Bewerbungen » Last year showed that they were on the cusp of brilliance,

This story appears in ESPN The Magazines October 31 NBA Preview Issue. Subscribe today!SAM BRADFORD APPEARS to be the least subversive player in the NFL. He runs between practice drills in his red jersey like a JV player trying to impress his coaches. He drives a lifted Ford F-150, the same model hes driven since entering the league in 2010 -- also the vehicle known for being the most popular in America. Yep, thats all I drive, he says with a shrug. Even his attempts at exuberance can go wrong. After throwing for his second touchdown in the Vikings Week 5 win over the Texans, Bradford celebrated by jumping into the chest of Alex Boone and promptly bounced off the 310-pound guard like a finch flying into a window.But perhaps the most Bradford thing about Bradford? The long, floppy sleeves that make it look as if hes wearing a jersey that has to be returned to the equipment shed at the end of the season. When his name is announced before games at U.S. Bank Stadium, he jogs out of the Viking-ship facade without so much as a fist pump. Slow and steady, he is nothing more than a guy whos been told where to go and is intent on getting there unnoticed, as efficiently as possible.When asked whether anything interesting happened to him over the past five months, Bradford says, Been pretty boring, to be honest with you. Nothing really comes to mind. He plays it straight just long enough before issuing a wide smile that reaches his eyes a beat or two later. Its phenomenal how hes mastered the art of saying nothing, but in a friendly way, Boone says. I love it.This man, whose unobtrusive personality has meshed perfectly with the impact he has made since being the No. 1 pick in 2010, is leading the offense for the last unbeaten team in the NFL. This man, whose career is distinguished by punctuation -- question marks for the time hes been on the field, commas for the vast amount hes missed to injury -- is authoring the type of personal renaissance that is already triggering a reconsideration of himself and the most glorified and overanalyzed position in sports.It began when Bradford was traded from the Eagles to the Vikings after Teddy Bridgewater suffered a horrific knee injury less than two weeks before the regular season. The trade followed an offseason that did nothing to enhance his reputation. Bradford signed a contract extension in Philadelphia, saw the Eagles trade up to draft Carson Wentz at No. 2 overall and then held himself out of voluntary offseason workouts in what was described by Americas sports media as either the dumbest or the most pointless leverage-free holdout in history.Despite the turmoil, and despite making it known after the draft that he wanted to be traded, Bradford didnt anticipate being a possible replacement for Bridgewater. Honestly, I should have, he says, but they didnt want to trade me in the spring, so I figured they werent going to trade me a week before the season.In Minnesota, Bradford got a crash course in coordinator Norv Turners offense, started against the Packers eight days after he arrived and has only gotten better since. Through four starts, he was seventh in the NFL in Total QBR and second to Atlantas Matt Ryan in passer rating among quarterbacks who had thrown at least 100 passes. Air-dropped into a new offense just before the season opener, he has not thrown an interception.In fact, Bradfords resurgence makes him the perfect subject to explore the cult of the quarterback, the cottage industry thats grown up around the idea that an NFL playbook is the sports equivalent of the Human Genome Project. How could he possibly grasp the convolutions and minutiae of an NFL offense, one devised by a legendary offensive coach, in just two weeks?Presented with this, Bradford suddenly turns subversive. He answers silently, with a cartoon eye roll, then says, I learn a new system every year anyway.ON SEPT. 3, a Saturday, Bradford and his wife, Emma, were taking advantage of a rare weekend without football to do some fishing in Oklahoma. At 8 a.m., Sam received a call. Eagles coach Doug Pederson was on the line, informing Bradford hed been traded to the Vikings. By 1:30 that afternoon, Bradford and his wife were on a private jet heading for Minneapolis, and two hours after that Sam was sitting in a meeting with Turner and his son, Scott, the Vikings quarterbacks coach.Theres no magic formula, Scott Turner told Bradford. Weve got to attack this thing. Were not going to ease into it. Were going to throw a bunch of stuff against the wall and make it stick.Starting the next day, Bradford arrived at the teams practice facility each morning at 6 to learn the terminology of the offense. At 7 a.m., Scott Turner would spend an hour showing him PowerPoint presentations of formations and pass routes before the regular quarterbacks meeting. From there, Bradford sequestered himself with film study before practice. After practice, Scott would summon a few low-level coaches -- or just random people, as Bradford puts it -- to run routes on the practice field. After that, Bradford and Scott would go back into the building and review video cutups of the plays theyd just walked through. Other times they would set up Bradford with a virtual reality headset, called STRIVR, to give him real-time simulations.Sams obviously a very smart guy, but its also him basically living in here, safety Harrison Smith says. Every time I was in here, he was always in here. If we were off, he was here. I honestly dont know how much he left the facility when he first got here.Bradford, typically understated, says he spent an average of 14 hours at the facility before going home to eat dinner and study more film. I dont know if I ever came up for a breath over those two weeks, he says. Definitely crazy.Running back Matt Asiata says, When he first got here, I looked at Sam and thought, This guy looks like a smart guy. He has to be. Norvs offense is pretty ... lets say its Spanish sometimes.Still, Bradford cautions anyone from making too much of his achievement. To me, you can pretty much learn anything, he says. Ive run pretty much all these concepts somewhere in my career. The concepts arent all that different, but the small details within the concept might be different.The way Bradford explains it, the hard part is compartmentalizing words that have different meanings in different schemes. Lets say green means one thing in Philadelphia and something entirely different in Minnesota. When faced with green in Minnesota, he has to translate it from the previous language. OK, what hits my brain? he asks himself. But over time, that fades out and this becomes your language. This is what you understand, so when you hear these playcalls, you get it.Scott Turner told him, Its like someone parachuted you into Mexico. You know what a banana is, but you have no idea what they call it.Normally, a quarterback -- even a quarterback who has gone through three regime changes in three years, as Bradford has -- is provided with at least an offseason to learn the new language. In Minnesota, Bradford had just two weeks.He doesnt know much about us, so hes just finding the open guy, receiver Adam Thielen says. The way it happened so fast, there was no other choice but to trust us.LESS THAN FOUR minutes into the Vikings rout of the Texans, Thielen runs down the right sideline and puts a double move on cornerback Johnathan Joseph as Bradford releases the ball. When it spins off his fingertips in a geometrically precise arc, its outcome as obvious as its spiral, you know precisely why he was chosen No. 1 in 2010. And as it lands in Thielens hands, as if dropped there by a gentle wind, for a 36-yard touchdown, you know why the Vikings gave up a first-round pick in next years draft and a conditional fourth in 2018 to get him to replace Bridgewater.Those who believe in Bradford do so despite his past, despite his injury history and despite an undercurrent of skepticism about his mental toughness. He missed the entire 2014 season after injuring his knee midway through 2013 and re-injuring it in preseason. He threw for more than 3,700 yards in Chip Kellys offense in Philadelphia last season, but 19 touchdowns and 14 interceptions left critics unconvinced. Of the six quarterbacks taken with the No. 1 pick since QBR became a measurement of a quarterbacks worth, only the infamous bust JaMarcus Russell had a worse rating than Bradfords 49.8.But is it possible that quarterbacks arent out there by themselves?Minnesotas offense, after losing Adrian Peterson in Week 2, employs more of what Bradford does best: working out of the shotgun, throwing short, quick passes to make up for the NFLs worst rushing offense. In leading Minnesota over the Texans to go 5-0, Bradford was 22-of-30 for 271 yards and two TDs. But to get a clear view of Bradfords resurgence, you also have to look to the other side of the ball. The Vikings D, fast and nasty, is allowing an NFL-low 12.6 points per game. (By comparison, the Eagles allowed 26.9 a year ago.)As for the persistent suggestions that Bradford has lacked mental toughness, that causes Vikings tight ends coach Pat Shurmurs eyes to flash and his voice to rise. Thats so far from the truth, he says, leaning into the words. Shurmur was Bradfords offensive coordinator in his rookie year in St. Louis, then again last season in Philadelphia. He repeatedly says he felt responsible for Bradford in both places. In Minnesota, he was Bradfords most vocal advocate when the trade was being discussed. He got injured, and sometimes theres nothing you can do about that, he says. Along the way, hes taken some hits and matured as a pro. Not mentally tough? Thats the furthest from the truth when you talk about Sam. Hes tough as nails.I really think hes a different guy here, Boone says. I think hes more confident, more comfortable. I think hes not afraid to let it loose.Six weeks removed from losing Bridgewater for the season, and four weeks removed from losing Peterson, perhaps for the season, the trade for Bradford is viewed within the Vikings locker room as a message from GM Rick Spielman.It really showed the confidence they have in the team, Smith says. This isnt a rebuilding year. Its not, Oh, we were going to be really good, but now well just see what happens. It reinforced to us that the time is right now.Or, as Boone says: Sam came wrapped in gold.Its clear that the king of the eye roll wouldnt agree, and that the reconsideration of Sam Bradford will continue along its unemotional, monotonous path. The cosmic importance of football eludes him. He doesnt take himself too seriously, and he sincerely hopes nobody else does either. Hes been down that road before. He doesnt particularly like the view. Daniel Descalso Cubs Jersey . Inter president Erick Thohir says in a club statement on Wednesday that Vidic is "one of the worlds best defenders and his qualities, international pedigree, and charisma will be an asset. Sammy Sosa Jersey . Jordan Lynch, the all-purpose Heisman Trophy finalist from Northern Illinois, failed to make it into that exclusive club. http://www.thecubsteamshop.com/Cubs-Anthony-Rizzo-Kids-Jersey/ . Peter Holland and Brad Staubitz were sent to Toronto on Saturday as the Maple Leafs traded defenceman Jesse Blacker and draft picks to the Anaheim Ducks. Brandon Kintzler Cubs Jersey . A statement from the worlds top-ranked player says all checks "were satisfactory and showed positive evolution" regarding the injury, which contributed to his loss to Stanislas Wawrinka in the final in Melbourne. Cole Hamels Jersey . The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Lions have not announced the hiring, which was first reported by ESPN. Lombardi, the grandson of former Green Bay Hall of Fame coach Vince Lombardi, has been an offensive assistant on Sean Paytons New Orleans staff since 2007. For Super Smash Bros. Melee players, the word offseason is a bit of a misnomer. The once seemingly brief Summer of Smash didnt end this year after Juan Hungrybox DeBiedma collected his Evolution Championship Series trophy at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. Recent events like Clutch City Clash, Super Smash Con and Shine gave players who felt like they didnt live up to their potential in June and July more opportunities to showcase their talents. Some even congregated at Dairly Beloved, an event that featured not just a Zachary SFAT Cordoni victory, but also a wedding.While players have a longer and longer list of events they can choose to attend, there is no question that certain events are currently venerated for various reasons; however, they rarely start that way. Five years ago, it seemed like the Midwest was a barren spot for Melee players, but an event in the shadow of Michigan Stadium did more than attract top players from outside the region to Ann Arbor. The Big House showed the world that the Midwest had talent -- they just needed the right opportunity.When I started ... it was a dark time for Michigan Melee, James Duck Ma explained. This was during 2009 when Brawl was taking over everything and most of the Michigan Melee players had quit or switched over. It took a pretty long time for us to get more than 20 to 30 entrants.The Melee scene hadnt had a major event held in the region since FC Diamond in 2007. The following four years would see a dearth of high-level competition in the heartland. Players would have to travel east for the Pound or Revival of Melee series or west for Genesis to get a taste of what other regions had to offer and witness the rise of some of the most esteemed players today.Things would change Oct. 22, 2011.When The Big House rolled around, our whole region was extremely excited, simply because we never got to see how our good players would do against some top out-of-region talent, Abhishek Prince Abu Prabhu said. People traveled much less back then, and there were far less big tournaments, so it was really cool to see SFAT, [Johnny S2J Kim] and [Oscar Lovage Nilsson] come to the Midwest.Lovage would eventually defeat S2J to take that initial event. Despite the fact that the last remaining players were California natives, the newfound interest in Michigan would innervate the entire region, helping a new generation of players rise to the occasion with each passing year.I first started playing in Michigan in summer 2012, Kalindi KJH Henderson recounted. My first Big House was The Big House 2; this was also my first national ever. Despite not making it out of Round 1 pools, I did beat [Weston Westballz Dennis], who was like a hero to me at the time, so that was cool. I was still unfamiliar with the community at the time and didnt know anyone really, so after Day 1, I just went home and watched the rest on stream, which was a big mistake.The Big House 3 was different; I felt like I had improved a ton, made more friends and was ready to compete. I played Hungrybox, [Aziz Hax Al-Yami], [Kevin PewPewU Toy] and finally had made it to the last day. The Big House 4 was huge, [Joseph Mango Marquez], [Jason Mew2King Zimmerman], Hungrybox were in attendance, and it was so cool to see [Adam Armada Lindgren] and [William Leffen Hjelte] playing in Michigan.Last year, some would say the event was overshadowed by Leffens absence and what it might portend; this year, the Michigan scene wants to become the star of the show. The players want to show that they, and the Midwest as a whole, have grown and evolved as a region and cant be overlooked any longer.It is the only major tournament where the whole crowd goes wild for Midwest players, and playing in front of a home crowd like that is a huge motivation boost, Prabhu continued. Ill never forget how crazy the crowd went at The Big House 4, where [Kyle Kalamazhu Zhu] beat [Joe Lucky Aldama], [David Kirbykaze MacDonald], [McCain MacD LaVelle], and almost beat Hax to finish at ninth, and [Kelly Kels Smith] made an insane losers run to place fifth. Or last year, where Duck beat [James Swedish Delight Liu] to place ninth, and [Stephen Abate Abate] beat S2J and [Jeffrey Axe Williamson] to make top eight. That kind of atmosphere is something that makes Big House really special as a Midwest player, and I have no doubt that The Big House 6 is going to be equally hype, especially if one of the top Midwest players breaks into top eight.The series is known for its no-nonsense attitude, as organizer Robin Juggleguy Harn is noted for being especially stringent with how the event is run. When talent in the region wasnt a draww, the efficiency of the event had people planning their trips to Ann Arbor months ahead of time.dddddddddddd. Out of his own pocket, Juggleguy helped bring S2J and Lovage to the event and made one of the best investments for the Midwest as a whole.Its probably the only tournament series where you can guarantee everything will run smoothly and on time, Ma added. Juggleguy has instilled the fear in everyone, shown that he doesnt tolerate lateness, and hes willing to disqualify anyone. Beyond that, the tournament boasts 63 of the top 100 players this year, in addition to legends like Lovage, [Tony Taj Jackson] and [Charles Fuzzyness Kimmelman]. People are willing to go out to a tournament they know is going to be amazing.Discipline is a must for potential entrants, as you cant prove how good you are if you are disqualified for breaking tournament rules. That philosophy has spread beyond tenets of event organization and into how the region is managing its own growth and shaping its future.I play friendlies at locals nonstop now, and play with Duck maybe once or twice a week, Henderson remarked. A key for me to close the gap is to use my time wisely, meaning if I cant play as much, then I should study my sets more, theorycraft with other players and overall just think about the game more in my spare time.Free time to play is extremely limited, but I have been making efforts to play a little every day to keep my execution and movement smooth, Prabhu expounded. More importantly, I theorycraft with Duck, KJH, and Kalamazhu, as well as regularly think about the game and analyze my play as well as Hungryboxs. When I study myself, I try to look for and fix specific scenarios I regularly get outplayed in, or spots where I could optimize my punish more. When I study Hungrybox, I really try to look at his neutral game in every matchup and figure out what makes it so much tighter and better than mine. I look for positioning, SDI and little tricks he uses to trap his opponent in positions where he can open them up and kill them.Moving forward, I need to continue to improve my neutral and my knowledge of every single matchup, and in addition, I think I need to start learning how to better play the player as opposed to just the matchup ... I need to learn how to take advantage of specific player habits -- habits that separate [DaJuan Shroomed McDaniel] from Swedish Delight or Lucky from [Aaron Professor Pro Thomas] from [Mustafa Ice Akcakaya] and so on. Every player plays differently, and theres no magical formula to beat every option for most matchups involving two good characters. Mastering the art of adapting and countering specific strategies and habits is a huge skill I need to work on. Although this level of preparation is generally needed for top players, the stakes are higher when some are looking to you to carry a region on your back.The Big House 6 is the second or third most important event to me, Prabhu explained. Overall, Id say making top eight at Evo would mean more to me, and making top eight at Genesis would mean slightly more to me. Because of the size and stacked nature of The Big House 6, as well as the home-field factor, it is extremely important to me, and I cant wait to go out and compete.The Big House has definitely been a roller coaster for me, Ma confessed. The first one [was] where people from the coasts learned who I was, so it holds a special place for me. My placements actually dropped almost every year as the competition got harder and harder. I was finally able to make it to a ninth place finish last year but was just short of top eight. My goal this year is definitely to make that top-eight spot and represent the Midwest. Making top eight would be the culmination of all the hard work Ive put in since last year. It would be my first top eight on American soil, and it would mean a chance for the Midwest to play in another top eight at a national. Doing it at The Big House 6 on home soil would just be icing on the cake.There has been no offseason for Melee in Michigan. Every second theyre not working to improve is a second that someone else is working to catch up to them; every minute they take off lets those that are ahead of them push further. The region has come so far in the last decade. Last year showed that they were on the cusp of brilliance, and this year they