Audio By Carbonatix
Wasn’t exactly Cortland Finnegan vs. Andre Johnson, but The Prez got into a scuffle last Friday. On the basketball court. With an elbow.
Barack Obama received 12 stitches to a cut on his lower lip after an errant elbow during a pick-up game by Rey Decerega, the Director of Programs for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute. Apparently Obama, who loves his hoops, was playing chest-to-chest defense when Decerga cleared some space with the rip-through move.
Oops.
In an office that sorta recently has seen Jimmy Carter faint while jogging, Bill Clinton tear up a knee falling down some steps at golfer Greg Norman’s house and Dubya Bush choke on a pretzel, Obama seems a relative Jim Thorpe. His personal assistant Reggie Love, for crying out loud, played college ball at Duke.
When news happens, Dallas Observer is there —
Your support strengthens our coverage.
We’re aiming to raise $30,000 by December 31, so we can continue covering what matters most to you. If the Dallas Observer matters to you, please take action and contribute today, so when news happens, our reporters can be there.
Obama is a White Sox fan who threw out the first pitch in Chicago before Game 2 of the ’05 ALCS. He led Occidental College’s basketball team in scoring. He once played with North Carolina All-American Tyler Hansbrough and ESPN’s Stuart Scott and can, for some reason, ID former Celtics’ towel-waver M.L. Carr. He can make 3-pointers. He’s been on HBO’s Real Sports. Dude even has his own signature sneaker.
Though it’s difficult to trust a man who bowls a 37, Obama is one of the most athletic presidents in U.S. history.
Well, isn’t he?
10. George W. Bush – His first-pitch strike – in a bullet-proof vest — before Game 1 of ’01 World Series at Yankee Stadium remains the best sports moment ever for a U.S. President.
9. Woodrow Wilson – Played center field for Davidson College.
8. Richard Nixon – Scrappy linebacker at tiny Whittier College.
7. Jimmy Carter – Played baseball and ran cross country at Navy.
6. Ronald Reagan – Played football at Eureka College and portrayed “The Gipper” in Knute Rockne.
5. Teddy Roosevelt – Boxed at Harvard and played tennis on the White House front lawn.
4. George H. Bush – Left-handed first baseman led Yale to baseball’s College World Series in ’48.
3. Dwight Eisenhower – A linebacker/running back at Army, the “Kansas Cyclone” hurt a knee tackling Jim Thorpe in 1912.
2. Barack Obama – Lanky lefty led Occidental College’s basketball team in scoring in ’79.
1. Gerald Ford – All-American center led Michigan’s football team to National Championship in ’33.
