The Blind Side by Michael Lewis (Pages 1-102)

SUMMARY:
The story started out talking about teams in the NFL and how they were going against each other. Every position have a different role and you need the qualities in order to help the team out. Lawrence Taylor was a professional football player that was amazing with his defense on the New York Giants. When he played in the game, he would be knocking down quarterbacks. Once when the Giantswent against the Philadelphia Eagles, Taylor lined up right across Eagles', Jerry Sisemore, the right side of the offensive line. Sisemore played in the NFL for 8 year, before Taylor joined the NFL. Sisemore was not a challenge for the new comer, Taylor. Few weeks after the game, Sisemore confessed to the New York Times, at the point when Taylor passed him, he was going get out of the game. After 1984's season, he did. Taylor was a tough guy that got everyone nervous when they see him on and off the court. He created his own moves like 'sack', which meant when a player that doesn't see you and you go up to them and put your helmet right into him. The "Geritol" was a move he created just for Joe Jacoby, a left tackle because he was big and quick becoming challenging for Taylor. He wasn't challenging enough because during the game, Taylor went after Joe Theismann, he tackled him and Theismann's bones cracked. The tibia and fibula in his right leg snapped under Tylor. Everyone was piled on top of them. Taylor used all his strength to get out of the crowd which made people think it was weird. Later on, he admitted that he was claustrophobic.
Michael Oher was a young man was discovered by Tom Lemming, he was the one that goes all around the places to find young men who have the skills to be in the NFL. Someone sent a blurry, unclear video of Oher running down the football field with speed. It looked like a mob of fottball player but it was just him. Lemming was determined to find this boy and interviewhim. Oher was unknown and when Lemming got the chance to talk to him, and offered him a contract to be in the U.S Army high school all-star football team but Oher didn't sign it. If it was a normal boy that got this offer, with no second thought, he would have signed the contract. Later on in the story, Michael Oher was discovered to be living on the floors of a man's house. The man's name was Big Tony. Michael Oher's mother is a alchoholic and his dad left him. He never had a proper education so he doesn't know how to communicate with others. One day Big Tony wanted to send his son, Steven to a Catholic school called Harding Christian Academy. That school was for rich people and not much blacks can afford it, Steven had good grades so he got accepted because Big Tony said he will pay the school for any fees. He wanted to help Big Michael aka Michael Oher but his grades were so bad that no school like this would accept him. His grades weren't grades because he never actually attended school. Because the coaches from the schoolsaw how big Michael Oher is and how he can be a good athlete for sports but he needed to improve his education skills and get passing grades to play. The staffs gave him until Christmas to improve his learning skills. With the help of Sean and his wife, Leigh Anne, Michael Oher got a new home and a new life. He got a second chance in life because he now lives with the couple with their son. Oher got passig grades, "D" average but he qualified for the portd team. He played on the baskestball and football team. He also joined track for awhile. Michael Oher didn't know how to talk to the football team about their plays so he didn't do as well as he could during the games but he did scare the other teams with his size. Soon Oher caught onto how to play as a team by learning and watching himself.
QUOTE:
"This boy was new; he had no clothes; he had no warm place to stay over Thanksgiving Break. For Lord's sake, he was walking to school in the snow in shorts, when school was out of session, on the off chance he could get into the gym and keep warm"(Lewis 68).
"If Michael Oher wanted a full scholarship to Clemon, it was his"(Lewis 95).
REACTION:
This bookis full of football history, and how teams back then faced each other. I loved how the author didn't just focus on Michael Oher, he focus on NFL in general and how the players were like. I didn't know that most football players had a bad childhood or grew up in a bad enviornment causing them to have hatred and anger inside them which will make them a better football player by taking out anger on another player.
The quotes above was describing Michael Oher. The first quote was said by Sean's wife when she saw him walking in shorts in the snow. Michael Oher didn't have any new clothes, he wore the same outfit everyday. He doesn't have a place to stay, he just sleeps at places where no one goes to. Once Sean and his wife saw Oher walking to school to the gym. Sean said he doesn't have basketball practice because his grades weren'y good enough. He said he knows but there's heat in the gym so he can stay warm. The second quote was when a man from the Clemon saw Michael Oher and offered him a scholarship to playfootball. He went from having nothing in grasping a new chance in proving he was worth for people to help him. Once Oher went to Sean's shop and ate pizza, he always grab extra pizza and store it in the fridge because he's scared that there wouldn't be anymore food for him. He lives just for another day, he isscared that once he let go, all the things would be gone. Sean assured him that he is part of the family, the shop is his, he can go there and eat anytime.
Michael Oher is like a neglected animal. He did nothing wrong but people didn't care about him even his own parents. He deserved a second chance which he got and he's been improving everyday. At first he would not talk and even if he wanted to,m he wouldn't have made any sense. Nowhecould speak him mind even though it's hard somtimes. Michael Oher, I think he have the skills and defense to go against Lawrence Taylor because according to everyone else, he is a gifted human being that can do any sports. He can jump, run and do anything that any basket ball and football players can do.