And this is when a cherished friend will be welcomed home.

"Bruuuuce,"

Will No. 88 wave to his fans and acknowledge the tribute? Or will he stay locked into his competitive mode and simply toss the ball to the official and trot back to the huddle?

Isaac Bruce - the greatest wide receiver in Rams history - just doesn't know.

"It'll be emotional," Bruce was saying on the phone the other day. "I've been in that stadium before where former Rams players have come back. Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk. And just seeing the reception they were given, it gave me chills all over."

And now it's Bruce's turn.

It'll be a day of jumbled feelings.

And this isn't a Jim Edmonds-Cubs-Cardinals thing.

The Cubs and Cardinals were battling for first place when Edmonds returned to St. Louis last summer; the 49ers and Rams are long out of playoff contention. And the 49ers aren't the hated rival that the Cubs are to the Cardinals and their fans.

With nothing at stake, this day belongs to Bruce almighty.

He's making his first visit to the Edward Jones Dome since the Rams foolishly released him on Feb. 28.

He signed with the 49ers the next day, and was reunited with Mike Martz. But his Football soul never departed.

"I miss the city, and I miss the people," Bruce said.

Because the Rams (2-12) are so pitiful, this is a day for nostalgia. We'll try to remember the sweet memories of the many triumphant afternoons that occurred here during Bruce's prime years.

Bruce's constant role in the shock-and-awe offense assured his place as one of the town's most beloved athletes. And nothing will change that, not even the 49ers' colors.

But Bruce also is a haunting figure, a reminder that those happy days ended too soon. And how can we forget that he was pushed away to open a starting spot for the Drew Bennett?

At age 36, Bruce still plays at a high level.

He leads San Francisco in receptions (52), receiving yards (766) and touchdown catches (six). And Bruce can reach two more incredible career milestones Sunday.

He needs six catches to become the fifth NFL receiver with 1,000 receptions. Bruce enters with 14,875 receiving yards, and if he can get 60 yards against the Rams, he'll dash by Tim Brown and into the No. 2 spot on the career list.

Only Jerry Rice (22,895 yards) will have more.

It would be appropriate for Bruce to pull more of that precious history into his hands while playing on the fast track at the Dome. It was Bruce's runway to a Hall of Fame career.

"I always go back to my very source: me being a man of God, and giving God all of the credit," Bruce said. "Just having the opportunity of being drafted by the Rams, and playing so many years for the Rams. And it just proves that patience, steadfastness and hard work are positive things. We all have it inside of us, and it just needs to be developed."

I asked Bruce about his favorite Rams memories, but he said he couldn't peg just one.

Not the remarkable 73-yard catch-and-run to win Super Bowl 34.

Not the epic four-touchdown performance to conquer the 49ers in St. Louis in 1999.

Not the 77-yard touchdown pass that got the 1999 Rams under way for a 49-37 victory over Minnesota in the first NFL playoff game played in St. Louis.

"I'm just thankful that I was a part of all of it," Bruce said. "Just being a part of 'The Greatest Show on Turf.' Just being in St. Louis when the community imploded with Football fever. I am truly grateful to God that He allowed me to be with that organization, and those coaches and teammates in St. Louis. Some guys are never part of something that's truly special. And I thank God that I was part of something truly special in St. Louis."

Perhaps that's why Bruce insists he's free of bitterness.

"When the ax truly fell, for a moment I felt a little bit empty," he said. "But it also gave me a chance to reflect on the body of work that had been completed in St. Louis. I was also smart enough to know that it was nothing personal. Change is inevitable. I thought I handled it in a way that no bridges were burned. I can still call myself a Ram. I can still go to Rams Park and hug everybody."

There is no revenge in his heart, but ...

Bruce still considers 'The Ed' to be his domain, so forget this visiting-player stuff.

It's still his house.

"Every time I played in that dome, I always had a sense of protecting my home turf," Bruce said. "I developed some sense of ownership in it. And that meant I'd go out and do everything I could to win this Football game to help brighten the day of the St. Louis fans. That was my main objective. And I can honestly tell you that when I walk in that stadium on Sunday, I will have that exact same feeling. I will feel like I am home."