In true Barbara Walters style, ESPN.com’s Bill Simmons recently sat down with President Obama, who showed just how much he loves sports — mainly basketball. Here are the top five takeaways:
5. He has NBA League Pass on his iPad. “I don’t watch network news or cable news. So in the morning, when I’m working out with Michelle, it’s on ‘SportsCenter.’?”
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4. “I knew about Jeremy [Lin] before you did or everybody else did because Arne Duncan, my Secretary of Education, was captain of the Harvard team.” Enough already. Everybody should have known about Lin when he dropped 30 on Connecticut.
3. “The Heat are playing better than anybody right now. And when those folks get going on a fast break, it’s over. But during the playoffs things slow down a little bit, and you got to run a halfcourt offense, and in that situation I think the Bulls got a shot.” Let’s revisit this subject — with an emphasis on Carlos Boozer — in May.
2. “I’m always getting knocked around [during pickup basketball games]. I don’t know what people are talking about. Reggie Love, my former aide who played at Duke … he said nobody takes it easy on Obama because if he beats them, they won’t hear the end of it. [Laughter] And it’s true. I will talk about folks just to make sure that they don’t take it easy on me.” That includes beating Maya Moore in H-O-R-S-E — when Moore was wearing heels.
1. Obama has coaching tips for his daughters — and Blake Griffin. “I will point out that I think he’s been taking more outside jumpers. That’s good. He’s got to work on that shot, and he’s going to be — he could be the best power forward ever if he develops it.”
– Craig Stouffer
