12/22/24
January 20, 2004
Bush calls out pro athletes for steroid use. : Most think he's talking about major league baseball -- but no thoughts in the State of the Union address on cocaine use or drunk driving, though. Where's Steve Howe to give a reply when you need him?
That's a pretty bizarre issue to discuss in the State of the Union speech. What did Bush cut out of the speech to make room -- a call to clean up the international tragedy of judge bribery in figure skating? While trying to stay out of politics as much as possible, I gotta appreciate a guy who was born wealthy lecturing athletes that there should be no "shortcuts to accomplishment."
posted by rcade at 07:28 AM on January 21, 2004
I think it is good that the steroid use got mentioned. There is a long history of mixing politics and sports, who are we kidding? Whether it's tax money building stadiums or congress granting anti-trust status to baseball the two can be intertwined. The main reason it's good is because it sends a message that fans can't send as effectively. The unions and sports organizations might respond to this entreaty by the administration, whereas the only power fans have that has impact is not buying tickets to games and we all know that will never happen. Now don't get me wrong, I would not like to see the prez get actively involved in testing or writing regulations...but for him to echo something WE find important? How can you criticize that?
posted by vito90 at 08:12 AM on January 21, 2004
rcade: how apropos; Ann Richards referred to George Bush as someone who "woke up on third base and thought he hit a triple".
posted by lil_brown_bat at 08:32 AM on January 21, 2004
Oh Tom Brady... why? So beautiful... so... republican. *sigh*
posted by jerseygirl at 08:58 AM on January 21, 2004
Given that the country is in a state of war against a concept, I find this mention par for the course.
posted by garfield at 09:04 AM on January 21, 2004
How the hell did he find time to talk about this shit?! Who wrote that damn speech?!
posted by StarFucker at 11:13 AM on January 21, 2004
I suspect he did, earlier that day, with crayons. as someone mentioned on MeFi, we're probably lucky he didn't go into the travesty of the ARod trade. /DubyaFilter
posted by jerseygirl at 11:17 AM on January 21, 2004
Bush may have won Brady's support, but he lost Charles Barkley's. During the halftime show on TNT a couple of nights ago, Barkley praised John Edwards and even said he'd given Edwards money. Ernie Johnson said: "Charles, I thought you were a Republican." Barkley's response: "That was before they started screwing all the poor people!" As for Bush's speech, I think a lot of athletes would have a hard time taking advice from a former cheerleader
posted by aupa_athletic at 12:20 PM on January 21, 2004
Wasn't George Bush also a former alcolholic? Somebody check the facts for me!
posted by worldcup2002 at 01:02 PM on January 21, 2004
Apparently Brady was invited "because he and his teammates 'have made an impact in their community by hosting a sports camp for local youth,'" according to this Boston Globe article.
posted by Ufez Jones at 01:23 PM on January 21, 2004
Don't believe the Drudge Report! That said, Brady's sister has admitted Tom might want to be a senator down the line. He's from California, so anything goes.
posted by dimmykarras at 04:15 PM on January 21, 2004
Don't believe the Drudge Report... but take the Inside Track gossip column from the Boston Herald as gospel? All righty then.
posted by jerseygirl at 05:17 PM on January 21, 2004
I come away with so much respect for the guy and for the strength of his convictions.
posted by taupe at 01:15 AM on January 22, 2004
It's indicative of b2's track record that taupe's statement there requires absolutely no parenthetical aside.
posted by forksclovetofu at 01:36 PM on January 22, 2004
Dear Mr. Bush: You do your job, we'll do ours. Signed: Spofi