Limbaugh Dropped From Rams Bid
Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh was dropped from a bid to acquire the St. Louis Rams after it became clear that his part-ownership of the team wasn’t going to win the approval of enough NFL owners.
Dave Checketts, a sports businessman who is leading the effort to buy the team (and keep it in St. Louis), dumped Limbaugh from the $750 million deal based in large part on the resurfacing of controversial comments Limbaugh made during an aborted 2003 stint as an NFL commentator.
“It has become clear that (Limbaugh’s) involvement in our group has become a complication and a distraction to our intentions; endangering our bid to keep the team in St. Louis,” Checketts said in a statement. “As such, we have decided to move forward without him and hope it will eventually lead us to a successful conclusion.”
You know what? As much as we loathe poverty pimps like Al Sharpton pouncing on this nonsense, the fact is Limbaugh’s mouth landed him into this mess, and we feel no particular pity for him.
Of course, in typical egotistical fashion, Limbaugh claimed that the controversy over his partial ownership of the team was deliberately engineered “to prevent the mainstreaming of anyone who is prominent as a conservative.”
Sheesh.
Having said that, if the NFL is going to give a “second chance” to Michael Vick for his sins (a second chance we supported, by the way), then Limbaugh should have been granted the same courtesy.
Also, as distasteful as Limbaugh’s comments may have been, the last time we checked he still has the right in a free country to make them … just like Checketts has the right in a free country to make the best business decision for his NFL bid.
It’s not like anybody’s going to save the Rams, anyway …
Comments
By sclawboy on October 15th, 2009 at 9:25 am
The NFL is a country club, and they don’t let just anyone in. The league would never let in someone who’s money came from legal, albeit questionable, pursuits, such as gambling or adult entertainment. In the same vein, while Limbaugh has every right to say whatever he wants, the league will not do business with someone who is such a lightning rod for controversy.
By myles keogh on October 15th, 2009 at 9:50 am
“Also, as distasteful as Limbaugh’s comments may have been, the last time we checked he still has the right in a free country to make them…”
What did Limbaugh say? And please cite the source.
By CL on October 15th, 2009 at 9:52 am
Did you even investigate this story before posting this nonsense? He was not being criticized for the Donovan McNabb comments, he was being accused of making offensive comments regarding the benefits of slavery. When Rush demanded that CNN, Sharpton, Jackson, et al. prove he made the statements (which he categorically denied and no one has been able to offer the slightest shred of proof to support from what I have seen), they hid behind the barest fig leaf offered by the McNabb flap. They This was a disgusting and disturbing incident whether you like Rush or not. But it is revealing about how dishonest and partisan our supposed unbiased media has become.
By CL on October 15th, 2009 at 9:57 am
If you are at all interested in the facts, this might be a good place to start:
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/tobyharnden/100013647/the-rush-limbaugh-media-lynch-mob/#
By Pat Hendrix on October 15th, 2009 at 10:00 am
Marge Schott could own the Cincinnati Reds but El Rushbo can’t own the Rams?
By Make it up as you go. on October 15th, 2009 at 10:01 am
…And DeMaurice Smith is a tool for the Obama administration.
By Crooner on October 15th, 2009 at 10:14 am
What’s Limbaugh’s time in the 40? Vick got his second chance because he has a rare skill set. There are plenty of rich white guys who would love to be a part owner of an NFL team.
By sid on October 15th, 2009 at 10:18 am
Yeah, you need people like Al Davis to set the standard for NFL owners. You can likely find controversy with any NFL owners. You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone worth millions without a bit of controversy. The NFL is simply caving in to the mythical boycotting/protesting prowess of Sharpton and others who live to play the race card whenever thay can.
By Patrick Cronin on October 15th, 2009 at 10:37 am
Looks like Limbaugh’s Magic Negroes have come home to roost. It’s about time Rush Limbaugh feels pain personally for the crappy stuff he’s said about all manner of American Society on a daily basis for the last twenty-one years. I am sure not much has gotten through his thick, pompous hide over the years- this promises to sting a bit- uhhh, uhhh, UHHH!
By Make it up as you go. on October 15th, 2009 at 11:09 am
You might wanna look to see where that “magic negro” thing came from. Or you can just keep making shit up as you go.
It is the new American way.
By JR6784 on October 15th, 2009 at 11:12 am
The NFL has the power to approve who owns the teams in its league. Gooddell is allowed to deny entrance to whoever he pleases to deny entrance to. If he doesn’t like Rush then he doesn’t have to let him own a team, if Rush doesn’t like it then he should start his own league.
By ditto on October 15th, 2009 at 11:20 am
I’m with the previous commenters, what specific comments are you referring to will and would you please source them. It’s disappointing that as a major player in the new media you seem to be falling right in line with the MSM. This was politics pure and simple.
By Patrick Cronin on October 15th, 2009 at 11:38 am
Dear Make,
I am all too familiar with the term; are you?
http://crooksandliars.com/2007/04/27/breaking-limbaughs-barack-the-magic-negro-on-air-song-has-staffers-up-in-arms#comment-896771
Like the McNabb thing was the only reason Limbaugh should be dropped. He’s been saying awful stuff for years. He claims to love this country but he clearly doesn’t- he love his bully pulpit, he love ratings, he loves sleep number beds but he doesn’t LOVE America- no sir. I do get a sense though that Limbaugh also, really, really, loves FOOTBALL- so this has got to really, really, hurt him- uhh-uhh-UHH! I’m happy about that cause Limbaugh hurts a lot of people everyday and doesn’t give two s**ts about that. He’s always shrugged off his critics who’ve had real gripes, never an apology, never a I guess it wasn’t so “excellent” over at EIB on that occasion.
I see a lot of references to the 1st amendment here. We are damn lucky to have it. Seems many Americans could use a bit of advice, Rush Limbaugh included: “Just because we have the right doesn’t mean it is always wise to use it. The trick is to know when to exercise it and when to not.
By myles keogh on October 15th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Fergie of the Blackeyed Peas + her song “My Humps” = Part of the Miami Dolphins
Rush Limbaugh + statements he never made = Not owner of the St Louis Rams
Total of Both
NFL = Duke University and Mike Nifong
By Patrick Cronin on October 15th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
Limbaugh and every American should remember that while we do indeed have free speech in this country that it is also every American’s right to be offended by it and make a character judgement of a fellow American based on the things they say.
Limbaugh was dropped based on a character judgement.
Free to speak, free to judge someone by their words.
Ahh, Freedom.
By Make it up as you go. on October 15th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
Dear Patrick,
It appears that you are not as familiar as you think you are. Here, I’ll help you. The “Magic Negro” term was coined (in reference to Obama) by this guy:
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-ehrenstein19mar19,0,3391015.story
And thus the song parody.
It is of course only a problem when a conservative “entertainer” points out the absurd.
By chris on October 15th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
Good for the league!!!
By myles keogh on October 15th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
Patrick,
The fact that every verse in that song is a cited statement and fact made by libs like Sharpton, Jackson to the LA Times in your mind must not but important but then when did libs ever allow facts or truth get in the way of shoving their agendas down our throats.
By ditto on October 15th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Patrick:
Every American does indeed have the right to be offended by whatever someone says, but maybe if more people stopped allowing other people to offend them, we’d be better off as a society. If you give other people that much power over you, what does that say about you as an individual? Will wouldn’t have a website if he worried about all the people he might offend with his posts.
By CL on October 15th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
The McNabb comments and the Magic Negro song are critiques of the liberal establishment for their obsession with race and their suffocation of honest debate with PC newspeak. The comments have almost nothing to do with Obama or McNabb directly.* As noted by a previous commenter, the Magic Negro term was coined by a LIBERAL columnist with the LA Times, and the song parodies the projection and false hopes white liberals were placing on Obama.
* The only relevance to McNabb as a person is the implication that he is not that good a QB. I happen to think McNabb is really good (he would look pretty good in a Panthers uniform), but it is hardly racist for Limbaugh to disagree with me on that. And it is beyond stupid to say that Rush is a racist for thinking that a bunch of (mostly white) reporters are PC obsessed idiots. I think their disgusting behavior in this “controversy” pretty much confirms that allegation.
By Brandon on October 15th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
Viva Rush, Screw the NFL.
By lando on October 15th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
I’m sure no one would block a move by “REVs.” Sharpton or Wright to purchase a NFL team…HMMMM….
By Steve V on October 15th, 2009 at 10:14 pm
Maybe if he fought some dogs and lied to the feds about it. That would get him in the NFL. Maybe if he had an illegal arsenal. Or what if he was arrested…..say….8 times. Or if he were involved in an incident at a strip club where someone gets paralyzed. That might get him in the NFL. Maybe if he is involved in a shooting outside a nightclub after the SuperBowl….or caught in a motel room sniffing cocaine off strippers…or caught in his car lining up lines with a credit card? All of these have happened and these people are allowed in the NFL. Actions speak louder than words.