Obama plays one-on-one

When Sports Illustrated writer S.L. Price challenged Barack Obama to a one-on-one basketball showdown, he got an earful of tough talk -- from the Illinois senator’s wife.

“Don’t break his nose, give him a black eye or knock his teeth out. Or I’ll have to come find you,” said Michelle Obama, whose brother coaches basketball at Brown University in Rhode Island.

She also cautioned, “He’s very good at the last minute.” As Price reports on the magazine’s website, the writer decided to test the theory near the end of their second game, telling Obama, “All right. This is for the presidency.”

Obama shot a 19-footer and . . . gave his supporters something to cheer about. (He won both games.)

-- Robin Abcarian