Hoop dreams: Ensign challenges Obama

[jefferson_dem]

Hoop dreams: Ensign challenges Obama
Posted: Wednesday, January 28, 2009 2:07 PM by Domenico Montanaro



Among the great questions of our time are what type of dog will the Obamas get come spring, and, where and with whom will the new president indulge his passion for hoops.

Nothing here on the first issue, but perhaps we can, ahem, move the ball on the second.

Seems that at the Statuary Hall luncheon on Inauguration Day, Sen. John Ensign challenged the new president to a game of two-on-two. Ensign, a roundball enthusiast, proposed that he and Sen. John Thune, a high school star back home in South Dakota, play Obama and the wingman of his choice.

It has been widely reported that the president has some people, both in his cabinet and in the West Wing, who have got serious game.

A Senate source says that the president was receptive, and that the venue of Camp David was specifically mentioned.

Incidentally, there a couple of games that take place on a semi-regular basis around here. There is a court over in Rayburn in the House gym, to date noted mostly as the place where Gary Condit hid from the press. Nevertheless, it is considered a sacred treasure by some members, and they would really rather not talk about it.

There is also a game at a local Capitol Hill high school from time to time where staffers and an occasional member are known to play.

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/01/28/1769658.aspx

[ecstatic]

1. I bet he's a cheater

Beware.

[LSparkle]

10. Hate to generalize but ... Ensign's from Nevada ...

"You wanna make a little bet on this game?"

[ecstatic]

11. Not to mention how humiliating it would be to get beat by a

middle aged republican. :rofl: I know if Ensign does an honest game President Obama will beat him, hands down. But I don't trust those republicans, not even with a basketball game!

[LSparkle]

2. Obama has plenty of people on his staff to choose from ...

Hmm ...

[cali]

3. oh, I think his pick is pretty easy: Arne Duncan

Harvard basketball
At Harvard, Duncan was relegated to the junior varsity basketball squad his first year by coach Frank McLaughlin, but later became co-captain of the varsity team and named a first team Academic All-American. <6> <7> As a freshman, Duncan narrowly lost to a Duke team that included future NBA player and Stanford coach Johnny Dawkins, as well as Tommy Amaker, who was himself later to become Harvard's basketball coach.<8><9> As a senior and co-captain, Duncan scored 20 points against then nationally-ranked Duke team, while Duke's Danny Ferry, a future NBA star (and brother of Duncan's former Harvard teammate Bob Ferry) was held to a mere 15 points.<10>


Professional basketball career
From 1987 to 1991, Duncan played professional basketball in Australia with the Eastside Spectres of the National Basketball League,<11> and while there, worked with children who were wards of the state. He also played with the Rhode Island Gulls and tried out for the New Jersey Jammers.<12> While in Tasmania he met his future wife, Karen.

[MadBadger]

7. Nah, He'd go with Reggie Love

Captain of the 2005 Duke Men's Basketball Team, and Body Man to Obama.

[SoxFan]

4. Paging Bill Bradley!

[Condem]

5. Reggie Love played ball at Duke.

Or Geithner, who is a hoop fanatic.

[Bake]

6. Geithner's a little short ...

I'd say how about a little one on one with Ensign? The Prez would wipe the floor with him!!

Wait ... Charles Barkley is a Dem, right? Right?

Bake

[Teaser]

8. Get Rahm as an Enforcer

.

[Thrill]

9. Thune is like 6'7. Obama would have to play with Duncan

[TankLV]

12. Ensign's a fucking IDIOT...

he represent's my state, unfortunately, with his quizzling "buddy" Reid...

and the chances of unseating Reid are zilch to none...

[BeyondGeography]

13. He gets to play with "the wingman of his choice"...Why take a chance?