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Oh, That Joe! (No. 12 in a Series) -- Are You Ready for Some Football?
September 18, 2008 2:05 PM
Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., joked today that he decided to run for vice president when he realized he couldn't play professional football. But that's not stopping the senator from making the sport a prominent part of his campaign, as evidenced by his appearance at the Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.
"As a kid, you have all kinds of dreams," Biden said. "I dreamed that someday I'd get here to the Hall of Fame, I really did. Like a lot of kids who played ball and thought they were pretty good, I was hoping to be doing this as an inductee."
Referencing relatively diminutive former Philadelphia Eagle Tommy McDonald, Biden said, "I thought, if he can do it, I can do it, you know, and when I realized I couldn't do it, I decided I might as well run for vice president.
"Football has always been a big part of my life," Biden added, before telling the crowd a story about his debut as a fourth-grade half-back.
Let's just say it didn't go well.
"I got just sandwiched and knocked out cold," Biden recalled.
Before the speech, which took place -- literally, as Biden would say -- on a football field, the senator toured the hall for more than an hour with Joe Horrigan, the vice president for communications for the hall, and Stephen Perry, the president and executive director.
They first entered a room with busts of all the Hall of Famers.
Perry noted that many visitors say it feels like entering a church.
"It sure does," Biden agreed.
One of the busts that caught Biden's eye?
O.J. Simpson.
"Now there's a guy who ruined his life," Biden said. "But what an athlete."
Biden also looked at a display of players who were Vietnam War veterans.
A touching moment came when Biden saw an exhibit about one of these vets, former Pittsburgh Steeler Robert "Rocky" Bleier.
After the car incident that took the lives of Biden's wife and daughter in 1972, the Steelers flew Bleier to give a signed football to Biden's sons Hunter and Beau, who were recovering at the hospital.
Looking up at Bleier's jersey, Biden appeared to wipe away a tear.
Although Biden said he was a Steelers fan in a meeting with the team's coach Mike Tomlin on Aug. 29, he later said in a Sept. 8 visit to a Green Bay bar outside of Lambeau Field that he'd been a Packers fan since grade school.
Today, he added three more favorites to the list -- the Eagles, the Colts and the Giants.
As he looked at the jersey of former Philadelphia Eagle Reggie White, Horrigan said he had heard Biden was an Eagles fan.
Biden said yes, adding, "I used to be a Colts fan before they moved to Baltimore."
The loquacious Blue Hen said he stayed up late to watch the Monday night football game between the Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys.
"My wife is a die-hard Eagles fan, so we watch every Eagles game," Biden said. "Matter of fact, I was really tired Tuesday morning.
"I got up at five and started my first interviews at 6:40," said Biden, who appeared on four network TV morning shows that day. "So, I said, 'I've got a big day tomorrow,' I said, 'I've got to go to sleep,' I got in the room, started searching the channels and they were replaying the Eagles game and I watched the whole damn game, I don't know what time it was, two o'clock in the morning. I'm bleary-eyed and thinking, 'Where the heck's my speech?'"
But Biden then whispered, "I'm not allowed to say this, but I also like the Giants."
Spotting a bust of "Broadway" Joe Namath, Biden recalled, "I lost money on Joe Namath," referring to the Jets upset of the Colts in the 1969 Super Bowl. Biden also watched a video segment on Tommy McDonald, who played wide-receiver, even though he was only 5'9" and 176 pounds.
"This is why I thought I could play in the NFL," he said as he watched McDonald.
The announcer on the video said McDonald was small by NFL standards.
"By any standard," Biden said.
Biden began contemplating the size of current NFL players.
"Seriously, how many guys in the NFL today are over 300 pounds, run the 40 like guys who used to weigh 210 pounds?" Biden asked. "It's amazing! Jeez! God Almighty."
Biden approached the print pool reporter, Perry Bacon of the Washington Post.
"You look like you played some, man," Biden said.
"No," said Bacon, "I didn't."
Biden moved closer, tapped Bacon's upper chest and said, "you need to work on your pecs."
Biden reminisced about old-timers: Larry Csonka, Fran Tarkenton, Mike Ditka, and Gale Sayers, whom Biden recalled as "the most explosive man I ever saw in my life."
Later, in his speech, Biden referenced a speech from Sayers.
"Gale Sayers, he had a quote, he said, 'No matter how many yards I gain, whether it's three or 3,000, someone, someone had to make the block.'"
Biden said, "Well, folks, Americans don't want someone to run the ball for them. They just want their government to occasionally throw a block."
-- Jake Tapper and Matt Jaffe
September 18, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (81)
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Hmm.
Joe Biden tells Mike Tomlin he's a Steelers' fan, then tells another guy he's an Eagles' fan and another guy he's a Packers' fan.
Then he mentions he also like the Colts and the Giants.
Geez.
Sounds to me like the Pat Paulsen comedy routine when he was running for president. After landing in each airport, he would also say, "I love this place. I want to settle here some day."
Posted by: Mike Gibson | Aug 16, 2009 11:06:49 AM
Did anyone see that girl who scratched her face in a mirror and claims she was attacked, but the 'B' was scratched on backwards!!!
How far will they go, her facebook page admits it all now
Mind you, the poor girl is obviously a bit, em, confused. I do feel for her, she is only a 21 year old kid staffer and probably under alot of strain
Posted by: WhichWayIsUp | Oct 24, 2008 11:28:56 AM
I would consider a 21 year old a kid, that's what they were referred to at the time, in the 50's and 60's, by their parents, by the media, by everyone.
Film and record companies called 21 year olds kids, the Army still considered them kids compared to the 25 or 30 year olds.
My daughter is 21 and she is still a kid, my friends ask, how are the kids?
What exactly is your point with this?
Have you got a point?
I have a better question
Where are Sarah Palin's health records?
What is she hiding?
Posted by: WhichWayIsUp | Oct 24, 2008 11:20:32 AM
Ah, but this is all on the same page as McCain's inserting (local football team) into his politicized-but-otherwise-noble POW story...
It's all a bunch of minor verbal gaffes. What *does* matter is policy. We've got Obama/Biden willing to put their money where their mouths are - big though they may sometimes be - and really do something to fix what's been plaguing this country.
And you've got McCain and Palin, without a novel idea between them, trying to trick us into the same old Bush governing that's so damaged America over the last 8 years.
Oh, and in the meantime, they spend their time hiding McCain's choice of a horrendously unqualified VP candidate.
Yeah, Biden says stupid stuff... but so what? He's got a good head on his shoulders and the heart to go with it. And he'll help take this country in the right direction.
Posted by: Adam | Sep 24, 2008 1:18:22 AM
"8 YEARS OF REPUBLICANS DESTROYING THE MIDDLE CLASS IS MORE THAN ENOUGH."
Did I help destroy the middle class by moving to upper class?
Posted by: HaHA | Sep 20, 2008 2:42:37 AM
Two lawyers, just what we need to run the country.
Posted by: SmokeyT | Sep 19, 2008 7:32:27 PM
Joe Blow is at it again.
Posted by: WestCoastMessenger | Sep 19, 2008 9:16:07 AM
What did Biden mean when he said "I was a Colts fan until they moved to Baltimore"??
Is he senile or just dumb? The Colts moved from Baltimore to Indy.
Posted by: AJ Lynch | Sep 18, 2008 10:09:50 PM
Joe Biden is a 1980's movie character. He's that annoying guy who has the worst lines and usually makes everyone upset or at least disgusted with him.
He reminds me of Biff from back to the future.(Biff from the 1st film - when you are first introduced to his character)
I'm waiting for him to look at someone and say: "What are you looking at BUTT HEAD - Say hi to your mom for me"
Posted by: James | Sep 18, 2008 9:40:29 PM
You Obama supporters crack me up - You do realize you VP candidate just told a huge lie to try to impress his audience, and of course he over emphasized it for effect.
"When I was a kid I used to dream of getting in the Hall of Fame, I really did".
He was 22 years old when it opened. What a joke.
Posted by: oldspice | Sep 18, 2008 8:38:36 PM
A pathological liar and a serial plagiarist…Oh that Joe!
Posted by: oldspice | Sep 18, 2008 8:32:56 PM
What rambling! He makes McCain seems like a young man! What a ticket - all words and no depth!
Go McCain / Palin
Posted by: Beckie | Sep 18, 2008 7:43:14 PM
"As a kid, you have all kinds of dreams," Biden said. "I dreamed that someday I'd get here to the Hall of Fame, I really did. Like a lot of kids who played ball and thought they were pretty good, I was hoping to be doing this as an inductee."
Funny, he was 21 when the place was opened. He's a riot!
Posted by: Amos | Sep 18, 2008 6:29:32 PM
"Some of you need to re-evaluate your standards."
This from a guy who defends the racist musing of Rush Limbaugh.
Posted by: Ryan C | Sep 18, 2008 6:12:38 PM
I had to read it twice, but yeah, Joe said as a kid, he dreamed of getting to the Hall of Fame. Let's see. They broke ground in 1962. I believe Joe was about 20, a little late for that dream. He just can't help himself.
Posted by: Dreamer | Sep 18, 2008 6:12:17 PM
"Biden also looked at a display of players who were Vietnam War veterans."
Yeah, and if there's any justice in the world, Biden felt a massive pang of guilty conscience as he contemplated the five draft deferments he engineered to keep himself out of Vietnam.
Posted by: Chris Thorne | Sep 18, 2008 5:44:56 PM
That long conversation kind of reminds me of when I use to go on trips with my Grandparents. Lots of memories and lots of coulda, woulda, shoulda.
Joe Biden is 66, correct?
And, sorry Joe, paying more taxes is not patriotic. It is stupid.
Posted by: Zank | Sep 18, 2008 5:44:06 PM
What do you wanna bet that Joe's making up the entire football story?
Posted by: DelD | Sep 18, 2008 5:36:30 PM
LMAO!!!!!!!
This is great! Joe, the gaffe that keeps on giving! You know, they should put this election on a DVD! Especially Joe's gaffes. I feel like he is a perpetual SNL skit! LOL!
Posted by: freeus | Sep 18, 2008 5:25:41 PM
"Sorry guys, fear mongering doesn't work with either McCain or Obama. They are just canidates (sic). Vote for the issues or who you like most. Just don't let people here try and scare you into voting or not voting for someone."
Best post I've read this election season on this blog or any other. Bravo.
Posted by: hinky | Sep 18, 2008 5:23:54 PM
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