The Blind Side by Michael Lewis

        The Blind Side by Michael Lewis is about a boy who grew up in a family with a crack addict for a mom and eleven other siblings. His father, his real name, and even his birthday remains a mystery to him. He doesn't even know how to read or write. He had no source of entertainment or passion in his life until the Tuohy family comes along. The rich, Evangelic family takes him off the streets and into their home to raise him as one of their own. The boy's name was Michael Oher and his emotional and unusual story tugged on the heartstrings of many people throughout this book.
        Michael gravitated towards football, specifically an offensive lineman, not just because of his size, but because of the idea that the job of the offensive lineman is to protect the quarterback at all costs. Despite his past, Oher proves himself to be a powerful force on the field. At the high school Oher attended, every one judged. Not only for the color of his skin, but because of his size and stature. When it came time for Oher to be considered for the NFL, Tom Lemming, an NFL recruiter, offered some insight on Oher's potential. He said, "He was different from just about every other kid," and "if Michael Oher in the flesh was anything like Michael Oher on the videotape, Lemming was afraid not to make an exception of him"(Lewis 30-31). This just shows that just because someone is different or out of the ordinary, does not mean you should judge or make assumptions about their talent.
        A story a out judging a book by its cover was reported by CBS News. Malcom Mitchell, a Georgia football player, was at a book store waiting in line. He just so happened to be next in line to a woman named Kathy Rackley. Rackley and Mitchell got to talking and somehow started talking about a book club that Rackley had just joined. Mitchell was immediately interested, to Rackley's surprise. Rackley said, "I don't know if you want to join mine". She assumed that, because of his appearance that he wouldn't be as much of a book enthusiast as Mitchell really is. Mitchell said that he finished The Hunger Games series in just three days! The article summed it up perfectly when they said, "Sometimes football makes men great. And sometimes, great men just happen to play football."