Last night Chris Berman had both Presidential candidates, Barack Obama and John McCain on Monday Night Football’s halftime. Of course, it goes without saying that these interviews would be full of canned-responses, however, I found it impractical to believe that either guy could influence much on the voting front the night before. I was wrong. While I think Obama might have hamstringed his chances in the election, his sheer guts alone causes me to endorse him. Have a look.
Berman asks both men, “If you could change anything about sports, what would it be?”
Obama said that he’d add an eight team playoff system to College Football. While this sounds great on paper, its a gutsy political statement considering he put at risk 20 Electoral votes from the state of Ohio. I mean, lets be honest, under Obama’s plan, Ohio State is pretty much BCS irrelevant. Their days of getting taken for 5000 passing yards in the BCS Title game would be over. Under Obama’s plan, they end the year playing Coffeyville Community College, possibly under lights, depending on what Coffeyville’s mayor deems ‘totally necessary.’ Obama clearly feels like the BCS should reward those that work the hardest (I had to).
McCain answered Berman by appealing for sports to tackle the steroid’s issue. Obviously, McCain loses Steinbrenner’s vote; but seeing that Steinbrenner pulls his poll in New York, it doesn’t matter. McCain went on to say that steroids attack the integrity of all sports. This isn’t true. Golf, for example, would be a lot cooler if players started using steroids (much like Soccer would be a lot cooler with midget goalies).
Neither candidate was asked what a Buckeye is. I’d imagine that question was ‘off-limits’ as a part of their contractual agreements for both candidates. I personally have no idea what a Buckeye is, and to be honest, I refuse to look it up.
Obama also talks about how he doesn’t “get too high when things are good.” I’d say he was slapping the Miami Heat in the face on that one, but they are terrible this year, so maybe not.
When Berman wraps up with Obama, he notes that Obama is a Bears fan. You can tell that Obama wants to hide this, but Berman just sort of runs him over Tony-Kornheiser-style. Its one thing being associated with radical Muslim preachers spreading hate, but far another to be lumped in with Chicago sports fans. Come on, we’ve all been to a sports bar with them, right? Lighten up folks.
In conclusion, McCain wins soundly. Don’t get me wrong here, there is the possibility that we could see an ‘Ohio effect,’ more or less a majority of people saying they will vote for McCain, but really turning in a vote for BCS integrity. Anything can happen. All the same, these things only happen if you get out there and vote. I know, as for me, I will be voting to get those Buckeyes the heck out of any major bowl games. If you don’t vote for Obama this year, remember, you can’t complain when Texas Tech routes Ohio State this year in the BCS Championship game. So stop reading TheShiver, and get out there and get Ohio State moved over to the North Dakota Planters Peanuts bowl, where they belong.
Cory Hedgepeth is a featured blogger. His work ranges from a former writer for The Daily Kansan, to his gonzo style work at Surfelport.com. You can find all his work on TheShiver here.
Midget goalies he says, ha!