Sammy "Big Game" Bradford

I am calling it now - Sammy "Big Game" Bradford has now been unleashed. Forget about getting on the bus, I am volunteering to drive the bandwagon right now. Every couple of years there comes a group of athletes that just transcend their sport and take the competition to the next level. I think Sam Bradford is one of those athletes. He might not have the polish and the battle readiness that Mattie "Ice" Ryan had coming out of Boston College (and damn! anyone that is surprised Mattie Ice is bringing it at the pro level should be committed) BUT his resume speaks for itself. In 2 years of football, Big Game has compiled over a 181 QB rating, a respectable 68.9 completion %, 7,585 passing yards and 84 touchdowns. Even more impressive when you consider that he is 6'4, can make all throws, just turned 21 last month, is having one hell of a season (see below) in which he has just led his team to the 2009 BCS National Championship Game and a Heisman Finalist Nomination.

Just this season alone Big Game Sammy has put up the below numbers:

2008 Regular Season Game Log			Passing								Rushing
DATE	OPP	RESULT	CMP	ATT	YDS	CMP%	LNG	TD	INT	RAT	ATT	YDS	AVG	LNG	TD
8/30	Chattanooga	W 57-2	17	22	183	77.3	31	2	0	177.14	0	0	0.0	0	0
9/6	Cincinnati	W 52-26	29	38	395	76.3	43	5	2	196.53	3	3	1.0	3	0
9/13	@Washington	W 55-14	18	21	304	85.7	77	5	0	285.88	1	1	1.0	1	1
9/27	TCU	W 35-10	19	34	411	55.9	76	4	0	196.24	4	-31	-7.8	2	0
10/4	@Baylor	W 49-17	23	31	372	74.2	53	2	1	189.83	2	4	2.0	3	1
10/11	Texas	L 45-35	28	39	387	71.8	52	5	2	187.20	8	-5	-0.6	7	0
10/18	Kansas	W 45-31	36	53	468	67.9	48	3	0	160.78	4	14	3.5	7	0
10/25	@Kansas State	W 58-35	13	32	255	40.6	48	3	0	138.50	1	1	1.0	1	1
11/1	Nebraska	W 62-28	19	27	311	70.4	48	5	1	220.83	2	14	7.0	13	0
11/8	@Texas A&M	W 66-28	22	33	320	66.7	46	4	0	188.12	5	23	4.6	15	1
11/22	Texas Tech	W 65-21	14	19	304	73.7	66	4	0	277.56	5	18	3.6	14	0
11/29	@Oklahoma State	W 61-41	30	44	370	68.2	73	4	0	168.82	4	16	4.0	9	1
12/6	Missouri	W 62-21	34	49	384	69.4	36	2	0	148.69	1	7	7.0	7	0

The loss against Texas jumps out as a key game for BG; even though they lost to the Longhorns, Sammie put up incredulous numbers in that game and has really been consistent since. No doubt knowing that he could hang with the big boys and dominate has a lot to do with it. The sky is the limit for this kid and I will be shocked if he is not named as the Heisman Trophy winner this year. No slight to Tim Tebow but there is a new sheriff in town. Anyone that fosters any doubt should stay tuned for this years Championship Game next month in Miami. Florida technically has the home field advantage so the deck is stacked again the Sooners but considering how BG plays in big games, this should be a thriller.

For those who still need some visual evidence, see for your own self: