Steve Nash Is Not Anti-Bush

Steve Nash might very well be the most valuable player on and off the court. Not only is he the League's greatest point guard, a fearless leader, and someone capable of seeing things on the floor that others simply cannot; he's also one of the most outspoken athletes around. He recently sat down for an interview with Playboy magazine and discussed his views on the war in Iraq.

PLAYBOY: You took a political stand at the 2003 All-Star Game, wearing a T-shirt that read No War -- Shoot for Peace. Opposing the invasion of Iraq seems awfully smart now. Do you feel vindicated?

NASH: I don't need to feel vindicated about Iraq. Look, it's not about "I told you so." I just don't believe in aggressive war. Aggression should be a last resort. I didn't think we had done all we could to find weapons of mass destruction before launching an invasion. That's all. I wasn't being anti-American or anti-Bush. And I didn't say you have to believe what I believe. I just wanted everyone to try to be a little more informed, to dig a little deeper.

PLAYBOY: You're not anti-Bush?

NASH: I don't want to spend time being anti-anyone.

While some coaches have been known to discuss the war, it's quite rare for a superstar athlete these days to be this open with his views on such a controversial topic. It's always nice to know that these guys have a little more going on inside their heads than the size of their next contract or where they're going to make it rain next.

(HT: True Hoop)