The POTUS makes his picks…

Hard to argue with any of his picks, but I don’t think Villanova is going to the Final Four this year. Yes, their guards are good, but they’re lacking size now that Dante Cunningham is gone.

- DEADSPIN says that hunting for the guy who shot and uploaded the now-infamous Erin Andrews peephole video is a futile effort, while describing the method the perpetrator used to shoot the footage. The site also laments ESPN’s (inevitable?) takeover of local media all across the country.

- According to Luke Walton, via an AVP announcer and SPORTSbyBROOKS, Lamar Odom will be a Laker. “Trust me.”

- NCAA Football 10 users should take note. Fully named rosters are now available, per TONYBLOGS.

- WITH LEATHER reports that MLB was not happy with President Obama’s decision to wear a Chicago White Sox jacket when he threw out the first pitch at the All-Star Game.

- Charles Barkley says that Tiger Woods’ career is more impressive than Michael Jordan’s, per AWFUL ANNOUNCING.

- SPORTSbyBROOKS documents the debate happening Down Under where there are some who think that getting rid of the Australian rugby cheerleaders will clean up the athletes’ poor behavior. Yeah, right.

- On his blog over at YARDBARKER, Brendan Haywood wonders what a lot of us are wondering — what in the hell was Arizona State thinking when they refused to give President Obama an honorary degree when he spoke at the school’s commencement?

- YEP YEP has a post entitled, “Athletes and their ridiculous cars,” which is pretty self-explanatory. I think my favorite is Travis Outlaw’s lime green ’96 Impala. WTF?

- DEADSPIN finds it highly ironic that Jon Gruden is working for ESPN after digging up some interesting quotes that Chuckie has given us over the years about the Worldwide Leader.

It’s nice to have a President that knows a little something about sports. He filled out a bracket for ESPN, but he picked North Carolina to win it all, so he must have missed the news about Ty Lawson’s big toe. (Or maybe he knows something I don’t.)

Full story.

- IN GAME NOW lists the 25 Sexiest WrestleMania Divas. The list includes Reggie Bush’s girl, Kim Kardashian (right).

- SPORTS BY BROOKS informs us that Chiefs Pro Bowl guard Brian Waters is none too happy with his first interaction with new head coach Todd Haley.

- MOVE THE NEEDLE has photos and video of President Obama taking in the Bulls/Wizards game last week.

- SPORTS BY BROOKS outlines the NBA’s tenuous financial situation.

- DEADSPIN has a photo of the 41-year-old woman who came to the New England Patriots open cheerleading tryouts. Ugh.

- IN GAME NOW lists 10 ways for Michael Vick to enjoy his house arrest.

- YAHOO! SPORTS explains why the Blazers are threatening litigation against any team that attempts to sign Darius Miles.

- THE HILL has quotes from President-elect Obama reiterating his desire to see a college football playoff. Four more years!

- AWFUL ANNOUNCING says that Charles Barkley’s decision to take a leave of absence from TNT is the right thing to do.

- We thought Trevor Hoffman might sign with the Dodgers, but KNUCKLE CURVE informs us that he’s going to play for the Brew Crew next season.

- Terrell Owens now has his own blog over at YARDBARKER and is wondering what people would think if he had said the things about Cris Carter that Cris Carter said about him. Confused yet? I am.

Okay, so not everybodylikes Barack Obama’s plan to implement a playoff system into college football:

“I am extremely delighted that he is our president and excited that he is going to lead our nation,” Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe said. “I am disappointed that there isn’t more full discussion before he comes to a conclusion on this. I would hope only that the leader of our country would take under full consideration all the aspects.

“The simple solution is easy to state. We’re not in charge of a professional league where we have the entertainment value to consider. That should be fully considered. This isn’t something you should make a rash decision about.”

Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany told the New York Times over the weekend: “I think it’s that time of year. Whether it’s the president-elect or college football coaches or fans debating it, the First Amendment is alive and well.”

“Certainly it’s an important issue for college football and colleges. Where does it stand in the list of challenges we have in America today? I would say it’s not very high.”

Obama’s comments have added weight not only because he is about to become leader of the free world. His vice president has been a strident BCS critic. Around the time the Senate Judiciary Committee convened hearings on the BCS in 2003 Joe Biden called the BCS system “rigged” and “un-American”.

It was the threat of hearings in 2005 that prompted the commissioners to add an additional BCS bowl and loosen the qualification standards for non-BCS teams.

“I’m concerned about it,” Beebe said of Obama. “Obviously he is in a powerful position. If it makes people think along those lines without fully considering all the ramifications, that’s the main thing. A one-game single elimination type playoff works well for the NFL, it works well for our basketball championship but it doesn’t mean you end up with the best team winning it all.”

All of the above comments can fit into one translation:

“Listen Obama, we’re all making a crap load of money with the way the current format is set up. It’s not about the fans that line our pockets with luscious money – it’s about the luscious money. So how about you shut your damn mouth and keep things the way they are, huh?”

Maybe we’ll get that playoff system after all!

Barack Obama said in an interview that he favors a playoff system in college football over the BCS system.

Democrat Barack Obama tells ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” it’s time for college football to pick a champion with a playoff system while Republican John McCain wants to put an end to performance-enhancing substances.

On the eve of the election, the two presidential candidates were interviewed via satellite by ESPN’s Chris Berman. The taped interviews were to air during halftime of game between the Washington Redskins and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Both candidates were asked to name one thing they would change in sports.

“I think it is about time that we had playoffs in college football. I’m fed up with these computer rankings and this and that and the other. Get eight teams — the top eight teams right at the end. You got a playoff. Decide on a National Champion,” Obama said.

I’d love to see him pull this off.

I’ve been meaning to post something about Rick Reilly’s new gig, but I just haven’t been able to find an angle that didn’t make me sound like a hater. Based on what I’ve read of his work, I’m not really sure how he got to where he is. I guess I should take notes, however, because the guy has my dream job.

Last year, he signed a big deal with ESPN the Mag to become its back page columnist. I have read just about every one of those columns and have come away unimpressed.

Now he has a piece where he describes flying to Dayton, Ohio to pick his weekly (salary cap) fantasy football team with none other than Barack Obama.

Now, The Scores Report is apolitical, but let’s just say I would have jumped at this opportunity.

It’s a good read, especially for those voters out there that like their Presidents to be sports fans.

Many political experts view Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama’s easy win in the 2004 Illinois United States Senate race as the victory that catapulted him into the national spotlight and set him on his current path to the White House. But looking back at that victory, for a few days in 2004 there was a real possibility that Obama’s Republican opponent could have been Chicago Bears coaching legend Mike Ditka.

Ditka spoke about his possible candidacy to CNN News in an interview, and he does play the “what if” game:

“It would have been interesting, I’ll tell you that,” Ditka said, “I don’t know what would have happened if I had run. I really don’t. Could I have beaten him? Maybe. Maybe not.”

Ditka added that he gave serious consideration to running as the Republican nominee, but citied family and business obligations in declining the invitation. A staunch conservative, Ditka stated that he is firmly behind the McCain/Palin ticket come November.