Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Not Even the Rams Deserve Rush

Dan Wetzel of Yahoo! Sports has a great column out today about Rush Limbaugh's attempt to purchase an interest in the St. Louis Rams. It seems that there are enough owners out there who are willing to veto the Big-Bellied Bully from NFL-dom.

As Yahoo! Sports reported earlier in the day, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has rung the death knell on Rush's bid:

“I’ve said many times before, we’re all held to a high standard here and I think divisive comments are not what the NFL is all about,” Goodell said of Limbaugh’s history for controversial remarks during the league’s annual fall meetings. “I would not want to see those comments coming from people who are in a responsible position in the NFL, absolutely not.”
Wetzel's analysis is on target:

So a group of almost exclusively white, almost exclusively conservative men – many of whom no doubt share Limbaugh’s political views and even listen to his radio program – are turning their back on the host.

He and his supporters can cry about bias and political correctness run amok. They can scream about the Constitution. They can bemoan double standards.

The fact is you live by the sword, you die by the sword. Limbaugh made his money through his words. Now those words are denying him a business opportunity in a league that prides itself on inclusion.

* * * *

The NFL is a private organization and, as some of Limbaugh’s followers would surely agree, they mostly have the right to choose who they do or don’t allow to join the club.
Indeed. Would any business that depends on African-American consumer support want to have a partner who said this:

I mean, let’s face it, we didn’t have slavery in this country for over 100 years because it was a bad thing. Quite the opposite: slavery built the South. I’m not saying we should bring it back; I’m just saying it had its merits. For one thing, the streets were safer after dark.

You know who deserves a posthumous Medal of Honor? James Earl Ray [the confessed assassin of Martin Luther King]. We miss you, James. Godspeed.
And best of all:


Look, let me put it to you this way: the NFL all too often looks like a game between the Bloods and the Crips without any weapons. There, I said it.
Look, let me put it to YOU this way: Rush Limbough all too often looks like a mean-spirited, fat bigot. There, I said it.

Not even the Rams deserve this loser. Good riddance.

14 comments:

Unknown said...

Matt, check your sources on the Limbaugh quotes. From what I have read, they are false.

stilettoGOP said...

Leslieslee, you beat me to it, was about to point out the same thing. Those quotes have failed to actually be referenced anywhere, many have tried I'm sure.

Matt Eichelberger said...

That was Jim that posted it. I went to the link, and there's no citation to time and date of the quote. I kind of figured I would have heard about some of those when Limbaugh said them, if he in fact said them.

That doesn't mean Limbaugh isn't a tad bit "off" when it comes to race.

Jim Craig said...

Keep in mind that Rush is on a radio show. He publishes transcripts, but these have been edited before placed on his website.

However, the "Bloods" and "Crips" comment can be found here. Other racist comments are here.

USA Today seems to think it has a source for the comments about slavery and James Earl Ray.

blank said...

Regardless, this is a good reminder that being a jerk is bad for business.

Kingfish said...

Lets see:

“I’ve said many times before, we’re all held to a high standard here and I think divisive comments are not what the NFL is all about,” Goodell said of Limbaugh’s history for controversial remarks during the league’s annual fall meetings. “I would not want to see those comments coming from people who are in a responsible position in the NFL, absolutely not.”

So why is Olberman allowed to broadcast NFL games then?

Jim Craig said...

Olbermann said NFL play is like watching the Bloods and the Clips? Or that slavery wasn't all bad? I must have missed it . . .

Unknown said...

KF --- two things:

1) I think Olbermann works for NBC, not the NFL.

2) There's a big difference between making politically polarizing statements and blatantly racist statements. So, you're gonna say, "but Goodell said 'divisive.' If he doesn't want divisive then Keith Olberman would qualify as well."

To that I say that Goodell was attempting to avoid getting in an all out war with Limbaugh by straght up calling him a racist or saying that "I think racist comments are not what the NFL is all about."

Also, Jim, I can't find what i would consider proper sources for some of those Limbaugh quotes (when i read them i thought to myself not even this imbecil is that dumb so I was compelled to go check it out), the MLK quote in particular.

Michael Freeman said...

Limbaugh's comment in USA Today about the streets being safer at night during the slavery era made me shoot hummus through my nose. It hurt like hell, and I don't think I can forgive that. And the comment itself, well, that was just plain racism.

Jim Craig said...

Michael, my brother used to do that to me (although the substance was Rice Krispies, milk, and sugar rather than hummus). My condolences to you.

Kingfish said...

Do you really want me to start pulling out Olberman comments?

Unknown said...

Has Olberman made a bunch of racist comments?

For the record, I liked Olberman much better as a sportscaster ...

myk_o said...

Don't you advertise during Rush's show? Apparently, you're good enough for Rush, so...

Jim Craig said...

Who advertises during Rush's show?