Following her first Academy Award, Sandra Bullock, star of the feel-good football blockbuster The Blind Side, has come under attack from over-zealous fans of the movie...literally. Bullock, who in the movie rescues future NFL offensive lineman Michael Oher from a life on the streets, has had to hire her own offense line (i.e. body guards) to protect her from kids trying to prove to her their football prowess.
Her agent recently explained the situation to the press. "Sandra would like to tell all those children who may be down on their luck, and who may also have football talent, that although this movie was based on a real story, she had nothing to do with getting anyone into the NFL. Furthermore, she will never in the future have anything to do with anyone getting into the NFL. She would also request that children stop tackling her, throwing balls at her, yelling "Hey catch!", and knocking her friends to the ground. This is not appropriate behavior, and will not result in Sandra paying for your education or getting you drafted by the NFL."
Although the message has reached some aspiring football players, it has not reached them all. Jeremiah Livingston is one of Bullock's fans, and plans on showing her what he can do. "I hear what she be sayin', but see I ain't feelin' it. She gots to tell people that she ain't got nothin' to do wit it so dat only people who are for real serious will be left to show her what they gots." Jeremiah, who also goes by the name Lites-Out, will try to join his local high school team as a 22 year old 350 pound walk-on freshman after missing grades 6-8 while serving 3-5 in the state penitentiary on a drug charge.
Lites-Out is not alone. Private schools have reported record numbers of applications coming from atypical backgrounds and expressing interest in joining the football ranks of the over-privileged and under-skilled. Coaches nationwide have been split on whether to push school administrators into accepting these new students.
Regardless of how the prep-schools resolve the issue, Bullock clearly wants nothing to do with it. At an Oscar after-party on Sunday night, Bullock recounted how she was hit from behind and thrown violently to the ground after buying a ball in a department store for her nephew's birthday. Her attacker explained to police that he was just trying to show her, "what he had" which by the end of the encounter was a police mugshot. Bullock made a statement shortly before leaving the Oscar gala, "It's just a movie, let it go!" For some, that is easier said than done.
