On Nov. 6, Americans will decide whether President Barack Obama will spend four more years in the White House or if former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney will succeed him.
Politics and sports have a history of coming together. Former President George W. Bush once owned Major League’s Baseball’s Texas Rangers. Bill Bradley played for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association before becoming a three-term senator from New Jersey. Track and field Olympian Jim Ryun represented Kansas’ 2nd congressional district from 1996-2007.
Football is like politics. In order to be successful, football teams and political campaigns both require winning strategies, disciplined management and controlled confidence.
Football has several historic political connections. According to Lombardi by David Maraniss, Richard Nixon considered making Green Bay Packers head coach Vince Lombardi his running mate in 1968 until he discovered Lombardi was a Democrat. Former Buffalo Bills quarterback Jack Kemp served in the House of Representatives, worked as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in George H.W. Bush’s administration and ran as the 1996 Republican Party vice presidential nominee. In 2009, President Obama appointment Pittsburgh Steelers chairman Dan Rooney as United States Ambassador to Ireland.
In honor of the drama and chaos of the campaign season and its connections to football, the Week 9 predictions theme is politics. Hopefully readers will find these predictions fair and balanced. However, it’s unlikely professional pollsters would endorse this blog’s prognostication method.
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Kansas City Chiefs (1-6) at San Diego Chargers (3-4)-Nov. 1-8:20 p.m.-NFL Network
Opinion polls predict a close election this year. History indicates a clear winner in this game. Since 1960, San Diego is 14-10 against Kansas City in president election years. Plus, the Chargers are 9-7 against the Chiefs in election years featuring an incumbent.
Bryan Paul’s Pick: San Diego
Pollock’s Pick: San Diego
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Arizona Cardinals (4-4) at Green Bay Packers (5-3)-Nov. 4-1 p.m.-Fox
President Obama is seeking to become the first Democrat to win reelection since 1996. The Packers are glad he wants four more years in office. In seasons a Democratic president seeks a second term, Green Bay is 60-38-4.
Bryan Paul’s Pick: Green Bay
Pollock’s Pick: Green Bay
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Denver Broncos (4-3) at Cincinnati Bengals (3-4)-Nov. 4-1 p.m.-CBS
Bob Dole resigned as Senate Majority Leader in 1996 to run for president as the Republican Party nominee. After losing the 1996 election, Dole retired from public service. The Broncos are glad he did. Since the 1996 election, Denver is 154-115. Cincinnati is 103-153-1.
Bryan Paul’s Pick: Denver
Pollock’s Pick: Denver
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Captain Clarky 