Today is January 8, 2010. Welcome to the blog for our first faculty online book club! The goal is to read 1/4 of the book each week and comment. If you just have to keep reading, please don't give too much away in your comments. You will experience quite a range of emotions with this title.
I look forward to reading and sharing thoughts with everyone. Happy Reading!! Melinda
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My boys saw the movie Saturday and said it's great. I want to read the book before I see the movie too.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to get started.
ReplyDeletehi guys.
ReplyDeleteI'm half way into the book and am VERY glad I love football or the technical stuff would be hard to understand!!
ReplyDeleteI am looking forward to getting into the book after seeing the movie and hearing this amazing story!
ReplyDeleteWhen do we get the books? I have been out sick all week. I hope to be back at school on Monday.
ReplyDeleteI hope to get started this weekend. I've not seen the movie.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to get started--what a great group we have. I'm holding off on seeing the movie until after the book is read.
ReplyDeleteI too am waiting until I finish reading the book before seeing the movie but can't wait to see how different thing are portrayed in the movie. I've read about half and really enjoy it. I also am glad I know enough about football to not be lost in all the football talk. Due to this cold that one of my "darlings" shared with me, I hope to have plenty of reading time this weekend!
ReplyDeleteOK - I'm finished with the book and there were whole portions I skipped - I'll admit. I wasn't into the evolution of the left offensive tackle position and San Francisco's growth as an NFL team, but Michael's story is truly remarkable. I made sure when the Ravens were playing to watch him play. It's actually cool to understand what his function is. I would love to go to see the movie with a few of you so we could have a discussion afterwards.
ReplyDeleteJill, don't feel bad I skipped about 2 chapters as well! I really just wanted to read his story. I have one chapter left. I wanted read the book before I go see the movie this weekend. I'm up for going again with a group as well if anyone is going!
ReplyDeleteGuys,
ReplyDeleteI just finished the book and I am ready to see the movie. It was hard to put the book down. I see where you ladies skipped the two chapters about the evolution of the blind side position and where the passing game came from and how it is used today. Those chapters just explained how the position came to be today. That position was paid the league minimum and was considered to be unimportant until Lawrence Taylor made Quarterbacks scared to pass. Now the best offensive linemen are paid the most money to play that position today. I thought the author did a great job with using this information throughout Michael's story. This is an amazing story and I want to see how the movie compares to the book. I really enjoyed reading The Blind Side and I dont want to ruin the book for anyone but I am ready for any discussion we may have later.
I did read the first portion of the book about the history of football. I had no idea that the game as we know it today, was more brutal! The info about the salary interesting. I would love to see the movie with a group.
ReplyDeleteI finished the book yesterday. And I'm too Type A to skip anything (I literally have to read every single word) so I read it all. I learned a great deal about football history...which I didn't know much about and am not sure I needed to know. :) I'll chalk it up to being well-rounded. Until I got to the end, I didn't realize that this book is more about football than Michael Oher. He could have written it about a number of players who had a story and were a left tackle (or any other position that has evolved). I love football but must say I was a little disappointed because I wanted to read about Michael. I wanted to know more about him than I feel I got from the book. It will be interesting to see how the movie is - I think Michael Oher's story would sell more quickly that a movie about the evolution of football. Can't wait to see it!
ReplyDeleteOkay, I finished the book, and I love the balance of the story and the history. What I find interesting is that Oher said he won't read the book or see the movie. According to the author, Oher wouldn't even do an interview until toward the end.
ReplyDeleteThere are several comments I have and questions to see if you guys share the same perspective, but I don't want to spoil it for anyone. So, trying not to give anything away ... did you find it interesting how his attitude (that he would be successful in sports) did not match his circumstances or his motivation?
I still haven't seen the movie. It was important to me to finish the book first and then compare my impressions with those of the producers.
I was wondering as well how he succeeded in sports. I know he had natural talent, but his general psyche is what I would like to have explored more. Of course that's not possible if Michael doesn't want to do interviews about himself. I had to remind myself that this was a FOOTBALL book and not a biography. Michael was the vehicle to share the story of the position. I was made uncomfortable with the references to the white boosters who would help poor athletes to help their alma maters. That's a story I would like someone to delve into. It's something I knew nothing about.
ReplyDeleteI saw the movie last weekend. It was good but of course the book I thought was better! It told the REAL story of Michael and Hollywood had to change some things! I did watch an interview with Michael a couple weeks ago on 20/20 and he seemed very humble and thankful for his "new family".
ReplyDeleteJill,
ReplyDeleteThe reference to the white boosters trying to help poor student athlete get into their alma mater is a big deal in college football believe it or not. Universities will do anything to get the best players. I didn't like the tone of the lady from the NCAA doing the interview to investigate if Michael was indeed given gifts and persuaded into going Ole Miss because the family he lived with were alumni. The house was decorated for Ole Miss with the Rebel Man mascot out front in stone. Other schools will use this to get another school in trouble and that is exactly what happened in this case. One phone call to the NCAA and they were on it because he was the top recruit in the nation. I remember that part on ESPN when he was going through the recruiting process and Phillip Fulmer the former head coach at Tennessee was the one that made the call from what the inside people were saying at the time. It is a crazy world when it comes to recruiting athletes and every coach will do whatever and say whatever and give whatever to get that athlete. That is the game of college recruiting :-) Maybe Carolina needs to do more to get recruits! :-) Just kidding! If you have to cheat to get athletes your not worthy of a national championship. Just my belief!
Rick,
ReplyDeleteSo sorry it took me so long to get back to you. I can see where this type of recruiting can be like quick sand. I guess my perspective is VERY biased because it is based on this book, but I keep going back to what the ORIGINAL concern was for the Touhy family. It was to save Michael - the young man - not create a an Ole Miss weapon of mass distruction :-) I can't even imagine the kind of "under the table" dealings that go on for the big recruits. It's funny, but I've been reading the recruiting reports in the paper for HS students which I never read before. I don't envy any coach navigating the NCAA rules, boosters and competing schools to get these athletes.