Since a 56-0 blowout doesn’t leave us a whole lot to talk about, let’s move our focus to another football story. Michael Lewis, author of The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game, put together a feature on Ole Miss left tackle, Michael Oher, that every football fan and every humanitarian will want to read. It’s in today’s New York Times Magazine. The story nearly had me in tears. It had also me laughing out loud in places.

The article rests on the fact that left tackle is the NFL’s second highest paid position after quarterback, for the left tackle protects the quarterback’s blindside (if he’s a right-hander). Then it zooms in on the development of one Orlando Pace-like prospect–Michael Oher in Memphis, Tenn. Big Mike, as he is known, was a hard luck case, having lost his father to murder and his mother to drugs. When Big Mike, at 16, was finally taken in by the good people of Briarcrest Christian School, he was homeless, had one pair of clothes and no social nor academic skills to speak of.

Sean and Leigh Anne Tuoh are at the center of this human drama. Sean Tuoh played point guard at Ole Miss, then built an fast-food empire in and around Memphis. What started with Sean taking care of Big Mike’s lunch money at the Briarcrest cafeteria quickly evolved into the Tuoh’s adopting Mike and having him move in to their stately home. It’s a story of compassion, character, family and football. And there’s an interesting side note about an online program from BYU that can help rehab one’s poor high school record, something Big Mike needed, despite his complete (but late) awakening and academic turnaround. Clearly, it’s also a story about second chances.

[UPDATE] Jason Kottke, one of the nation’s most prominent bloggers, sees a lot going on between the lines in this story. Namely, racism, self-interest and unchecked Christian zeal. I know where Jason’s coming from, and I can see his point, but I don’t know…what is clear is Big Mike would have never experienced the transformation he did if he wasn’t a gigantic and gifted athlete.