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Orlando Pace Speaks on 590 The Fan
By: Howard Balzer February 12, 2016
February 18, 2016
Former St. Louis Ram offensive tackle and one of the newest members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Orlando Pace joined us on “The Blitz” to discuss his election and thoughts on the Rams leaving St. Louis.
On the realization that he is now a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, has that acknowledgment sunk in yet:
Pace: “It really has. We went through the process, the orientation after you are selected and Steve Young (former San Francisco 49er quarterback), a Hall of Famer came in and he had the opportunity to speak to the new class and you kind of realize what it’s all about. The guys, the history of the game, and all the things that come along with being a Hall of Famer. With each passing day, it sinks in a little more. I am still riding pretty high because I am still pretty excited about the honor.”
On the anticipation of waiting for the knock on the door to let Orlando know he is a Hall of Fame member in 2016:
Pace: “Let me say this, I was a little more nervous this year because last year expectations were so high, you read all the press clippings, everybody saying you are going to be a first-ballot guy, and it doesn’t happen so I really tried to temper my expectations this year and almost trick myself into thinking that it wouldn’t happen, just so I could handle the pressure that comes along with it so I wouldn’t be disappointed the way I was last year. The feeling that came down initially when David Baker said you are a member of the Hall of Fame, to me I go back to high school where it all started in Sandusky, Ohio, and start to think about the people who really influenced me in my career. Some of the coaches and players throughout my journey of becoming a Hall of Famer, those were the initial thoughts from where I came from to now is truly unbelievable.”
On how gut wrenching the entire process of the Hall of Fame voting is:
Pace: “There really is, you have family members telling you ‘This is your year.’ You really try to temper those expectations big-time because you just never know what happens in that (voters) room and how it unfolds. I remember after last year after not making it and seeing Kevin Greene and it’s his like seventh or eighth time not making it and I’m tore up about (myself not making it) and he is hopefully we go in together. I couldn’t imagine going through that process as long as Kevin did and I am really happy for Kevin to be selected. Going through that process year in and year out has to be really difficult and I am glad I got in on my second try. I couldn’t imagine waiting longer.”
On if Orlando is the biggest player to be sized for a Hall of Fame gold jacket:
“I asked that question (myself) every time I went to get measured, ‘Is this the largest blazer you’ve measured and they are like no, it’s Jonathan Ogden.’ I think Jonathan won in every category as a matter of fact. I’m a big guy and I wanted to know if I am the biggest guy in the Hall of Fame but no, it’s Jonathan Ogden and he still holds all those records.”
What do you say to St. Louis fans as you go into the Hall of Fame as a St. Louis Ram, but there is no team here anymore:
Pace: “I’ve said this before, actually to Howard (Balzer) on Hall of Fame night, St. Louis fans are going through sadness of not having a NFL team but hopefully this induction, this celebration of a St. Louis Ram going into the Hall of Fame is a small bright spot of the history of the St. Louis Rams being in St. Louis. I’m excited to be a part of that and our legacy lives on through this Hall of Fame induction and hopefully Kurt (Warner) next year and Ike (Bruce) and Torry (Holt) to follow. We will always be St. Louis Rams! We had a great time here and hopefully we can continue this legacy and one day in August, give St. Louis fans a reason to smile and be proud that they were a St. Louis Rams fan.”
On the fact four Rams were eligible for Hall of Fame at the same time, how that bond continues to grow between the players:
Pace: “When we, all four of us were announced, it brought us closer. As retired players, typically, we go our separate ways, but I think I’ve grown closer to all those guys over the past couple years due to going through this process. I know with Kurt, we have been going through this process the last two years, the support these guys give, heck that we give each other is unbelievable and I will be cheering for all the rest of them, for my three guys on my team, Isaac, Torry and Kurt, hopefully soon, that they can get into the Hall as well. It was a special time in our lives, a special time in St. Louis, to really play that style of football and have that much fun, it was truly amazing!”
On hearing that other members of the Super Bowl winning Rams say that Orlando was the best player on the team:
Pace: “Don’t get me wrong, the Hall of Fame is great, but to really play this game, looking back on my career, and reflecting on everything that I’ve done, the most gratifying thing is respect from your peers. I got some pretty good text messages from some really great players, for guys to really respect your craft and respect what you did during that time that’s really why you play the game for those guys to say they respect your game, you meant a lot to our success, you meant a lot to what we did, it’s awesome of the things players or former teammates have said and the type of support they have given me over this Hall of Fame time has been really awesome.”
On Orlando’s critical role in the wild, wide open Mike Martz offense:
“When you are in it, you don’t really recognize what is going on. But once you look back on it you say, ‘Wow, we were in there with four or five receivers 70 percent of the time, wow that’s a lot.’ It started to become natural and the thing about it is, when you look at that offense and you are pass blocking it becomes who you are and I think coach Hanifan did a great job of really preaching that. I did think Mike Martz was crazy. I remember one game the guys in the media were on him for never running the ball and we came out and passed the ball I think it was 15 or 16 straight times and I’m over there looking at the sideline like ‘What’s going on? Are we in two-minute?’ But that’s the way he was, but we couldn’t do that without coach Hanifan. He honed our technique pass blocking and Kurt was good at teams that blitzed us, he would still get the ball off, looking back on it now, it was a lot of pressure and I’m looking at other guys on other teams and they are running the ball and I love to run the ball as well but I had to change my game up a little bit to become a better pass blocker.”
On the importance of camaraderie on the offensive line:
“That’s the important part. The glue for us was (center) Mike Gruttadauria. Mike Martz’s playbook is probably as thick as the dictionary. We had plays in the playbook that we didn’t practice all week and he (Martz) would call them in the game. As a unit, we played as one accord and we knew he would call a bunch of plays but as a unit we listened to Mike Gruttadauria who was the quarterback of that offensive line, who got us in the right position and really told us who to block or got the line sliding in one direction or the other and he understood that offense, which is a really tough offense to understand, but we made it happen.”
On who will present Orlando in Canton:
“In the next couple days, I will probably narrow it down but I have not come up with who will present me yet. It’s a tough decision, because in every phase of your life a coach, person, player they affected your life in a positive way. And I’ve been through a few coaches who have been very instrumental in my career and if you choose one and not necessarily the other, it’s not a slight, or any person from that standpoint, it’s something I have given thought to since I made the Hall of Fame. It’s something I am going to continue to think on and see what happens.”
By: Howard Balzer February 12, 2016
February 18, 2016
Former St. Louis Ram offensive tackle and one of the newest members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Orlando Pace joined us on “The Blitz” to discuss his election and thoughts on the Rams leaving St. Louis.
On the realization that he is now a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, has that acknowledgment sunk in yet:
Pace: “It really has. We went through the process, the orientation after you are selected and Steve Young (former San Francisco 49er quarterback), a Hall of Famer came in and he had the opportunity to speak to the new class and you kind of realize what it’s all about. The guys, the history of the game, and all the things that come along with being a Hall of Famer. With each passing day, it sinks in a little more. I am still riding pretty high because I am still pretty excited about the honor.”
On the anticipation of waiting for the knock on the door to let Orlando know he is a Hall of Fame member in 2016:
Pace: “Let me say this, I was a little more nervous this year because last year expectations were so high, you read all the press clippings, everybody saying you are going to be a first-ballot guy, and it doesn’t happen so I really tried to temper my expectations this year and almost trick myself into thinking that it wouldn’t happen, just so I could handle the pressure that comes along with it so I wouldn’t be disappointed the way I was last year. The feeling that came down initially when David Baker said you are a member of the Hall of Fame, to me I go back to high school where it all started in Sandusky, Ohio, and start to think about the people who really influenced me in my career. Some of the coaches and players throughout my journey of becoming a Hall of Famer, those were the initial thoughts from where I came from to now is truly unbelievable.”
On how gut wrenching the entire process of the Hall of Fame voting is:
Pace: “There really is, you have family members telling you ‘This is your year.’ You really try to temper those expectations big-time because you just never know what happens in that (voters) room and how it unfolds. I remember after last year after not making it and seeing Kevin Greene and it’s his like seventh or eighth time not making it and I’m tore up about (myself not making it) and he is hopefully we go in together. I couldn’t imagine going through that process as long as Kevin did and I am really happy for Kevin to be selected. Going through that process year in and year out has to be really difficult and I am glad I got in on my second try. I couldn’t imagine waiting longer.”
On if Orlando is the biggest player to be sized for a Hall of Fame gold jacket:
“I asked that question (myself) every time I went to get measured, ‘Is this the largest blazer you’ve measured and they are like no, it’s Jonathan Ogden.’ I think Jonathan won in every category as a matter of fact. I’m a big guy and I wanted to know if I am the biggest guy in the Hall of Fame but no, it’s Jonathan Ogden and he still holds all those records.”
What do you say to St. Louis fans as you go into the Hall of Fame as a St. Louis Ram, but there is no team here anymore:
Pace: “I’ve said this before, actually to Howard (Balzer) on Hall of Fame night, St. Louis fans are going through sadness of not having a NFL team but hopefully this induction, this celebration of a St. Louis Ram going into the Hall of Fame is a small bright spot of the history of the St. Louis Rams being in St. Louis. I’m excited to be a part of that and our legacy lives on through this Hall of Fame induction and hopefully Kurt (Warner) next year and Ike (Bruce) and Torry (Holt) to follow. We will always be St. Louis Rams! We had a great time here and hopefully we can continue this legacy and one day in August, give St. Louis fans a reason to smile and be proud that they were a St. Louis Rams fan.”
On the fact four Rams were eligible for Hall of Fame at the same time, how that bond continues to grow between the players:
Pace: “When we, all four of us were announced, it brought us closer. As retired players, typically, we go our separate ways, but I think I’ve grown closer to all those guys over the past couple years due to going through this process. I know with Kurt, we have been going through this process the last two years, the support these guys give, heck that we give each other is unbelievable and I will be cheering for all the rest of them, for my three guys on my team, Isaac, Torry and Kurt, hopefully soon, that they can get into the Hall as well. It was a special time in our lives, a special time in St. Louis, to really play that style of football and have that much fun, it was truly amazing!”
On hearing that other members of the Super Bowl winning Rams say that Orlando was the best player on the team:
Pace: “Don’t get me wrong, the Hall of Fame is great, but to really play this game, looking back on my career, and reflecting on everything that I’ve done, the most gratifying thing is respect from your peers. I got some pretty good text messages from some really great players, for guys to really respect your craft and respect what you did during that time that’s really why you play the game for those guys to say they respect your game, you meant a lot to our success, you meant a lot to what we did, it’s awesome of the things players or former teammates have said and the type of support they have given me over this Hall of Fame time has been really awesome.”
On Orlando’s critical role in the wild, wide open Mike Martz offense:
“When you are in it, you don’t really recognize what is going on. But once you look back on it you say, ‘Wow, we were in there with four or five receivers 70 percent of the time, wow that’s a lot.’ It started to become natural and the thing about it is, when you look at that offense and you are pass blocking it becomes who you are and I think coach Hanifan did a great job of really preaching that. I did think Mike Martz was crazy. I remember one game the guys in the media were on him for never running the ball and we came out and passed the ball I think it was 15 or 16 straight times and I’m over there looking at the sideline like ‘What’s going on? Are we in two-minute?’ But that’s the way he was, but we couldn’t do that without coach Hanifan. He honed our technique pass blocking and Kurt was good at teams that blitzed us, he would still get the ball off, looking back on it now, it was a lot of pressure and I’m looking at other guys on other teams and they are running the ball and I love to run the ball as well but I had to change my game up a little bit to become a better pass blocker.”
On the importance of camaraderie on the offensive line:
“That’s the important part. The glue for us was (center) Mike Gruttadauria. Mike Martz’s playbook is probably as thick as the dictionary. We had plays in the playbook that we didn’t practice all week and he (Martz) would call them in the game. As a unit, we played as one accord and we knew he would call a bunch of plays but as a unit we listened to Mike Gruttadauria who was the quarterback of that offensive line, who got us in the right position and really told us who to block or got the line sliding in one direction or the other and he understood that offense, which is a really tough offense to understand, but we made it happen.”
On who will present Orlando in Canton:
“In the next couple days, I will probably narrow it down but I have not come up with who will present me yet. It’s a tough decision, because in every phase of your life a coach, person, player they affected your life in a positive way. And I’ve been through a few coaches who have been very instrumental in my career and if you choose one and not necessarily the other, it’s not a slight, or any person from that standpoint, it’s something I have given thought to since I made the Hall of Fame. It’s something I am going to continue to think on and see what happens.”
