Baller-in-Chief

By Claude Johnson

There’s been much chatter lately about President Obama and his family spending their summer vacation in the traditionally African American enclave of Oak Bluffs on the island of Martha’s Vineyard.

If you’ve never been to Oak Bluffs, you’ve got to check it out.  The black history heritage trail of Martha’s Vineyard is fascinating and little known.  And, don’t believe the silly hype from the recent New York Magazine article that claims visitors and residents adhere to self-imposed racial segregation.  That’s simply not true.

By the way, my wife and I got married (over a decade ago!) at a private house in Oak Bluffs, overlooking the water, in a lovely low key ceremony.  Boston Celtics star Ray Allen did the same thing last summer (got married there, that is, not necessarily low key).

Yes, Oak Bluffs and Martha’s Vineyard do have their share of celebrities.

Meanwhile, the Boston Herald suggested this week that “the Secret Service reportedly has scoped out a number of homes” there.

But has anyone scoped out the basketball options for the president?  Where did Ray Allen shoot around while he was there?

Sure, people have driveway hoops.  But that’s not what we’re talking about here.

Unfortunately, the best place to play, by far, won’t be ready until next summer.  It’s the brand new Y.M.C.A. gymnasium that’s going up in nearby Vineyard Haven, a mile or two down the road from Oak Bluffs.  The $1.7 million facility will include a sweet, full sized basketball court with accompanying locker rooms, cafe, snack bar, wellness center, and other features.

Until then, the president (and everyone else) will have to “settle” for the awesome outdoor lighted court at Niantic Park in Oak Bluffs. That court is sweet too.

It’s got a special smoothly finished surface, extended backboards (so you go hard to the rim), padded poles (ditto), a neat paint job with contrast colored keys and center circle, bleachers, and an electronically controlled scoreboard.

It’s also got an enclosed fence and parking. Plus, it’s right in the middle of Oak Bluffs, you can’t miss it, and everyone can walk over there from wherever they’re staying.

And guess what? The president could attend the annual Vineyard Streetball Classic!

It’s a 3-on-3 youth basketball tournament that takes place on July 4! This year marks the seventh annual event!  It’s for boys and girls ages 10-18 (pre-registrations July 1-3).

Best of all, the tickets, registration, and sponsor fees benefit the Oak Bluffs Parks Department and the Martha’s Vineyard Chamber of Commerce Charitable Fund.

Isn’t that right along the lines of what President Obama and Mrs. Obama have asked Americans to do, as far as supporting their communities through volunteerism and goodwill?

Opening rounds for the Vineyard Streetball Classic on July 4 begin at 10 a.m.

By the way, the court stays open late, and there’s even an open-age night hoops league played there.  Maybe, just maybe, the president can use his executive privilege to substitute in on one of the teams as a ringer.

(Photos courtesy of the Vineyard Streetball Classic and the Vineyard Gazette.)

From a piece on Politico.com:

When we tracked down Johnson at Friday’s Radio & Television Correspondents’ Dinner, we asked him not only to assess President Barack Obama’s basketball skills, but whether he thinks he could school Obama on the court.

The answer?

Editor’s Note: Is big skunkitude wise?  Are there not many ways to skunk, and be skunked?  Who is the Skunker-in-Chief?  Does not he who skunks last, skunk best?

(From John Altavilla for The Hartford Courant)

WASHINGTON — – Long before he became a candidate, President Barack Obama was a huge basketball fan. Well documented during the presidential campaign, his alter ego is that of a gym rat — a guy with a nice first step, decent jumper and pointy elbows.

And after the ceremony on Monday welcoming the national champion UConn women’s basketball team to the White House, Obama decided to prove it. He invited them to the basketball court he had constructed on the White House grounds.

“We played P-I-G, which is a shorter version of H-O-R-S-E,” UConn center Tina Charles said. “He beat Maya [Moore], Renee [Montgomery] and myself. He was shooting 17-footers all over the perimeter.”

Said Montgomery: “He only missed one shot out of five shots. In 20 years, I’ll remember that I could not make one jump shot at the White House. My clothes hindered me. I couldn’t extend my arms.”

Obama extended all sorts of greetings on this day and he did not need a speech writer to help him find the right words to describe what went on in Storrs this season.

“When we were inside with him, he knew what we’d done,” coach Geno Auriemma said. “He knew who Maya, Tina and Renee were. It certainly wasn’t a run-of-the mill conversation with a Washington politician, who is trying to figure out how to get through the day without messing up anyone’s name.

“And you know what? His shot was a little unorthodox, but I’ve always said I’ve never met a bad left-handed shooter. And he talks a little trash, too. A typical, Chicago trash-talker. But he can back it up. That’s all that counts. He’s got the swagger.”

Before departing, Obama signed and gave Montgomery the basketball they played P-I-G with and offered Auriemma a signed home gray jersey to help him raise money for his charity, Geno’s Cancer Team.

Earlier, before the private time on the court, the South Portico of the White House was the site of the ceremony.

Obama praised the players for their individual accomplishments and community service and put on a pink bracelet given him that represents Geno’s cancer charity.

“All of this makes the Storrs community stronger, the state of Connecticut stronger and our nation stronger,” Obama said. “But I also want to say something as a father. It was this program, as much as anything, in the mid-1990s that helped propel women’s basketball into the national consciousness. Thanks to these women, and those that came before them, young women look at themselves differently, especially the tall ones like my daughters.”

During the course of last year’s presidential campaign, the UConn players, the majority African American, took pride in the ascendancy of Obama, first as a candidate, then as a nominee and finally as the nation’s elected president.

His victory in November, a week before the season began, was met with great elation by the players, many saying they felt personally connected with his story.

“When he was elected, we were all dancing around Coach’s Auriemma’s kitchen, saying we were going to see him,” Montgomery said.

The older players knew that winning UConn’s sixth national championship would likely ensure an invitation to the White House.

“It was definitely motivation for us,” Charles said. “It helped us play hard. And once we arrived at the Final Four, we realized we could actually meet him. It was a big boost for us.”

Well, it happened on this hot afternoon shortly after 2 p.m., just before Obama’s meeting with foreign finance and environmental ministers. The Huskies took pictures and joked and smiled with the president.

Montgomery handed Obama, who picked them to win the national championship in his women’s poll, the requisite UConn jersey — a No. 1 home white with B. Obama written on the back.

They stood behind him, beaming as he spoke of UConn’s third perfect season, the first in NCAA history that included double-digit victories in all 39 games.

“I want to congratulate Coach Geno on his incredible season that took place as a consequence of these extraordinary young women,” Obama said.

(From Mark Medina for The Los Angeles Times Online)

He already shared his NCAA bracket with the entire country. So it’s not surprising U.S. president and basketball aficionado Barack Obama challenged the Connecticut Huskies to a game of P-I-G after hosting the Huskies Monday at a White House ceremony for their 2009 NCAA championship.

UConn center Tina Charles told the Hartford Courant that Obama won the game against her, Maya Moore and Renee Montgomery.

Montgomery, who was selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2009 WNBA draft by the Minnesota Lynx, was quoted in the same article, saying Obama missed only one of five shots.

“His shot was a little unorthodox,” UConn Coach Geno Auriemma told reporters. “But I’ve always said I’ve never met a bad left-handed shooter. And he talks a little trash too. A typical, Chicago trash-talker. But he can back it up. That’s all that counts. He’s got the swagger.”

It turns out Obama fully deserved the Huskies jersey with his name.

“No. 1, that’s what I’m talking about,” Obama said at the ceremony. “I will wear it when I’m playing.”

(From Devona Walker for TheLoop21.com)

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This is a long video, but halfway in is Craig Robinson, the first brother-in-law, talking about Obama’s basketball game and his bracketology. (Read about how the NCAA tournament exploits black athletes and about HBCUs that were in it this year.)

To check out Obama’s bracket, click here.

We already know a few things about Obama and his game from the campaign trail. The story goes that when he and Michelle first started dating she brought him home to meet the family. Her overprotective brother, Robinson — who is now head men’s basketball coach at Oregon State University — wanted to measure up her sister’s new man. He thought the best way to do this was by playing a game of basketball.

“You can tell a lot about a man by the way he plays basketball,” Robinson said.

Obama’s on-the-court skills sufficiently impressed big brother. Barry gets Michelle. A little more than a decade later, Barry gets the White House, too. In short, Barry’s got game.

Is there an on-the-court, off-the-court connection?

In governing, Obama’s like a Zen master. He is imperturbable. His pants could be on fire and he would say, “Well, you know what, I think I need a glass of water.” This infuriates his GOP critics and the inside-the-beltway media crowd. But it works to his advantage with voters and Americans who feel comforted by steady hands and a cool head.

He also has a gift for the oratory, for connecting with people, for explaining things.

His on-the-court game does seem to connect with his governing style. He talks a little trash on the court, showing some of his gift of gab, but in a good-natured way. He’s not one of those prima donna crybabies protesting over every call (think the Congressional GOP). Nor is he one of those flailing arm dramatists who practically falls out everytime they are touched (think our last black, major White House contender, Jesse Jackson.)

He’s got a nice outside shot and ball control, something that clearly comes with the territory of being an aging athlete. He’s one of the endurance-over-speed, T-shirt drenched, after-work, concrete-court-ruling crowd, but smarter. He plays like a man who is aware of his physical limitations but not bound by them.

His endurance is all determination and discipline. Not such bad qualities to have in a president, are they?

Our first baller-in-chief didn’t fair all that well on the first day of the tournament. Like many folks, he picked top-seeded Illinois over Western Kentucky. Then, he came up short, looking for VCU to upset UCLA. Long-term, I think Obama underestimated the University of Oklahoma. This sophomore they have by the name of Blake Griffin is the hands-down best college player in the world right now. And Pittsburgh, on a good day, can easily outplay UNC. But Pittsburgh also has a tendency to choke.

Obama did much better Monday than he did last week. At present, 14 of his top 16 picks are still in the running. Not bad.

The most telling pick by the president, I think, is UNC over Duke to make it to the Final Four. This is a total man of the people call. The legendary feud between UNC and Duke is classic aristocrat v. proletariat fare.

What does it mean to have a player in the White House?

“Sports is the only true meritocracy that we have,” said Scott Burroughs, a good friend and avid sports fan. “It means you got what you got based on merit. Our past president became president because his dad was president. But Michael Jordan is a great basketball player, not because his dad was a great basketball player. He worked hard. That’s why he was a great basketball player. And that’s one of the greatest things about sports. And it’s something that every sports fan knows and appreciates.”

Obama was born of a foreign-national father, raised partially by a single parent, worked his way through school, and became the first black man to edit the Harvard Law Review. His story is so simple and pure, it’s as if it were ripped out of an Horatio Alger novel. His commitment toward education, even in the face of huge budgetary obstacles and his own biography, should give us all an idea about where his heart is.