by Mark Silva
With the inauguration of Barack Obama as president, Sports Illustrated is covering the story behind the story: Obama's Dream Team.
Senior writer Alexander Wolff examines "the powerful influence the game of basketball'' has had on the 44th president-to-be.
"And while, no, basketball itself won't be sworn in next Tuesday as the 44th President of the U.S., the game has played an outsized role in forming the man who will,'' Wolff writes.
"The game provided space in which the young Obama explored his identity as an African-American,'' he writes.
"A pickup game with (brother-in-law-to-be and coach Craig) Robinson did nothing less than confirm Obama as a worthy suitor to his wife-to-be,'' he notes.
"In Chicago, basketball helped him connect with the South Siders he worked with as a community organizer and with the circle of professionals who would help launch his political career.''
And perhaps it's no accident that Obama has assembled what he calls "the best basketball-playing Cabinet in American history."
SI has the "who's who'' of the incoming administration's starting lineup:
Arne Duncan Secretary of Education 6'5" Co-captain at Harvard in the mid '80's/played in USBL and Australia
Eric Holder Attorney General 6'2" Columbia freshman team/co-captain of Stuyvesant High (NYC)
Ret. Gen. James Jones Natl. Security Adviser 6'5" Frontcourt reserve at Georgetown 1963-65
Susan Rice Ambassador to U.N. 5'3" Point guard at National Cathedral school (D.C.)/played at Oxford
Timothy Geithner Treasury Secretary Played in the Federal Reserve Bank of New York league
Comments
I am looking forward to having a President like Barrack Obama. Kids and community are probably his strongest passion and we have been thirsting for a President who cares about and sees the importance of these two things.
As long as Prez-elect Obama also realizes that several members of the Bush crime family belong in prison, or on maximum-security flights to the Hague, he'll be fine.
Posted by: Big Orange Satan | January 13, 2009 5:10 PM
Evidently Mark Silva's tired after writing five "Obama's dog" stories, so he's switched to the all-important Obama hoops beat.
This is the kind of hard-hitting political coverage that has made the Tribune so prosperous....
Posted by: Bruce | January 13, 2009 7:22 PM
Then why do you read it, Bruce? Either you have little self-respect or you empower yourself through the criticism of others. Actually, make that both.
Posted by: FuzzBall | January 14, 2009 1:27 AM
FuzzBall:
You must realize that when Brucie complains about a story, it is usually not because of the content, but because of:
A) The subject
B) Spelling, or
C) Grammar
Posted by: BobinATL | January 14, 2009 9:21 AM