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Bracing for success Rams' Bruce sends equipment guy racing for braces
Posted: Monday January 17, 2000 04:00 PM
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Linus has his blanket, and Isaac Bruce has his lucky ankle braces. So when the St. Louis Rams wide receiver realized about 90 minutes before game time Sunday that he had left the braces at the team's training park, 20 miles from the Trans World Dome, it called for quick action. Equipment manager Jim Lake tracked down Rams security director Dan Linza, who found a willing St. Louis police officer, who jetted Lake to Rams Park in northwest St. Louis County. Bruce had a backup pair of braces at the dome but desperately wanted his favorites. "I've had them since college, and I didn't want to change them," Bruce said. "They're kind of old and raggedy so they work well for me. I couldn't play without them." The officer used his car's flashing lights to help get through heavy traffic around the Trans World Dome. And Bruce had his lucky braces well before the game. "We flew out of there and back," Lake said. "Next time I'm asking for the helicopter, though." Apparently, the braces helped. Bruce scored a touchdown on the Rams' first play from scrimmage, and St. Louis went on to beat the Minnesota Vikings 49-37 and advance to the NFC title game next Sunday against Tampa Bay, also at the TWA Dome.
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