So the Tuohy's were phonies (Michael Oher)

[woodpusher]

So, as someone who went to a lah-de-dah private K-12 school (Punahou School in Honolulu), pretty much killed every standardized test that came my way, and sent three kids to/through Webb School of Knoxville with the usual college admissions tests, I’m pretty damn familiar with the aptitude/ admissions tests that are given to applicants.

They are VERY skewed in favor of kids from academically privileged backgrounds. They are NOT IQ tests (which are bad enough in general at evaluating kids from non-white/non-middle-class backgrounds.) Their questions are assuming an educationally enriched background where you have read (=been assigned work in classroom) well-written fiction and non-fiction works and taught how to analyze them for themes and sub-themes. In terms of math “aptitude,” you’re probably already taking at least algebra in 8th grade, or pre-algebra at a minimum.

If you DON’T know how to break down and analyze literature, and you CAN’T attack á mathematical problem that you’ve never seen before, you’re gonna score in a very low percentile.

Because no one ever told you this stuff. (Note: for a test in 8th grade, you are most likely 11-12 years old.)

Good school admission people know this and have additional ways of evaluating applicants (if they want to), which may or may not include looking at their football or basketball skillz. What else is important for school and life success? Leadership ability? Empathy? Resilience? An understanding and ability to work with people from different backgrounds?

I would also score in the 6th percentile or so if I were plunked in a fishing boat, told to catch fish, and asked to identify what I caught, in the unlikely event that I caught anything at all. (I do want to learn this one day lol.)

Intelligence tests are sketchy as hell, and that’s not what he took (per the article.) He took an APTITUDE test, which *attempts* to predict how well you’ll do in a specific situation, in this case a private school with mostly students from white, middle-upper class, well-educated kids.

WTH else did you think would happen?

Standardized tests are one of the few ways an underprivileged kid can beat out upper-middle class kids.
The underprivileged kid will be lucky to be an officer in some Club XYZ.
The overprivileged kid will have paid internships, showing leadership and all sorts of ability to work with people from different backgrounds.
Full-time tuition at Briarcrest is $18k per year.

 

[VolNExile]

Standardized tests are one of the few ways an underprivileged kid can beat out upper-middle class kids.
The underprivileged kid will be lucky to be an officer in some Club XYZ.
The overprivileged kid will have paid internships, showing leadership and all sorts of ability to work with people from different backgrounds.
Full-time tuition at Briarcrest is $18k per year.

I was talking about aptitude tests used for admissions to private high schools, which is what was cited today. Not college admissions tests.

 

[Gandalf]

As an ENTJ who scored in the top 1 percentile of the only iq test I ever took and who also went to a La di da school (at least they seem to think so) Baylor in Chattanooga:

Agreed that IQ tests are not the sine qua non of intellect but they are a fair representation of raw ability and thus potential problem solving skills. Aptitude tests are much more related to "how ready are you to adapt to the work done?". So yes, that is definitely going to favor those who have had a capable educational structure beforehand since that is the structure they will be performing in. That is very much a legitimate thing to ask since so many schools are "preparatory", preparing the student to perform well at the next stage of learning. Michael Oher was in no way "prepared" mentally, educationally or otherwise to perform at Briarcrest when he sought admission.

Interestingly, studies have shown that a considerable portion of the gap between "rich kids" and poor kids is not what they do at school so much as what they do outside of it. Rich whites tend to read books and have enriching experiences while poor (white and black) have little to spark their interests. Asians are famous for sticking their kids in Kumon and other after school programs that help them be competitive.

This would indicate that whatever potential Oher brought at the start was of a very poor quality but he did posses raw athletic talent. The help he received from Freeze helped develop that talent, while the help he got elsewhere got him to be able to stay in a school that he was not initially qualified for. Presumably tutoring, etc helped him get prepared. More realistically, that someone probably had a heavy thumb on the scales of his academic progress to ensure his football eligibility. That was most like the Tuohys.

Bottom line, again, he should simply be grateful that he stumbled into an ideal situation that was able to showcase the skillset that he had and help shepherd it so that he ended up making millions of dollars.

Few people in that socio economic bracket, whether white or black, get such an opportunity. How many gold medal olympians are out there, who simply never get the chance to shine, never get the coaches and economic support they need to get to the next level?

 

[volfanhill]

As an ENTJ who scored in the top 1 percentile of the only iq test I ever took and who also went to a La di da school (at least they seem to think so) Baylor in Chattanooga:

Agreed that IQ tests are not the sine qua non of intellect but they are a fair representation of raw ability and thus potential problem solving skills. Aptitude tests are much more related to "how ready are you to adapt to the work done?". So yes, that is definitely going to favor those who have had a capable educational structure beforehand since that is the structure they will be performing in. That is very much a legitimate thing to ask since so many schools are "preparatory", preparing the student to perform well at the next stage of learning. Michael Oher was in no way "prepared" mentally, educationally or otherwise to perform at Briarcrest when he sought admission.

Interestingly, studies have shown that a considerable portion of the gap between "rich kids" and poor kids is not what they do at school so much as what they do outside of it. Rich whites tend to read books and have enriching experiences while poor (white and black) have little to spark their interests. Asians are famous for sticking their kids in Kumon and other after school programs that help them be competitive.

This would indicate that whatever potential Oher brought at the start was of a very poor quality but he did posses raw athletic talent. The help he received from Freeze helped develop that talent, while the help he got elsewhere got him to be able to stay in a school that he was not initially qualified for. Presumably tutoring, etc helped him get prepared. More realistically, that someone probably had a heavy thumb on the scales of his academic progress to ensure his football eligibility. That was most like the Tuohys.

Bottom line, again, he should simply be grateful that he stumbled into an ideal situation that was able to showcase the skillset that he had and help shepherd it so that he ended up making millions of dollars.

Few people in that socio economic bracket, whether white or black, get such an opportunity. How many gold medal olympians are out there, who simply never get the chance to shine, never get the coaches and economic support they need to get to the next level?

They benefited financially from him too. Funny how that's always left out

 

[Gandalf]

They benefited financially from him too. Funny how that's always left out

eh, they were quite rich before Oher. I really doubt there was much financial motivation. Sure, they are smart people so they may have made money as the situation presented. If they had ulterior motives beyond Oher's welfare, however, I would bet it was to benefit the schools they supported, Briarcrest and Ol Miss.

Consider that they probably have donated to those schools far more money than they ever made off of Oher.

Again, Oher should simply be grateful that will the awful start he had in life, he was blessed to have lucked into good circumstances with people who could help him get to the next level.

 

[Vols All Day]

eh, they were quite rich before Oher. I really doubt there was much financial motivation. Sure, they are smart people so they may have made money as the situation presented. If they had ulterior motives beyond Oher's welfare, however, I would bet it was to benefit the schools they supported, Briarcrest and Ol Miss.

Consider that they probably have donated to those schools far more money than they ever made off of Oher.

Again, Oher should simply be grateful that will the awful start he had in life, he was blessed to have lucked into good circumstances with people who could help him get to the next level.

Gandalf, you got to be dense in the head. No one in America would have ever knew the Tuohy family existed if it wasn’t for Oher. The only people that knew the Tuohy family are people that live in Memphis and those affiliated with Ole Miss. There was nothing special or interesting about them. No one would pay Leann Tuohy to come speak if the Oher story didn’t come out.

 

[Gandalf]

Gandalf, you got to be dense in the head. No one in America would have ever knew the Tuohy family existed if it wasn’t for Oher. The only people that knew the Tuohy family are people that live in Memphis and those affiliated with Ole Miss. There was nothing special or interesting about them. No one would pay Leann Tuohy to come speak if the Oher story didn’t come out.

Oh, I agree with that. I just dont think they had any rational ability to project that when they helped Oher. Except that they happened to have a friend who was a famous author, even Oher would not be that well known, certainly not outside of football fanatics. Just another NFL player who had his (short) time in the sun.

Again, Oher was incredibly lucky to have run into Freeze and the Touhys, who VASTLY improved his life arc. Simply put, without Oher, Freeze would have still gone on to be a great coach and Touhys still worth over $100m from selling their fast food stores. Without them, Oher would may not have ever made it to college much less the NFL and certainly would have not had a book and a movie made about his life.

Not saying Touhys are good people (or Freeze either) since I have no idea why they got involved but simply that Oher should be darn grateful.

And yes, my mind is dense. Having that much intellect and wisdom packed into even my sizeable head requires significant compactness, else my blue hat would no longer fit.

 

[stolitonic]

Well, giving this one a bump as apparently there have been additional court filings.

I can certainly hope that Oher did not major in English at Ole Miss

Michael Oher demanded millions from Tuohys in 'menacing' text messages, per court documents

A new chapter was added Monday to the bitter public dispute between Michael Oher and his former conservators, Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy.

www.usatoday.com

 

[BowlBrother85]

Well, giving this one a bump as apparently there have been additional court filings.

I can certainly hope that Oher did not major in English at Ole Miss

Michael Oher demanded millions from Tuohys in 'menacing' text messages, per court documents

A new chapter was added Monday to the bitter public dispute between Michael Oher and his former conservators, Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy.

www.usatoday.com

Trying to involve Fred Smith seems a little strange. I recommend the documentary "Blind-Sided" on Max. It does a good job of taking apart that melodramatic movie ....

 

[Butch s]

I'm holding a wait and see approach on this. Why now?

He's been retired from the NFL for nearly a decade now.

I wonder if he's currently got the wrong people in his ear and he/they have already blown through his NFL bank account and is needing money.

He’s broke

 

[Butch s]

He is just trying to achieve the NEW American dream….sit and wait for some well to do people or business to supposedly offend you or wrong you or disrespect you , then sue them for everything they have,and never have to work again

 

[davethevol]

Sounds like both sides are shady and there isn’t a good guy in this situation.

 

[Gandalf]

Sounds like both sides are shady and there isn’t a good guy in this situation.

Its hard to say about the Touhys because I havent seen much in the way of supporting facts but Oher has clearly gone grifter, likely because of a gold digging new wife thats yakking in his ear and probably spending his money like water.

He got enough money from the NFL that if he had invested it at all, he would be filthy rich. Instead, he is playing victim. Whatever Oher is and whatever the Touhys are, Oher is NOT a "victim".

 

[BigOrangeMojo]

This has always been a business transaction. Nothing more, nothing less.

The Tuohys circumvented NCAA extra benefit rules and got the highest rated recruit in Shelby County history to Ole Miss

Oher got off the streets and out of dangerous area

Briarcrest got to lower the athletic Gap between them and CBHS/MUS

Freeze got a job at Ole Miss


Everything was fine until the Tuohys tried to change the optics around this business arrangement and Oher ran out of money...

 

[hog88]

This has always been a business transaction. Nothing more, nothing less.

The Tuohys circumvented NCAA extra benefit rules and got the highest rated recruit in Shelby County history to Ole Miss

Oher got off the streets and out of dangerous area

Briarcrest got to lower the athletic Gap between them and CBHS/MUS

Freeze got a job at Ole Miss


Everything was fine until the Tuohys tried to change the characterization of this business arrangement and Oher ran out of money...

Probably an accurate summary.

 

[BigOrangeMojo]

Probably an accurate summary.

It is the summary. I'm not saying the Ohers never cared for him but this was all about two of the wealthiest Ole Miss donors working around NCAA rules to get the highest rated recruit in Shelby County history to Ole Miss.

Oher is now broke and he knows the entire public narrative around this business arrangement is BS...

 

[BowlBrother85]

Its hard to say about the Touhys because I havent seen much in the way of supporting facts but Oher has clearly gone grifter, likely because of a gold digging new wife thats yakking in his ear and probably spending his money like water.

He got enough money from the NFL that if he had invested it at all, he would be filthy rich. Instead, he is playing victim. Whatever Oher is and whatever the Touhys are, Oher is NOT a "victim".

Bringing up Fred Smith of Fed Ex makes him look really desperate. It was also foolish of him to put that in a text. That could reasonably be interpreted as extortion.

 

[bamawriter]

Bringing up Fred Smith of Fed Ex makes him look really desperate. It was also foolish of him to put that in a text. That could reasonably be interpreted as extortion.

It's the very definition of extortion.

 

[BowlBrother85]

If you watch the Max documentary, "Blind Sided," it gives some insight into Leigh Anne's ego ....

Obviously, the Tuohy's didn't need Oher, the book or the movie to make money. You shouldn't overlook how much Leigh Anne Tuohy basked in the limelight of it all, however. She clearly loved the fame and notoriety it brought her, and the motivational speaking tours it afforded her as well. She especially loved attending the Oscars, and hobnobbing at an after-show Oscar party with Sandra Bullock. She loved being portrayed in the role of a white savior.

My point is ... none of these people are very likable.

 

[BigOrangeMojo]

The most ethical person in all this mess was...Hugh Freeze