Michael Oher Idolizes Michael Jordan (Situational Irony)
Lewis describes Michael's childhood adoration of Michael Jordan, as he spent a great deal of time playing basketball and thought he was going to go on to play it professionally. He was unaware of players like Jonathan Ogden and John Ayers, whose legacy he ends up being more closely intertwined with. This is an instance of situational irony in that he did end up being a famous and celebrated athlete, but in an entirely different sport than he had dreamed of, as his skill set was perfectly matched for the job of left tackle.
The Audience Doesn't Notice John Ayers (Dramatic Irony)
After successfully stopping Lawrence Taylor in an important play, John Ayers still remains unnoticed by the audience watching the game. Lewis takes note of the fact that this is a huge moment in the game that forever changes how football is strategized and played. This lack of attention is an instance of dramatic irony in that Ayers' contribution is so much more important than individual points being scored, but garners so much less attention.
NCAA Investigates The Tuohys (Situational Irony)
In the wake of the booster scandal, the NCAA decides to investigate the Tuohy family in order to make sure they did not coerce Michael into playing for the University of Mississippi. They ask Michael a number of probing questions about his relationship with the Tuohys in order to ascertain whether or not they are taking advantage of him. At the same time, Lewis points out that the organization has its own motivation for making sure that this is not a scandal waiting to happen that could further harm its public image. As Michael notes, the NCAA is no less selfish or self-interested than the boosters themselves. This is an instance of situational irony in that they are participating in the very culture that they are condemning, profiting off of college athletes.
University of Mississippi's Treatment of Black Players (Situational Irony)
In one of the final chapters of the book, Lewis details the way in which Black players from underprivileged backgrounds at the University of Mississippi are not really integrated into the general student population. After being recruited to play on the team, they end up spending most of their time being shuttled between games and then returning home during the breaks. Even when they are central to the school's massive sports culture, they exist as outsiders in its social world. In this instance of situational irony, these players are relentlessly pursued by the school only to be ignored on campus.
