Sports Illustrated Names Obama One of the Most Powerful People in Sports
The media's adoration of Barack Obama knows no bounds.
This week, Sports Illustrated actually named the current White House resident one the most powerful people in sports.
In case you missed it, SI this week released its list of the 50 Most Powerful People in Sports.
Coming in first was NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
Makes sense, right? Can't argue with that.
David Stern, the NBA commissioner was next. Fine.
Then SI got a little bizarre for one would think the MLB and NHL commissioners should be next.
Nope.
In third was Denver billionaire Philip Anschutz who's looking to sell his sports and entertainment division AEG. Does that make him more powerful than the MLB and NHL commissioners? Or how about John Skipper, the President of ESPN who came in fourth?
MLB commissioner Bud Selig came in fifth, but NHL commissioner Gary Bettman came in 27th. I guess SI doesn't consider hockey very important.
But the real shark jump - hockey fans should get the pun! - was number 44:
Barack Obama
U.S. President
POTUS might be the ultimate global power player, but he also wields significant influence in the Republic of Sports. One relevant riff -- on his NCAA tourney picks, on his desire for a college football playoff, on his concern over permitting the sons that he doesn't have to play football -- and the sports world takes notice. Plus, the 51-year-old can shoot the J.
Yes, Obama is so powerful in sports that he failed in his bid to bring the 2016 Olympics to America. I guess the folks at SI forgot that.
And no, we didn't miss the irony of the 44th President being named 44th most powerful. That was clever, wasn't it?
We also didn't miss that SI thinks Obama is more powerful than UFC President Dana White, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, and - wait for it! - likely the greatest basketball player of all time and owner of the Charlotte Bobcats Michael Jordan.
Nah, Barack Obama is far more powerful when it comes to sports than those guys.
(HT Politico)
