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Obama's sporty day: He shoots. He pitches. He awaits NCAA finals.

On Monday Obama played basketball with kids. He threw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Nationals-Phillies game. Next up, the NCAA finals in men's basketball, which the president will 'absolutely' be watching.

The Obama administration grappled Monday with the continuing anti-Western remarks by Afghan President Hamid Karzai, and looked ahead to the release Tuesday of its new nuclear strategy and the president鈥檚 departure for Prague on Wednesday.

But on this Easter Monday, President Obama鈥檚 day looked pretty sporty: shooting hoops with kids at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll, throwing out the first pitch at the Washington Nationals鈥� opening day game, and catching the NCAA basketball finals on TV Monday night.

In a White House that鈥檚 pushing hard to get kids to eat right and exercise, the Easter Egg Roll gave Mr. Obama a perfect opening for both messages. With about 25 children gathered around, Obama delivered an animated reading of Dr. Seuss鈥檚 鈥�Green Eggs and Ham,鈥� which of course is all about trying new foods.

IN PICTURES: Presidential first pitches

"When your parents tell you to eat your broccoli, you don't know whether you're going to like them or not. You've got to try it," Obama told the kids. "When your parents tell you to eat your peas, eat your peas."

Make time for hoops

Then it was off to the basketball court for the second message of his wife鈥檚 鈥淟et鈥檚 Move!鈥� campaign: exercise. Obama joined the kids in line for some free throws, and reassured them they鈥檙e 鈥済oing to be terrific.鈥�

鈥淪ome of you are not much bigger than the ball, so it may be a little hard to reach right now, but stay with it,鈥� he said.

Per the pool reporter, 鈥淥bama then jogged to the right corner, three-point mark on the court. Attempt one, missed. (Oooh!) Attempt two, missed. (Owww!) Attempt three, swoosh. (Yaay!)鈥�

Obama is noted for his love of basketball and skill on the court. Who, after all, can forget watching at a game of H-O-R-S-E (or as they called it, P-O-T-U-S, for president of the United States), which aired during halftime on Saturday鈥檚 Butler-Michigan State game?

Next stop: the diamond

But the next sport on Obama鈥檚 agenda was baseball 鈥� the ceremonial first pitch at the Washington Nationals opening day game against the Philadelphia Phillies. Two big questions loomed: Would the southpaw POTUS manage to throw the ball over the plate? And would he be caught wearing again?

As for the attire, a cause of much ridicule after he wore, um, unflattering blue jeans when he threw out the first pitch at the All Star game last summer, Obama avoided the issue altogether this time. He showed up in khakis. The pitch? Obama called it 鈥渁 little high and outside,鈥� but press pooler Sam Youngman of The Hill newspaper opined that, 鈥渨ith all due respect to POTUS, his pitch was more than just a little high and outside, though he did clear the plate.鈥�

Duke versus Butler

This summery, sports-drenched day will be capped off by the finals of the NCAA basketball championship. Will POTUS be watching? 鈥淎bsolutely,鈥� said White House press secretary Robert Gibbs.

In the announcers鈥� box after his first pitch, Obama predicted a victory for Duke University, though he added that underdog Butler University is a 鈥済reat story.鈥� Predicting Duke was certainly the safe answer. His personal aide, Reggie Love, played on Duke鈥檚 2001 championship team.

鈥淚 can鈥檛 imagine what Reggie Love is going to be like if Duke wins tonight,鈥� Mr. Gibbs said. 鈥淭his building and this complex will not be big enough for Reggie鈥檚 exuberance and the rest of us to coincide in the same place.鈥�

IN PICTURES: Presidential first pitches