The Blind Side

I think that when talking about Michael Lewis’ The Blind Side it is almost impossible not to compare it the equally fascinating baseball book Moneyball. But even though there are many parallels between the two books, the Blind Side has a dimension that is entirely its own-it makes a big statement about wealth and opportunity. The book starts out explaining how innovators of the NFL football offenses, like Bill Walsh, created fast attacking pass first offenses that were being disrupted by the left side (quarterback’s blind side) pass rushers personified by the like of Lawrence Taylor. He makes a set piece of the end of Joe Thiesman’s career at the hands of LT on Monday Night football.  I think he does an admirable job of setting up the importance of left tackles and why they make so much money these days. Then we get another story of a poor black boy, a freak of nature with impressive physical size and skills, that is adopted by a wealthy Memphis family. I can’t do justice to the narrative thread that Lewis weaves. The strength of any of his books is based on his ability to tell an entertaining story.