”The Blind Side” director remembers coach-dad

TEXAS CITY — To hear Sue Hancock tell it, for years her husband asked their son, film director John Lee Hancock Jr., when he was going to make a football movie. Today, that football movie is in theaters.

Hancock, who was born in Longview and reared in Texas City, said his latest endeavor, "The Blind Side," which he wrote and directed, is more than a football movie. It’s about family and helping others and overcoming stereotypes and obstacles.

All traits his late father embodied, Hancock said.

The film’s credits are impressive. Golden Globe nominee Sandra Bullock, Oscar winner Kathy Bates and country music superstar Tim McGraw are in the cast.

Hancock made a name for himself directing "The Rookie" and "The Alamo," as well as writing the screenplays for "A Perfect World" and "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil."

But it is the very last credit of "The Blind Side" that Hancock may cherish the most.

It’s a dedication to John Lee Hancock Sr., his father and former Texas City football and swim coach who died in September.

"This is a movie he would have loved," Hancock said as he prepared for the premiere of the movie in New York earlier this week.

"My dad is kind of steeped in all of this for me and this process. There is a dedication to dad at the end of the movie because his spirit is kind of all over everything I am involved in with the movie."

All those years spent hanging out in locker rooms and having a coach for a dad helped Hancock relate better to some of the guest stars of "The Blind Side," including former Notre Dame and South Carolina head football coach Lou Holtz, University of Alabama and former LSU coach Nick Saban, former University of Tennessee coach Phil Fulmer, former Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville and Tennessee assistant head coach and former Ole Miss head coach Ed Orgeron.

"Being a coach’s son, it is amazing how they took to me," Hancock said. "When they heard, Oh, your dad is a high-school football coach,’ it was all good."

Despite his appreciation for sports movies and success with directing "The Rookie," Hancock said he wasn’t necessarily drawn to "The Blind Side" because of the football element. In fact, his first reaction was to shy away.

"I never thought I would do a sports movie, as much as I like them," Hancock said. "I had already done The Rookie’ and Hollywood is a place that is desperate to get rid of you. So no one wants to be pigeonholed."

As a fan of author Michael Lewis, who wrote the book, the movie is based on, "The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game," Hancock gave the book a read and quickly realized there was more than a sports movie in those pages.

"It really is not a sports movie, necessarily," Hancock said. "It has a sports engine to it, but it’s an unconventional mother/son story.

"All the best sports movies are ultimately relationship dramas. This is certainly one of those."

"The Blind Side" is the true story of Michael Oher, an African-American teen who found a home and, eventually, football stardom, after being adopted by a wealthy Memphis family.

Oher, played in the movie by Quinton Aaron — who was found through a nationwide search — goes from a practically illiterate teen to a star football player and a first-round NFL draft pick.

The family that adopted him, Leigh Anne Tuohy (played by Bullock) and her husband, Sean, (portrayed by McGraw) are also changed along the way.

Coming from a sports background helped Hancock in other ways, as well.

"There are so many people in Hollywood that get sports only from a fan perspective," he said. "To understand how practices or games actually occur, as much as they are fans, they aren’t really knowledgeable.

"Starting with my dad, that was a real benefit in terms of both The Rookie’ and this movie."

Hancock had hoped to have the movie transferred to a DVD for his dad to watch, but Coach Hancock died before the disc could be made.

Still, his mom, sister, brothers and other family friends will see the film this weekend, but not at any Hollywood of New York premier. They’ll watch it at the movie theater in Texas City.

They’ll also be the ones staying until that very last credit and dedication rolls across the screen.