Basketball Helped Craft Obama's Identity

Nicknamed "Obomber" For His Solid Jump Shot, Ill. Senator Was Often Stuck On High School Team's Bench

(AP)  Confined to the bench back in his high school basketball days, Barack Obama felt the fierce urgency of now.

The scrappy "Obomber," nicknamed for his jump shot, wanted playing time for himself and the other reserves. At a team meeting, Obama confronted his coach, a man who could be fiery and intimidating.

Obama had a flashy style the coach, Chris McLachlin, didn't fully appreciate, a game he described as "streetball, get after it, the defense doesn't know what's coming."

"He could've played and started on any other team in the state. He was that good. We just happened to have just a team that was pretty loaded," McLachlin said.

As a result, Obama found himself stuck behind a couple of veteran forwards. Punahou School would win the state championship 60-28, with Obama scoring only two points.

Thirty years later, as the presidential campaign went into motion, another team stocked with veterans stepped up to compete. Obama resolved to stay off the bench, and his hard-charging ways paid off with victory in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Basketball has been an important part of Obama's life, from his island childhood to his years at Harvard Law School. Even today, he brings to the presidential contest qualities that teammates and other old friends remember seeing on the court.

"I could play basketball, with a consuming passion that would always exceed my limited talent," Obama wrote in his memoir.

On a playground under the sweltering sun, "Barry" found refuge and identity. The pudgy boy of mixed race - his mother a white woman from Kansas, his father a black man from Kenya - spent hours alone, working on his jumper, crossover dribble and other moves. With his maternal grandmother watching from her 10th-floor bedroom window, he would shoot hoops into the night.

"At least on the basketball court I could find a community of sorts, with an inner life all its own," Obama wrote. "It was there that I would make my closest white friends, on turf where blackness couldn't be a disadvantage."

He also used the sport to connect with the father he longed to know. The elder Barack Obama left Hawaii when his son was 2. When he returned eight years later for a brief Christmastime visit, he gave his son a basketball. In a rare photo of the two together, Obama and his father stand in front of a Christmas tree with the orange ball.

"Obviously, that visit meant a lot to him and had a profound impact," said Maya Soetoro-Ng, Obama's sister. "After all, that was the only real images he had of his father, that he experienced firsthand. You can imagine a boy coming of age, that such an encounter would be of vital importance."

On the sprawling campus of the prestigious Punahou School, Obama could often be seen carrying books in one hand and dribbling a basketball in the other. He eventually earned a spot on the heralded varsity team.

"He'd be the first one to practice, and after practice, he'd go to the park and play more," said McLachlin, who is the father of PGA Tour golfer Parker McLachlin. "So his passion for the game is unmatched by most of the players I've ever had."

Starting center Dan Hale, the youngest member of the championship team, remembers Obama as a tough competitor who wasn't into talking trash.

"If he did, he would always cap it with a smile," Hale said. "So there was never an edge to it in that sense. But if two guys were tied up with the ball, he's not going to back down. He was a guy that would get in there and fight for it."

The lone lefty, Obama was often called upon to bust zone defenses with his abilities to slash in the lane, improvise and hit the mid-range jumper. Players say Obama's up-tempo and freewheeling style sometimes didn't fit into McLachlin's structured game plans, modeled after UCLA's legendary coach John Wooden.

Obama was frustrated at times but stuck with the team's goals, his teammates recalled. "A lot of times, he didn't agree with coach. He sucked it up," said teammate Alan Lum. "A lot of times he did question, in respect. It wasn't anything negative. Perseverance is what he learned, because he really had to be a total team player."

The team's music was Obama's responsibility. Players grooved to the sounds of Earth, Wind and Fire and idolized the moves of pro star Dr. J, Julius Erving, whose picture hung on Obama's bedroom wall.

Obama continued playing pickup games at Harvard, where his long arms, quick first step and solid jumper made him difficult to guard, said friend and former schoolmate Hill Harper.

"I truly believe the way someone plays basketball definitely gives you a sense of who they are in their character," said Harper, now an actor who is raising money for Obama's campaign.

Michelle Obama may believe that as well. When she began dating Obama, she asked her brother, Craig Robinson, to test her new boyfriend on the court. Robinson, a former hoops star at Princeton and Oregon State's newly hired coach, reported back that Obama was confident and unselfish.

Today, Obama manages to squeeze in games occasionally, including on the morning of his big opening win in the Iowa caucuses.

"He really feels the game brings him back to a place where he can be completely himself and he can relax," said his sister. "He can recline into a gentler past, if you will."

Before the New Hampshire primary, Robinson helped set up 3-on-3 tournaments tied to a voter registration drive. In late April, Obama played in front of cameras in hoops-crazed Indiana. Four days later, in North Carolina, he scrimmaged with the beloved Tar Heels.

Obama said Sunday he'd like to put a court in the White House.

Referring to his disastrous attempt at bowling before Pennsylvania's Democratic primary in April, Obama said: "I hear there's a bowling alley (in the White House) and obviously that hasn't gone too well. So we're getting rid of the bowling alley and replacing it with a basketball court."

Obama's high school teammates say they recognize many of the moves on display in recent footage of Obama playing hoops, even if his mini-afro and several pounds of body weight are long gone.

"Could I take him?" Hale asked. "Definitely. He might get me in full court, though. I don't run up and down as fast as I used to."

[kmccliment]

Obama has stated that he will increase your taxes. All of the programs that he wants to incease or create will take your tax dollars. Democrats always increase the tax rates. Check it out if you dont believe me.
OBAMAS HIDDEN AGENDA:
WELFARE FOR THE WORLD- Most importantly due to Black Theology- Africa.

Source:Newsmax.com (following)
the Global Poverty Act (S.2433). According to some conservative sources, this disastrous legislation could eventually force U.S. taxpayers to fork over as much as 0.7 percent of the nation''''s Gross Domestic Product -- or $845,000,000,000.00 -- on welfare to third-world countries.
***This is being sponsored by Senator Obama.

His true agenda is to TAX,TAX,TAX and promote Black Theology.

[kmccliment]

When she began dating Obama, she asked her brother, Craig Robinson, to test her new boyfriend on the court. Robinson, a former hoops star at Princeton and Oregon State''s newly hired coach, reported back that Obama was confident and unselfish.

Yea rightt.. So now we''re supposed to believe that Michelle was "scouting" Obama''s basketball skills and for her brother to get back to her.

Man this family just cannot quite lying. What are they trying to prove with a very evident lie like this?

Furthermore. If this is what it comes down to. I think the democrats should have nominated Michael Jordan.

And one last thing. Is this the Obama machine trying to make him look more Black? Just a thought.

[ghostdog8]

It''s a good think he knows how to do something besides bowling. He will be looking for a job on November 05.

[phillysage]

Obama said yesterday, "I want everybody here to be absolutely clear: Senator Clinton is one of the finest public servants we have in American life today. She has been on the right side of just about every battle that we have fought. . . She is worthy of our respect, she is worthy of our honor."
If these aren''t just empty words, but if he really means them, and follows up by actually putting Hillary on the ticket, I, a continual critic of Obama, will become an enthusiastic supporter. The question is the one many of us have always had about Obama, "Is this guy just a good talker, or does he put his words into action?" We shall see. His election may depend on it. He cannot afford to have us Hillary diehards, a sizable chunk of the Democratic coalition still angry and depressed come election time.

[phillysage]

Obama said yesterday, "I want everybody here to be absolutely clear: Senator Clinton is one of the finest public servants we have in American life today. She has been on the right side of just about every battle that we have fought. . . She is worthy of our respect, she is worthy of our honor."
If these aren''t just empty words, but if he really means them, and follows up by actually putting Hillary on the ticket, I, a continual critic of Obama, will become an enthusiastic supporter. The question is the one many of us have always had about Obama, "Is this guy just a good talker, or does he put his words into action?" We shall see. His election may depend on it. He cannot afford to have us Hillary diehards, a sizable chunk of the Democratic coalition still angry and depressed come election time.

[obama8years]

SICK AND TIRED OF PEOPLE ALL HIGH AND MIGHTY
I dont understand whats the big deal. This is a something new and cool. Obama is Hip and a Mac Daddy.

So what if :

Racist Rev Wright is his Uncle and Mentor.

Rev Wright and Obama are involved with the ISM

So What if Obama has 2 racist pastors of 20 years.

So What if Obama has 2 citizenships, one in Kenya

Who cares that Obama cousin is a radical in Kenya that Obama supports and wants Sharia Law.

Who cares that michelle Obama wrote a black militant essay at princeton.

They were only comments that whites are typical and small town americans are hicks.

So what if Obama beleives in the Black Value System. The 10 points of Elevating Blacks over any other race.

So what if Obama has a socialist marxist side to him.

Obama is the Mack Daddy, and will give America the change we deserve.

So what that Hamas Supports Obama....it means nothing....

Who cares that Obama and the terroist ayers are friends and Obama sought him out to start his campaign. Not a big deal.

[von_marko]

Basketball???? Guess that is as good as the coward obaaama can get. Had he served in the military and not sided with crooks and con men his whole life, he would have other role models.

[jack3213]

NO, REVERNED WRIGHT HELPED CRAFT OBAMA''S IDENTITY.

[beastof70]

Basketball Helped Craft Obama''s Identity

And LYING help form McCain''s Identity!
Posted by watcher269 at 07:49 AM
=================

Kind of like learning to molest a chicken at a young age around Hope crafted Bill Clinton into the pervert he turned out to be?

[jack3213]

WHAT HAS OBAMA DONE THUS FAR TO PROVE HE HAS EXPERIANCE?
WHY DO YOU BELIEVE DEMOCRATS WILL LOWER YOUR TAXES?
HOW DO YOU THINK GAS PRICES WILL GO DOWN?
WHAT MAKES OBAMA QUALIFIED TO LEAD A COUNTRY?

IF YOU CAN ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS, HONESTLY, THEN YOU HAVE MY ATTENTION

[watcher269-2009]

Basketball Helped Craft Obama''s Identity

--------------

And LYING help form McCain''s Identity!

[jack3213]

How is this relevant? And, how is this a surprise? Most of the best basketball players are black...lol.

[terrorislami]

Malik Obama confirms his half-brother Barack grew up a Muslim
Apparently the Obamas of Kenya have no doubt -- contrary to the claims of the Obama campaign, that the presidential candidate was raised a Moslem. They take that as a given.
"Barack Obama''s half brother Malik said Thursday that if elected his brother will be a good president for the Jewish people, despite his Muslim background. In an interview with Army Radio he expressed a special salutation from the Obamas of Kenya."
http://web.israelinsider.com/Articles/Politics/12918.htm
http://www.anobamanation.net/2008/06/obamas-brother-confirms-barack-grew-up.html

[beastof70]

This B-Ball angle is a real yawner, on a plane with Bill Clinton playing the Sax.

I find it far more entertaining to see how much this clown looks and acts exactly like Howdy Doodie in black face??

[thewarning2]

Hey calvet 2? What''s McCain going to fall back on in November? A walker?

[thewarning2]

Just like football and baseball players!

[likeitis5050]

Well that pretty much makes him everything to everyone now, doesn''t it? The NBA is such a bright shining industry and basketball players are such role models, you know.

[ghostdog8]

It''s good he will have something to fall back on after November!