So what was keeping Steelers linebacker James Harrison from visiting President Obama in the White House? Is he secretly a closeted black Republican in an NFL that had multiple players openly endorse Obama during the prior season? Nope. Is he opposed to Obama’s stance on torture, or Guantanamo, or the bailout for American automakers?

(Much more effective than a play-action pass in avoiding Harrison.)

Not at all. No, Harrison is just deathly afraid of flying - so much so that he doesn’t think a flight of a couple hours that isn’t absolutely required by his job is worth taking, even if it means he’ll get face time with the most powerful man in the world as soon as he touches down.

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Jason King of YAHOO SPORTS writes on the traveling travails of Kenny George, the 7-foot-7 center for UNC Asheville.

When the Bulldogs hit the road, the team bus has to take out two seats to let Kenny stretch his legs. He could try to drive himself to game, but he doesn’t have a license - because he’s too big to fit behind the wheel of a car.

When the Bulldogs rest up the night before a game, Kenny has to sleep diagonally on the hotel beds. Even his schoolwork is affected by his big frame, as he often has to sit on classroom floors because he’s too big for the chairs.

George laments, “There are times that I wish I weren’t so tall.” But things are looking up, so to speak.

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WHY THE BIG RUSH TO GET BACK TO BUFFALO ANYHOW?: WTAM-AM in Cleveland reports on the lost weekend for the Buffalo Bills. First the Bills were eliminated from playoff contention with an 8-0 loss to Cleveland in a blizzard.

After the game, because of the snow, their flight home to Buffalo was canceled. Then Monday morning, their chartered plane could not take off because it got stuck in the mud at Hopkins International.Airport Director Fred Szabo indicated “the Delta pilot was making his way from a runway to a taxiway when the pilot took a turn too wide. That put a wheel and nose of the plane into the mud. The wheels sunk about a foot into the soft ground.”

Time to Go Greyhound!

Why the big rush to get back to Buffalo anyway? Oh, we forgot, they were in Cleveland. And we suppose it could be worse, they could’ve been returning to Detroit.

ROMO’S L.A. TRIP ENDS WITH SAYONARA VIA SOUTHWEST: Doesn’t being the star QB for the Dallas Cowboys and jaunting with Jessica Simpson mean anything to the FAA?

In one of the great indignities of modern transportation times, Tony Romo was caught flying commercial.TMZ clears the runway with video of Burlington High’s very own NFL stud hoofing it through the terminal entrance and security area of Los Angeles International Airport.

On the way to L.A., Romo was able to snag a seat with Simpson on a private jet taking off from Dallas’ Love Field (how apt).

But for his return to the Big D on Sunday, Tony was flying solo, having to schlep around LAX with the coach-class commoners.

Part of the reason may be that the Cowboys QB couldn’t afford an expensive trip back. Bill Zwecker of the CHICAGO SUN-TIMES notes that the Romo-antic has been spending like crazy on gifts for his latest female “friend”.Items have reportedly ranged from “corny little figurines he picks up at the drugstore to Baccarat crystal vases ‘filled with gorgeous red roses’ to pieces of jewelry (a pearl and gold pin and a ‘fun’ sports watch, but no ring so far).”

With such extravagances eating into his flight finances, no wonder he’s looking so bummed in these snapshots.

THANK GOD THEY WEREN’T DELIVERING LITTLE CAESARS: The ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH reports on the wonderful week the Detroit Red Wings have been enjoying: “First the Red Wings lost to the St. Louis Blues 4-3 at Scott Trade Center. Then as their team plane taxied to take off from St Louis Downtown Airport about 12:30 a.m. today, the pilot cut a turn a little short and put one of the main gears in the mud.”

Because it was so late and the flight was out of the small downtown airport in St. Louis, there was no maintenance crew on hand to tow the plane out. So the Wings were forced to spend another night (drinking at Shannons) in St. Louis.The plane took off, team in tow, this morning.

WITH LEATHER’S JOINING THE MILE HIGH CLUB INEVITABLE: Recently we ran across this photo from October issue of CONTINENTAL, the Continental Airlines in-flight magazine. Now we here at SbB already were well aware of Chris Berman’s wild popularity on planes, but this really takes it to the next level.

In case you’re wondering what we’re talking about, go here, here and here for more on what the hell With Leather means. At some point, as the WL sports blog site slowly takes over the free world *crosses off Pakistan* the actual meaning of With Leather will probably fade.

But not if we have anything to do with it.

And memo to Boomer, lay off the Lager and Raspberry Chipotle Mayo from Quiznos. You’re going on Mangino on us, brah.UPDATE: Ufford at WL has the Continental rag mag piece link:

FILM FEATURING BRADY’S EX YANKED FROM PATS’ FLIGHT: Tom Brady. Superstar QB. Supermodel boy-toy. Super- sensitive film critic:

WBZ-TV reports that an in-flight movie on the New England Patriots’ plane was removed - because it contained scenes of Brady’s ex, Bridget Moynahan.The film, 2003’s “The Recruit”, had just started rolling as the team was making their way to Cincinnati. But as soon as the name of Brady’s baby mama popped up on screen, someone put a permanent pause to the presentation.

No word on what was shown in its place. If Bill Belichick was behind the projector, we’d guess it was “Cheaters“.