Playing the Field: Obama hates the Jets, NBC sucks at the Olympics

We’ve never hidden our hatred of politics, nor our love of Barry Obama in this space. Yes, it is a strange dichotomy how that works out but whatever.

It’s not that we care much about Barry’s politics, it’s more that we respect his sports knowledge and can’t wait to hear his breakdown of James Harden getting his ankles broken in Team USA’s 83-point win Thursday. (Mr. President, if you are reading this — and we know you’re not — please grant us an interview!) Alas, that will have to wait. For now, the POTUS is chiming in on Tim Tebow and the Jets. Here’s what he told 97.1 WBNS-FM in Columbus, Ohio.

“I don’t like the idea of a quarterback controversy at the start of a season,” Obama said. “So if I was a Jets fan, I’d be pretty nervous.”

Translation: The Commander-in-Chief thinks the Jets are going to suck. Sorry, you’ve been served Rex Ryan. Maybe you can ask for a presidential pardon if you ever win the Super Bowl.

NBC deserves the death penalty

Why is NBC allowed to broadcast the Olympics?

They have faltered at every step in their pathetic attempt to showcase the world’s best athletes. First of all, they refuse to air the events live, as they are unfolding, on air. Yes, you can view them online. Yes, you can watch them seven hours after the fact … but you can’t just crack open a can of brew, turn on the TV and watch them in your underwear — much to the chagrin of housewives and unemployed sportswriters everywhere who were trying to watch Gabby Douglas make history.

Speaking of gymnastics, NBC carefully edited out Russian gymnast Ksenia Afanasyeva falling on her face in order to create more suspense during Tuesday’s team all-around. An NBC spokesman claimed the edit was “in the interest of time.” OK, so you want to save time? Then cut out Bob Costas’ “final essay” at the end of each night’s show.

Speaking of Costas, after the man of a thousand words gave a speech about Gabby Douglas and breaking down racial barriers in gymnastics, NBC decided that was the perfect time to show an advertisement featuring a monkey doing … wait for it … gymnastics.

Wow. So add racism to NBC’s failed Olympic coverage nightmare. Just don’t criticize them or you’ll be banned from Twitter. Your move, NBC, my Twitter handle is mike_greger