Clan-Members » Shane Prince and Alan Quine were both impressive in the pla

WASHINGTON -- With the clock running out, President Obama took one last shot.The man who spent the morning of his historic election eight years ago playing basketball spent some time on his way out of the White House to pay homage to two of the sports all-time greats.Tuesday was about much more than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Michael Jordan, of course. Obama used his last presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony to honor 21 high-achieving Americans, from the woman whose computer programming enabled the Apollo program to land on the moon to the singers who have provided the soundtrack to our lives.?But through his selections, Obama placed two basketball players on the same level as all of them. It was the final salute to the sport from an administration that has embraced it more than any other White House occupant.And after Obama vocalized his appreciation for each and every honoree, be it actor or architect, then draped medals around their necks -- and with the teleprompter turned off -- Obama took a turn toward the personal.These are folks who have helped make me who I am, Obama said.Unlike the software of Bill Gates or even the songs of Bruce Springsteen, incorporating sports stars into American life is more optional than necessary. But if you care about basketball, Kareem and MJ were practically mandatory.If you play the game, at some point youve probably laced up a pair of Air Jordans or dreamed of supplanting Abdul-Jabbar as the NBAs all-time leading scorer. Still, it wasnt just their athletic accomplishments alone that led them to that stage in the White House East Room on Tuesday. And no, it wasnt about their forays into acting, even though Obama felt compelled to shout out Jordans movie Space Jam and Abdul-Jabbars role in Airplane even as they sat with such distinguished actors as Robert De Niro, Tom Hanks and Robert Redford.These medals are about impact. True American excellence.After Obama rolled off the litany of Jordan references that require no more explanation -- like 63 in the Garden, the shots over Ehlo and Russell and even the Crying Jordan meme -- he got down to the indisputable truth.There is a reason you call somebody The Michael Jordan of... Obama said. Because Michael Jordan is the Michael Jordan of greatness. He is the definition of somebody who is so good at what they do that everybody recognizes it. Thats pretty rare.Of Abdul-Jabbar, Obama said The reason we honor Kareem is more than just a pair of goggles and a skyhook. He stood up for his Muslim faith when it wasnt easy, and it wasnt popular. Hes as comfortable sparring with Bruce Lee as he is advocating on Capitol Hill, or writing with extraordinary eloquence about patriotism. Physically, intellectually, spiritually, Kareem is one of a kind: An American who illuminates both our most basic freedoms and our highest aspirations.Serious praise for someone known primarily as a basketball player, and likewise a banner day for the sport. Sometimes it takes the White House to make you realize how much basketball matters. On my first visit there in 1997 to see Bill Clinton honor the 1996 champion Chicago Bulls, the post-ceremony throng around Jordan was larger than the group waiting on Clinton. I shook Clintons hand that day; never got within shouting distance of MJ. Yes, it was easier to get next to the president of the United States than next to Jordan.Basketball mattered on Tuesday, as much as any other endeavor. Its worth noting that the sport also accounted for two of the four African-American honorees, along with entertainers Diana Ross and Cicely Tyson. It was like the Jay-Z line: All us blacks got is sports and entertainment.We can examine and discuss the lack of opportunities afforded African-Americans in nearly every other avenue. Its not an issue in basketball. Tuesday was a reward to the sport as much as it was a tribute to the medal recipients, as well as a reminder of the profound impact the game had on the first African-American president. China Shoes Free Shipping . Westbrook has missed 27 games since having a procedure on Dec. 27 to deal with swelling in his injured right knee — the third operation on the knee in nine months. Cheap Shoes From China . The All-Pro lineman got the leg bent under him while trying to make a tackle during the first half of a 22-20 overtime loss at Miami on Thursday night. The medical staff initially thought hed torn the ligament, and the test a day later in Cincinnati confirmed it. https://www.chinashoesshop.com/ . PAUL, Minn. China Shoes Cheap . -- Running backs Darren McFadden and Rashad Jennings were back at practice for the Oakland Raiders on Wednesday despite being hampered by hamstring injuries. Fake China Shoes . LOUIS -- Attorneys for the St. The New York Islanders fit into that uncomfortable category of Geez, Im not really sure if theyre a team on the rise or just going in an ever-expanding circle. After making their second consecutive playoff experience and winning their first playoff series since 1993 last spring -- a six-game victory over the Atlantic Division champion?Florida Panthers?-- the Islanders cant afford to take a step back.The problem is, theres no real tangible indication this team is any better than it was last spring -- and, in fact, theres some widespread belief that it already might have regressed after losing key pieces Kyle Okposo, Frans Nielsen and Matt Martin.In a division in which everyone else seems to be on the rise, thats not good news. And if the Isles really arent poised to build on last seasons successes, how does that impact captain John Tavares, whose contract ends after the 2017-18 season? He already is the subject of no small amount of rumor vis-a-vis his next port of call.And thats all on the ice. Off the ice, the Islanders will begin their second season in Brooklyn still very much needing to clarify their long-term future at Barclays Center after a first year that can only charitably be called an up-and-down one in their new home.Biggest new facesIt is still more than a little mystifying why the Islanders decided early on that they werent going to re-up Okposo, who signed with the?Buffalo Sabres, but were willing to basically give a similar contract to Andrew Ladd, who is almost two years older. Ladd, who signed a seven-year deal worth $38.5 million, is a two-time Stanley Cup champion and the former captain of the Winnipeg Jets. Hell be a welcome addition to the Islanders locker room, but its a stretch to see him as a 30-goal guy. And the term of the deal (seven years) looks like itll be a killer -- and maybe sooner than later.Joining Ladd up front will be Jason Chimera, who is coming off a nice run in Washington -- although at some point the hard-skating 37-year-old is going to run out of gas, isnt he? Speaking of older players, 35-year-old?Dennis Seidenberg?parlayed a nice turn with Team Europe at the World Cup of Hockey into a one-year deal with the Islanders, whom hell help out on the blue line. But there was a reason why Seidenberg ddidnt fit with the?Boston Bruins, who were looking to get younger and more mobile on defense.ddddddddddddiggest unknownsWith Okposo and Nielsen (who signed with the?Detroit Red Wings)?gone, thats 116 points out of last years lineup that has to be replaced if the Isles are to continue flirting with being a top-10 offensive team (they were 11th last season). Ladd and Chimera will bring some offense, but which of the kids will step forward? Ryan Strome went from 17 goals two years ago to eight last season and was a healthy scratch at times in the playoffs. Josh Bailey, the ninth overall pick in the 2008 entry draft, has never hit the 20-goal plateau. He had 12 goals last season and just one in the playoffs. Shane Prince and Alan Quine were both impressive in the playoffs but have little NHL experience, while another top prospect, center Mathew Barzal, has impressed at camp for the second straight year.As for the goaltending, itll be interesting to see how the story unfolds this year after Thomas Greiss took over for an injured Jaroslav Halak and was excellent in guiding the Isles to the upset of the Panthers in the first round. Halak is healthy and was clutch for Team Europe, which he helped guide to the World Cup of Hockey finals. But the issue with Halak, as always, is durability -- and it would surprise no one if the Isles have to patch together their goaltending as the season moves along.Sure thingsWell, theres John Tavares. And thats as sure as it gets for the Islanders. He probably doesnt get the attention that guys like Jonathan Toews, Sidney Crosby or even Ryan Getzlaf do, but Tavares is one of the premier two-way centers in the game and works tirelessly to make himself the most complete player he can be. He was terrific playing out of position for Team Canada, which tells you how humble he is, and he will continue to set the tone in the dressing room for an Islanders team that he basically carried single-handedly into the second round last spring.PredictionLots of teams are trending north in the Metropolitan Division. Im just not sure the Islanders are one of them. Seventh in the Metropolitan Division. ' ' '