Carlsbad, CA, Friday December 11, 2009
His name is Michael Oher and his rags-to-riches story is truly one that’s captivated movie goers across the country who have ventured to their local theaters during the past two weeks to see “The Blind Side.” The just-released film centers on a poor, oversized and under-educated teenager who gets recruited by a major college football program – Ole Miss – where he develops into an athletically gifted NFL prospect who eventually gets drafted by the Baltimore Ravens. But the focus of the movie is how this nearly homeless, African-American youngster gets taken in by a well-to-do Caucasian family and adjusts to his new surroundings while blossoming into an All-American left tackle for the Ole Miss Rebels.

Upper Deck was right there to chronicle Oher’s rising star at Ole Miss as well as his introduction into the NFL where he is now blocking bulky defenders for Ravens’ quarterback Joe Flacco and running backs Ray Rice and Willis McGahee. Oher’s first football cards, which showed him sporting his Ole Miss uniform, appeared in the following 2009 Upper Deck releases: Draft Edition; Heroes; Icons; Upper Deck; Philadelphia; SPx; and SP Threads. And Upper Deck is the only football card manufacturer that included autographed cards from Oher in many of its releases. Presently, both his Philadelphia “National Chicle” (# NC100) and Icons (# 125) autographed cards are commanding big dollars on the secondary market. The first cards (double- and quad-signed versions) that show him as a member of the Baltimore Ravens appeared in SP Signature Edition Football last month and the first solo card of Oher wearing his Ravens’ uniform will surface in 2009 Ultimate Collection Football, which releases next month.

“Michael Oher really represents the All-American dream” said Brandon Miller, Upper Deck’s football brand manager. “We’re just happy to have featured him on as many cards as we have this year. His story is one worth sharing and collectors who see the movie will no doubt want to have some of his cards as part of their collection.”



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