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Athlete-Politicians

TheOldMole Nov 04 2006 03:56 PM

Is this a first? ]Heath Shuler is scrambling again, looking to his left and to his right. The former Redskins quarterback -- who hopes to represent western North Carolina in the 110th Congress next year -- is running against incumbent Charles H. Taylor, a Republican who has whipped every opponent in the past eight elections. An ex-athlete running as a Democrat?

Frayed Knot Nov 04 2006 04:07 PM

McMIllen (Tom?) the basketball player; member of the star-crossed '72 Olympic team plus some time in the pros IIRC, was a Democratic Congressman from Maryland. They used to like taking pictures of him (6' 11"-ish) next to Maryland Sen Barbara Mikulski (4' 11"-ish)

MFS62 Nov 04 2006 04:07 PM

Probably. I can't remember another. Later

Johnny Dickshot Nov 04 2006 04:28 PM

Bradley?

Valadius Nov 04 2006 04:52 PM

Indeed, Bill Bradley.

OlerudOwned Nov 04 2006 06:38 PM

http://www.stopshuler.com/ ]No, we are not residents of North Carolina's 11th District, nor could we pick it out on a map (it's up in the mountains, right?). No, we aren't working for any of Shuler's rivals. We simply are Redskins fans and we love the city of Washington. And quite frankly, both are better off since Heath left town, and we don't want him back. Hahaha.

DocTee Nov 04 2006 06:44 PM

Mario Cuomo, minor-leaguer and Democratic gov'nuh.

Edgy DC Nov 04 2006 10:34 PM

Plenty have run as democrats, I'm sure. Sherman "Roadblock" Jones was one.

RealityChuck Nov 05 2006 04:06 PM

Byron "Whizzer" White was a Democrat, and raised a lot of money for JFK, who appointed him to the Supreme Court.

Edgy DC Nov 05 2006 05:18 PM

Clearly, it takes a great nickname like Whizzer or Roadblock to run as an athletic Democrat. Although that only sorta qualifies, as White never held (or, as far as I know, ran for) elective office, though he did serve as Deputy Attorney General under Kennedy. Seeking to confirm that, I read up on White online, and found this tidbit: During World War II, White served as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Navy stationed in the Pacific Theatre. He wrote the intelligence report on the sinking of future President John F. Kennedy's PT-109. Wow! That would seem fishy even if it wasn't.

Nymr83 Nov 05 2006 05:24 PM

Ronald Reagan played college football, i'm sure plenty of male politicians have done so.

Edgy DC Nov 08 2006 09:47 AM

Heath Shuler (D, pro football) wins election to Cngress. Lynn Swann (R, pro football Hall of Fame) loses in his bid to become Pennsylvania's governor. Sen. Jim Bunning (R, MLB Hall of Fame) was not up for re-election. Tom Osborne (R, college football coach) had already lost in a gubernatorial primary in Nebraska. Jim Ryun (R, track and field) lost a re-eelection bid to the US Congress. Baron Hill (D, college basketball) wins re-election to Congress from Indiana.. Rick Renzi (R, college football) wins re-election to Congress from Arizona.. Angie Paccione (D, college basketball) failed to win a seat in the US Congress from Colorado. I believe she remains a state representative. Italo Zanzi (R, team handball) failed to win a seat in the US Congress from Long Island. I believe he reamans a guy with a cool name. Joe DeNucci (D, boxing) was re-elected as Massachusetts state auditor. Fred Hemmings (D, surfing) fran for re-election as a state senator in Hawaii. I can't find results. In family news, Sen. George Allen (R, son of the legendary football coach of the same name) looks like he lost his seat in the US Senate, but they're still counting. Mina Brees (D, mother of quarterback Drew Brees) was running for a spot on the Texas Appeals Court. I can't find the results Michael Steele (R, former brother-in-law of boxer Mike Tyson) lost in a bid to join the US Senate.

Rockin' Doc Nov 08 2006 06:17 PM

Sometimes it amazes me the information Edgy can dredge up on the internet. I swear, the next time my kids have a term paper to write for school, I know who to turn to if I can't find adequate information. I guess Lynn Swann and Tom Osborne are proof that name recognition and being beloved for your achievements in the athletic arena aren't enough to secure election to public office. Of course, running as Republicans in today's politcal arena didn't help their cause any.

TheOldMole Nov 08 2006 09:02 PM

Pro Bowl quarterback Drew Brees has threatened to sue his mom if she doesn’t stop using his likeness in her campaign commercials. New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees has asked his mother to stop using his picture in TV commercials touting her candidacy for a Texas appeals court. In commercials running on Austin stations, Mina Brees had been using a picture of her son in the uniform of his former team, the San Diego Chargers, to emphasize her ties to football. “I think the major point here is that my mother is using me in a campaign, and I’ve made it known many times I don’t want to be involved,” Drew Brees said Monday. Mina Brees, an Austin attorney, is running as a Democrat for a spot on Texas’ 3rd Court of Appeals. She said replacement commercials that omit any mention of her son were taped last week and sent to stations on Friday. She said she did not anticipate upsetting her son and that “everything in the ad was true.” She said her connection to football is relevant to her campaign because her father, a successful high school coach, used sports to teach her a strong work ethic that she would bring to the judicial bench. Drew Brees, who won a state football championship with Westlake High School in suburban Austin, said he got no response from his mother when he first heard about the ads and called her to ask that she stop using them. His agent sent her a letter Oct. 20 threatening legal action, he said. He called his relationship with his mother “nonexistent” after it crumbled six years ago when he refused to hire her as his agent. Mina Brees said her son’s allegations were a mischaracterization and that she had no intention of becoming his agent. “I love Drew very much, and I’m very proud of him. But sometimes when people are following a career path, they change,” she said.

Rockin' Doc Nov 08 2006 11:55 PM

The Brees household must be a barrel of laughs during the holidays.

DocTee Nov 09 2006 12:14 AM

]The Brees household must be a barrel of laughs during the holidays. Your all-American family. Ha ha ha

TheOldMole Nov 09 2006 08:23 AM

You gotta figure Drew isn't one of those guys on the sidelines mouthing "Hi Mom" at the TV cameras.

Iubitul Nov 09 2006 09:55 AM

Steve Largent (R) Oklahoma Congressman, 1994-2002

soupcan Nov 09 2006 10:02 AM

What no Schwarzenegger? The former professional body builder wins re-election as California Governator.

Edgy DC Nov 09 2006 10:04 AM

Um, sorry?

soupcan Nov 09 2006 10:04 AM

Frayed Knot wrote: McMIllen (Tom?) the basketball player; member of the star-crossed '72 Olympic team plus some time in the pros IIRC, was a Democratic Congressman from Maryland. They used to like taking pictures of him (6' 11"-ish) next to Maryland Sen Barbara Mikulski (4' 11"-ish) McMillen's wife was hot. I met them in a parking lot at Annapolis whilst tailgating prior to a Syracuse/Navy game in maybe '85 or '86. I suppose he was campaigning but she was more than happy to be hanging around with drunk, flirty fraternity boys and drinking our beer.

soupcan Nov 09 2006 10:08 AM

Edgy DC wrote: Um, sorry? Apology accepted.