Paul Ryan has no problem pandering to sports fans. It's no wonder that he shaved a full hour off of his marathon time. After all, Paul Ryan really wants you to think that he loves his sports. Paul Ryan is such a big sports fan that when he showed up at Cleveland Browns practice with Condaleeza Rice, he couldn't even identify the team's starting quarterback.
Paul Ryan stood in front of the team and gave glowing praise to Brandon Weeden, the former first round pick out of Oklahoma State. He is such a big fan of Weeden, he noted, that he remembers the quarterback's college games for the Cowboys.
The only problem? Paul Ryan wasn't pointing at Weeden. He was, instead, pointing at Colt McCoy, the backup quarterback out of the University of Texas. Maybe the two guys look alike. Who can pick out an NFL quarterback, anyway?
Brandon Weeden:
Colt McCoy:
This isn't the first time Ryan has had trouble with Brandon Weeden. Back in August, Ryan was trying to make himself out to be a huge football fan in Ohio when he said:
I understand that the Browns are spending some time in Green Bay tonight. Hey, two great, storied franchises. And that Brendan Wheaton, I think you've got a good quarterback. That guy was great at Oklahoma State.
The above video can be seen
here.
Is there any doubt that Paul Ryan will shape-shift into whatever fake caricature he needs in order to win votes? He's been a marathon champion to running magazines. He's been a dishwashing common man to the people of Youngstown. Now, he's showing his mettle as a fake sports fan to the fine people of Ohio.
You see, Mr. Ryan - no one expects you to be a huge sports fan. You're running for office. If you had no idea who Brandon Weeden is, we would forgive you. It's when you try to be something you're not that we get annoyed. In two attempts to pander to Cleveland Browns fans, you've fumbled twice. You're such a big fan of Brandon Weeden that you've mentioned him twice. Yet you can't pick him out of a lineup? And you can't get either his first or last name right?
Ryan was very apologetic this time, pointing out that he had only ever seen Weeden in a helmet. It must have been very difficult telling the 6'4 Weeden from the 6'1 McCoy. But whatever.
Few things annoy sports fans more than fake sports fans. Paul Ryan is the guy in the bar who just asked how the Red Sox were going to do in the Superbowl. It's time for this guy to just stop.