This has gotten me so infuriated. Number one: Rush Limbaugh can't buy an NFL team, but Keith Olbermann can flap his gums during analysis on Sunday Night Football? And people say it's not the same thing, but Olbermann is involved with the NFL's public image more than Rush would be because Keith is on TV. Tell me what is wrong with this picture because I'm apparently too stupid to get it.
Honestly? Fans don't care who the team owner is - unless your team stinks (which, the Rams are awful - sorry, it's true). NFL fans knows the name of one, maybe two people who owns any professional sports team (everyone knows who Jerry Jones is because ESPN craps their pants every time someone associated with the Dallas Cowboys bends down to tie their shoe). The players don't care because they get paid as long as they play well - even some who don't play well get paid. To my knowledge, no active NFL players have said anything about his bid for the team (I've heard some vague reference to "players who wouldn't play" for Rush, but none were named. Granted, that came from the players unions, so I don't know how reliable that information is).
BUT... the lovely players unions have to get involved (which, because of the unions, there may be an NFL lockout next year). And Commissioner Roger Goodell... I really respected him because the NFL hasn't had a lot of problems other pro leagues have had largely due to his efforts, but his comments on Rush's ownership of the Rams are hypocritical, especially after he let Michael Vick back into the league (which, great that he's forgiving and what-have-you). Even the owner of my Colts, Jim Irsay, has to give his two cents and that ticked me off (to illustrate my earlier point, this is first I've heard the name of the Indianapolis Colts owner and I've been following them for a good ten-twelve years).Number two: Rush has been a big fan of the NFL for a long time. He references football quite often on his show and discusses it when it comes up, to the chagrin of some listeners that would rather Rush "stick to the issues." But it's something he enjoys and, honestly - it's fun. After a day of deconstructing liberal idiocy, everyone needs hobby. So, Rush has had success in his career and he wants to use his OWN MONEY to dabble in a hobby of his and they all say "Oh no, you can't do that because you're controversial and we can't have any controversy in sports" (Controversy? Sports? No...) Rush has given the NFL quite a bit of free airtime on his show. It's mostly water-cooler-type talk, but it's still coverage. Next question: Is this how you repay someone who has been a fan for years and years and now has the means to be involved on an executive level? Good grief - you let the morally-image-challenged Fergie buy a share of the Miami Dolphins but nobody's getting their shorts in a wad over that.
99.9% of controversy around Rush comes because the idiot out-of-context media can't quote him right on anything. I've listened to Rush since childhood and I am hard pressed to think of something that was LEGITIMATELY racist (you know, something that wasn't sarcasm or a joke. I guess conservatives aren't allowed to joke. Add that to the list right underneath "like football" - by the way, to any liberals that are lurking around here, I was making a joke.. Go ahead and take me out of context and run me through the mud. I eagerly await a call from Katie Couric - wait, I wouldn't even have that much notice, would I?).
The Rams need help. They are 0-5 (good grief, the Detroit Lions, who were winless last season and are perpetually awful, have a better record than the Rams) and have stunk for a while. I've said it since it was announced Rush was part of the bid to buy the team: Rush knows football and he would certainly be an asset to any organization that wants to win. And I have to point out that (A): Rush wasn't even the head of this operation. Dave Checketts was (which, I'm not a Checketts fan for reasons too numerous and too unrelated to get into here) and (B): The Rams aren't even officially up for sale yet (the organization is only reviewing the team's ownership, which means there's a chance they won't be sold at all - correct me if I'm reading this wrong).
You know, my mom is the biggest fan of the St. Louis Rams and has been since she was a little kid - she was vindicated when they first won the Super Bowl. And I liked them too. And I wished they would do better. But after this nonsense, I hope they pull a Detroit Lions (and they're on the road to it). Apologies to St. Louisians, but this is so ridiculous.
(x-posted)
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