryor and Mike Wright. He never really made an impact or shown any signs of improvement. His 3rd year (last year), he battled injuries, yet again, and the time he did get to play, didn't really make an impact, at least, an impact that effected the team in a positive direction.

Going into his fourth year, is he on the bubble? Perhaps. He's lucky though because the competition at DT isn't nearly as great as it is at DE. With Mike Wright's unfortunate retirement, the door is wide open to whom backs up Wilfork and Love. Fanane and Gerrard Warren are givens, and Pryor has been more oft-injured then even Brace has. So yes, Brace has an outside shot of making this squad. Will he? I doubt it (especially since I read today that Deaderick has been working at DT thus far at OTA's).

Call it bad luck. Call it lack of talent. I don't know. But for whatever reason, after 3 years here, the Patriots and Ron Brace simply don't seem to be "clicking" IMO. If he gets cut, it's not going to affect the team in any way IMO.

 

[Fencer]

There's widespread suspicion that, at least during one offseason, Brace worked insufficiently hard to be in the best possible shape. Even that suspicion is not wholly confirmed, failed conditioning test or no.

Well, I'm pretty sure there used to be widespread suspicion that there was something wrong with Kevin Faulk's work ethic or toughness, given his ball security problems, and is penchant around the same time of his career for getting stopped one yard short of a first down ...

 

[BradyFTW!]

I pretty much agree with what Brace said, if not how he said it. I generally believe that keyboard jockeys should refrain from criticizing the work ethics of professional athletes who have managed to stick on Belichick's rosters. Even the lazy ones, by and large, are working a whole lot harder than we are. There's a reason why this place is at its most lively during the work day. Call them comically overpaid, stupid, jerks, etc. all you want, but not lazy. It's hard for a lazy guy to stick with the Pats for four years.

 

[Raymond]

There's a reason why this place is at its most lively during the work day..........

Excellent point. I've never found the time 9 to 5.

 

[randomk1]

I pretty much agree with what Brace said, if not how he said it. I generally believe that keyboard jockeys should refrain from criticizing the work ethics of professional athletes who have managed to stick on Belichick's rosters. Even the lazy ones, by and large, are working a whole lot harder than we are. There's a reason why this place is at its most lively during the work day. Call them comically overpaid, stupid, jerks, etc. all you want, but not lazy. It's hard for a lazy guy to stick with the Pats for four years.

And that makes them beyond criticism? I honestly don't care how hard he thinks he is working. He is getting beaten by guys who were taken later and have less time on the team. It is what it is.

 

[supafly]

This will certainly be Brace's make or break year, no doubt about that one.

He will have to step up and show the team and coaches what he can offer and what he is made of, and he will certainly have the opportunity to do that.

I will be pulling for him, as any kind of increased depth and competition on the defensive line is always a good thing, particularly this season.

 

[supafly]

And that makes them beyond criticism? I honestly don't care how hard he thinks he is working. He is getting beaten by guys who were taken later and have less time on the team. It is what it is.

You have a valid point randomk1, but what FTW is saying is that you can criticize his talent or performance all you want; but calling him 'lazy' is probably not too relevant, considering who the coach is.

 

[TyronePoole]

I like the posts in here making fun of him for being fat, they make a lot of sense.

 

[IllegalContact]

You might want to follow your own advice. Creating a thread with the sole purpose of bashing a guy who has not lived up to expectations, but who by all accounts has been a solid team player? Sounds like something that belongs on the Jets' forums.

solid team player.......LOL

 

[IllegalContact]

This will certainly be Brace's make or break year, no doubt about that one.

He will have to step up and show the team and coaches what he can offer and what he is made of, and he will certainly have the opportunity to do that.

I will be pulling for him, as any kind of increased depth and competition on the defensive line is always a good thing, particularly this season.

this is brace's last year here....end of story

 

[Snake Eyes]

I like the posts in here making fun of him for being fat, they make a lot of sense.

If a guy isn't very good and/or not getting a lot of playing time then he should probably gets himself in shape.

 

[Guimond3434]

this is brace's last year here....end of story

Your wrong, Brace won't even BE here this year. He'll be cut sometimes during Training Camp.

Just look at this Defensive Line and tell me who is wasting a roster spot. Brace has no business on this Dline anymore.

 

[Spiral]

Here's what I notice about Ron Brace. When the play is over, he is generally exactly where the offensive linemen want him to be. If you were to see the play drawn up on the board by the offense with him being pushed out of the A or B gap, trapped or whatever, number 97 generally winds up where his little "x" should be, according to the other team's playbook.

Not what we're looking for.

It looks to me like BB made the same mistake with Ron Brace that he made with Jermaine Cunningham. He looked at the BC tape with BJ Raji and Ron Brace playing DT at the same time, and thought that Brace would be nearly as good as Raji, but a better value. Did the same thing with Cunningham and Carlos Dunlap, but probably saw Cunningham as having fewer issues than Dunlap. The end result in each case appears to be a wasted second-round pick.

 

[randomk1]

It looks to me like BB made the same mistake with Ron Brace that he made with Jermaine Cunningham. He looked at the BC tape with BJ Raji and Ron Brace playing DT at the same time, and thought that Brace would be nearly as good as Raji, but a better value. Did the same thing with Cunningham and Carlos Dunlap, but probably saw Cunningham as having fewer issues than Dunlap. The end result in each case appears to be a wasted second-round pick.

I've been thinking that myself

 

[IllegalContact]

Your wrong, Brace won't even BE here this year. He'll be cut sometimes during Training Camp.

Just look at this Defensive Line and tell me who is wasting a roster spot. Brace has no business on this Dline anymore.

whether he gets cut now or lasts the season......technically, this is his last year here......so I am correct and you are ..... confused

 

[Ring 6]

Here's what I notice about Ron Brace. When the play is over, he is generally exactly where the offensive linemen want him to be. If you were to see the play drawn up on the board by the offense with him being pushed out of the A or B gap, trapped or whatever, number 97 generally winds up where his little "x" should be, according to the other team's playbook.

Not what we're looking for.

What are you watching? That is a totally inaccurate description of what Brace has done on the field. When on the field Brace has played better 2 gap run technique than anyone on the DL not named Wilfork.
His problem is getting on the field, not what he does when on it.

It looks to me like BB made the same mistake with Ron Brace that he made with Jermaine Cunningham. He looked at the BC tape with BJ Raji and Ron Brace playing DT at the same time, and thought that Brace would be nearly as good as Raji, but a better value. Did the same thing with Cunningham and Carlos Dunlap, but probably saw Cunningham as having fewer issues than Dunlap. The end result in each case appears to be a wasted second-round pick.

Yeah, BB hasn't been around long enough to see film at the level of depth you do.

 

[cupofjoe1962]

I'm on Brace's side. He didn't get his his roster spot by some kind of trickery. He earned it. That's a big accomplishment, even though he and we all wish he'd have accomplished a lot more beyond that.

I would have hoped we got more out of a 2nd round pick than a
bench book end.

 

[mgteich]

Yes, we all do.

That is not a reason not to keep him on the team as one of our DL's.

I would have hoped we got more out of a 2nd round pick than a
bench book end.