With all the storylines heading into Super Bowl XLVII, it's incredible to consider the subject of perhaps the most notable story in popular culture in this game is an afterthought.  Ravens tackle Michael Oher's life story was told in the critically acclaimed film The Blind Side.  Sandra Bullock won an Academy Award for her portrayal of Oher's adopted mother Leigh Anne Tuohy.  The movie collected over $300 million dollars at the box office.  And yet, the film's central protagonist Michael Oher remains distant from the movie about his life.  At Super Bowl Media Day, Oher spoke out about his weariness of being attached to The Blind Side to the Baltimore Sun

"I'm tired of the movie," Oher said. "I'm here to play football. Football is what got me here and the movie, it wasn’t me. I always knew how to play football growing up. It was different personalities, stuff like that. Playing football is what got me to this point.

“It was a little different, but I’ve been through a lot in my life, some rough times. Being here in New Orleans for the Super Bowl is truly unbelievable.”

Oher has made note of his frustration with his portrayal in The Blind Side on several occasions before.  This is what he wrote in his own words two years ago…

"I felt like it portrayed me as dumb instead of as a kid who had never had consistent academic instruction and ended up thriving once he got it. Quinton Aaron did a great job acting the part, but I could not figure out why the director chose to show me as someone who had to be taught the game of football. Whether it was S.J. moving around ketchup bottles or Leigh Anne explaining to me what blocking is about, I watched those scenes thinking, 'No, that's not me at all! I've been studying — really studying — the game since I was a kid!' That was my main hang-up with the film."  

If I were in Michael Oher's shoes, I would probably be frustrated too at anything innacurate about my own life being shown on the silver screen.  At some point, Michael Oher movie character becomes bigger in the public eye than Michael Oher Ravens player.  With the added crush of media and questions coming at the Super Bowl, you can't blame Oher from wanting to break out of the box of The Blind Side.

[Baltimore Sun]

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