Published: Sunday, November 8, 2009
Theismann will watch almost all of ‘The Blind Side’
Joe Theismann has a brief but memorable part in “The Blind Side,” a soon-to-be-released movie depicting the remarkable story of Baltimore Ravens left tackle Michael Oher.
The heartwarming movie, which hits theaters Nov. 20, runs two hours, eight minutes — all but two minutes of which Theismann plans to watch.
The Washington Redskins great might want to get popcorn at the beginning, because the story opens with actual footage of his gruesome, career-ending injury in 1985, when his lower leg snapped under the weight of a tackle by the Giants’ Lawrence Taylor.
“I will never — and I say this to you unequivocally — I will never look at it again,” said Theismann, who watched a replay of the injury four years ago, at a reporter’s request, as part of a 20th anniversary story. “I’ve seen it once. I experienced it. I will go see the movie. When it comes up in the movie, I will not look, and I will limp through life.”
Theismann does plan to attend the New York premiere of the movie, which is based on Michael Lewis’ bestselling book and tells the true story of Oher’s improbable rise from poverty to All-American prominence and beyond.
The Theismann scene — reportedly toned down by the moviemakers from original versions of the film — is important because it’s identified as a seminal moment in football, when people realized the true value of a left tackle protecting the quarterback’s blind side.
The way Theismann sees it, that’s not the only way his injury changed the way America watches football.
Even people with weak stomachs can watch the way the footage is handled in the movie. There are only glimpses of the view from the cover-your-eyes camera angle.
Nonetheless, Theismann will be looking away. He does, however, count his blessings that his injury didn’t happen in today’s NFL, when every play is captured with amazing clarity.
“Everybody said that mine was terrible and they played it over and over again,” said Theismann, an NFL Network analyst. “And when I saw it, by comparison to today, I thought to myself, ‘Boy, I’m really lucky that it didn’t happen in 2009.’
“The technology that is available today with high definition, super slow-mo ... It would have been portrayed in an even more graphic manner.”
Dolphins’ Crowder, Ferguson sidelined
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Linebacker Channing Crowder and nose tackle Jason Ferguson will miss the Miami Dolphins’ game at New England today.
The Dolphins downgraded both players on their injury report to out, weakening their defense for the matchup against Tom Brady and the Patriots. Crowder missed last Sunday’s win against the New York Jets with a left shoulder injury, and Ferguson has an elbow injury. Reggie Torbor is expected to replace Crowder and Paul Soliai is in line for the first start of his three-year career with Ferguson out.
The Dolphins also announced Saturday night that they signed rookie linebacker J.D. Folsom off their practice squad and released linebacker William Kershaw.
The heartwarming movie, which hits theaters Nov. 20, runs two hours, eight minutes — all but two minutes of which Theismann plans to watch.
The Washington Redskins great might want to get popcorn at the beginning, because the story opens with actual footage of his gruesome, career-ending injury in 1985, when his lower leg snapped under the weight of a tackle by the Giants’ Lawrence Taylor.
“I will never — and I say this to you unequivocally — I will never look at it again,” said Theismann, who watched a replay of the injury four years ago, at a reporter’s request, as part of a 20th anniversary story. “I’ve seen it once. I experienced it. I will go see the movie. When it comes up in the movie, I will not look, and I will limp through life.”
Theismann does plan to attend the New York premiere of the movie, which is based on Michael Lewis’ bestselling book and tells the true story of Oher’s improbable rise from poverty to All-American prominence and beyond.
The Theismann scene — reportedly toned down by the moviemakers from original versions of the film — is important because it’s identified as a seminal moment in football, when people realized the true value of a left tackle protecting the quarterback’s blind side.
The way Theismann sees it, that’s not the only way his injury changed the way America watches football.
Even people with weak stomachs can watch the way the footage is handled in the movie. There are only glimpses of the view from the cover-your-eyes camera angle.
Nonetheless, Theismann will be looking away. He does, however, count his blessings that his injury didn’t happen in today’s NFL, when every play is captured with amazing clarity.
“Everybody said that mine was terrible and they played it over and over again,” said Theismann, an NFL Network analyst. “And when I saw it, by comparison to today, I thought to myself, ‘Boy, I’m really lucky that it didn’t happen in 2009.’
“The technology that is available today with high definition, super slow-mo ... It would have been portrayed in an even more graphic manner.”
Dolphins’ Crowder, Ferguson sidelined
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Linebacker Channing Crowder and nose tackle Jason Ferguson will miss the Miami Dolphins’ game at New England today.
The Dolphins downgraded both players on their injury report to out, weakening their defense for the matchup against Tom Brady and the Patriots. Crowder missed last Sunday’s win against the New York Jets with a left shoulder injury, and Ferguson has an elbow injury. Reggie Torbor is expected to replace Crowder and Paul Soliai is in line for the first start of his three-year career with Ferguson out.
The Dolphins also announced Saturday night that they signed rookie linebacker J.D. Folsom off their practice squad and released linebacker William Kershaw.
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