NFL Players, Union Oppose Rush Limbaugh Bid
Conservative Radio Host Looks to Buy the NFL's St. Louis Rams
Oct 12, 2009
Rush Limbaugh has joined St. Louis Blues owner Dave Checketts in a group currently in discussions with the NFL concerning a possible purchase of the Saint Louis Rams—the city's NFL football franchise—according to ESPN's Chris Mortensen.
The possible move by Limbaugh is being strongly opposed not only by a growing chorus of NFL players, but by the NFL Players union as well. In an email obtained by ESPN sent to the NFL union's executive committee by executive director DeMaurice Smith, Smith wrote concerning Limbaugh's ownership move:
"I've spoken to the Commissioner [Roger Goodell] and I understand that this ownership consideration is in the early stages. But sport in America is at its best when it unifies, gives all of us reason to cheer, and when it transcends. Our sport does exactly that when it overcomes division and rejects discrimination and hatred."
Rush Limbaugh Fired by ESPN After McNabb Remark
Hired as an ESPN analyst in 2003, Limbaugh famously said regarding Philadelphia Eagles' quarterback Donovan McNabb, "I think what we've had here is a little social concern in the NFL. The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well. There is a little hope invested in McNabb, and he got a lot of credit for the performance of this team that he didn't deserve. The defense carried this team."
After the remark, McNabb responded by saying, "It's sad that you've got to go to skin color. I thought we were through with that whole deal."
Soon after, negative reactions came swiftly from several quarters, including Democratic presidential candidates (including Howard Dean and Wesley Clark) and the National Association of Black Journalists, all of whom called on ESPN to fire Limbaugh.
At first, Limbaugh, who refused to make an appearance on ESPN's SportsCenter to explain his remarks, stood firm on the airwaves on his syndicated conservative show by saying, "All this has become the tempest that it is because I must have been right about something. If I wasn't right, there wouldn't be this cacophony of outrage that has sprung up in the sports writer community."
In the end, however, Limbaugh was forced to resign from ESPN due to his remarks.
Rush Limbaugh's History of Racist Remarks Irks NFL Players
In a New York Daily News article by Ohm Youngmisuk, New York Giants' defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka—whose former defensive coordinator, Steve Spagnuolo, now coaches the Rams—said regarding Limbaugh, "All I know is from the last comment I heard, he said in (President) Obama's America, white kids are getting beat up on the bus while black kids are chanting 'right on.' I mean, I don't want anything to do with a team that he has any part of. He can do whatever he wants, it is a free country. But if it goes through, I can tell you where I am not going to play."
Bart Scott of the New York Jets added, "It's an oxymoron that he criticized Donovan McNabb. A lot of us took it as more of a racial-type thing. I can only imagine how his players would feel. I know I wouldn't want to play for him. He's a jerk. He's an ---. What he said (about McNabb) was inappropriate and insensitive, totally off-base. He could offer me whatever he wanted, I wouldn't play for him. ... I wouldn't play for Rush Limbaugh. My principles are greater and I can't be bought."
Donovan McNabb, the target of Limbaugh's remarks which resulted in his termination from ESPN, told the New York Daily News, ""If he's rewarded to buy them, congratulations to him. But I won't be in St. Louis anytime soon."'
Rush Limbaugh's Remarks Toward Barack Obama
Since Barack Obama's presidential candidacy and subsequent nomination as the 44th President of the United States, Rush Limbaugh's rhetoric has grown increasingly controversial. Kiwanuka's quote attributed to Limbaugh concerning white kids being beaten by black kids in Obama's America is just one of many dodgy comments Limbaugh has made on the air.
Of particular note, Limbaugh lambasted Colin Powell for supporting Barack Obama, and claimed he was only doing so because he was black.
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