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Cherokee Nation Shows Bradford Support

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By JOEY JOHNSTON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 9, 2009

MIAMI - Members of the Cherokee Nation, including principal chief Chad Smith, attended Thursday night's BCS Championship Game. They distributed crimson T-shirts with the Oklahoma logo, along with the name and number of Sooners sophomore QB Sam Bradford, the Heisman Trophy winner, written in Cherokee.

Bradford is one-sixteenth Cherokee, and he has said he intends to further embrace his heritage with some future involvement with Cherokee Nation.

All of that makes Smith happy.

"What's great about his leadership style is he's humble and sincere, and he's genuine," Smith said. "At the Heisman ceremony, somebody asked him about being a Cherokee, and he said, 'Well, it's a great blessing.' That's a masterful way of handling it. It came from his heart."

Bradford has said he relishes being a role model to children with a Native American background. Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said Bradford should be a role model for everyone.

"The guy is a straight-A student, a finance major, a leader in the community, just everything," Stoops said. "He handles himself just wonderfully. He's embraced being a Heisman winner, and now he's saying 'Hey, I've been blessed with a great opportunity to maybe project and give something to other people.' I couldn't ask for a better guy to do it."

STOOPS IS AT PEACE

Heading into Thursday night's game, much was made of Oklahoma's four consecutive losses in BCS bowl games (including two with the national title at stake). Stoops said he won't let such games define his career.

"I'm very sure of what my existence is about, and it's not primarily being a football coach," Stoops said. "It's about my relationships with my wife and kids, my friendships, my faith. I'm very aware of not letting it get out of hand. I do a lot with my family, and I'm not going to put them behind anything. You can do both.

"There will be a final coaching record at some point, but I don't much care what it is. In the end, hopefully, I'll be sitting on a porch with the kids and my wife around me, enjoying the day regardless of what the record is. I don't ever want to lose perspective on it. If you're living the right way and have great relationships, you're a pretty wealthy and healthy guy. That's what matters to me."

FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING

The Sooners scored first in all 13 of their regular-season games.

That trend changed when Florida opened scoring on QB Tim Tebow's 20-yard pass to WR Louis Murphy.

RED-ZONE PROBLEMS

The Sooners came into Thursday night's game at 95 percent efficiency in the red zone (scoring points on 76 of 80 trips inside the opponent's 20-yard line).

That made Oklahoma's second-quarter performance all the more puzzling. After getting a touchdown on Bradford's 6-yard pass to TE Jermaine Gresham, the Sooners began a pattern of self-destruction.

On fourth-and-goal from the Florida 1-yard line, Sooners RB Chris Brown was dumped for a 3-yard loss by Gators DL Torrey Davis (Armwood). With halftime nearing, and one play left before a potential field-goal attempt, Bradford's first-down pass from the Florida 6 was tipped repeatedly and intercepted by Gators SS Major Wright.

NO HABLA ESPANOL

In South Florida, Sooners WR Juaquin Iglesias was expected to be a media darling.

Then came media day.

And this revelation.

Iglesias does not speak Spanish. Not a word.

"I hope Spanish-language television stations don't come around asking me questions," Iglesias said. "I don't understand any of it."

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