Politicians make strange bedfellows, but even stranger sports videos
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When politicians make public remarks about sports these days, they tend to fall into one of three categories:
- Ranting against the BCS
- Sound predictions by Barack Obama
- Painfully awkward moments ready-made for YouTube
Gone are the days of cutesy, inconsequential bets between governors over a fruit basket.
This one has made the rounds online, but in case you missed it, U.S. Reps. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) and Corrine Brown (D-Fla.) talked a little trash about the Lakers-Magic series. I laughed. I cried. I realized they help control a $3.4-trillion budget.
Did you know the average lawmaker earns, er, makes $169,300 per year?
It’s actually a step up from Brown’s embarassing speech about Florida’s BCS championship a couple of months ago. Her remarks on the House floor were, uh, highlighted by a bright-orange Gator robe, possibly the oddest federal robe choice since Chief Klingon, er, Justice William H. Rehnquist.
Did I mention you pay them $169,300 each? Really. Every year.
And let’s not forget Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, who wanted to bet Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on the Lakers-Magic series. Dyer offered up the naming rights to a Lake Eola swan and a year’s supply of Amway cleaning supplies (Orlando’s arena sponsor), provided Villaraigosa ventured a year’s supply of Staples’ office supplies and a visit from Dyan Cannon.
It appears Villaraigosa had some other things on his plate and didn’t take the bet, but Dyer wasn’t done. Instead of something practical like, say, naming the swan Dyan, he dressed up as a magician and shot a corny video of his own.
Can’t somebody veto these videos before it goes this far? Will somebody please take the video cameras away from our elected officials?
Really, there should be a law.
--Adam Rose