And again, those layers and layers of fact-checkers fail. Ed Driscoll has the goods on the smear quotes attributed to Rush Limbaugh in an effort to taint his bid to become an NFL owner. One wonders if Michael Wilbon, Jayson Whitlock or the innumerable talking heads of sports will offer mea culpas or just feign ignorance. Again, the narrative is more powerful than the facts.
The first of these quotes has already been debunked most thoroughly, long before Rush’s bid to buy the Rams. It is self-evidently the complete fabrication of someone with a wiki account, which was then picked up by the unscrupulous Huberman and reported as fact (with no citations at all) in his book. The other, also attributed to Huberman, has never been sourced, and Huberman has never cited any original article, or even given any indication as to when this alleged statement was made. Of course, these facts make it utterly impossible to refute the claim; without any date or context, Rush cannot even call witnesses who were present during the alleged confirmation to confirm or deny that he ever made such a statement. It is literally impossible for Limbaugh (or anyone else) to offer convincing proof that they have never at any time made a given statement (other than their own denial, which Rush has already given). It is preposterous to ask anyone to prove that they did not make a statement if you cannot even so much as offer a time and place where the statement is alleged to have occurred.
But Rush Limbaugh is Rush Limbaugh, so he’s guilty. Meanwhile, our president, who chided everyone in rural Pennsylvania as a bunch of religious gun-clingers, gets to walk off free and with full benefit of the doubt. I’ll make a bet with Whitlock or Wilbon – you’ll find more racist remarks in one half of a Jeremiah Wright speech then you would in 20 years of Limbaugh tapes.
The NFL has always had an air of hypocrisy in regard to Limbaugh and Republicans in general. The talk show host was a fan of the Steelers since the 70s and was told not to visit a practice due to the team wanted to be beyond politics. Al Gore showed up weeks later. The Rooneys did the inevitable and spit in the faces of all their loyal Republican fans by handing the game ball from last year’s Super Bowl to President Obama, a candidate team ownership actively campaigned for, and mere months after Obama slandered every rural white in Western Pennsylvania. This isn’t about politics, just the wrong kind of politics.
And don’t think bigotry is too far gone for the average sports writer. Bob Ryan of the Boston Globe today admitted on air today that he felt Charlie Manuel, the soft-spoken, southern-accented manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, was a “goober.” Some of the most satisfying moments I’ve ever had in a press box have been watching underdog small town teams take out the big-city private schools in the playoffs while the metro writers lament the “farm animals down there on the field.”
As for the NFL, growing up, I was a huge fan, then came Pete Tagliabue, who made sure no great team would ever come into the league again. No more 49ers of the 80s, or Cowboys of the 90s, every year we’re stuck with teams like the Titans, which can go 10-0 to start one season, then lose one player to free agency and suddenly become an 0-5 laughingstock. Sports socialism at its finest, which is, sports at its worst. Give me college ball any day.
I’ll repeat what I stated in the the Quiz post comments – Limbaugh has been a huge NFL fan since birth, but this isn’t the league he grew up with. To paraphrase a bit, “Chuck Noll, George Halas, Tom Landry – they’re not walking through that door.” The NFL of the 50s, 60s and 70s is dead. What’s replaced it is a relentlessly politically correct enterprise, something Limbaugh is willing to never be. My advice – embrace the PGA Tour like you already have. They still appreciate greatness. Kick your NFL dreams to the door. That league doesn’t exist anymore.
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and why is it a surprise that billionaire owners sucker locals to boost their taxes to pay for modern stadiums for billionaires who then sidle up and suck up to statists like Obama? Obama is their best bud. He’s perfectly happy letting them continue to make money as long as he controls their industries. They will continue to make out; it’s the rest of us serfs that will lose out.
Football has gone the way of basketball and has become a haven for thugs. I imagine baseball can’t be far behind.
I don’t buy it. If Rush wants to buy the team then he can buy it. They can’t stop him. If they try he can take them to court.
Pro leagues work like Augusta. If you want in you have to pass the vote. Limbaugh won’t pass the vote for many reasons. For one, he’s a firebrand and he’s controversial, the NFL hates controversy at all levels. Jerry Jones was just fined $100,000 for talking about the Minnesota stadium project, I can only imagine what fines they would levy on Limbaugh.
Two, the owners are notoriously old money. The Browns, the Rooneys, the Irsays, the Modells – Rush is new money. The two don’t mix.
Three, I don’t think Limbaugh should even be interested. Teams are increasingly becoming private-public enterprises. Nearly every stadium is completely paid for with tax dollars, some with unbelievable subsidies (check out the Bengals stadium deal and prepare to gasp). This doesn’t mesh with the rugged-individualistic rhetoric of Rush and I’d hate to see him at a parade pushing for a sales tax increase to pay for a stadium.
Rush has always had this thing with the NFL and he’s wanted to be involved for years. This isn’t the same visionary product of years gone by. It’s a stale, socialistic overly-produced sport that’s more akin to sitcom television than players like Unitas and Butkus.
Yeah we know but maybe a guy like him could shake things up. I don’t see Jerry Jones being happy with the way Rush has been treated. Its not that they don’t have a right to act like jerks but using ideology and lies to force him not to buy in is McArtheyism. Period. Its not right. Its unAmerican and he has the right to run this as far as he wants.
Stephanie…don’t say McCarthyism
Why not? It is. None of what these human turd balls is saying is true. They are merely smearing Rush because he dares people to actually be held accountable. Sharpton and that ingrate Jackson have made millions getting their own people to believe a lie.
Like you, JFN, precisely why college ball rules the Porvaznik roost (I think even my Giants-loving wife would begrudgingly admit that, at least until NYC-native Paterno retires in 2018).
Here’s some more from Young Gun Conservative’s Nick Polyzos:
NFLPA, Al Sharpton’s Race “Blitz” No Match For Rams’ Ownership “Rush”
It is no surprise to anyone that Rush Limbaugh is a die hard conservative. His on air assault of liberal policies are notorious to the Left. But Mr. Limbaugh, aka “the Maha Rushie” of conservative talk radio, is an avid NFL enthusiast with a lot of dough to spend.
Rush Limbaugh, in my opinion, is a shoe in to be a part owner of the woeful St. Louis Rams franchise. Limbaugh, along with St. Louis Blues hockey team owner David Checketts, are in a partnership vying for the team. Limbaugh has the money to purchase the team, and many of the owners in the NFL would welcome him to the club. However, that is not saying that his bid will and has not been met with much criticism, especially from Al Sharpton and head of the NFL Players Association.
Sharpton said in a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell that Limbaugh is “anti-NFL” and he asked for a meeting with Goodell, in which they could discuss the “myriad of reasons as to why (Limbaugh) should not be given an opportunity” to purchase the team. Also, DeMaurice Smith, executive director of the NFLPA, has stated publicly that the NFL should block the possible purchase of the Rams by Checketts and Limbaugh, because division and hatred are not a part of the NFL mantra.
Gentlemen, I have one thing to say to you: butt out. First of all, this is America, land of the free and home of the brave. Everyone and anyone that has the desire, the drive and the monetary funding can do what they want. Our country was built upon success. If Rush Limbaugh has the money(which he is swimming in) and the passion to purchase a team and make it great and at the same time profit from its success, so be it. The vast majority of the NFL owners are contributors and hold fundraisers for GOP candidates. Alex Spanos, current owner of the San Diego Chargers, Houston Texans owner Robert McNair, and New York Jets owner Robert Johnson are just a few of the owners that have donated money to conservative candidates. Oh, and let’s not forget NFL coaches that have donated money, as well.
Secondly, do we really want to talk about how Rush is politically divisive and bad for the league? Let’s go back to the end of the Super Bowl this year. Pittsburgh owner Dan Rooney, after receiving the Lombardi trophy, the Holy Grail of the NFL, says he would “first and foremost would like to thank President Obama”. Excuse me, but that right there is not only politically charged( he received an ambassadorship to Ireland), but that is a blatant slap in the face of not only the players and coaches, but every single Steelers fan.
Finally, it’s not a black or white issue. It’s a green issue. Rush and co-owner Checketts are in this investment to profit, just like any other successful business owner. When the team is successful, the fans feel successful. And they will come to games to see their favorite players perform, it won’t matter to them who is sitting in the owners’ booth. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, who are “race pimps” in this story, are doing nothing but trying to instigate conflict and racial tensions. Stephen A. Smith said it best in an interview on CNN when asked about black football players not playing for the Rams if Rush becomes part owner:
“Those black ball players that are saying this are lying through their stinkin’ teeth. They’re walking hypocrites. You are telling me that if I am a black football player and Rush Limbaugh is the owner of the St. Louis Rams and the New York Jets offer me $10 million, and the Rams offer me $20 million, I’m gonna have a problem with that? Please! They’re lying!”
When asked about the Donovan McNabb comment that Limbaugh made in 2003, where he said “the media desires that a black quarterback do well”, Smith said:
“It did cause a lot of controversy, and Limbaugh did receive a lot of criticism and was unceremoniously fired, but the reality is that it does not mean that he should not own an NFL team. If he has the dollars, he should be able to do it.”
Stephen A Smith hit the nail on the head. Limbaugh has the money. He has the desire. And if he wants to, he will be part owner of the St. Louis Rams. And Al and Jesse and the race baiters that want to stir the pot, I say this: Money talks, and your BS will walk right out the door and into St. Louis, if the price is right.
Stephanie,was Joseph McCarthy wrong about anything he said aboutCommunists in government?
Scott
you don’t get my analogy and that’s ok.
I believe the NFL still operates under an antitrust exemption. If this were a Republican controlled Congress, I could see either pressure applied by Congress (see Arlen Specter in 2006) with the threat of repealing the exemption, or a conscious effort by the owners to proactively head off any congressional protest by bending over backwards to appear fair and open to Rush’s bid. However, with the current balance of power that type of appearance of propriety is not only unnecessary but could bring about in itself some type of congressional action (after all, Rush has been called out by the administration.)
Can’t believe that we’ve got 10 comments and nobody has said this yet:
JohnFN – You sir are a RACIST!!!!
[...] [HT: Threedonia] [...]