By Mark Lassiter

In the race to fill the seat formerly held by Ted Kennedy (D-MA), Scott Brown came from behind to upset the heavily favored Democrat, Martha Coakley. Republicans rejoiced at Mr. Brown’s election as a game changer that would allow them to sustain filibusters despite a united Democratic majority. Conservatives crowed and the media immediately started prognosticating about his presidential prospects for 2012. Democrats were ridiculed and left to wonder where they went wrong.

Unfortunately, for the Friends at Fox News who fawned over a miniature Scott Brown action figure, in one of his first votes, Brown was the first Republican to cross party lines and go off script to help Democrats overcome a potential Republican filibuster of President Obama’s $15B jobs bill. Since that bold decision, Brown has been experiencing a backlash for going against the conservative constituents who supported his campaign with the hope he would not think for himself.

Many people are oblivious to the stone-cold fact that male bonding over sports trumps any politic. President Barack Obama is an avid sports fan who enjoys pickup basketball games with his personal assistant and former Duke player, Reggie Love. Scott Brown earned a nickname at Tufts for his long range jump shot. The Associated Press reported Wednesday that Brown’s office floated the idea of holding a charity game in Springfield, Mass., considered the birthplace of basketball. The Mayor of Springfield has already sanctioned the event. A White House spokesman told the Associated Press they are open to the possibility.

If Scott “Downtown” Brown and “The Big O” (with a sincere apology to Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson) consider practicing for their charity game together, they cannot violate party boundaries or be seen in public. Their clandestine practice session would sound something like this:

Somewhere in The White House

Obama: Let’s make this quick, I have a conference call on Afghanistan, a sit-down with Rahm, bagels and coffee with Schwarzenegger, Gibbs wants his fifteen minutes, Michelle needs me to walk the dog with the girls and your Republican buddies are waiting for a private huddle to bust my chops on health care, all before 10AM.

Brown: Republican buddies? The only people I care about are the hard working people of Massachusetts, thank you.

Obama: Glad you could make over here this early. You can take the ball out first.

Brown: Did I mention you did a great job with the court installation? Only one problem, what is up with the extra security to get in here? I had to show three forms of photo ID.

Obama: Sorry about that. Jordan has been hogging court time with Pippen and Rodman. The guys from the Secret Service have even been caught sneaking in ringers to compete in the lunch club league. Last week they tried to disguise Doctor J as a front gate security guard. We’ll play to eleven.

Brown: Okay, first one to eleven, by two. Hey, have you been checking out North Carolina this season? It looks like your NCAA darlings from last season won’t make it out of the ACC.

Obama: The Tarheels are struggling. But not so much as your former adoring fans at CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference) and the Tea Party trying to explain your vote on the jobs bill.

Brown: Don’t get me started on that.

Obama: Heck, Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is moonwalking away from any discussion of your independent stand faster than you can say Michael Jackson. He’s “happy” to have you here?

Brown: Tell me about it.

Obama: You went from action figure hero to “Benedict Brown” in less than two weeks. That has got to be some kind of record. Hey, nice shot! Check!

Brown: Get real. Most of those people conveniently forget that I’m pro-choice.

Obama: What kind of feedback are you getting?

Brown: My facebook page is blowing up with people calling me Judas and a “sellout.” The whole “YOU LIED” thing is getting stale though. On the other hand, there are a lot more socially conscious people thanking me for my vote. You see any of the Olympics?

Obama: Of course I watched the Olympics. I watched that Curling thing. I don’t understand it, but it looks like fun. Those sweepers work harder than you did for that Playgirl spread of yours back in 1988. Oh, did you need this? (stealing ball) Too late!

Brown: Nice shot. Do you mind not saying that every time you take a shot?

Obama: My high school teammates in Hawaii needed to feel the whole black thing was authentic, so I played along to protect my (cough) street cred. By the time I got to Harvard Square it came in handy for the pickup games over at Tufts.

Brown: Oh wow, you played ball there? You ever run into my Tufts classmate Sweet Lou Phillips? Now, HE had game.

Obama: Sweet Lou was legendary. I made it over there every Saturday because the courts were free and the games were a nice diversion when I wasn’t making unauthorized weekend trips over to Wellesley. Michelle despised those Wellesley girls.

Brown: When did you find time to study?

Obama: Study? I learned everything I needed to know by the time I left Hawaii. Nice shot by the way. What do you think of Iverson leaving the Sixers?

Brown: I hope his daughter is okay. You know I feel him on that. If either of my girls was hurting I would walk away from it all in a heartbeat. Hey, watch the holding…

Obama: No doubt. Sorry about that scratch. So what you have up today?

Brown: People are already sweating me up big time on the health care thing, but you know what? I’m going to do something really crazy. I see myself as a political free agent until I run for your job in 2012.

Obama: Speaking of free agents… ‘Mr America’s Sexiest Man of 1982’ (laughing), I commissioned the White House art department do some hilarious Photoshop work on that old Cosmo photo of yours. We have already sent the digital proofs to a printing company in Detroit that specializes in super-sized four color billboards. They received a huge stimulus grant.

Brown: Gee thanks.

Obama: (laughing) Don’t mention it. I expect you to play tough defense every day you are in office. I’ve learned quickly that the district is no place for crybabies.

Brown: You forget I’m just a guy from Wrentham, Mass., who drives a truck. People had been saying “no way” to the Red Sox for nearly a century. The way I figure it, if Boston can beat the Yankees to win a World Series, anything is possible. Hey, you got elected, didn’t you?

Obama: (playing hack-a-Brown defense) Good point.

Brown: You want to have lunch sometime?

Obama: That would be like Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier driving from New York to Philadelphia together before their first title fight. But I will say this… the hot dogs at Fenway Park may get a lot of pub, but you gotta try the half smokes over at Ben’s Chili Bowl.

Brown: I’ve been meaning to get over to Ben’s. One of my staff members was also telling me about Eatonville, right around the corner on 14th Street. How is it?

Obama: Try the creole gumbo and the collard greens. Know what? I would welcome the competition of a campaign against you. By the time Tina Fey started talking like Palin and people started to wise up to how ancient McCain was, it just wasn’t that much of a race. What’s the count?

Brown: Ten eight, your way.

Obama: Okay. I hate to say this but… (leans over, raises up and puts shoulders down to drive hard towards the rim, takes two dribbles, pulls up and makes a short jump shot) “too late!”

Brown: Nice left hand, Mr. President.

Obama: Same time next Wednesday?

Brown: Wednesday works. I’ll use the back exit.

Obama: Tell the girls I said hello.

Back in the day, when he worked in Boston, Mark Lassiter hooped in the Tufts University gym on Saturdays.