Worse, some are wondering how well the relatively inexperienced Mr Obama would fare with a full-blown crisis given his wobbles over a minor issue such as bonuses.
There is history hanging over Boston, including a blown 3-0 lead to Philadelphia in a series loss in 2010 and a squandered 3-1 edge in this year's first round to Toronto before the Bruins rallied to win Game 7.
Absent a game changer that will tip the balance in favor of one side or the other, the crisis in Syria will become a full-blown sectarian war pitting Sunnis against Alawites, which will likely spill over into the neighboring countries of Iraq and Lebanon.
Rainfall in India as a whole is 20% below the 50-year average and, with the monsoon season half over, India is facing the possibility of a full-blown drought in some regions.
But here is the important fact: concessions were negotiated between Mr Hunt and Mr Murdoch that would have allowed the takeover to take place - if the deal had not eventually been blown up by the public and political furore over News International's role in phone hacking.