TheyoungmanatthecenterofthisextraordinaryandmovingstorywillonedaybeamongthemosthighlypaidathletesintheNationalFootballLeague.Whenwefirstmeethim,heisoneofthirteenchildrenbyamotheraddictedtocrack;hedoesnotknowhisrealname,hisfather,hisbirthday,oranyofthethingsachildmightlearninschoolsuchas,say,howtoreadorwrite.Norhasheevertouchedafootball.Whatchanges?Hetakesupfootball,andschool,afterarich,Evangelical,Republicanfamilypluckshimfromthemeanstreets.Theirloveisthefirstgreatforcethatalterstheworld’sperceptionoftheboy,whomtheyadopt.Thesecondforceistheevolutionofprofessionalfootballitselfintoagamewherethequarterbackmustbeprotectedatanycost.Ourprotagonistturnsouttobethepricelesscombinationofsize,speed,andagilitynecessarytoguardthequarterback’sgreatestvulnerability:hisblindside.
