Reggie Love: Power Forward

[-bdbd]

Saw this interview and article about Reggie Love and his new book, "Power Forward," on the front page of USATODAY.com Always a likable guy. I thought it might be worthy of some discussion, re. this former Duke FB and BB player...


http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2015/02/03/capital-download-reggie-love-obama-body-man/22735771/

[subzero02]

Interesting article... He sure has come a long way from teabag gate... He definitely understands the importance of having a good wingman. I particularly enjoyed his description of the secret service agent.

[fuse]

Saw this interview and article about Reggie Love and his new book, "Power Forward," on the front page of USATODAY.com Always a likable guy. I thought it might be worthy of some discussion, re. this former Duke FB and BB player...


http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2015/02/03/capital-download-reggie-love-obama-body-man/22735771/

I look forward to reading the book and enjoyed Reggie as a basketball player and always found the political career turn fascinating.

I think USA Today is in need of a fact checker, though. From the linked article:

He played forward for and was captain of the Duke Blue Devils basketball team, leading the team to the NCAA national championship in 2001.

I know my memory is far from perfect, and I do believe Reggie was not a captain nor did he lead the team to a championship. Did he and Casey Sanders play pivotal roles while Boozer was out? Absolutely!

I hope someone is as kind someday with the revisionist history of my life :-)

My intent is in no way to bring Reggie down, more to have fun with how media can spin.

[MCFinARL]

I look forward to reading the book and enjoyed Reggie as a basketball player and always found the political career turn fascinating.

I think USA Today is in need of a fact checker, though. From the linked article:

He played forward for and was captain of the Duke Blue Devils basketball team, leading the team to the NCAA national championship in 2001.

I know my memory is far from perfect, and I do believe Reggie was not a captain nor did he lead the team to a championship. Did he and Casey Sanders play pivotal roles while Boozer was out? Absolutely!

I hope someone is as kind someday with the revisionist history of my life :-)

My intent is in no way to bring Reggie down, more to have fun with how media can spin.

Well, the 2001 part is definitely incorrect. But according to Duke Update.com (http://www.dukeupdate.com/Records/team_captains.htm), Reggie was a captain, along with Daniel Ewing and JJ Redick, in 2005. Duke did win the ACC championship that year, but not, of course, the NCAA championship.

[jdk]

Reggie was a captain on the 2005 team.

http://www.dukechronicle.com/articles/2005/02/21/redick-drains-wake#.VNGF8DVOkW0
http://www.dukechronicle.com/articles/2008/11/04/trading-e-mails-reggie-love#.VNGF2jVOkW0

[gep]

Well... the article did strongly imply that Reggie was a captain on the 2001 NC team...

****************
Politics was not Love's passion. Sports was. He played forward for and was captain of the Duke Blue Devils basketball team, leading the team to the NCAA national championship in 2001. After graduation, he had hoped to land a contract in the NBA or the NFL. (underline is mine)
****************

This kind of stuff reminds me to not take media statements too literally. Regardless, Reggie held, continued to hold (during his stint with Pres Obama), and still holds... great respect, from me, at least. Can't wait to read his book.

[Edouble]

I know my memory is far from perfect, and I do believe Reggie was not a captain nor did he lead the team to a championship.

Look, the guy was basically Bill Bradley, OK? He came back early from a broken foot, scored 17 straight against UCLA, and had three 3 pointers in 45 seconds in the championship game. What more do you want?

[brevity]

Thought I would revive this thread now that I've read the book.

It's a slim tome, easy to follow. Reggie Love is very self-deprecating and quick to point out how he learns from the many mistakes he made, on the campaign and even in college. Then-Senator Obama comes across as this annoyed but patient older brother character. It's hardly a tell-all, but you get some inside perspective.

Each chapter has a brief life lesson that applies, or tries to apply, to sports and politics. Some connections between the two fields are natural, others less so. Reggie has a clear respect for his mentors -- parents, coaches, teammates, campaigners -- and shares his experiences in non-linear fashion.

Duke people might nitpick at the editing job (i.e. Buchner, Cuttcliffe, Sheldon) but it's a light read for travel or whatever. I have to say that most of my enjoyment of the book comes from Reggie's willingness to make himself look terrible.

[COCO]

I was always a Reggie Love fan so I read his book last week. After years of watching all these young men at Duke playing high level sports I enjoyed getting a sliver of insight about what their lives must be before, during, and after life at Duke. He offers observations about life with Coach K and President Obama. And he touches very briefly on what it was like to play on a football team that never won a game. That last point was not what his book was about but one that I would like to have elaborated by someone. Maybe this should be a book I write....

But back to Reggie. He never suggested in his book that he led the NCAA Championship team. He did write about how he went from being suspended by K for underage drinking to his selection as a team captain in his senior year. It is a good though perhaps understated story of redemption and growth. And it makes one realize how easy it must have been for Obama to choose him to be his body man. After all, if he is good enough for Coach K....

I am interested in seeing Reggie's next steps in life. I understand that after leaving the White House, he decided to go to Wharton for his MBA but I am not sure where he is now. I wish him well.

[moonpie23]

hey....that was 14 years ago.....the way I remember it, (with all the fretting,pacing,worrying that i did) *** I *** led them to the championship in 2001....

history is pretty funny....:rolleyes:

[sagegrouse]

Mark Leibovich's NY Times Magazine cover piece "Being Hillary" on July 19 had a lengthy description of the security involving the first visit of a reporter to Hillary's campaign headquarters in Brooklyn Heights:


(Now I feel obligated to reveal something interesting from the office, which basically resembled a large insurance company in its expanse of cubicles. Here's something: I spotted Reggie Love, President Obama's semifamous "bodyman," meeting with someone in a conference room. He says he was visiting a friend.)
My one-word summary: semifamous.