Thibodeau On Obama's Bulls Praise: 'He's Got My Vote'
By Cody Westerlund-
(CBS) President Barack Obama is bullish on the Bulls this season.
Obama believes that Chicago can beat rival Cleveland and star LeBron James in the playoffs this season if Bulls point guard Derrick Rose can stay healthy and perform at a high level, he told ESPN's Colin Cowherd in an interview Friday.
On top of that, Obama sang Chicago coach Tom Thiboeau's praises.
"The Cavs are starting to jell," Obama said. "I just like Thibodeau as a coach. The guy's tough. They play hard. (Joakim) Noah's a fighter. If Rose -- even if he doesn't come back to MVP level -- if he's playing at an All-Star level, I think the Bulls can beat the Cavs this year. You remember what happened with Miami when LeBron went down there the first time. There's something to be said for team chemistry."
Told about Obama's comments before Friday's game against the Blazers, Thibodeau joked, "He's got my vote."
Never mind that Obama can't run for a third term.
"I don't go that far," Thibodeau said of his prediction on Bulls-Cavs. "I'm just worried about tonight. We know he's a big fan, and we have a lot of respect for all that he's done. We certainly appreciate his support. It's great for our team."
In another Chicago reference, Obama gave an innocent-yet-telling quote on the Bears, who continued their season-long debacle Friday.
"The Bears haven't given me that much reason to want to watch a game," Obama told Cowherd. "The Bulls, I'm feeling more optimistic about."
