It seems to me that, over the years, come November, I have cast more votes to cancel someone elses vote than I have to support a candidate of my choosing.  In other words, I knew who I didnt want more than who I thought was the best person for the job.

 

The exception was my vote for Barack Obama.  I clearly wanted him to win.  At this very moment he is probably wondering why he ran in the first place.  The Republicans and the œfair-weather, produce-a-miracle-for-me Democrats are laying all the worlds problems at President Obamas feet.  After all, he has had two whole years (almost).

 

Franklin D. Roosevelt is considered to be a great president for all the things he accomplished which I think he earned.  He had 16 years to do it.  Regan supporters know he had 8 years.  George W. Bush must have had something to do with the state of affairs.  He had eight years to do it.

 

There is a conversation that I say isnt being had that underlies all this discontent.  After all, it is œpolitically incorrect.  It is simply President Obama is the wrong color.  Everyone knows better when it comes to racism, i.e., that it doesnt work.  Very few have had the courage to discover exactly what all their biases are. 

 

Obamas black, but no one is going to cop to it being a prejudice for them. At least not in public.  The black community has been conned by so many of their black leaders that they are quick to condemn.  No miracle; the man must be a con.  The Republicans are doing everything they can do to insure that President Obama fails.  Too bad if the country fails in the process.  No one has the answer to what direction to go here.  Together we can figure it out but we are not even working on that.

 

I have been keenly aware of how unaware most people are about the depth of their prejudices.  I have been involved with coaching athletes of all races, creeds and colors for 50 years.  I know the conversations coaches have in public and the ones they have or put up with in the bar with their cronies.

 

Unless you deeply examine your prejudices, biases, fixed ways of thinking, etal., you will not be able to free yourself from those constraints.  You acquired most of them before you knew you were acquiring anything. I am acutely aware of my own limitations in these matters and I have worked hard to make corrections and apologize where appropriate.

 

In 1962, I was playing in the newly formed American Basketball League for a team in Oakland, CA.  The league was founded by Globetrotter owner, Abe Saperstein.  My roommate was Governor Vaughn, a graduate of the University of Illinois.  Gov and I were the first black-white roommates in professional sports.  The famed duo of Gale Sayers and Brian Piccolo didnt happen with the Chicago Bears until around 1967 or 68.  Our coach, the legend Globetrotter, Ermer Robinson, asked us to do it and, the irony was it was what both of us wanted anyway.

 

I didnt think it was a big deal.  Thats how naïve I was.  Well, it was a big deal.  Look at everything that happened in this country after 1962.  In 1966, the country was shocked that little Texas Western College (now UTEP) started five black players against the mighty (and all white) University of Kentucky coached by legend Adolph Rupp.

 

I was there in sweltering Cole Field House at the University of Maryland.  My guess is that 3 out of 4 people in the crowd were rooting for Kentucky.  Too bad!  Coach Don Haskins team was better.  By the way, he only started 5 black players because he was mad at the arrogant Adolph Rupp.  But, he did do it.

 

Yeah, I know.  It is all ancient history.  I think not.  When it comes to evolution, forty or fifty years is a heartbeat.  Technology we have.  Being human has a long way to go.

 

President Obama, I know you will never read this or at least it is highly unlikely.  I want you to know two things:

 

One, I know what is in that œbasketball heart of yours, and I love and appreciate that.

Two, at the top of my Bucket List is an hour with President Barack Obama to talk basketball.  Mr. President, there is no one you know who could cover that subject any better than yours truly and from every angle. I can readily œgo back in the day.

 

My love and best wishes for you and your family for the rest of your lives.