Obama Refers to High School Recruits as Draft Picks

Obama Refers to High School Recruits as Draft Picks

On Tuesday, the day before National Signing Day, President Barack Obama called Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and general manager Ozzie Newsome to congratulate them about winning the Super Bowl and confused “recruits” with “draft picks” and referred to the Alabama Crimson Tide as “the Crimson.”

“You’re gonna take credit for the Crimson as well as the Ravens,” Obama said, perhaps momentarily confusing the Crimson Tide with the Crimson of Harvard, where Obama went to law school.

Obama also referred to high school recruits as draft picks.  

“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,” Obama said to Newsome, who played football at Alabama. 

Obama was referencing high school recruit Reuben Foster, who got a tattoo of Auburn on his arm before eventually committing to Alabama, when talking to Newsome, the Hall of Fame tight end who played football at Alabama before starring for the Cleveland Browns. 

Newsome said Foster did the same thing he did and it “happens all the time down there.”

“It only counts on Signing Day,” Newsome said. 

Obama also said he was moved by O.J. Brigance’s story, joked that Harbaughs do not take time off, and commended the Harbaugh parents. Brigance is the former Ravens football player who is suffering from ALS and is in a wheelchair. He has been an inspiration to Baltimore’s football team. Baltimore’s Ed Reed gave Brigance the game ball from the team’s AFC title win. 

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