The President's 2012 NCAA Bracket (VIDEO)

The President's had a rough two years, but that's because I think he's clinging to his Tar Heels and his Spartans, but we'll see.

Behind the Scenes:



And then there's this from the Wall Street Murdoch:

Here’s a clear difference between Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama: Mr. Romney said he won’t be filling out an NCAA college basketball tournament bracket this year.

“I’m not plugged in well enough this year to do that,” Mr. Romney told reporters traveling with him on Tuesday in Missouri, the Associated Press reported.

Mr. Obama, on the other hand, is making his choices public again this year. The First Fan even brought British Prime Minister David Cameron to a “First Four” game in Dayton, Ohio, on Tuesday between Mississippi Valley State and Western Kentucky. ESPN disclosed the president’s Final Four picks — Kentucky, Ohio State, Missouri and North Carolina – and will release his entire bracket on Wednesday.

Was it just me, or was the tone of the piece just a little bit snide?

"I've got another five years here..." (VIDEO)

Who'd thunk it. Bill Simmons...Bill freakin' Simmons gets a White House interview:

President Obama Honors the Dallas Mavericks (VIDEO)

Diane Sawyer's Interview with President Obama - March 29, 2011 (VIDEO)

Following up on why it sucked to be Rey Decerega last Friday (VIDEO)

The following is the video from the President's Press Briefing on the meeting with Congressional Leadership that happened today. (Most of which we've already covered in this space).

This is the second appearance of the President's since Rey Decerega gave a hard foul to our Commander-in-Chief. His speech and pronunciation were top notch as always. You can barely tell he's got a scar.

But if you look, you can see a little bit of the scar.

It must truly suck to be Rey Decerega today...

Okay, if you don't already know Rey Decerega is the guy who apparently dropped the "people's elbow" (that's a WWE reference folks) on the President of the United States, ripping open a gash on his lip that required 12 stitches.

Uhhh, damn.  Muh mouf's jes hertin tinkin bout dat.

Let's see Putin pull this off!  (Whale?  Pleeeezze!)

How bad to you think Rey Decerega feels right now? First and foremost these are friendly games. At most, you get a bump in the head, you get jostled around, or you overextert yourself (these are 40+ year old men on the court, after all). You, I and the rest of America know that Mr. Decerega did not mean for that to happen?

Still, despite his intentions, Mr. Decerega can probably expect 24-72 hours of Press-on-my-lawn coverage, at least until the President comes out with that million dollar smile...and adjoining scar. (I'd say ask the First Lady, but chicks are supposed to dig scars, Mr. President!)

We have no idea if the stitches are in the inside of his lip of the outside.  Either way, I hope that the Communications shop doesn't pull a Tiger and hide the President away.

The next phase of this story is inevitably the Press clamoring for a look at the First Scar, and trying to get Mr. Decerega to apologize on tape.

How does the deficit affect LeBron's decision?

Wow. A non-politics post.

We had a 5.4 Earthquake here in SoCal, and I asked "How does the Earthquake affect LeBron's decision"

Speaking of ego run amok...

Listen, I’ve been on record (in the non-blogsphere world) saying over and over again that LeBron is staying in Cleveland. Even though it’s starting to look very much like I was wrong on this one, I’m going to stick with my prediction to the bitter end. Why? Because I cannot believe that this multi-millionaire Athlete, who can live anywhere in the world, and chooses to live in Akron, Ohio (because clearly he loves it), is going to give that up...and take less money in the process.

If Art Modell had to leave Cleveland for his own safety, do you really think that Bitter Cleveland fan is going to let LeBron off the hook? At least Modell was a New York native. Prince James doesn’t have that excuse. Cleveland fans have been through tough times, and are even tougher people, and they’ll hold onto a grudge until hell won’t have it no more.

But since I’m not from Cleveland, I just root for the team, I’d like to think I have a little perspective on LeBron James. I like the guy, but I don't love him like Ohio fan does. I think he is vastly overrated. I think he's a smart kid, but not a very bright one (and there is a difference). I think he truly believes that if he bolts to Miami, he’ll be forgiven by the people of Ohio.

Never in a million years.

Only a individual with his titanic ego would buy himself an hour of national (basic cable) television time, to tell the people of Ohio to @#$% off, and somehow expect them to be grateful for it. (I heard Stephen A. Ego---errr, I mean Stephen A. Smith on the Jim Rome show this morning saying that LeBron has nothing to apologize for. I think he’s living in the same bubble as LeBron and his crew).

There will be no gratitude, no thanks and no fond memories from the fans of the Cleveland Cavaliers. All they can do is pick themselves up, dust themselves off, draft well, let Byron Scott coach ‘em up, and win despite that preening @#$%.

No other act in this world will turn me into a Laker fan faster than LeBron bolting for Miami. But hey, that’s where we are.

UPDATE: 11:20am Pacific: Bill Simmons has a lot more. Read it, I'm sold.

I can't wait to watch for the same reasons I couldn't turn away from O.J.'s Bronco chase or the Artest melee: it's Car Wreck Television. If LeBron picks anyone other than the Cavaliers, it will be the cruelest television moment since David Chase ended "The Sopranos" by making everyone think they lost power. Cleveland fans will never forgive LeBron, nor should they. He knows better than anyone what kind of sports anguish they have suffered over the years. Losing LeBron on a contrived one-hour show would be worse than Byner's fumble, Jose Mesa, the Game 5 meltdown against Boston, The Drive, The Shot and everything else. At least those stomach-punch moments weren't preordained, unless you believe God hates Cleveland (entirely possible, by the way). This stomach-punch moment? Calculated. By a local kid they loved, defended and revered.

It would be unforgivable. Repeat: unforgivable. I don't have a dog in this race -- as a Celtics fan, I wanted to see him go anywhere but Chicago -- but LeBron doing this show after what happened in the 2010 playoffs actually turned me against him. No small feat. I was one of his biggest defenders. Not anymore.

President Obama's interview with Marv Alpert (VIDEO)

Worry not. I'm still trolling for the complete Oil Spill Press Conference Video. (I can't believe it was this early...at least for those of us on the Left Coast.)

In the meantime, Obama on the NBA, Lebron and the ability to take a hard foul with the Secret Service around...




By the way, he didn't completely advocate for LeBron going to the Bulls, as some have suggested. It was Marv who was advocating the President to advocate for Chicago. He said if LeBron finds a coach he respects, and a stable situation in Cleveland (I'm hoping that the Cavs get Byron Scott), he should stay in Cleveland.

The President fares far better in Basketball than in Baseball... (VIDEO)

From Saturday's Half-time show. The President starts off ice cold, then heats up...

The President's Interview on the Today Show... (VIDEO)

Multiple Parts. We start with Afghanistan and Health Care:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

....then we move on to Faith, Family, and Basketball:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

...and finally, the Tea Party and the Political Divide:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

We now mark the third occasion since the creation of this blog where I disagree with the President.

If you've attended a Tea Party rally, I do think you're on the fringe.

Nothing like breathless commentary on an otherwise meaningless story... (VIDEO)

Let's face facts. The image of Barack Obama picking his Presidential Bracket is meant as a fun, cute little story. The President is a B-Ball fan, he knows the Sport, so his expertise isn't coming from a staff member. Filling out a bracket is something he seems to genuinely enjoy. It's not without some political benefit, as "Mr. Arugala" is shown doing something that millions of Americans are doing themselves. More power to him.

Needless to say, that hasn't stopped folks in the press (this year and last year) from overanalyzing this sucker.

This is a story that belongs on the front page of ESPN...and that's about it.

Don't get me wrong, if an analyst wants to crush the President by saying something along the lines of "Picking Georgetown over Ohio State, he's lost his mind" is fine by me. That's the coverage I expect. But "Picking Georgetown over Ohio State, he's going to alienate Ohio votes" is the very reason why I hate reporters sometimes.

Update (March 18, 2010: 5:29pm) : Extended Cut:

Is that the President talkin' junk at the Lakers? (VIDEO)

I may live in Southern California, but anybody...and I mean anybody talkin' junk at the Lakers is a-okay with me...

Rejected! (VIDEO)

This was originally posted on TPM (and by extension HuffPo), but I just had to pass it along.

This is why I hate on the media...

It’s a nothing story, but it shows how the media bends over backwards to twist things into whatever shape they want to, or care to.

The Hill has a story on its website today: McCain creams Obama — in NCAA picks.

McCain’s bracket has 14 teams picked correctly headed into the Sweet Sixteen, placing him in the 94th percentile after the first weekend of play.

Okay. Fine. Congratulations to the Senior (and I mean, Senior) Senator from Arizona.

One problem. There's this little piece in the Politico, an article called Obama's bracket looking up, which says:

The president's NCAA tournament bracket looked a lot better Sunday when he correctly picked 14 of the 16 teams to reach the regional semifinals.

So…ummm…you want to run this by me again?!?

Memo To Mark Cuban...

Mr. Cuban, owner of the last place Dallas Mavericks (3-7), good Liberal, and early critic of Barack Obama's Economic Team...

Keep your advice to yourself. Please.

No wonder they wouldn't let him buy the Cubs...

Mark Cuban, already blasting Obama's Economic Advisers.

President-Elect Obama's First Big Mistake

Obama's economic advisory team looks more like a semester's worth of guest speakers for an MBA class than a team that can truly help him. Entrepreneurs will lead us out of this mess. Talk to them.

Entrepreneurs, who eschewed Regulation and Oversight also led us into this mess, Mark.

BTW, Mark. The Mavs are 2-5 out of the gate. Tend to your own backyard before criticizing others.