NFL needs Leigh Anne Tuohy

Somebody who's not shy needs to talk to NFL players, and Leigh Anne Tuohy's willing to be that person -- though she's not talking publicly about Sandra Bullock these days.

The Tennessee interior designer, whose family's generosity toward a homeless teen was chronicled in a book and then a movie, "The Blind Side," was among the draws at Thursday's Minneapolis Depot fundraiser for TreeHouse, an organization that helps at-risk kids and their parents. Her daughter, Collins Tuohy, was here as well, along with Michael Oher, the Baltimore Ravens' player whose life was changed forever by the Tuohy family.

Bullock won an Oscar for her portrayal of Tuohy in the movie. I attempted a question about whether Tuohy thought her experience with Oher influenced Bullock's decision to adopt baby Louis.

"No Sandra questions," Tuohy said before I could finish. "I can't do that. They won't let me."

Tuohy's probably acting in deference to Bullock, with whom she's forged a friendship, because Leigh Anne doesn't seem the type to be controlled.

Moving on, I asked a question that popped to mind months ago when I learned Tuohy was coming to the Twin Cities:

If someone at the NFL approached her about doing an orientation presentation for rookies to advise them on being careful with women (and to quit being idiots about birth control), as well as about picking their posses carefully and watching their money, would she be interested?

Actually, why limit this to the NFL or rookies, because veteran athletes helped float the Lake Minnetonka Love Boat (didn't they, Tiger?).

In the movie, there's a scene where Tuohy tells Oher to keep it in his pants. "Or I would cut it off," Tuohy reminded me, a warning that was also included in the movie. "I tell him that on a regular basis," she said with a smile.

Oh, that smile.

NFL athletes already receive orientation, but I doubt they get the kind Tuohy would provide.

Doubling back to the forbidden, I told Tuohy that that keep-it-in-your-trousers advice comes a little late for Bullock's soon-to-be-former husband, Jesse James. That elicited a priceless, unfazed expression from Tuohy, who said, "I guess," as I admitted that that was a Sandra question.

It then dawned on me that "Entertainment Tonight" got a comment from Tuohy about baby Louis. Something about how she could eat him with a spoon?

"I didn't tell them that," Tuohy said. "They took that from a friend of a friend of a friend."

Robyne, the candidate Robyne Robinson, the former Fox 9 anchor now running for lieutenant governor, is being mum about whether she's hitting the campaign trail wearing certain unseen jewelry.

In 1994, I wrote about Robinson having a navel ring.

She did not return a phone call seeking confirmation that she's still attached to the body piercing. (She was probably worried about being asked about other body art she's reportedly wearing.)

She will need much thicker skin than she showed when DFL gubernatorial primary candidate Matt Entenza introduced his running mate to the media last week. R2 flashed that grin-growl and a bit of temper when asked how a career as a reporter and news reader qualified her for high office.