Saturday, February 2, 2013

NCAA's nightmare come true

As well as the answer to nurture v. nature--the former trumps, as the Super Bowl to the Oscars, according to the Tuohy family, in this article;
A knowing grin spread across Sean Tuohy's face as he considered the uncanny connections between the hit film that changed his family's life and the fact that Baltimore Ravens offensive lineman Michael Oher will play in his first Super Bowl in the Big Easy.
New Orleans is where Tuohy grew up and went to high school with author Michael Lewis, who wrote "The Blind Side."
In that film, near the end, just when it seems everyone lives happily ever after, the NCAA sticks its (to them) much more than two cents worth into the matter.  An attractive, intelligent, well-spoken lawyer (from a privileged background?) calls Oher into her offices to grill him on his relationship with the Tuohy's.  Telling him that the NCAA is worried that his case will set a precedent.

Quel désastre!  More rich white folks might decide to extend helping hands to beleaguered ghetto kids without parental support.  We can think of only one group who that would be bad for.  The self-appointed keepers of the flame of intercollegiate athletics, the NCAA. Whose well remunerated professionals currently get to decide who 'the student athletes' can associate with, and on what terms.

And, it looks as though the Tuohys plan on doing just that;
"To me, when I look at Michael, the only down side of it is, you sit there and go, `If someone as immensely talented as Michael Oher, that society pretty much didn't value, almost falls through the cracks, can you imagine who gets left behind," Leigh Anne Tuohy said. "So you sit there and go, `How many kids are out there that if given a chance can be a Michael Oher.'"
....Inspired by the public's response to "The Blind Side," the Tuohys created the Making it Happen Foundation, which offers financial help to those committed to improving the lives of children living in poverty and unstable homes.
The Tuohys described their foundation grants as modest. In some cases, it might not be more than paying for a flight to help someone make a cross-country trip to adopt a child.
"We all can invest time, and that's made Michael, us investing time in this young man and loving him," Leigh Anne Tuohy said. "That's given him the character, not the check. You need it to go hand-in-hand if it can, but we're all capable of investing time."
If they're left alone to do so, that is.

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