kjbad
10-30-2007, 08:12 AM
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/cardinals/articles/1029cards1030.html
Pace comfortable with Cards
Breakout season has him wanting to stay
Doug Haller
The Arizona Republic
Oct. 29, 2007 10:06 PM
Calvin Pace talked Monday about playing for the Cardinals for as long as possible. He likes the Valley. Feels comfortable here. He wants to contribute to something he feels is building.
"You can feel it," the linebacker said. "You can feel it with the club. You can feel it with the fans. Everybody is behind us. And, too, you don't want to bounce around from team to team. It's like going to a new school when you're a kid. You got to make new friends, learn a new city. I like it here."
Pace, named a starter after Chike Okeafor's season-ending injury during training camp, entered the Cardinals off week after one of his better performances. He collected a team-high nine tackles, a sack and an interception in Arizona's 21-19 loss at Washington.
In that sense, the off week was good. That hasn't always been the case for Pace. Two years ago, he was involved in an off-week incident that required season-ending surgery. Pace was embarrassed. He felt like he let down his family and teammates. Many wondered about his future in Arizona.
"That was one of the worst things that's happened to me since I've been here," Pace said of a night out with his best friend in Atlanta, one that had started with dinner and a visit to a club.
"The funny thing was, we didn't even stay out that late. I lived in a condo at the time that basically had floor-to-ceiling windows. We had been playing around, and I thought we were done. I was sitting in the windowsill and (my best friend) pushed me. My arm went through the window. I didn't know the glass was that thin."
Pace didn't even realize he was cut until he felt something wet on his pants. He checked his arm, and realized the glass had slashed his right arm to the bone. The laceration, stretching from elbow to wrist, required surgery to repair torn tendons, ending what Pace had hoped would be his breakout season.
"I'm sitting at home in bed with my arm propped up thinking, 'Wow, how can you explain this?' " Pace said. "But stuff happens. I never asked why, but it definitely made me appreciate coming into work every day."
It has shown. In 2003, Pace had arrived from Wake Forest as a defensive end, one who had told relatives as a child that one day he would play in the NFL. He started 16 games at right defensive end his first season, but his playing time diminished the following season.
Last year, the Cardinals moved him to strong-side linebacker, where he started five games. This season, linebackers coach Billy Davis told Pace to stop worrying about mistakes and just go all out. For Pace, it was liberating.
"I've had so many players that I've taken from defensive end to outside backer and there's about a year, year-and-a-half learning curve," Davis said. "It's all about vision. Down in that stance, all they see is these little things. But when you ask them to stand up, there's a lot to look at and it gets confusing. Calvin's just worked so hard at doing the little things right."
His play has been so impressive the Cardinals have expressed interest in re-signing Pace, a five-year veteran whose contract expires at season's end.
"I never thought my days here were over," Pace said. "Were there some rough days when it was hard to get out of bed? Yeah. But I fought through it and made the most of it. This is where I want to be."
Pace comfortable with Cards
Breakout season has him wanting to stay
Doug Haller
The Arizona Republic
Oct. 29, 2007 10:06 PM
Calvin Pace talked Monday about playing for the Cardinals for as long as possible. He likes the Valley. Feels comfortable here. He wants to contribute to something he feels is building.
"You can feel it," the linebacker said. "You can feel it with the club. You can feel it with the fans. Everybody is behind us. And, too, you don't want to bounce around from team to team. It's like going to a new school when you're a kid. You got to make new friends, learn a new city. I like it here."
Pace, named a starter after Chike Okeafor's season-ending injury during training camp, entered the Cardinals off week after one of his better performances. He collected a team-high nine tackles, a sack and an interception in Arizona's 21-19 loss at Washington.
In that sense, the off week was good. That hasn't always been the case for Pace. Two years ago, he was involved in an off-week incident that required season-ending surgery. Pace was embarrassed. He felt like he let down his family and teammates. Many wondered about his future in Arizona.
"That was one of the worst things that's happened to me since I've been here," Pace said of a night out with his best friend in Atlanta, one that had started with dinner and a visit to a club.
"The funny thing was, we didn't even stay out that late. I lived in a condo at the time that basically had floor-to-ceiling windows. We had been playing around, and I thought we were done. I was sitting in the windowsill and (my best friend) pushed me. My arm went through the window. I didn't know the glass was that thin."
Pace didn't even realize he was cut until he felt something wet on his pants. He checked his arm, and realized the glass had slashed his right arm to the bone. The laceration, stretching from elbow to wrist, required surgery to repair torn tendons, ending what Pace had hoped would be his breakout season.
"I'm sitting at home in bed with my arm propped up thinking, 'Wow, how can you explain this?' " Pace said. "But stuff happens. I never asked why, but it definitely made me appreciate coming into work every day."
It has shown. In 2003, Pace had arrived from Wake Forest as a defensive end, one who had told relatives as a child that one day he would play in the NFL. He started 16 games at right defensive end his first season, but his playing time diminished the following season.
Last year, the Cardinals moved him to strong-side linebacker, where he started five games. This season, linebackers coach Billy Davis told Pace to stop worrying about mistakes and just go all out. For Pace, it was liberating.
"I've had so many players that I've taken from defensive end to outside backer and there's about a year, year-and-a-half learning curve," Davis said. "It's all about vision. Down in that stance, all they see is these little things. But when you ask them to stand up, there's a lot to look at and it gets confusing. Calvin's just worked so hard at doing the little things right."
His play has been so impressive the Cardinals have expressed interest in re-signing Pace, a five-year veteran whose contract expires at season's end.
"I never thought my days here were over," Pace said. "Were there some rough days when it was hard to get out of bed? Yeah. But I fought through it and made the most of it. This is where I want to be."