Michael Oher Version 2.0: O.C. Brown (And More About “The Blind Side”)

Maybe ABC read my article The Blind Side: Fact or Fiction, I’m a Michael Oher Fan.

But more likely, they probably had their special, The Blind Side: The Real Story Behind the Movie planned weeks ago.

Either way, last Friday night, I sat down to watch the truth behind the hit Hollywood movie.

While I had down some research after my viewing of the movie to write my first article, 20/20 got first-hand myth-debunking from Oher and the Tuohy family themselves.

I was impressed when Oher admitted to being a bit upset at being portrayed in the movie as being bad at football until a loving Leigh Anne Tuohy gave him a stern lecture. He says football has always been a passion of his and he has always excelled at it.

Particularly intriguing was Collins Tuohy, who is very attached to her “brother,” Michael.

Giving up her Advanced Placement classes to be in the same classes as Michael in school, she would sometimes spend several hours studying with him after school to help him stay up to speed with his schoolwork.

The interview continues and can be found at: http://abcnews.go.com/2020/BlindSide/

In the special we are also introduced to O.C. Brown, who some are calling the next Michael Oher.

Also from the same tough streets of North Memphis, Brown was being raised by his grandmother while playing high school football—left tackle just like Oher—when his grades started to slip.

His grandmother said he would have to stop playing football if his grades got any worse.

Word of Brown’s grades spread around the volunteer coaching staff, who pulled together to get him tutoring and even had families offering to house him so he could be closer to his tutors.

Does this story sound familiar?

But Brown was different in that he had a family and didn’t want to leave them. So a compromise was reached.

He stayed with a member of the volunteer staff, Michael Ray, and his family Monday-Thursday and with his grandmother and the rest of his family on the weekends. The plan was for him to stay for one month.

It’s lasted much longer than that, but his life is much improved.

His grades have gone up and attention is pointing towards him and the comparison to Oher.

Some have said these families are being selfish and could help children of their own race, that they are just helping mold these kids into big-time football stars.

But Leigh Anne Tuohy has a few words for those people:

“Don’t let the door hit them in the butt on the way out.”

She said since the movie, people from all over the world have contacted her, telling her how inspired they were by their story and how they plan to cancel vacations and donate their money—or time—to help others.

And you know Michael Oher and O.C. Brown will be on top of that list to help.

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2009 NFL Awards: Peyton Manning Is Your MVP

Most Valuable Player: Peyton Manning

He more than likely would have led the Colts to an undefeated regular season had Jim Caldwell not decided to sit their starters. Manning should win it for the 2nd straight season.

Runners Up: Philip Rivers, Drew Brees, Brett Favre

Offensive Player of the Year: Chris Johnson

After an impressive rookie season, Chris Johnson didn’t miss a beat as he rushed for over 2,000 yards. He was huge in keeping the Titans season alive.

Runners Up: Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Philip Rivers, Aaron Rodgers

Defensive Player of the Year: Charles Woodson

All season long Woodson was the anchor of an impressive Packers defense and continued to do it all on the defensive side of the ball with nine interceptions and three touchdowns.

Runners Up: Darrell Revis, Elvis Dumervil, Darren Sharper 

Coach of the Year: Marvin Lewis

Lewis did everything to get himself off the hot seat, and led the Bengals to a perfect record in the AFC North. This was an emotional season for the Bengals with the passing of defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer’s wife, Vicky, as well as the tragic death of WR Chris Henry. 

Runners Up: Jim Caldwell, Sean Payton, Norv Turner

Comeback Player of the Year: Carson Palmer

After missing much of last season with an injury, Palmer came back in 2009 healthy and efficient, leading the Bengals to a division title.

Runners Up: Tom Brady, Chad Ochocinco

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Percy Harvin

Harvin had a very impressive rookie season for the Vikings and found chemistry with Brett Favre while scoring eight total touchdowns.

Runners Up: Knowshon Moreno, Michael Oher, Hakeem Nicks, LeSean McCoy

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Brian Cushing 

In his rookie season out of USC, Cushing had over 100 tackles, and four interceptions while making the pro bowl.

Runners Up: Brian Orakpo, Jairus Byrd

Most Improved Player: Ray Rice

In his 2nd season out of Rutgers, Rice overtook Willis McGahee for the starting job and rushed for over 1000 yards and had 78 receptions.

Runners Up: Matt Schaub, Vincent Jackson, Miles Austin

Biggest Disappointment: Pittsburgh Steelers  

After winning the super bowl, the Steelers figured to come back poised for at least another playoff run. However, after losing five in a row, and losing to the Chiefs, Raiders, and Browns in back-to-back weeks, they couldn’t recover enough to make the playoffs.

Runners Up: New York Giants, Tennessee Titans, Chicago Bears

Biggest Surprise: Cincinnati Bengals  

After finishing last season 4-11-1, the Bengals came out this year playing different football. Led by their impressive defense, the Bengals won the AFC North. Bengals fans weren’t used to seeing the defense better than the offense.

Runners Up: New York Jets, Denver Broncos

Best Free Agent Pick-Up: Brett Favre

After his collapse a season ago with the Jets, Favre came back strong with the Vikings and led them to 12-4 and an NFC North title. He made them instant Super Bowl contenders and showed he can definitely still play.

Worst Free Agent Pick-Up: Albert Haynesworth

In his first season with Redskins after getting his $100 million contract, Haynesworth was not impressive and couldn’t stay healthy much of the year. Dan Snyder better hope Haynes is worth it next season.

Runner Up: Terrell Owens

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The Five Biggest Surprises of the 2009 NFL Season

With the 2009 NFL regular season ending, I have composed a list of the five biggest surprises this season- both positive and negative. There were certainly more than five surprises this season, I simply selected the five that I thought stood out the most. Let me know what you think. It has been a tremendous regular season and I look forward to what the playoffs have in store.

Begin Slideshow

Hey Raheem Morris: Thanks For Trying, But It’s Time For a Real Coach

The Buccaneers completed their worst season since 1991 with an underwhelming 20-10 loss at home to the Atlanta Falcons. The loss secured the Bucs the third overall choice in April’s draft and a 3-13 record on the 2009 campaign, snapping their modest two-game winning streak.

Fans are quick to blame Raheem Morris for the debacle that was 2009, but it’s not really about Raheem. Morris didn’t have a chance. On that late January morning the Buccaneers fired Jon Gruden, Morris was headed to the barber shop, believing he would be the Bucs’ new defensive coordinator.

He was excited about the opportunity and was looking forward to the challenge of following in the footsteps of the legendary Monte Kiffin.

Then — he got the call. The Glazers told him, “Guess what Raheem, you’re head coach.”

At first, he declined. Perhaps it was out of loyalty to Gruden or maybe he realized that he wasn’t ready yet for that kind of responsibility. After a quick conversation with his former boss, Morris changed his mind and decided to take the opportunity.

Morris changed his mind a lot this season. His ownership group and general manager decided his coordinators and when they realized that those choices were poor fits, they allowed him to fire them.

Morris had to follow his owners marching orders — find a franchise quarterback and get rid of the aging veterans. Gone were Jeff Garcia, Cato June, Joey Galloway, and future Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks. Enter rookie quarterback Josh Freeman.

Morris struggled with talent evaluation, believing the squad he had could compete and win consistently, so much so, Freeman was left on the bench while veterans Luke McCown and Byron Leftwich battled during training camp for the opening day starting nod. McCown played a little better, but Leftwich was given the job and McCown was traded to Jacksonville.

After three weeks, Leftwich found the bench as well, leaving the Bucs with 2nd year pro Josh Johnson to get them to the bye.

When Freeman came in, he had few reps and had already been through two offensive coordinators.

Three different starting quarterbacks on offense, both offensive and defensive coordinators fired during the season, a leading rusher that had two torn patellas, a franchise wide receiver that missed half the season with injuries, and a defense with no veteran leadership playing in a system that wasn’t suited to the personnel and a rookie quarterback.

It’s no wonder they struggled. Too young, not enough veteran leadership and no experience in the coaching box.

Raheem Morris showed his inexperience with poor game management, poor personnel choices, and indecision in which identity he wanted his team to give itself.

It’s not his fault, folks. Just like his young quarterback, he didn’t have the “reps” at the coaching level to warrant his position. The Glazers knew this when they hired him. They figured “rather a year too early than a year too later”.

They couldn’t have envisioned this. Now, after a horrible season, they face a decision they did not want to make. The Glazers wanted Raheem to take them into the 2011 season and the potential lockout.

The fans spoke loudly today with their absence from Raymond James Stadium. The game was reported to be the 87th consecutive sell out in stadium history, but it was far from a full house. In fact, there were at least 20,000 less than the announced 62,578.

If the Glazers don’t make a move, they’re going to take a bath on season ticket renewals this year. The fans sense what we all realize — Morris isn’t ready. Another season under him is another wasted year of the rebuilding process.

The fanbase is so disenfranchised now, believing the owners no longer care about winning, that only a real statement will prevent the max exodus.

Without butts in the seats, the Glazers will be hard pressed to sell a half filled stadium for full price to their sponsors and suite holders.

If all the Glazers believe in is the almighty dollar, they’re going to see a lot of it disappear this off-season if Raheem Morris is retained.

The Glazers’ hand has been forced. They must make a change.

I really do like Raheem, I think he’s a good coach and I believe he can be one heck of a defensive coordinator in this league. He may eventually become a good head coach down the road.

It just shouldn’t be in Tampa Bay. Not if the Glazers truly have their hand on the pulse of the franchise.

Word is the Glazers weren’t at the game today — they rarely miss a game. Were they in the mountains of Carolina visiting one Bill Cowher? Were they in the living room of one Mike Shanahan?

Maybe they just decided, like many Buc fans on this Sunday, that it was too cold to be at the stadium.

I don’t know what’s going to happen in the next few days, but I do know that what transpired this season wasn’t the fault of Raheem Morris. He was the unfortunately victim of some poor decision making by the ownership group.

Good luck, Rah. No matter what happens in the next few days or weeks, the Buc fans thank you for giving it your best shot in an utterly impossible situation.

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Ed Hochuli’s Phantom Holding Call Costs Chris Johnson Shot at The Record

With a 7-8 record, most teams have little to play for in the final week of the season. A .500 record usually doesn’t get you in the playoffs, and moral victories, for all the talk about them, really don’t count for much in the grand scheme of things.

The Tennessee Titans, however, had the rare opportunity to play for something truly special this week: Titans running back Chris Johnson was tantalizingly close to breaking a 25 year-old rushing record, and every player on the team was anxious to take the field and help him get it.

It wasn’t going to be easy; Seattle Seahawks head coach Jim Mora, Jr. was adamant about the Seahawks not being a footnote in NFL history. He made no secret of the fact that Chris Johnson was going to have to earn every yard in pursuit of his goal.

For three quarters, it looked like Mora’s Seahawks had done the job. Johnson had already achieved two goals in the game—breaking Marshall Faulk’s combined yards from scrimmage record, and achieving 2,000 yards for the season—but he was quite a ways off the 2,105 yard mark that Dickerson set in 1984.

Then it happened, the moment that Titans fans had been waiting for, and the one that the Seahawks had desperately tried to avoid all game.

Early in the fourth quarter, Johnson broke free and scampered downfield for 62 yards, bringing him within 44 yards of Dickerson’s record. For a moment, the fans cheered loudly until they slowly realized that there was a flag on the play.

The anguish was palpable as head referee Ed Hochuli called holding on Ahmard Hall, nullifying both the touchdown and the yardage.

Except there was no holding. Not that anyone other than Hochuli could see, at least.

Hall came through the line and blew up the Seahawks linebacker David Hawthorne, who was waiting in the gap for Chris Johnson. Hawthorne was not only stopped, but knocked on his keister as Johnson blew by him.

As far as I remember, that’s what a fullback is supposed to do. Hall didn’t fall on top of him, didn’t pull him down, didn’t even get his hands outside of the defensive player’s shoulders. He BLOCKED him.

But none of that seems to matter to Hochuli. As has been his penchant for the last couple of years, he occasionally makes calls in critical situations that no one can explain, not even him.

The result, of course, did not affect the outcome of the game. The Titans went on to win 17-13, which got them to 8-8, but that did not fall in line with the player’s stated goal of getting CJ the record.

It had a devastating effect on the record pursuit. Not only did Johnson gain six net yards rushing after that play, but the Titans played kneel down on their last series without giving Johnson a shot to gain more yards.

Not that it mattered at that point. With 100 yards left to gain, the Titans needed two posesions to get it, and at that point it wasn’t happening.

Had Johnson been within 40 yards of the record with 1:12 left on the clock, odds are they would have at least given him a shot or two at getting it on the last possession.

It wasn’t a total loss for CJ; he did get the combined yardage record, and he will now be mentioned as being among the elite when total rushing yards in a season are mentioned.

He also set franchise records for yards in a season and consecutive 100-yard games, surpasing Hal of Fame great Earl Campbell.

But thanks to Ed Hochuli’s decision to make a call with serious historical implications, Eric Dickerson’s record stands for another year.

I just have one question: When is the NFL going to do something about referees deciding things?

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Jim Zorn: Worst Coach of the Decade?

Presumably, today was the last game Jim Zorn will coach with the Washington Redskins, or at least for the near future. 

Zorn, over two seasons as Redskins coach, has gone 12-20, including an abysmal 4-12 season in 2009. This brings up the question, is Jim Zorn the worst coach of the decade?

Well, let’s look at some of the other bad coaches of the decade.

• Dave Campo went 5-11 in each of his three seasons in Dallas, from 2000-2002. 
• Rod Marinelli was 10-38 in three seasons with the Detroit Lions from 2006-2008. 
• Lane Kiffin was just 5-15 in a year and a quarter for the miserable Raiders in 2007 and 2008.
• Gregg Williams lasted just three years in Buffalo, where he went just 17-31.
• Dave McGinnis was just 17-40 from 2000-2003 for the Arizona Cardinals.
• Scott Linehan was 11-25 in parts of three seasons as St. Louis Rams head coach, from 2006 to 2008.
• Mike Nolan was 18-37 from 2005 to 2008 as head of the San Francisco 49ers.
• Steve Spurrier, like Zorn, was 12-20 in two seasons, and also like Zorn, coached the Washington Redskins, from 2002-2003.
• Marty Mornhinweg went just 5-27 in his two seasons as coach of the Lions, from 2001 to 2002.

That’s just a little overview of the bad coaches. Zorn’s record certainly isn’t the worst, but bringing in Albert Haynesworth usually doesn’t make you worse, so bad that you go 4-12. 

So its a crazy question, I want to know what you think. Comment and tell me.

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Philadelphia Eagles’ Performance Causes Fans To Question Heart, Pulse

It has become an all too typical pattern.

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Beating a Team Three Times in One Season: Easier Done Than Said

All week, you will hear the self-proclaimed experts tell you it is difficult to beat a team three times in one season.

They will sit in their fancy studios and use that logic to explain why the Eagles are going to beat Dallas next weekend.

Clearly, these pundits of prognostication do not have access to the Internet. If they did, they could do some research and realize that since the NFL merger in 1970, the team that won the previous two meetings against its divisional rival has a 12-7 record.

This situation occurred last year when the Pittsburgh Steelers faced the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship.

The Steelers got the best of their divisional foe twice in the regular season by a combined seven points. With a trip to the Super Bowl on the line, the Steelers completed the trifecta and won 23-14.

Yet for some reason, everyone is going to talk about the difficulty of beating a team three times in one year.

Why is it so difficult to complete the sweep? Take last year, for example.

Pittsburgh proved twice they were the better team. They proved it at their place and on the road. So why did people think things were going to be different in the third meeting? The better team typically wins in the NFL, and the 12-7 record that accompanies this situation proves that to be the case.

Imagine if the Minnesota Vikings had to play the Detroit Lions for a third time this year. Would people be talking about the daunting task of Minnesota knocking off an inferior opponent for a third time?

I know, I know. These are playoff teams, and the Lions are the furthest thing from that. But that’s not the point. The point is that if you beat an opponent twice, you have proven your opponent to be inferior. 

Dallas showed everyone they are the better team in both meetings against the Eagles. The Cowboys beat the Eagles 20-16 in Philadelphia on Sunday Night Football at the Linc. They got the best of the Birds once again in the regular season finale 24-0 in Jerry World.

The only interesting piece of information being left out so far is the fact that Dallas has been in this spot twice, and they lost both times.

Back in 1998, when the Arizona Cardinals were in the NFC East, Dallas won both encounters and then they lost at home in the playoffs.

In 2007, the Cowboys tried to complete the three-game sweep against the New York Giants and, once again, they failed at home.

Somehow, teams outside of Dallas have a .706 winning percentage when attempting to beat a team for the third time in one season, yet the Cowboys are 0-2.

That stat puts you right back at the beginning, but it definitely sheds some light on anyone who tries to predict next week’s winner.

It should remind you that when someone says, “The Eagles are going to win because it is too tough to beat a team three times in one year,” make sure you ignore everything else they are saying.

To base a prediction on a game based on something a person believes to be true, even though we now know it is not, shows a lack of research and diminishes one’s credibility.

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Colts and Saints: Who Has More to Fear?

Think back three weeks ago, and every thing seemed pretty much laid out, plain and simple. The Vikings and Saints were going to meet in the NFC Championship game, and the Colts and Chargers were going to meet in the AFC Championship game.

Boy, has that changed. 

Coming off being the two most-feared teams in the league, the Colts and Saints have been silenced the past three weeks, as they have basically taken their foot off the gas and stalled so close to the finish line.

Although they didn’t get their glorified 16-0 season, both teams are still forces not to be messed with. Peyton Manning is playing great football along with Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark, and the Saints are still rolling along offensively despite a recent collapse.

So, who is in more trouble, though? 

According to ESPN, it’s the Saints. I tend to agree with them.

The Colts have suffered two losses, but they haven’t been real confidence-reducers by any means. The first loss coming last week against the Jets at home was, of course, tough and full of controversy, but it undoubtedly didn’t faze Peyton Manning.

This week’s loss at Buffalo was hardly significant. A snow-filled game with the second stringers playing basically just rested the Colts’ team for another week and gave them some more planning time.

New Orleans, on the other hand, well, they have every right to be worried.

I remember watching the New Orleans vs. Dallas game two weeks ago thinking, “Wow, Brees looks rattled.” This week against Carolina the backups played for the Saints, but that may have been a bad decision. 

A smarter thing to do would be to give Brees a fair amount of playing time, at least in the first half, and allow him to get back into that groove and put the Dallas game behind him.

From winning streak to losing streak, New Orleans fans aren’t happy. Who can blame them?

Sean Payton had this team set, and all of New Orleans was rocking to the beat of the drum. All of a sudden a shocking loss to Dallas, then Tampa Bay, and followed by another one at Carolina left a sour taste in the mouths of Saints fans.

It’s not time to hit the panic button just yet, though. If there is anything more positive to go on, it’s that the Saints have next week off. 

Practice and rest will be the key, and whoever the Saints get matched up with the following week, expect them to be physically and mentally prepared.

If they are not however, it may be an early exit for New Orleans in the postseason.

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Colts and Saints: Who Has More to Fear?

Think back three weeks ago, and every thing seemed pretty much laid out, plain and simple. The Vikings and Saints were going to meet in the NFC Championship game, and the Colts and Chargers were going to meet in the AFC Championship game.

Boy, has that changed. 

Coming off being the two most-feared teams in the league, the Colts and Saints have been silenced the past three weeks, as they have basically taken their foot off the gas and stalled so close to the finish line.

Although they didn’t get their glorified 16-0 season, both teams are still forces not to be messed with. Peyton Manning is playing great football along with Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark, and the Saints are still rolling along offensively despite a recent collapse.

So, who is in more trouble, though? 

According to ESPN, it’s the Saints. I tend to agree with them.

The Colts have suffered two losses, but they haven’t been real confidence-reducers by any means. The first loss coming last week against the Jets at home was, of course, tough and full of controversy, but it undoubtedly didn’t faze Peyton Manning.

This week’s loss at Buffalo was hardly significant. A snow-filled game with the second stringers playing basically just rested the Colts’ team for another week and gave them some more planning time.

New Orleans, on the other hand, well, they have every right to be worried.

I remember watching the New Orleans vs. Dallas game two weeks ago thinking, “Wow, Brees looks rattled.” This week against Carolina the backups played for the Saints, but that may have been a bad decision. 

A smarter thing to do would be to give Brees a fair amount of playing time, at least in the first half, and allow him to get back into that groove and put the Dallas game behind him.

From winning streak to losing streak, New Orleans fans aren’t happy. Who can blame them?

Sean Payton had this team set, and all of New Orleans was rocking to the beat of the drum. All of a sudden a shocking loss to Dallas, then Tampa Bay, and followed by another one at Carolina left a sour taste in the mouths of Saints fans.

It’s not time to hit the panic button just yet, though. If there is anything more positive to go on, it’s that the Saints have next week off. 

Practice and rest will be the key, and whoever the Saints get matched up with the following week, expect them to be physically and mentally prepared.

If they are not however, it may be an early exit for New Orleans in the postseason.

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