Berry Tramel, Sports columnist
OU's QB Sam Bradford a true leader
QB takes care of his own business, looks out for teammates
Berry Tramel
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Published: June 15, 2009
NORMAN — The December morning after Sam Bradford returned to campus from New York, a Heisman Trophy in tow, he stopped by to chat with associate athletic director Gerald Gurney, who runs OU’s student life center and academic services.
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Quarterbacks, leaders
For the first time since 1968, OSU and OU both enter the 2009 football season with quarterbacks in their third season as starters. But Zac Robinson and Sam Bradford are more than quality QBs. Today, columnist Berry Tramel concludes a two-part series on the leadership aspects of the Bedlam quarterbacks.
→Sunday: OSU’s Zac Robinson
→Today: OU’s Sam Bradford
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Bradford’s first question was how his offensive line did academically. Did Bradford need to talk to anyone?
A picture of leadership. Yes, a quarterback is expected to command the huddle and walk tall in the locker room and keep his nose clean. But a quarterback who plays truant officer and academic monitor is working overtime.
"He’ll go and drag ’em in here,” Gurney said. "His teammates, if they’re not doing something correctly, he’ll personally make sure they’re handling their responsibilities.”
Teams that self-police are priceless to their coaches. More than 30 years after the Selmons’ era at OU, stories of their leadership still ring around the program. Lucious standing up on a rowdy bus and ordering his teammates to put on their game faces.
Lee Roy and Dewey quietly taking a malcontent to the bus station, letting him know his services no longer were needed.
Bradford has taken on such a role, a guy who not only takes care of his own business but looks out for his teammates.
"I just kind of try to lead by example,” Bradford said, downplaying his actions. "I value my education. When guys see that, they may take their schoolwork more seriously.”
Bradford values his education all right. He’s scheduled to graduate in 3 1/2 years with a finance degree; he’s made one grade less than an A, a B in Calculus II.
"I can count on one hand, in 29 years, the numbers of student-athletes who truly are scholars,” Gurney said. "Sam is one of them.
"He’s a dream. He’s a dream come true for me. Not just what he seems in terms of academics, but the expectations he has of bringing everyone else up with him.”
That’s a tight rope to walk, teammate and uber-captain, but Bradford seems to walk it straight.
"He’s a guy’s guy,”
Bob Stoops said. "Meaning he doesn’t ever want to be, and doesn’t act like, he’s any different. And the players know that. He likes being one of the guys in the locker room.
"He’ll encourage ’em. ‘Come on, man. We need you.’ But he does it in a way guys respect.”
Programs like
Oklahoma ask much out of their quarterbacks. A physical commitment. A time commitment. A performance requirement.
Every once in a while, a quarterback goes beyond those responsibilities. A
Jack Mildren. A
J.C. Watts. A guy committed not only to excellence in himself, but excellence in his teammates.
"Sam’s so unusual,” Gurney said. "If you can imagine how many expectations we place on the quarterback. And with the type of scholar-athlete he is, they’d be happy with just that.
"But he takes on a leadership role. He brings everyone else around him to a higher level.”
Berry Tramel: 405-760-8080; Berry Tramel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including AM-640 and FM-98.1.
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feet, besides his arm, he would rank as one of the finest OU ever had. Josh Heupel was more
of a Tebow type and better than Sam in some ways, of course OU had a different offensive
co-o. back then. Leading a team to a National Title is one accolade that will be missing
from Sam's resume, but he couldn't have a better coach than Josh. Go Sooners.
IGNORE JO......
Now, if EVERYONE ELSE ON HERE WILL DO THE SAME THING.....Nobody will ever know that Jo is around.....
What a concept.
Love you Sam!!!!! Keep up the Great work....
Does Sam like his corn flakes with or without sugar? Did Sam have a dog growing up and what was its name? These could be some real human interest stories. Keep up the good work and keep those Sam stories coming!! We never get tired of hearing about Sam.