GREENSBORO — Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski wanted President Barack Obama to know he was joking when he said Obama should focus on the economy rather than picking an NCAA Tournament bracket.
So Krzyzewski's wife, Mickie, sent a text message to former Duke basketball player Reggie Love, who is Obama's personal assistant.
“Reggie texted back and said (Obama) wasn't offended,“ Krzyzewski said Friday. “Though some of the staff was concerned, because they always have to be concerned.”
Krzyzewski said he was misrepresented Wednesday on what he called a “throwaway line,” which he intended to be funny, on Obama picking North Carolina to win the NCAA Tournament in an ESPN.com bracket.
Krzyzewski said his wife and daughters were more upset than he was.
But Krzyzewski still sounded frustrated.
“People want at some times to create news, they don't want to report news,” Krzyzewski said Friday during his news conference to preview Duke's second-round NCAA Tournament game with Texas. “And in their zest to create, they tell quarter stories or tenth stories or 25 percent instead of telling the whole thing.”
Krzyzewski is known as a conservative politically and held a fundraiser for Republican Sen. Elizabeth Dole in 2002. Nonetheless, on Wednesday he was complimentary of the president.
“I love the guy, and I think he's going to be great,” he said.
Many media outlets didn't include that quote. Krzyzewski was disappointed with that and frustrated because his throwaway line was portrayed as serious by news outlets. He said Love texted Mickie Krzyzewski back to say Obama thinks Mike Krzyzewski is all right.
“Then she texted back and said, ‘Thanks,“' Krzyzewski said.
Comments
Yeah, he should join street
Tue, 07/28/2009 - 02:55 — makemineYeah, he should join
street comedy
Thanks for the comic relief
Sat, 03/21/2009 - 09:11 — JPDOhioWhere else can you find stuff like this?
1. Outrage over a comment (surely in jest) that POTUS should focus on his job instead of the NCAA tournament. Then again, why should Obama be any different than the rest of us?
2. Uncovering of a secret text dialogue between said coach's family and POTUS's staff. Who is "Deep Throat" in this affair and will the messages be published like the Nixon tapes?
3. A State fan defending K. Now I know this country is really in trouble.
4. A priceless jeromfitz rant. Buddy, there is nothing wrong with you that a blood-sucking ambulance chaser can't help you with. In the meantime, keep those postings coming. They make my day.
I am sure there will be more on this later, once Obama addresses this crisis in his weekend radio address and the inevitable Congressional hearings are completed.
JPDOhio
Sat, 03/21/2009 - 14:13 — gvillegatrmaybe not in Ohio but in North Carolina, State fans are DUIke fans, too. at least all the ones I know, including my sister, and it is quite a few.
they need someone to root for who actually has a chance of winning. it hurts but it is the truth.
Apparently...
Sat, 03/21/2009 - 14:27 — JPDOhiothey subscribe to the "enemy of my enemy" theory. I never bought into that. Besides, I think Coach K is a pompous hypocrit.
It's really interesting to
Sat, 03/21/2009 - 08:35 — brookecainIt's really interesting to me that STILL when the quote is reported, K's next sentence is not included. Right after he said that about the economy and brackets, he said "What do I care? I love the guy and think he's going to do a great job." I saw it again just this morning on WTVD. Everyone just shows the inflammatory, controversial part and not the part that demonstrates K was joking.
I'm a Wolfpack fan, not a Dookie. But fair is fair.
Lay Off!
Sat, 03/21/2009 - 00:23 — trickydickpksTo begin with, I am a Democrat and a Wake Forest graduate.
Why do you guys not take Coach K at his word? The Obama remarks sounded like a joke when I first read them. The media has been known to blow-up quotes like this on multiple occasions in order to make non-news newsworthy. Carolina fans seem like they hate Coach K no matter what he says or does. While I understand the bitter rivalry, I don't remember Duke fans being nearly as bitter to Coach Smith or Coach Williams.
P.S.
Jeromfitz, what do your bad experiences at Duke hospital have anything to do with Coach Krzyzewski? You sound like a ranting lunatic.
The Jokes?
Sat, 03/21/2009 - 00:02 — jeromfitzWhen the Duke Medical Center re-punctures your chest and you nearly die they call it a joke. This how the coach K survives telling Polark jokes. I stab myself by the what is in a police report is a lie but the young lady that stab me said it was a joke. Our lives in this enonomic crisis is a joke. It's like a who cares society! You're hired and then you're fired. When you die you can't tell anyone how you died by a practical joke by non-medical staff at Duke Medical. All these jokes Duke(Fans) played on me:
1. call me schizophrenia for want depart my adoption parents.
2. place me into a psychiatric ward
3. nearly kill me with a 2nd chest tube incision
4. place some nasty yellow eye dye in eyes
5. kill off my relatives that seek medical help
6. janitoral staff members role playing as doctors.
7. I didn't make a high school basketball team because of Duke Fans( I always like Carolina)
8. Even in Neal Jr High School a Duke fan wanted me to play for Duke.
9. Made me donate my blood for $20 ( I haven't felt the same since).
All the reason why I left Durham and never wanting to return.
LMFAO
Fri, 03/20/2009 - 22:44 — gvillegatr"So Krzyzewski's wife, Mickie, sent a text message to former Duke basketball player Reggie Love, who is Obama's personal assistant."
what a joke! he meant it, just like he means every nasty slight against him.
I think the Media needs to print The Rest of the Story
Fri, 03/20/2009 - 20:41 — coby70GOOOOD DAY !!!!!