St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford still getting used to fame

This past weekend, he was in Las Vegas for a little vacation. No harm in having some downtime. The former Oklahoma quarterback has been pretty busy these past few months, what with declaring for the NFL Draft and becoming the No. 1 overall pick and being anointed the franchise savior in St. Louis.

During his trip to Vegas, Bradford got invited backstage at a Kenny Chesney concert.

"Wait," he said, a bemused look on his face. "How do you know about that?"

He shook his head.

"Wow."

This is a new world for the talented Mr. Bradford, a world where he is recognized no matter where he goes, a world where the spotlight is always on him.

That can be good, and that can be bad, but that is the reality in which Bradford now lives.

On a day that he returned to his old stomping grounds to promote the Gatorade/NFL Beat the Heat campaign, it was obvious that he's still figuring out how to deal with all of this.

"Sometimes ... you do pinch yourself and think, 'Wow, this is crazy,'" Bradford said Wednesday morning, "but I know I've been blessed with an extremely great opportunity."

Bradford has become a quick fan favorite in St. Louis. While there is no word of billboards with his face or murals with his name springing up around town just yet — hey, the Cardinals are still kings in St. Louis — he has clearly given the Rams and their fans reason to hope.