President Barack Obama on Thursday backed the Pittsburgh Steelers to triumph in Sunday's Super Bowl, snubbing the "Cinderella story" Arizona Cardinals.
Obama, a fervent Chicago Bears fan, stepped ...
President Barack Obama on Thursday backed the Pittsburgh Steelers to triumph in Sunday's Super Bowl, snubbing the "Cinderella story" Arizona Cardinals.
Obama, a fervent Chicago Bears fan, stepped into the political minefield of sports rivaly and came down solidly behind the Steelers, the narrow favorite for Sunday's game in Florida.
"Other than the Bears, the Steelers are probably the team that's closest to my heart," Obama told reporters in the Oval Office, after a meeting with Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner.
The president mentioned that Steelers president Art Rooney II and coach Mike Tomlin and his sons had been firm backers in the presidential campaign, so he felt honor bound to back the team from the gritty Pennsylvania city.
But he had kind words for the unheralded Cardinals and their veteran quarterback.
"I wish the Cardinals the best," Obama said.
"Kurt Warner is a great story and he's closer to my age than anybody else on the field, but I am a long-time Steelers fan.
"You know, I wish the best to the Cardinals, they've been long-suffering, it's a great Cinderella story, but ... "
Despite Obama's professed affection for the Steelers, those of a suspicious cast of mind may suspect unfinished political business at play.
Pennsylvania was the key state in November's epic election -- and once Democrat Obama won the northeastern battleground it was clear that he would claim the White House.
Arizona meanwhile voted Republican, backing home state candidate and Obama's presidential rival John McCain.
Obama, just a week into his presidency, has been a hot topic as the Steelers and Cardinals gear up for Sunday's National Football League showpiece.
Tomlin, 36, the youngest head coach in Super Bowl history and the NFL Coach of the Year, has drawn comparison to Obama and Tony Dungy, the first African-American coach to win the NFL crown with Indianapolis two years ago.
"By no stretch do I put myself in the category with President Obama or Tony Dungy," he said. "I don't see myself in that way. Some of the things I get to do I benefit from some of the roads they have paved."
Obama is also finding favor in the Cardinals dressing room.
"When people aren't happy, change is good," said Arizona lineman Mike Gandy "I think a lot of people were happy (that Obama won) and I think a lot of people are optimistic for the next four years."
Winning the Super Bowl is the ultimate for an NFL player, but the winning team will reap an extra reward -- a trip to meet Obama at the White House.
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pittsburg's not blue collar anymore. it's full of pencil pushers and wannabe businessmen. for the record... but my problem with the steelers lies in 90% of their fanbase... the majority just seems far too happy throwing their trash-talk around... putting giant gaudy stickers all over their cars, and being ther first to yell "*city* sucks!" for any reason but a good one. and of course obama's "a fan"... atleast publicly... they're the most popular team. more votes. better pr.
Are you talking about the 9-7 Bears that didn't make the playoffs? The team that embarrassed themselves in SB 41? The same Bears that have 1 SB win compared to Pittsburgh's 6? The best thing that happened to the bears in the last 25 years is putting them in the same sentence as the Steelers. Your team sucks dumbass.
The Bears have the most Hall of Famers in the NFL, they were the starter franchise of the NFL, they have 9 CHAMPIONSHIPS - and 1 Super Bowl, even the hated Packers have 11 Championships...So while I dont hate the Steelers and actually like them cause they play that hardnosed football the way Chicagoans like it, you are ignorant in saying the Bears suck.
Well congrats on having the most HOFers. Big fucking deal, 17 of your 31 HOF players were in the NFL before WWII, another 4 or 5 only played in Chicago for one season. So congrats again on having some great players in the days when NFL players had day jobs.
Also notice the word "sucks" is in the present tense, as in, your team sucks this year. But hey, don't let me take anything away from your powerhouse teams of the 1930s.
I'm from Hawaii and anyone from Hawaii can tell you our state team is the Pittsburgh Steelers...there's more Steelers fans here than all other teams combined.
The reason is because The Pro Bowl came to Hawaii in the late-70's, and in the 60's and 70's there was a big influx of mainlanders, and from about 72' to 80', the Steelers were the dominant NFL team, so it all synched up..
Obama is a legit Steelers fan; if anything's political, it's him paying lipservice to Chicago with the Bears.
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Also notice the word "sucks" is in the present tense, as in, your team sucks this year. But hey, don't let me take anything away from your powerhouse teams of the 1930s.
The reason is because The Pro Bowl came to Hawaii in the late-70's, and in the 60's and 70's there was a big influx of mainlanders, and from about 72' to 80', the Steelers were the dominant NFL team, so it all synched up..
Obama is a legit Steelers fan; if anything's political, it's him paying lipservice to Chicago with the Bears.