President Obama referenced Auburn-tattooed Alabama recruit Reuben Foster in a Super Bowl call
If there were any lingering doubts about just how pervasive high school sports have become in American pop culture, consider them answered by a single anecdote. On Tuesday evening, President Barack Obama made a reference to top linebacker recruit and unfortunate tattoo bearer Reuben Foster … while on a congratulatory Super Bowl call.
As reported by Al.com, the clear reference to Foster emerged from a conversation between Obama and Baltimore Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome and head coach John Harbaugh. Obama called Newsome in traditional fashion to congratulate him on the Ravens’ Super Bowl victory. The two chatted about football in general and the Super Bowl for a bit, then veered toward Newsome’s alma mater, the Alabama Crimson Tide.
That’s when Obama dropped this line, as evidenced by a recording of the call which you can see and hear video of right here.
"You guys just got another draft pick down there. A guy who already tattooed Auburn on his arm and then decided to go to Alabama instead.”
That is one heck of an up-to-date recruiting knowledge. At the time, Foster had been an Alabama commit for less than 24 hours. In fact, Prep Rally itself had covered Foster’s re-commitment to the Tide a mere 12 hours or so earlier.
Does this mean that the President is a recruitnik? Is he secretly skimming through Rivals.com prospect rankings in between security and economic briefings?
We may never know just how deep Obama’s prep recruiting knowledge and passion goes, but we do know that Newsome is in full support of Foster. In fact, he told the President that his own college decision followed the exact same path as Foster’s.
"He did the same thing I did," Newsome responded. "I committed to Auburn and I changed my mind. It happens all the time down there. It only counts on signing day."
At least Foster knows he’s in good company, foolish tattoo or not.
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College football video from Yahoo! Sports:
Other Signing Day content on Yahoo! Sports:
• National Signing Day winners and losers
• National Signing Day: Conference breakdown
• Signing of No. 1 prospect makes Ole Miss relevant again • Pat Forde: Vanderbilt stages a Signing Day worth celebrating
