Limbaugh Blames “Obama’s America” for NFL Fiasco
Rush Limbaugh blamed "Obama's America" for derailing his effort to be part-owner of the St. Louis Rams.
The conservative commentator made the remark today on his radio show, according to ESPN.com.
Earlier this year, a group reportedly approached Limbaugh about joining them in a bid to buy the Rams. When word spread recently about Limbaugh's ambitions, however, NFL union leader DeMaurice Smith, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Indiana Colts owner Jim Irsay voiced concerns about having a divisive figure like Limbaugh involved in the league. This led the group that had approached Limbuagh about joining them in the bid to announce Wednesday that they'd dropped him. It's not just that Limbaugh is Republican--so are many NFL team owners--it's that the radio personality has made remarks deemed polarizing at best and racist at worst.
Six years ago, Limbaugh stirred up controversy after commenting on ESPN show "Sunday NFL Countdown" that support of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was race-related.
"I think what we've had here is a little social concern in the NFL," he said. "The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well."
Historically, African American players were excluded from the quarterback position because quarterbacks are supposed to be intelligent, a quality seen as lacking in blacks. After suggesting that eagerness to right this wrong rather than McNabb's skill was responsible for the support he received, Limbaugh was forced to resign from ESPN. He'd essentially equated McNabb's rise to quarterback with affirmative action.
More offensive than the McNabb comment was when Limbaugh reportedly said in 2007, "The NFL all too often looks like a game between the Bloods and the Crips without any weapons. There, I said it."
I find it curious that Limbaugh would seek to purchase an organization he believes consists of thugs or thug wanna-bes. On the other hand, it's very easy to see why black players throughout the league would make a point to say that they would never play for the Rams if Limbaugh served as co-owner. African Americans make up two-thirds of the NFL. Therefore, Limbaugh's remarks alienated most of the league's community. I would hope that this teaches Limbaugh a lesson, but that seems unlikely. The radio host took no responsibility for his failed attempt to buy the Rams. ESPN reported:
"Limbaugh said the real reason he's out is the (National Football League Players' Association's) attempt to influence negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement. 'It's designed to intimidate the owners, frighten the owners, and say, 'We're running this league now, gang, not you.'"
Clearly, Limbaugh jests. The real reason he was dropped from the bid is because his racially divisive rhetoric made him a liability. Had he been allowed to co-own the Rams, angry fans could have caused advertising to be pulled from the NFL.
"There's an argument that says the very principles Rush espouses--the free market--are what did him in," conservative radio host Michael Smerconish remarked. "This is the free market. These are private businessmen who made a decision about what was in the best business interest of their thriving venture."
I can't say I feel sorry for Limbaugh. After all, when Chicago was ruled out as a candidate to host the Olympics, he seemed ecstatic. Why? Because Obama had failed, and Limbaugh made no bones about wanting the President to fail when Obama first took office. Why would Limbaugh expect the NFL and America overall to cheer him on now, then? His insistence on blaming his downfall on "Obama's America" doesn't help matters. This is the same sort of racially coded language that made his bid fail.
If Limbaugh should ever decide to bid for an NFL team again, he'd do best to follow the lead of late Republican politician and football player Jack Kemp. Rather than stereotype and alienate black players, Kemp advocated for them, helping to lead the effort to have an all-star game move from New Orleans to Houston when black players complained of discrimination in the Big Easy. Despite his conservative politics, Kemp sought to support blacks in the NFL and otherwise.
Comments
I live in the home of the St. Louis Rams, and I must say this issue stirred up some controversy among St. Louis taxpayers. Blacks and whites were the loudest in “talk radio,” but Hispanics, Asians, and Indians had a concern for and against Rush Limbaugh becoming a minor player in this deal. My first thought was…the Rams are “losing,” but even with Rush’s money, and his toxicity, even his involvement as an economic factor, could not make a winning team for the Rams or the City of St. Louis. The team would still not win ONE game!! Rush is a person who would have gladly given to a cause to keep his own righteous indignation alive here in Missouri. As a boy, Rush likely attended and witnessed the lynchings of black men in southeast Missouri, or heard stories about how some black man’s feet were “held to the fire,” and this would keep him entertained today. Rush apparently LOVES FOOTBALL. However, Rush still views black people, and women, and anybody else, as beneath him. Even though his success leads him to speak to several million people a day, fueling and inciting reasons to demean, injure, and humiliate others, he also has a long line of family members who are judges today in Missouri, and have continued for years as prominent members of the State. The Limbaugh inheritance and name brand are well known and documented here. On the radio show, Mr. Limbaugh has his very own accessory seated near him everyday (a clause in his recent $400 million dollar new contract named Snerdley (?), an African American. But “Snerdly” is not enough for him to work with 3 hours a day, 5 days a week. He must have his dose of black man regularly, day and night. Dead or alive, black men were hunted and killed in Southeast Missouri. And that was always an event. As an educated black female, who is also 58 years old, Rush Limbaugh and I lived in two very different places in Missouri. He knew the stories and the strategies of rural counties, and I have only known the “wholeness” of the urban St. Louis City area. I believe he should return to wearing his hood. I believe it was a good thing that Rush Limbaugh was humiliated and denied something he wanted, since he gets everything else. Black man and woman have been lynched, burned alive, beaten, denied, and humiliated for years. The Rams need help, but rushing it with Rush was not the answer.
i think thet rush limbaa otta by the st lous rams caus they sukk real bad
idont no what all de fuss is bout.
The second comment regarding Rush Limbaugh was submitted by a person with the name T’Ayshon Jackson. The person’s attempt to present his or her view in what is probably perceived as ebonic in nature probably revealed something about or herself…racist perhaps.
Thanks for submitting your reply, Larry. I thought the same thing. The person’s “stereotypical” name and substandard writing attempt is his or her intrepretation of how a person of color would think/write, nevermind that I myself am a person of color and so are many of the commenters here, and none of us have written responses like this.