11/05/24
January 23, 2012
SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle:
A place to discuss the sports stories that aren't making news, share links that aren't quite front-page material, and diagram plays on your hand. Remember to count to five Mississippi before commenting in anger.
St. Louis Blues captain David Backes is a weenie .
posted by tommybiden at 12:53 PM on January 23, 2012
Tim Thomas on playdate with Delonte West? Figured we hadn't had enough of this kind of talk recently.
posted by yerfatma at 03:31 PM on January 23, 2012
So Tim Thomas is an asshat. News at 11.
posted by flannelenigma at 11:01 AM on January 24, 2012
I'm fine with Thomas not going. That's his decision. He might regret never getting the chance to visit the White House, but it's his choice.
If someone had done the same during an administration I disagreed with, I'd support that as well.
At least he didn't say anything REALLY stupid, invoking birth certificates or religious affiliation.
posted by grum@work at 11:16 AM on January 24, 2012
The comments crack me up. Apparently, Thomas exercised his constitutional right to not attend this function. Which title is that? Maybe an amendment? Apparently, the Founding Father's were smart to write this into the Constitution or else President's would arrest people for not attending an honorary function.
posted by bperk at 11:53 AM on January 24, 2012
I hate it when athletes snub a president. I could go into great detail about the things I disliked about President Bush, but I would've jumped at the chance to go to the White House when he was there. It's about respect for the office.
posted by rcade at 11:57 AM on January 24, 2012
I have provided skilled services to the White House and the State Department. Both on site and off site. Back in the dreamy, carefree days before Sept. 11.
I have to say, any chance a person gets to enter the premises without being subjected to the kind of vetting and scrutiny that we were subjected to even back then is an opportunity worth taking advantage of. Especially under ceremonial VIP circumstances. They just won't let you stay long. You're in and out unless the President has the time and wants to hang.
I bumped into John Thompson and his Olympic hoops squad at the State Dep't. back in 1988. I think I jinxed them by wishing them well.
The intriguing part is, once you're in the building at the U.S. Department of State, you can make your way to the lower level commissary and find yourself standing in a cafeteria line in which you are the only person who is not a Lieutenant General.
posted by beaverboard at 12:28 PM on January 24, 2012
Me too. It's such an honor, I wish they would take a random replacement, so someone else could get the honor. It might be a rich people thing b/c they are so used to circulating in rarefied circles.
When a child is born, you can go to the White House website and put in your information and have the current President send you a nice card congratulating you on the birth of your child. My daughter has a very nice card from GWB that is now in her scrapbook.
posted by bperk at 12:28 PM on January 24, 2012
The "me too" was to rcade not beaverboard. I have not got to hang around the WH at all. The only way normal people can get in at all is a tour that isn't all that easy to get either.
posted by bperk at 01:06 PM on January 24, 2012
At least he didn't say anything REALLY stupid, invoking birth certificates or religious affiliation.
He had used up his stupid quota when he said Glenn Beck was the person he'd most want to have dinner with in the media guide.
posted by justgary at 03:09 PM on January 24, 2012
The "tradition" of having celebrities come to the White House goes back as far as I can remember. I know that Nixon did so, I don't remember for sure about LBJ or any of his predecessors, but it has gone on for quite a while. The thing is that presidents do not invite sports teams or other personalities to the White House to do honor to the team or person. The real reason is for the president, whoever he may be, to gain some association with the particular team or person, and to make himself look good-and maybe pick up a vote or two-by that association. If Tim Thomas wants to express his opposition to that, so be it. If Tim Thomas wants to hunker down in his bomb shelter with his guns, canned goods and gold, that's fine. It just ain't no big deal, but don't make the mistake of thinking that Tim Thomas introduced politics into the situation. Politicians introduce politics into everything they do-at least in public.
posted by Howard_T at 04:50 PM on January 24, 2012
Well, considering Obama is a terrible president I can't really blame Thomas for not wanting to go. I can't blame anyone for not wanting to visit GWB either.
posted by insomnyuk at 05:32 PM on January 24, 2012
I don't know if it is about votes, Howard, b/c why would they bother in their second term? The President is a politician, but not just a politician. According to this article, a lot of it is because we have had some big sports fan in the White House and dates back to Andrew Johnson. Plus, I think it is totally appropriate for the President as a figurehead for the United States to acknowledge some of the great things that happen here.
If someone told me that they didn't want to go to Mt Vernon or Monticello b/c they didn't agree with Washington or Jefferson on something, I would guess they were morons. I'm not sure why this is any different. It's the history of the United States for goodness sake.
posted by bperk at 05:42 PM on January 24, 2012
Nixon was a Washington Senators fan. Carter added tennis courts to the White House. Bush 43 built a children's baseball field and called some innings of MLB games from the booth. Obama prepares a bracket each March Madness. Having champion athletes drop in is one of the perks of the job for a president who likes sports.
posted by rcade at 05:45 PM on January 24, 2012
Don't forget Nixon's bowling alley and Taft throwing out the first pitch. I'm old now, so I need to bring up those kinds of useless facts.
If Tim Thomas wants to hunker down in his bomb shelter with his guns, canned goods and gold, that's fine.
Ah, spoken like a true Grunter, Howard. Let's you and me see if Carl Drega wants to get together for a Boy's Night Out.
posted by yerfatma at 06:17 PM on January 24, 2012
(stupid double click)
posted by yerfatma at 06:17 PM on January 24, 2012
I think we're all in agreement. It's just a pretty classless move made more so by using the opportunity to set up the pulpit of paranoia once again (or any other pulpit for that matter). I would respect it a lot more if a) he politely and quietly declined for personal reasons - but failing that b) he at least had an opinion worth sharing.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 07:01 PM on January 24, 2012
Ah, I don't mind him skipping out on the visit (and I like Obama) and I don't mind him shooting his mouth off. That's his right.
I also think everyone who takes him to task for not going has the right to do that, too.
And, of course, I have the right not to buy any swag related to him and to refer to him as 'Cap'n Doofus Face' for the rest of his career.
posted by Joey Michaels at 09:11 PM on January 24, 2012
I think we're all in agreement. It's just a pretty classless move
Uh, no. We aren't all in agreement.
posted by grum@work at 09:46 PM on January 24, 2012
Ah, spoken like a true Grunter, Howard. Let's you and me see if Carl Drega wants to get together for a Boy's Night Out.
Let's leave out the Armalites and include copious amounts of Smuttynose's finest and I'll go for it.
posted by Howard_T at 01:40 PM on January 25, 2012
Can I still bring some grenades? By the way, it appears Carl was on to something.
posted by yerfatma at 02:14 PM on January 25, 2012
Terrell Suggs with some advice I wish Skip Bayless would take.