KRZXCBFYT$JKS4SKI ENDORISNG OBAMA?

By Luciana Chavez, Raleigh News & Observer:

Disclaimer: This is NOT a presidential candidate endorsement.

Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski simply acknowledged Friday he'd received congratulatory notes from Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama and Obama aide Reggie Love, a former Duke basketball and football player, after coaching the U.S. men's basketball team to the gold medal at the Beijing Olympics.

So, did Republican presidential candidate John McCain send one?

"I don't want to say that," Krzyzewski said. "I'm OK with anyone voting for whoever ... they want to vote for. And I'm not ever going to, while I'm coaching, throw my hat ... while it might help nationally, it would not help locally.

"If I say I was for somebody, locally, that guy or that woman would lose. No question about it. I'm cool with that. I like that, as a matter of fact."

Krzyzewski was tiptoeing carefully around that Duke-North Carolina rivalry pothole.
Remember, his Chapel Hill neighbor/nemesis Roy Williams took all kinds of grief for clearing the way for his players to practice with Obama at UNC several months ago.

Krzyzewski also got slammed when he hosted a fundraiser for U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, a Republican, at the Washington Duke Inn years ago.

"But Dean's out of it," Krzyzewski said, referring to former UNC coach Dean Smith. "I mean, not out of it. ... How can I say something different after that? I love Dean. I'm checking to see if I'm wearing my 'I love Dean' shirt today. ... No, you can't do that while you're coaching. I don't think it's a cool thing to do."

(K: Photo by Chuck Liddy, News&Observer, Roy: AP Photo by Jae C. Hong)