Sports Sense

On Wednesday controversial broadcaster Rush Limbaugh was knocked out of the ownership group that is hoping to buy the St. Louis Rams. Thank goodness!!!

But on Thursday Limbaugh got up and came out swinging. He loudly blamed everyone but himself for what happened to his potential ownership share.

Limbaugh also took a swing at his former partner in the deal, Dave Checketts, who dropped him from the group. Limbaugh says it was Checketts who sought him out to join the ownership group and assured him that there would be no problems with the NFL about his involvement. Now Limbaugh suggests that Checketts betrayed him in order to keep the deal alive.

But it shouldn’t end there. Ironically, I too have a problem with Dave Checketts.

If in fact Checketts approached Limbaugh, why did he do it? If Limbaugh asked Checketts if he could join the ownership group I wonder why did Checketts say yes? In either case I question Checketts’ judgement, and I now wonder whether Checketts is fit to own the Rams even without Rush Limbaugh.

Limbaugh is a polarizing personality who seems intent on not just advancing his own conservative political views, which is his right, but to demonize, demean and ridicule anyone who dares disagree with him. And that is wrong. Although I am not a conservative, I believe strongly that you can nonetheless be a conservative without being intolerant and cruel.

If and when Limbaugh ever learns this and takes it to heart, then perhaps he can own an NFL team. The same can be said for Dave Checketts, who like his former partner, Limbaugh, also might never own an NFL team. Checketts should have known better than to team up with a loudmouth bigot.

Let’s consider the knockout of Limbaugh and perhaps Dave Checketts a victory for civility.

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DavidBurnett Intolerance, NFL, Racism civility, Dave Checketts, Intolerance, NFL, ownership, Rush Limbaugh, St. Louis Rams

Another blow to the pro football ownership hopes of Rush Limbaugh.

Now an NFL owner says he doesn’t want to see the conservative broadcaster in the owners box.

Indianapolis Colts owner, Jim Irsay said Tuesday that there is no way that he would vote to approve the controversial Rush Limbaugh as an owner of an NFL team.

Limbaugh is reportedly a key part of an ownership group seeking to buy the St. Louis Rams.

According to a report from the Associated Press, Jim Irsay said, “I, myself, couldn’t even consider voting for him. When there are comments that have been made that are inappropriate, incendiary and insensitive … our words do damage, and it’s something that we don’t need.”

Irsay has earned the credibility to speak out against Limbaugh. He has proudly hired two African-American head coaches in this decade. And Irsay who won the Super Bowl three years ago with the revered Tony Dungy at the helm, now has a high-powered, undefeated team under new head coach Jim Caldwell this season. Some football insiders believe this could be the Colts best team yet.

But Irsay will need at least another 8 owners to join him in opposition to Limbaugh. NFL bylaws require that at least 24 of the league’s 32 owners must vote in favor of an ownership change.

Several NFL players have spoken out against Rush Limbaugh, and they have been joined by the NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith who indicated the other day that he also strongly opposes Limbaugh’s bid.

Sports have long been the place where America has tested its appetite for tolerance. But changes on the playing fields and on the courts did not come without many disappointments, hurts and shame. But more than 60 years ago several significant racial barriers were hurdled.

Joe Louis won the heavyweight championship of the world in the 1930s. Jesse Owens won four gold medals at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin in front of Adolph Hitler. And of course Jackie Robinson integrated Major League Baseball in 1947. Those three athletes transcended their sports and helped change the way America viewed and treated all African-Americans.

Here’s hoping a united front of NFL owners, players and fans speak up strongly against Rush Limbaugh and send an even more powerful message about the kind of progress we’ve made as a nation.

UPDATE

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DavidBurnett NFL, Race, Racism Indianapolis Colts, Jim Irsay, NFL, ownership, Rush Limbaugh