It’s a book store blog, but I’m compelled to offer two cent’s worth about OU product Sam Bradford and the ending of his first season. Pundits a’plenty will be sizing up his work and determining a season grade for the St. Louis Rams football team. Write what they will, I will not read them, Sam-I-Am, I do not read Green Eggs or Spam.
Former OU Quarterback Sam Bradford
Sunday night’s game was for all the marbles – the winner gets a playoff shot, the loser gets a vacation until next season. Neither Seattle nor St. Louis played much of a game, but the Seahawks wound up on top. In the booth, they were nearly pleading for the St. Louis coach to let Sam Bradford cut loose. He tried a couple of longer passes in the conservative St. Louis offense – they got dropped.
In baseball, it’s extremely rare for a recent college graduate to make an appearance on a major league pitching mound, if the pitcher is the equivalent of the football quarterback. They’re brought along through the minor leagues, allowing the young professional a chance to acclimate to professional sports. Eli Manning was an exception in the NFL, but he survived being tossed into the fire.
It may be for the best that the Rams kept young Sam well-protected. He completes his first season without major injury, broke some records, may be the Rookie of the Year, and will have experience and new teammates going into next year’s season. Perhaps, like Eli Manning, Sam will eventually wear a champion’s ring and bring a trophy to St. Louis. It is understandable that the coaches and owners might want to protect a gem in the making, and keep playing conservative until the time is right.
If nothing else, he has caused a number of us to become followers of the Rams – who will look forward to next year’s promise.