The 44th President of the United States LOVES his sports. He is an unapologetic Chicago White Sox fan. He fills out March Madness brackets for both Men and Women’s tournaments on SportsCenter each year. He also has no problem mixing it up on the White House basketball court.
So on his 54th birthday, lets put the partisan blah blah blah on the back-burner and appreciate something we all enjoy…Sports.
March Madness
I look forward to the President’s annual segment on ESPN where he joins the rest of the nation in the Madness. Since he was elected, President Obama is interviewed by college basketball reporter Andy Katz from the White House to talk out each of his picks. Last year he took regular season undefeated favorite Kentucky to win it all (like many of you did) over Nova, and was obviously incorrect as Duke beat Wisconsin in the National Championship.
President Obama finished in ESPN’s 72.9 percentile in 2014 and was most successful in 2011 with a bracket in the 87.4%. Both years, UConn won the National Championship and he didn’t pick them. The President did choose a National Champion for his first year in office, North Carolina in 2009.
ESPN isn’t the only network who gets to share air-time with the Commander in Chief as one of CBS’s best color analysts, Clark Kellogg, took him on in a game of HORSE…err POTUS.
I don’t even want to know what would’ve happen if the President got skunked.
He Loves His Chicago Teams
Despite referring to his White Sox’s home stadium as “Kaminskey Field” early in his first term, the President has never wavered as a Chicago die hard. When the Bulls re-signed All-Star Jimmy Butler to a longterm deal, he was on it…
butler's a great player on o and d; let's sign him up long term. go bulls! https://t.co/IqbyUmcbmJ
(Ironic that it was Mike Ditka handing the President his jersey since he also wanted to run against him for a Senate seat in 2004)
The ’85 Bears and the Blackhawks may be the only Chicago teams that the President has hosted at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, but he always seems to get a quick shoutout in for his favorite squads when he hosts other teams.
We all remember the drama surrounding Red Sox DH David Ortiz’s selfie with the President and the handful of athletes who make a thing out of not going to visit the White House, despite it being a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity (looking at you, Tim Thomas)…
Although it was just 4 years ago, 2011 still qualifies as a Throwback Thursday material
President Barack Obama announces Osama bin Laden was killed in an American Military Operation
Two billion people watched Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, marry Catherine Middleton…They’ve had two children since
Occupy Wall Street protests begins in the US Sept. 17…The Occupy Movement then spread to 82 different countries by October
A 9.0-Magnitude earthquake and tsunami hit eastern Japan, with tsunami warnings being issued to 50 other countries and territories. Emergencies were declared at 4 Nuclear power plants effected by the earthquake
“The Macho Man” Randy Savage passed away at the age of 58.
And here’s what we saw from the world’s of Movies, Music, and Sports
Movies
Comedy
Bridesmaids, Paul, Hangover II, No Strings Attached, Friends With Benefits, Hall Pass, Horrible Bosses, Crazy, Stupid, Love., Your Highness, 30 Minutes or Less, Bad Teacher, Zookeeper, Midnight in Paris, Larry Crowne, Tower Heist, Arthur, The Sitter, Take Me Home Tonight, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, 50/50, The Big Year, Mr. Popper’s Penguins, Bernie, AND…
The Muppets
Action/Thriller
Captain America: The First Avenger, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, X-Men: First Class, Unknown, Hanna, Limitless, Fast Five, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows – Part 2, Source Code, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Headhunters, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, Wrecked, The Raid: Redemption, Immortals, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, Haywire, Sanctum, The Skin I Live In, Elephant White, In Time, The Adjustment Bureau, The Ledge, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, The Devil’s Double, Season of the Witch, The Roommate, Drive Angry, I Am Number Four, Contagion, Priest, Killer Elite, AND…
Drive
Drama
The Artist, The Descendants, The Tree of Life, The Lincoln Lawyer, The Ides of March, Warrior, Water For Elephants, The Help, Warhorse, One Day, The Separation, Detachment, Like Crazy, My Week With Marilyn, Carnage, Another Earth, Beastly, United, Jane Eyre, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, Albert Nobbs, Shame, Too Big To Fail, 1911, Win Win, W.E., J. Edgar, Wreckers, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, AND…
Moneyball
Animated
The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn, Cars 2, Puss in Boots, Rio, Kung Fu Panda 2, Arthur Christmas, Gnomeo & Juliet, Winnie the Pooh, Hop, The Smurfs, AND…
Rango
The 84th Academy Awards
Best Actor
Demian Bichir, A Better Life
George Clooney, The Descendants
Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Brad Pitt, Moneyball
Jean Dujardin, The Artist – Winner
Best Supporting Actor
Kenneth Branaugh, My Week With Marilyn
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Nick Nolte, Warrior
Max Von Sydow, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Christopher Plummer, Beginners – Winner
Best Actress
Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis, The Help
Rooney Mara, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady – Winner
Best Supporting Actress
Berenice Bejo, The Artist
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
Janet McTeer, Arthur Hobbs
Octavia Spencer, The Help – Winner
Best Picture
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
Warhorse
The Tree of Life
The Descendants
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
The Help
The Artist – Winner
Music
Rock Albums
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Hip Hop Albums
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Pop Albums
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Billboard Year-End Top 25
1. “Rolling In The Deep” – Adele
2. “Party Rock Anthem” – LMFAO
3. “Firework” – Katy Perry
4. “E.T.” – Katy Perry featuring Kanye West
5. “Give Me Everything” – Pitbull featuring Ne-Yo
6. “Grenade” – Bruno Mars
7. “F**K You” – Cee Lo Green
8. “Super Bass” – Nicki Minaj
9. “Moves Like Jagger” – Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera
10. “Just Can’t Get Enough” – The Black Eyed Peas
11. “On the Floor” – Jennifer Lopez featuring Pit Bull
12. “S&M” – Rihanna
13. “Pumped Up Kicks” – Foster the People
14. “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)” – Katy Perry
15. “Just The Way You Are” – Bruno Mars
16. “Tonight (I’m Loving You)” – Enrique Iglesias
17. “Raise Your Glass” – Pink
18. “Born This Way” – Lady Gaga
19. “F**k’n Perfect” – Pink
20. “What’s My Name” – Rihanna featuring Drake
21. “Look at Me Now” – Chris Brown featuring Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes
22. “Down On Me” – Jeremih featuring 50 Cent
23. “How To Love” – Lil Wayne
24. “Someone Like You” – Adele
25. “Good Life” – OneRepublic
Sports
Baseball
League Leaders:
Offensive:
Average: Miguel Cabrera (DET) – .344
Hits: Michael Young (TEX) & Adrian Gonzalez (BOS) – 213
Home Runs: Jose Bautista (TOR) – 43
RBI: Matt Kemp (LAD) – 126
OPS: Jose Bautista (TOR) – 1.056
Stolen Bases: Michael Bourn (HOU & ATL) – 61
Pitching
Wins: Justin Verlander (DET) – 24
ERA: Clayton Kershaw (LAD) – 2.28
Strikeouts: Justin Verlander (DET) – 250
Complete Games: James Shields (TB) – 11
Shutouts: Cliff Lee (PHI) – 6
Saves: Jose Valverde (DET) – 49
MVP
AL – Justin Verlander (DET)
NL – Ryan Braun (MIL)
CY Young
AL – Justin Verlander (DET)
NL – Clayton Kershaw (LAD)
Rookie of the Year
AL – Jeremy Hellickson (TB)
NL – Craig Kimbrell (ATL)
World Series: St. Louis Cardinals over Texas Rangers (4-3)
Basketball
NCAA
Final Four:
(3) UConn, (11) VCU, (4) Kentucky, and (8) Butler
National Championship:
(3) UConn over (8) Butler 53-41
NBA
League Leaders
Points Per Game: Kevin Durant (OKC) – 27.7
Rebounds Per Game: Kevin Love (MIN) – 15.2
Assists Per Game: Steve Nash (PHX) – 11.4
All-NBA Team
Kobe Bryant (LAL)
Kevin Garnett (BOS)
Dwight Howard (ORL)
LeBron James (MIA)
Derrick Rose (CHI)
MVP: Derrick Rose (CHI)
Rookie of the Year: Blake Griffin (LAC)
NBA Finals: Dallas Mavericks over Miami Heat (4-2)
Football
NCAA
Heisman Trophy
Robert Griffin III, Baylor
National Championship
Alabama over LSU 21-0
NFL
League Leaders
Passing Yards: Drew Brees (NO) – 5,476
Passing Touchdowns: Drew Brees (NO) – 46
Passer Rating: Aaron Rodgers (GB) – 122.5
Rushing Yards: Maurice Jones-Drew (JAX) – 1,606
Rushing Touchdowns: LeSean McCoy (PHI) – 17
Receiving Yards: Calvin Johnson (DET) – 1,681
Receiving Touchdowns: Rob Gronkowski (NE) – 17
Receptions: Wes Welker – 122
AP MVP
Aaron Rodgers (GB)
Super Bowl
New York Giants over the New England Patriots 21-17
Hockey
League Leaders
Goals: Corey Perry (ANA) – 50
Assists: Henrik Sedin (VAN) – 75
Points: Daniel Sedin (VAN) – 104
Hart Memorial Trophy
Corey Perry (ANA)
Stanley Cup
Boston Bruins over Vancouver Cannucks (4-3)
Did I miss anything? Let me know on Twitter @Mike_PiFF03.
michaelpiff 