The Blind Side and Three Rivers

I'm not a football fan by any stretch of the imagination, but a few years back I read a book called The Blind Side by Michael Lewis. While half of it is technical football stuff, which I skipped over, the other half is a heart-warming story about a family that took in (and eventually adopted) a down and out star high school football player named Michael Oher. This book is now being made into a movie, which is due in theaters late November.

I hope the movie stays very true to the amazing story, because it is one that needs no Hollywood embellishments. Oher's father was murdered while he was in junior high, and his mother was addicted to crack. He bounced between foster homes, and different schools (try 9 in 11 years) and repeated grades. When he was 16, he had a .9 GPA and had yet to have a permanent address. However, after hearing about the tough life he had, Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy, a white family with a daughter Oher's age (and this was definitely controversial to some in the still racially-tense south), took him in and gave him a home and tutoring. Eventually, he graduated high school and went on to play college football, and just this year made it into the NFL and is making millions.

Here's a look at the trailer for this inspirational story about perseverance, acceptance, and ultimately triumph. In addition, about 45 seconds in they use an instrumental cut of the song "Kill the Messenger" by one of my well-documented favorite artists, Jack's Mannequin. Andrew McMahon of Jack's Mannequin also has an inspirational story to tell (he is a cancer survivor), and I thought it was very fitting to use the song in this trailer - hope to hear it in the movie, too.

In other Jack's Mannequin news, the premiere episode of Three Rivers debuted last night on CBS. You may recall that the previews for Three Rivers featured the music video for Jack's Mannequin's "Swim" in a cool spliced up montage with footage from the show. Unfortunately, now that Three Rivers is out, CBS has taken the preview video down.

Jack's Mannequin on MySpace

Three Rivers

Summer is coming to an end, meaning the carefree days of relaxing by the pool will soon be replaced by school and work-related stress. But, fear not, the beginning of fall does bring some good, namely a new fall TV lineup. One new show that just caught my attention is called Three Rivers, which will air on CBS. The series stars Alex O'Laughlin, best known for playing Mark St. John in Moonlight, and is described by CBS as, "a medical drama that goes inside the emotionally complex lives of organ donors, the recipients and the surgeons at the preeminent transplant hospital in the country where every moment counts."

Now, I'm a sucker for medical-related drama, but as if that weren't already enough, the promo video for the show featured one of my favorite songs of this summer, "Swim," by Jack's Mannequin. Things have been going well for Andrew McMahon and company lately, as they also recently stopped by Jimmy Kimmel Live to play "Swim" and "The Resolution." Can't wait to see if they're featured more on what looks to be a very promising new show. Series premiere is October 4, so mark your calendars and set your DVRs.



Three Rivers on CBS

Jack's Mannequin on MySpace