President Barack Obama half-joked that he hoped Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson could apply his “Zen Master” Buddhist principles to qualm the ever-brewing animosity between Democrats and Republicans during these perilous and precarious times. As he welcomed the 2009 NBA champions into the East Room of the White House, Obama took pains to praise the coach, even above the more celebrated team members in attendance, including Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson and Lamar Odom.“I was hoping that, Coach, you were going to bring some books for Republicans and Democrats in Congress maybe to get them to start playing like a team together,” said the president to the coach who is famous for passing out books and helping people get the job done.
Obama is an acknowledged basketball aficionado and and spent his formative years in Chicago, where Jackson won his first six titles with legends Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. He also paid homage to the coach’s ability to get adversarial and mercurial personalities to subjugate their individual agendas for team goals. This was most evidenced when Shaquille O’Neal and Bryant, men who never hid their disdain for one another, nevertheless played peacably together and achieved four consecutive championship appearances, including three title wins in a row.
“I’m especially excited to meet coach Phil Jackson, the Zen Master,” Obama said to cheers and laughter. “I’ve been a fan of coach Jackson’s ever since his days running the triangle offense in Chicago. I want to congratulate him on his 10th NBA championship — the most in history. I do want to point out that six of them came with the Bulls. I just want to point that out,” Obama added, needling Earvin “Magic” Johnson, who stood behind him.
–terry shropshire
