On Sunday, February 3, the National Football League (NFL) will be hosting the 47th Super Bowl in New Orleans featuring the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens. I predict that the San Francisco 49ers will win. I can't make the game live, so I thought I would bring a little bit of New Orleans to my party by making some gumbo from a recipe I got from the library. If Southern Cooking isn't your style, the library has a large collection of cook books you can browse through to find the right recipes to fit your party or just to try something new.

What will you be making and who will you be rooting for this Super Bowl Sunday?

Have you seen the Academy Award winning movie The Blind Side?  It is based on the true story of the relationship that formed between Michael Oher and the Tuohy family. Michael was a homeless Black teen from the ghetto who improbably attended a wealthy suburban school in Memphis. He met Shawn and Leigh Anne Tuohy, a white couple whose son and daughter attended the same school. Eventually, Michael was adopted by the Tuohys, received a college degree in criminal justice, and became a professional football player (currently with the Baltimore Ravens).

I thought the movie was terrific, but I wondered how true-to-life it was. Then I saw a book in my local library that answered some questions I had. The book is I Beat the Odds, and is written by Michael Oher himself (along with co-author Don Yaeger). He recalls his life, and also speaks about how he was able to move from an inner city ghetto to the life he wanted. Mr. Oher relates his recognition that his natural athleticism could lead to a way out, his determination to discover and take that path, and  the difficulties of being homeless.

If a “good” book is one that makes us think and question our beliefs, then “I Beat the Odds” qualifies. You can find both the book and the movie The Blind Side at the San Jose Public Library. You may also be interested in two other related books. Michael Lewis’s 2006 book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game, was the impetus for the 2009 movie. Also, Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy have written a book In a Heartbeat:  Sharing the Power of Cheerful Giving, which details their own philosophy and beliefs. Both are also available from the library!

According to an article in Sports Media Watch, 65 of the top 100 televised sporting events in 2010 were football games. Of the top 25, football accounted for 20 of the broadcasts. The beloved SF Giants could only reach 97 on the list with Game Four of the World Series. San Jose Public Library has many books and some DVDs on all aspects of football. As of late April 2011, there was a lockout between the players and the owners, and fans are getting nervous.