Basketball coaches and players organize for Kerry

[Tummler]

From the Philadelphia Daily News: (Get a login and password from bugmenot.com)

JOHN CHANEY, the Hall of Fame Temple Owls basketball coach, is not one to straddle fences.

"I hope and pray that Sen. Kerry just crushes this guy," he boomed, "and I'll do anything possible to help assure that it happens."

John Kerry, you might have heard, is the Democratic nominee for president. "This guy" is President George W. Bush. Chaney and Saint Joseph's coach Phil Martelli were among the guests who met Kerry backstage before a fund-raiser dinner (they didn't stay) at the Franklin Institute on Tuesday. They were invited by former Temple and NBA coach Don Casey, who is national chairman of "Coaches for Kerry," a recently launched group of basketball coaches and former players, including Bill Walton. The Kerry-supportive coaches Casey has signed up include ESPN commentator Jack Ramsay, Ohio State women's coach Jim Foster and Jack McKinney, all former St. Joe's coaches. Dean Smith, a personal friend of vice presidental nominee John Edwards, also is a "Coaches for Kerry" driving force.

**snip**

"Bush took us into a war on his own," Chaney said, "and thousands of young people have been killed, and are still dying in the name of Bush. There are so many reasons we need him out of there, and I was thrilled to have met Sen. Kerry and and tell him I'm in his corner."

More ...

----


And here's a Bush-related story from the Arizona Republic -- this one goes out to all the DUers who been hatin' on our Olympic basketball team:

"We got nobody on our side," Team USA's Shawn Marion said. "Referees, fans, reporters . . . nobody."

It's true. Even shocking numbers of Americans want these Americans to lose. Even the president is smart enough to understand this, which is why he's rumored to be pondering a show of support for the real Olympic dream team.

That would be the Iraqi soccer team, which would advance to the finals with a victory tonight.

"I didn't vote for him (anyway)," Team USA's Richard Jefferson said when told Bush had suddenly become a huge soccer fan.

More ...

[ugarte]

1. John Chaney is a great man

and one of the most respected coaches in the game. I'd be curious to see which coaches, if any, are for Bush, although they probably wouldn't admit it.

[ApolloCreedLives]

3. Coach K is very conservative I think

[underpants]

2. DEAN SMITH-campaigning in NC??????????

Oh brother. Coach SMith has been a big DEM for a long time and the juxtaposition of him being for Kerry and Coach K (of the blueblood Dooook) will be telling, or at least should be to my neighbors to the south.

[omshanti]

5. Dean Smith was at the Kerry Edwards rally in Raleigh

:)

Coach K is well-known as a republican.

GO TAR HEELS! :)

[BJ]

4. John Chaney's DA MAN!!

And he's the real deal CHAIN-ey! Not like that whimp from Wyoming Dick Chee-knee!

[prodigal_green]

6. Wait, I thought Kerry was trying to help out the "little guy"

but even the tall guys know they'll be better off with Kerry!