Oregon State players feel close connection to historic inauguration

By Lindsay Schnell, Special to SI.com

Craig Robinson insisted his team go about a normal routine while he attended his brother-in-law's inauguration. AP

CORVALLIS, Ore. -- Because his coach insisted that routine stay the same, Omari Johnson did not get to watch the inauguration of Barack Obama live Tuesday morning. Instead Johnson, a shooting guard for the Oregon State men's basketball team, went to practice.

Absent from the Beavers' early morning workout was coach Craig Robinson, brother of first lady Michelle Obama, who was in Washington to celebrate the swearing in of the 44th president. So with coach appearing all over national television at the historic event, it seems natural the team could take a break, too. But Johnson and his teammates travel to Cal and Stanford this weekend -- so he arrived at Gill Coliseum for 7 a.m. practice with the rest of his teammates.

"We heard he was wearing an orange and black scarf, but we'll have to see it later," Johnson said. "My roommates TiVo'd it, so I'll watch it tonight."

After going 0-18 in the Pac-10 last season, the Beavers got a fair amount of media coverage for all the wrong reasons. But when they hired the brother-in-law of the man who would soon been the most powerful man in the world, things were a little different. Sports information director Michael Collins says the demand for Robinson is unlike anything he has experienced, and Johnson and his teammates have become used to answering questions not related to X's and O's.

"It's not like they're bad questions or I'm angered at having to answer them," Johnson said. "Anything we can use to get attention is good."

And while their team may be getting more coverage, Johnson said it's his coach who's getting all the interest.

"Everywhere we go, there are little old ladies running up to us, saying, 'That's Michelle Obama's brother!'" Johnson said. "We don't get any love. They don't want anything to do with us. It's all Craig."

Johnson and forward Seth Tarver admitted that missing the live inauguration of the first black president was disappointing, but said it was necessary because everyone on the team had class the rest of the day.

"It wasn't even an option [to reschedule practice]," Tarver said, laughing. "I'm sure we'll see it later on tape or something."

Some of the Beavers met Obama when he came through Oregon on a campaign swing in the summer, but not everyone could attend. Tarver, who could not go meet Obama that day, says he believes his moment will come and if the new president wants to play a little one-on-one, Tarver is ready.

"I'm sure I could take him," Tarver said, "but I don't want to put him down in such a good time."

Johnson wasn't so sure who would win if he were to match up with the Commander in Chief.

"I don't know, he showed us his dribbling and it was kinda above par," Johnson said.

Players weren't the only part of the Oregon State basketball family watching Tuesday's events with anticipation: Heidi Pomeday, wife of assistant coach Nate Pomeday, was glued to her television, too. Pomeday custom-designed the gown worn by Robinson's wife, Kelly, at the inaugural ball, as well as the outfit she wore during the inauguration ceremony.

"I just brought it up randomly to her," said Pomeday, who has been custom-making wedding gowns since 2002. "I asked her if I could maybe show her some sketches and she really liked what I was doing."

Pomeday, who said she and Nate are "big Barack supporters," is in the middle of creating her own line based off the outfit she designed for Kelly Robinson. Both dresses, Pomeday said, were made in her kitchen.

"For Kelly to even take a chance on me is amazing," Pomeday said. "And it's so surreal -- I'll be able to tell my kids my creation was at Obama's inauguration. Holy cow, this is crazy!"

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