It occurred to me as I was writing my initial post that I have a book that is titled signifin{g}, santifin,' & slam dunking: A Reader In African American Expressive Culture {Gina Dagel Capon, ed.; University of Mass. Press, 1999}.

I had never read the chapters in the section on "Sports And The Public Displays Of The Body". Here's one excerpt from an essay in that section:

Michael Jordan {MJ}: I love jazz. I love mellow music. I love David Sanborn. Love Grover Wshington, Jr. Rap...it's okay for some people, But huh-uh. Not in my house.

John Wideman {JW}: Do you listen to Miles Davis?

MJ: Yeah.

JW: He talks about his art in a new biography he wrote with Quincy Troupe. When Miles relates jazz to boxing, I also hear him talking about writing, my art, and basketball, yours.

MJ: I know what you're saying.

JW: Right. There's a core of improvisation, spontaneity in all African American arts.

MJ: I'm always working to put surprises, something new in my game.Improvisation, spontaneity, all that stuff".

John Edgar Wideman, "Michael Jordan Leaps The Great Divide}, p. 397

-snip-

It probably wasn't coincidental that one of 277 that were posted to that Bryant Gumbel/Barack Obama interview video was one which succiently mentioned Miles Davis, jazz, and boxing. I didn't get what the poster was saying when I read that comment. Apparently, other people didn't either, as if I remember correctly he {or she} had 4 thumbs down for that comment. I didn't give that comment any points either way. I'mma go back there and give that comment a thumbs up.