President Barack Obama is a sporting man. He played basketball for luck on voting days, trades BBMs on his double-secret Blackberry about fantasy sports and argues for a college football playoff with as much passion as he supports his stimulus bill. He hosted a Super Bowl party and issued predictions on the BCS national title game, but for a contest of similar proportions—Duke's 101-87 loss to North Carolina Wednesday—Obama was uncharacteristically mum.
After all, he has a stake in both teams. He traveled to Chapel Hill to run with the Tar Heels last season—"Hansbrough went easy on me," the future president said at the time—but his body man and close friend Reggie Love played football and basketball for the Blue Devils and has been known to visit campus on occasion. (Alas, Obama hasn't come with him. Or so we think.)
So when it came time to offer his prediction at a roundtable of regional reporters in the White House Wednesday, Obama abstained.
“Look, obviously Duke is coming off of one of the worst losses it’s had in several years, and just squeaking by Miami, is looking a little vulnerable," Obama said. "But North Carolina has shown to have a few flaws as well, so it depends on how hard Coach K was running the players this week and how they respond.”
Of course, the real reason Obama couldn't pick against Duke was standing right next to him.
"If I said anything contrary to Duke, I might not be able to find my Blackberry," Obama said.
And how else would he be able to keep track the critical affairs in, you know, ACC basketball?
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