America's Team: The All- Presidential Coach & 6th Man

Time to finish up the All Presidential Team.

Coach

For our team's coach we want someone with experience. The best coaches are the ones who have been there, but are stopped from competing at the highest level by extenuating circumstances like age, size, or talent. So we'll go with a great American president who would be unable to compete on our basketball team because of a disability. Franklin Delano Roosevelt was an officer in the Navy, but was crippled by Polio as president.

His leadership saw our country through the Depression and the Second World War, and we're betting he could see our team through its tough times as coach. The guy knows strategy, knows how to bring a team together, and knows how to defeat an opponent. He also had by far the most experience as president, and stayed on a little past his prime (the hallmark of many great coaches). Yup, he's the perfect fit.

FDR's stats:

32nd President (1933-1945)
Height: 6' 1"
School: Harvard (3 of our 7 spots are taken by Harvard undergrads; 6 US presidents went to Harvard undergrad)
Party: Democrat

6th Man

For those of you who don't know, basketball's 6th man is the guy off the bench who is brought in to provide a spark to the team. In many cases he's as good (if not better) than some of the starters, but for some reason just performs better as a substitute. He's best when called upon to fill in for a starter, when a star player goes down the 6th man steps in and doesn't miss a beat.

That's why America's Team is rounded out with Harry Truman as our 6th man. Truman succeeded FDR in 1945, and was constantly underestimated by the media and the public.

Truman came to power basically by accident. FDR wanted to run for an unheard of 4th term, but needed the support of Congress to do so. In return, Congress demanded to handpick FDR's vice president. Truman was the only name they could agree on- basically because he was so unknown. He was called "average" Harry, because of his height and because he didn't go to college (he couldn't see well enough for West Point and was too poor for other schools). Truman was a product of a St. Louis political machine, meaning he was a shill for interested parties in the city. In fact, he's probably the most successful shill in US history.

Yet when Truman got into office, he showed the guts and smarts of a great president. Truman was brought off the bench, and stepped into the spotlight like a champ. Today he's revered for his decisiveness and foresight.

Harry S (his middle name was the letter only) Truman's stats:

33rd President (1945- 1953)
Height: 5' 8"
School: William Chrisman High School
Party: Democrat

So there we have it. Here's America's Team:

Point Guard: George Washington
Shooting Guard: John Kennedy
Small Forward: Teddy Roosevelt
Power Forward:Lyndon Johnson
Center: Abraham Lincoln
Coach: Franklin Roosevelt
6th man: Harry Truman

America's Team: The All- Presidential Center

Time to round out the starting 5 with the center. The man in the middle. The big man. You can talk about MJ, Dr. J, and all the other great guards in basketball history, but the sport has always been a big man's game. And the man who was probably our best president was also our tallest.

"Honest" Abe Lincoln saved our Union, wrote and delivered the best presidential speech ever, freed the slaves and had a dominating sky hook. Okay, well he didn't perfect the hook like Kareem, but he rose from a backwoods, country lawyer born in a log cabin, to possibly the greatest American ever.

Here's how War and Peace author, Leo Tolstoy put it:

"The greatness of Napoleon, Caesar or Washington is only moonlight by the sun of Lincoln. His example is universal and will last thousands of years... He was bigger than his country-- bigger than all the Presidents together... and as a great character he will live as long as the world lives."

Is there any question that if this guy balled, he'd be a dominant center? He's Shaq, Kareem, Wilt and Bill Russell put together.

Abe's stats:

16th President (1860-1865)
Height: 6' 4 1/2"; 6' 10" with the hat
School: Hard knocks (self- taught)
Party: Republican

Here's the All- Time Presidential starting basketball line-up:
Point Guard: George Washington
Shooting Guard: John Kennedy
Small Forward: Teddy Roosevelt
Power Forward:Lyndon Johnson
Center: Abraham Lincoln

But we're not done yet! The all time team still needs a coach and a 6th- man coming off the bench. So check back soon and see who fills out the roster.

America's Team: The All-Presidential Power Forward

Here we go, time to pick the Power Forward of our all- presidential team. But first, let's do a recap of our team so far:

Point Guard: George Washington. The Father of Our Country, we picked America's first general as our floor general, because of his selflessness and impressive stature.

Shooting Guard: JFK. He takes the two guard spot because the man could flat out score... and he wasn't a bad athlete, either.

Small Forward: Teddy Roosevelt. He wasn't the biggest, but he had the energy and will to be a force.


That brings us to the Power Forward spot... which requires two things: size and the power to intimidate, a la Larry Bird. He's got to grab rebounds, score the ball, and usually lock down the opposition's big man on D.

So we're going with the one and only LBJ- Lyndon Johnson.

LBJ's Stats:

36th President (1963-1969)
Height: 6' 4"
School: Texas State University-San Marcos
Party: Democrat

Johnson was known as the "Master of the Senate" because he basically ran that body as his personal club. He used his imposing presence to physically intimidate other members. He could often be seen bringing a Congressman to a corner, towering over him and peering down in an effort to secure his vote. And it usually worked. Johnson was a Type- A personality if there ever was one ("I don't get ulcers, I give them!"). As a pol he used his size and power to get the job done, we'll bet he'd do it on the court, too.

America's Team: The All-Presidential Small Forward

Our quest to shape the nation's ultimate basketball team out of its 43 presidents continues...

Today, we tackle the small forward position. The three spot is usually taken by a bruiser, someone a bit undersized, but with the tenaciousness and toughness to grab rebounds and play good defense. The ability to knock down the open jump shot, or take the ball to the hole is also necessary. Think Charles Barkley.

That's why we're going with the original rough rider, Teddy Roosevelt. TR was average height for his day (about 5' 8") but was powerfully built, and, despite being sickly as a child, developed into a good athlete, outdoors man, and soldier. He also showed his toughness by busting the oil and railroad trusts that dominated the late 19th century, and threatened American liberty.

Roosevelt is commonly acknowledged as being the most energetic figure of his era, which can probably be attributed to his extreme coffee habit (he drank about a gallon a day).

TR's Stats:

Height: 5' 8"
Weight: fluctuated, but about 190 lbs.
School: Harvard
Party: Republican
Nickname: TR, Teddy

So, our Presidential line up looks like this:

Point Guard: George Washington
Shooting Guard: John F. Kennedy
Small Forward: Theodore Roosevelt

America's Team: The All-Presidential Shooting Guard

Yesterday, SAM debuted a new segment: Compiling the greatest basketball team out of our 43 Presidents. We did point guard yesterday, so today it's on to two guard (or shooting guard).


Yesterday we cast George Washington as our point guard, largely because the general's selflessness would allow him to distribute the ball and make the team better.

But at the end of the day, you gotta put the ball in the basket. So our two- guard has got to do some scoring for us.

That's why we're going with (who else?) JFK.

There have been many presidents with solid (ah-hem) scoring ability, but Kennedy was the MJ of Presidential scoring. The rumors about his prowess are legendary (from Marilyn Monroe and beyond).

Also, remember, although Kennedy was plagued by health problems later in life, did letter in football in college.

Kennedy's stats:
35th President (1961- 1963)
School: Harvard
Height: 6'

So here's where we stand with America's Team:

Point Guard: George Washington
Shooting Guard: John Kennedy

America's Team: The All-Presidential Point Guard

This is an exercise I started doing when bored in class back in high school (so I've had a lot of practice): to make the ultimate basketball team out of our 43 presidents. Now, let's make it official. SAM Online is going to pick the starting 5 of America's ultimate basketball team. Each day we'll try to tackle another position.

Today, let's start at the top, the 1 spot: Point Guard.

Our pick: George Washington

Stats:
1st President (1789-1797)
Party: Unaffiliated
Height: 6' 2"

Obviously we were going with a general here, because a point guard (or "floor general") has to lead his troops into basketball- battle. But when it comes to presidents there are a lot to choose from: Andrew Jackson, Zachary Taylor, Dwight Eisenhower, US Grant. But is there any doubt which general will serve as America's one guard?

Standing at 6' 2" in the 17th century, GW would bring Magic Johnson- like versatility to the position. And then there's the key to any good point guard-- selflessness. A great point guard makes everyone around him better. He's not worried about piling up his own stats, but getting the wins and improving the team.

That's why GW is perfect. Washington served two very successful terms as president. He was the most famous and loved person in the new country, and could have served in its highest office for the rest of his life. Most of the country wanted him to, and nothing in the Constitution stopped him. But then he did the ultimate, and walked away.

When word of Washington's planned abdication reached England's King George III, the King whom Washington's Continental army had defeated in the American Revolution, said: "If he does that, he will truly be the greatest person in the world."

Power wasn't simply handed over like that, it changed hands through revolution and coups (and usually still does). But Washington proved his selflessness, and established a precedent of withdrawl every subsequent president followed (save the Roosevelts).

Unselfish play, leadership, and a big frame. George Washington: America's father and Point Guard on America's team.