/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47687745/usa-today-8534803.0.jpg)
The President of the United States of America, the most powerful office in the entire world, sat down with writer Bill Simmons, who might have technically been unemployed at this point in time after the Grantland fiasco, to discuss life, sports, and everything in between. The interview has been published by GQ.
Simmons is the first to admit that President Barack Obama is one of the reasons why the former ESPN columnist felt discomfort with the Worldwide leader. Simmons was all set to get President Obama on his podcast back in 2008, but then ESPN bigwigs nixed the idea. Simmons eventually landed the interview four years later, but there was always that distaste for what played out.
Well, Simmons got to sit down with President Obama outside of the auspices of ESPN and the interview was pretty great. There was one part that Patriots fans would enjoy as Simmons' Boston fandom came out in full force:
BS: Baseball, football, basketball, all the commissioner jobs open up next year. Which one would you want?
BO: Well, I'm best suited for basketball. But I cannot believe that the commissioner of football gets paid $44 million a year.
BS: When you said, "I cannot believe...," I didn't know where you were going with that. Have you thought about calling Roger Goodell and being like, "What are you doing? Can I help you?" [Obama laughs.] "Can I give you some advice? Want to have dinner?"
BO: They're making a profit, and I think that's what the owners are most concerned with.
BS: So you think the owners like having him there?
BO: You're not going to drag me into your fights, man. Come on—I've got enough fights of my own. [laughs] This is between you and Roger.
C'mon, Barack. Easiest softball you're going to get in your presidency. Support sciences and education. Support athletics and team-building. Support the justice system and not-throwing-a-temper-tantrum-in-the-candy-aisle. Support healthy relationship and healthy lives.
"The science shows that nothing happened to the footballs and I think the league's pursuit in the courts, in juxtaposition with how it handles cases of domestic violence and head injuries, really portrays the NFL in a tone-deaf manner."
That's all you have to say. Pretty straight forward, makes you sound smart, nothing too fancy. You're not even taking a strong stance in one direction or another against an individual. It's a pretty down-the-middle statement.
Mr. President, if you want to agree with what I just posted, just send me a DM and I'll get the message out there. Thanks.