Baller-in-Chief

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/01/nyregion/01holder.html?_r=1&ref=nyregion&pagewanted=all

Mr. Holder said he took with him many of the lessons he learned on the court — the art of preparation, discipline and hard work. But as he is about to ascend to the top of the American legal system, there is one opponent he has yet to take on: his future boss, Mr. Obama, himself a devotee of pickup basketball.

Mr. Holder said the soon-to-be president had an advantage in age (Mr. Obama is 10 years younger). And Mr. Holder’s knees are not what they used to be. Still, he said, he is skeptical of Mr. Obama’s chances: “I’m not sure he’s ready for my New York game.”

http://www.content4reprint.com/politics/barack-obama-the-hawaii-connection.htm

We Islanders hope our new president comes home often. We will welcome him, but we will also try to give him enough space to enjoy the simple beauties of Hawaii. We have a custom of leaving celebrity visitors alone to relax; take note, national press, and back off as President Obama gets together with his high school basketball buddies, goes body surfing and stops to smell the plumerias.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2008/11/29/2008-11-29_basketballloving_barack_obama_needs_a_pl.html

WASHINGTON – He can trash-talk and throw an elbow if need be, but Hillary Clinton and John McCain knew that about President-elect Barack Obama’s style of play.

He also has some game to back it up, or so he says. “I could get to the rim on anybody,” Obama said with a laugh of his hoops skills in an HBO interview last spring.

The big deal now is to find a place for the left-handed, long-range jump shooter formerly known as “Barry O’Bomber” to indulge his basketball jones when he moves into the White House.

Next to the selection of the new First Puppy, choice of a new home court for the dribbler-in-chief has generated the most “no comments” from Obama aides.

(Miller for News)
Barack Obama may take his game to the National Capital YMCA, where pick-up games are easy to find.

http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2008/11/29/bruce-pearl-to-wizards-rumor-squashed-from-multiple-angles/

Obama as an incentive to take the D.C. job seems odd, and misplaced.

http://obrag.org/?p=1945

Obama plays basketball. I’m not much of an athlete, barely know the game, but one thing I do know is that you have to be able to look like you’re doing one thing but do another. That’s why all these conservative appointments are important: the strategy is feint to the right, move left. Any other strategy invites sure defeat. It would be stupid to do otherwise in this environment.