Biden makes Chicago his kind of town

[Jennicut]

December 10, 2008 – President-elect Barack Obama’s love for the game of basketball and his regular pick up games, often held on Chicago’s west side, have been well documented.

But on Tuesday, it was the nation’s next Vice President, Joe Biden, who made Chicago his kind of town as he visited the United Center to take in a Bulls game. He was accompanied by David Axelrod, who was recently appointed Senior Advisor to the President in the Obama Administration.

They sat in a luxury suite on the arena’s lower level and, among others, had an opportunity to chat with Bulls EVP of Basketball Operations John Paxson. The two quickly found a common ground to discuss.

“We had a very casual conversation and he was very nice,” Paxson said. "He has an older son who is an officer in the Army and is over in Iraq right now, and now that my son is in the Marine Corps, we had a little bit of a common bond. It was nice for me to be able to express to him not only how proud I am of my son, but also how proud I am of the commitment his son has made.”

Bulls EVP of Business Operations Steve Schanwald also spoke with Biden and came away impressed.

“Vice President-elect Biden signed every autograph and took every picture that was requested of him,” he said. “We talked sports and NBA basketball primarily; he couldn’t have been more gracious. I was delighted that our crowd gave him a long and rousing standing ovation, which is almost unheard of for politicians at sporting events. It was an honor for us to play host to him and to long time Bulls season ticket holder David Axelrod.”

Biden also talked with Bill Smith, the Bulls’ team photographer, and thanked him for his efforts in Cambodia. For years, Smith has run a non-profit organization helping the country’s garbage dump scavenger children.

“Vice President-elect Biden has been to Cambodia and he’s seen what goes on over there, with children working in garbage dumps and needing to get out of those kinds of situations,” Paxson said.

Paxson, who never made it to the White House with the Bulls during the '90s, did meet former President Bill Clinton when he stopped by the team’s locker room at the Capital Centre in Washington D.C.

“Politicians are big sports fans,” Paxson said. “During the championship years, we visited with Senator Bill Bradley a couple times and years later, the team got a tour of the Pentagon and met with Donald Rumsfeld in his office. For those of us who work in professional sports and are able to visit face to face with politicians, the people who are making decisions that affect all of us, it’s a pretty powerful thing.”

Biden's visit to the United Center didn’t end without an open-ended invitation for his running mate to see the Bulls in action.

“I did encourage David Axelrod to try and get President-elect Obama to come to a game at some point in time, and hopefully that will happen,” Paxson said. “The fact that he’s from Chicago, it would be great to have him come here at some point during his Presidency.”
http://www.nba.com/bulls/news/biden_081210.html?rss=true



So Joe and Axe were at a Bulls game, wonder if Obama will ever show up?

[jillan]

1. That's great!

I'm originally a Chicago girl, so this makes me proud.

[PatSeg]

2. Me too!

See the Bulls logo behind him? So cool.

I'd forgotten you were from Chicago too, don't know how I could forget that.

[PatSeg]

3. Aw, I commented before I read it!

John Paxson? I love Paxson! I can still picture him right after he made that three point basket in the last few seconds of the game that won them their third championship. Those were magical moments. I was such a sucker for those guys.

[jillan]

4. Oh no you didn't.

That 3 point shot was against the Phoenix Suns - and I was there.
I am still upset about that basket.
That was one of the worst moments of my life - and you - you have fond memories of that moment.

[Jennicut]

5. LOL...I am from CT so I am staying out of this

[PatSeg]

7. It was long ago!

Hey, she was originally from Chicago. Surely she could find some begrudging support for a hometown team. Probably just doesn't want to admit it.

Now I'm going to retreat before I get myself in too much trouble.

:hide: :hide: :hide:

[PatSeg]

6. I was in Park Forest, IL

at my sister's house. Time slowed down and we were all on the edge of our seats. When the ball touched the basket, there was a breathless silence in the room. I've never experienced anything quite like it. I was hooked at that moment and became a compulsive Bulls fan for several years.

When we drove home, we heard car horns everywhere. The whole Chicago area was so unified and people (like myself) who never took an interest in sports were obsessed with the Bulls. I even encountered little old ladies and nuns who couldn't get enough of the Bulls.

Later Paxson talked about being in his driveway before the game, shooting baskets and fantasizing about making a 3-pointer that would win the championship! I think he retired as a player after that. How could he ever top that moment?

Irony - one of your worst was one of my best! Ah well, we always have Joe!

[Jennicut]

8. Well I am a Yankees fan and my husband is a Red Sox fan, its so normal in CT

We are close to New York and Mass so everyone grows up being one or the other. I am used to having to diffuse sports fights between my Dad, a total Yankees guy and my hubby, a total Red Sox man. It used to be bad a few years ago but after the Sox won a couple of times its okay. Plus, there is the Patriots vs the Giants between my Dad and husband too. I take hubby's side on sports and he takes my back on politics as my parents are major conservatives.

[PatSeg]

11. I grew up in a Cubs household

The major sport in those days was baseball. In the eighties it was football, but the nineties and Michael Jordan turned the focus to basketball, the only sport I ever got excited about.

If I was on the East Coast, I would probably be partial to the Red Sox. Their story is so romantic!

[jillan]

9. We had season tickets that year - up in the nosebleeds.

Charles Barkley was on the team and he took us all the way.
There we were the final game of the season. 35k (approx) fans were screaming - jumping up and down.
We were going to win, there was just seconds left, there was NO WAY the Bulls were going to do it.
And then Paxson threw that 3 pointer right before the buzzer went off. You could have heard a pin drop...total silence from the crowd even as the crowd was leaving.

My brothers both live in Chicago. They loved to rub it in.

Years later at the bank (I mostly did customer service) a man sat down at my desk and started going on and on about the problems he was having with his account. When he finally finished, I looked at him and said "I can't help you until you take that Chicago Bulls hat off. I was at that game where Paxson threw in that 3 pointer and I'm still pissed". We became great friends after that :)

It's funny looking at both sides of the same story.

I always say all my years of being a Cubs fan has enabled me to be a Suns fan.

[PatSeg]

10. It really is funny seeing both sides of the same game

...........eh, er, of course I'm seeing it from the WINNING side, but that is neither here nor there!!!!



On the downside, the Bulls ruined sports for me. After the Jordan era, I tried to stay interested, but it was never the same again. I even gave the Sacramento Kings a look-see and they were a bit enticing, but they weren't the BULLS, so I lost interest quickly. It was really magical. I still see Bulls t-shirts even here in CA.

As for Paxson, he was such a great guy in real life, he really deserved that incredible moment in limelight.

There's nothing quite like a Cubs fan and only someone from Chicago can really understand it.

[AspenRose]

12. GO SPURS GO!

(sorry Prez and VP) :-)

My DH and in-laws are Celtics fans. It can get ugly during basketball season. :rofl:

I don't know who I hate more, Boston or LA.