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January 18, 2009 2009 will be a momentous year for Barack ‘Barry’ Obama. It will mark the 30th anniversary of his graduation from Punahou High School in Honolulu, Hawaii, where he was a member of the 1979 State Champion basketball team. His name on the roster was ‘Barry Obama.’ And of course on Tuesday January 20th, he’ll be sworn in as the 44th President of the United States. Whether or not you voted for Obama, you must agree that this is a brilliant man. Highly educated, exceptionally prepared and totally dedicated, he freely admits that most of his life skills were honed…on the basketball court. I’ve written almost 400 columns for this website, and if there’s been a recurring theme, it’s that sports really do teach life lessons, even though the lesson sometimes isn’t completely revealed until much later in life. For the record, in the championship game, Punahou routed its opponent by 30 points, but Obama only appeared in the game at the end, scoring on a lay-up and missing a free throw in his only attempt. The lack of playing time bothered Obama greatly, and he let Coach Chris McLachlin know it. But, Obama found himself in a difficult situation. Punahou had three of its five starters go on to Division I basketball, two at his position. “Obama could’ve started for anyone else in the State,” McLachlin stated, and as a young Coach at the time, Coach McLachlin later reflected that he wished he’d handled the situation a little differently. Obama devoted countless hours to basketball (and he still does) and along the way his gift was neatly wrapped in the knowledge that in dealing with his disappointment he development an amazing discipline, and a humility that shines through greatly. At a 25-year reunion at Punahou in 2004, Obama addressed a packed house of which an older, wiser McLachlin was in attendance. “Coach,” Obama said, “maybe I really wasn’t as good as I thought I was.” It was clear that in retrospect, Obama and McLachlin both realized his value to that team, even if it wasn’t in the manner that President elect Obama wished it would’ve been. But, Obama’s revelation was that in a team-oriented endeavor, which pretty much sums up everything in life, it’s not about you. From second-string forward, to US Senator, to our next President, President Obama has once again proven that good habits on the field, translate to good habits off the field. And now, Barack ‘Barry’ Obama doesn’t play second-string to anybody, while remaining a great team player. (c) 2009 Novi
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