By Josh Staph
See the issue: January 2007

Michael Lewis, author of the bestselling Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game, is back with a peek inside the hidden hierarchy of football. His latest book, The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game, focuses on the left tackle position, a.k.a. a right-handed QB’s blind side. Often filled by unsung players, this position can determine a game’s outcome as much as the flashy point scorers who receive much more time in the limelight.

While highlighting the evolution of the left tackle spot, Lewis tells the story of Michael Oher—Ole Miss’ starting left tackle and likely NFL millionaire. We first meet Oher as a 13-year-old homeless boy and son of a crack-addict mother. He doesn’t know his real name, birthday, or father’s identity. Oher never even touches a football until a rich, white family takes him off the streets. Playing football leads to a sudden change in how the world perceives him. Soon, his amazing size and agility have college coaches drooling over the opportunity to have Oher protecting their QB’s blind side.

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