Wearing Oregon State orange at last night's Democratic National Convention, Head Basketball Coach Craig Robinson made reference to shooting hoops with his brother-in-law, presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama.

The campaign has made a point of playing up Obama's basketball prowess, arranging scrimmages between the candidate and the UNC basketball team and hyping a three-point shot Obama drained in a South Carolina school gym.

Obama isn't the first candidate to use sports to further his political goals. Remember watching Bill Clinton jogging with the Secret Service? How often did you hear about George Bush riding his bike before the 2004 election? Don't even get me started about the Republican's NASCAR obsession.

Even though we try to separate them, politics and sports are inextricably linked. So, why are sports so effective at evoking a positive public reaction?

There's the obvious, politics is a game of familiarity and campaigns are always looking for ways to humanize a candidate. With every lay-up you can almost hear Obama's advisors whispering, "Look, he likes sports just like you! He's not as different after all."

Athletic prowess also shows physical fitness and allows Obama to draw distinctions between himself and John McCain. If elected, Obama would be 47 when he takes office--among the youngest presidents in history. McCain would be 72 when sworn in--the oldest to ever hold the office.

But maybe there's something a little deeper. Perhaps society understands the inherent benefit of athletics and those perceptions may have positive repercussions in the voting booth.

Sport is a powerful preparation for life. Athletes aren't simply learning to throw a ball, slap a puck or kick a goal; they're learning passion, how to compete under pressure, what it means to be a leader and how to work with a team.

Maybe the real benefit in hyping Obama's basketball skills isn't in humanizing the candidate, but rather in tying him to the positive attributes student-athletes around the country learn by participating in athletics.