K: Only joking about Obama bracket GREENSBORO — Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski wanted President Barack Obama to know he was joking when he said Obama should focus on the economy rather than picking an NCAA Tournament bracket.
So Krzyzewski's wife, Mickie, sent a text message to former Duke basketball player Reggie Love, who is Obama's personal assistant.
“Reggie texted back and said (Obama) wasn't offended,“ Krzyzewski said Friday. “Though some of the staff was concerned, because they always have to be concerned.”
Krzyzewski said he was misrepresented Wednesday on what he called a “throwaway line,” which he intended to be funny, on Obama picking North Carolina to win the NCAA Tournament in an ESPN.com bracket.
Krzyzewski said his wife and daughters were more upset than he was.
But Krzyzewski still sounded frustrated.
“People want at some times to create news, they don't want to report news,” Krzyzewski said Friday during his news conference to preview Duke's second-round NCAA Tournament game with Texas. “And in their zest to create, they tell quarter stories or tenth stories or 25 percent instead of telling the whole thing.”
Krzyzewski is known as a conservative politically and held a fundraiser for Republican Sen. Elizabeth Dole in 2002. Nonetheless, on Wednesday he was complimentary of the president.
“I love the guy, and I think he's going to be great,” he said.
Many media outlets didn't include that quote. Krzyzewski was disappointed with that and frustrated because his throwaway line was portrayed as serious by news outlets. He said Love texted Mickie Krzyzewski back to say Obama thinks Mike Krzyzewski is all right.
“Then she texted back and said, ‘Thanks,“' Krzyzewski said.
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