NFL commissioner says no Limbaugh

[Monkeyleg]

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell dismissed Rush Limbaugh's possible bid to buy the Rams by going politically correct. Is that really a bright strategy? Limbaugh will be able to reach far more people than Goodell to turn this story against Goodell. Besides, why alienate a large percentage of your customers?

Story:

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell failed to offer support of Rush Limbaugh's bid to buy the Rams on Tuesday and said the talk-show host's "divisive comments" would not be welcome in the league.

"I've said many times before, we're all held to a high standard here," Goodell told reporters, via the New York Times.

"I would not want to see those comments coming from people who are in a responsible position in the NFL –- absolutely not."

Limbaugh said last week he's part of a group trying to buy the Rams. Colts owner Jim Irsay was the latest to express disapproval for Limbaugh's bid when he said he would not vote to approve such a deal. (NFL owners must vote to approve new owners of teams.)

Goodell specifically took exception with Limbaugh for his controversial comment about Donovan McNabb in 2003 when he worked as an NFL analyst for ESPN. Limbaugh suggested the media wanted McNabb to succeed because he is black.

"The comments Rush made specifically about Donovan, I disagree with very strongly," Goodell said, via the Times.

"It's a polarizing comment that we don't think reflect accurately on the NFL or our players. I obviously do not believe those comments are positive and they are divisive. That's a negative thing for us, obviously."

[Gewehr98]

Oh, yeah, because other sports league owners never suffered from foot-in-mouth disease... 

[AZRedhawk44]

Football seems to be predominantly watched by conservatives and right-leaning libs and independents.

Rush's audience.

Saying that Rush isn't good enough to be an owner is going to hurt the NFL... for about as long as Rush decides to milk it and really harp on it.

Then things will go back to normal.

More affluent folks that tend to buy season tickets may hold off for a year or three as a result, if they take great offense.

I think it's stupid.  Then again, I'm not a football fan anyways.

"Rush" isn't even the buyer.  He's in with a group of investors... not the sole voice.  He's just trying to diversify his holdings in an entertaining way.

[Chuck Dye]

Anyone know the level of The Baron of Bombast's participation in the bidding group?

[Jocassee]

Anyone know the level of The Baron of Bombast's participation in the bidding group?

Only that he is not the principal as is being portrayed in the media. Also I would like to point out that someone LEAKED this info, Rush only reacted. He did not announce it outright.

[MechAg94]

"The comments Rush made specifically about Donovan, I disagree with very strongly," Goodell said, via the Times.

Does this guy even know what Rush actually said?  Rush's comment was about the media's treatment of McNabb, not the player.  More PC crap.

[mellestad]

Only that he is not the principal as is being portrayed in the media. Also I would like to point out that someone LEAKED this info, Rush only reacted. He did not announce it outright.

This morning NPR was saying he was just a minority bidder, and would not have any actual say in the managing of the team.

[Perd Hapley]

Word is, his partners have dropped him. 


I find it odd that the haters weren't satisfied with dredging up Rush's actual commentary, like they usually do.  This time, they had to bring out apparently fabricated "quotations" about how slavery had good points, and other such nonsense.

[RocketMan]

I find it odd that the haters weren't satisfied with dredging up Rush's actual commentary, like they usually do.  This time, they had to bring out apparently fabricated "quotations" about how slavery had good points, and other such nonsense.

It's the Left.  Can you really expect anything less?

[mellestad]

It's the Left.  Can you really expect anything less?

Football team owners are leftist?

All of the negative commentary I heard was from players, team owners and NFL administration...I don't listen to any leftists talking heads though so if there is leftist waaarghble about this I probably would not have heard it.

[Monkeyleg]

Our local talk host made a good point today about the Rush story. He said that it's reached a point where not only can conservatives not say things that liberals can, but now apparently they can't buy some of the same things.

[Perd Hapley]

Football team owners are leftist?  All of the negative commentary I heard was from players, team owners and NFL administration...I don't listen to any leftists talking heads though so if there is leftist waaarghble about this I probably would not have heard it.

Jesse Jackson and other lefties have run their mouths on the issue. 

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

Football team owners are leftist?

All of the negative commentary I heard was from players, team owners and NFL administration...I don't listen to any leftists talking heads though so if there is leftist waaarghble about this I probably would not have heard it.

You must not listen to the mainstream media, either.  Over the past few days somebody made up a quote supporting slavery, falsely attributed it to Limbaugh, and the media hacks have been shouting it from the rooftops in order to sabotage Limbaugh's chances at buying part of a team.

Looks like it succeeded, too.  I suspect Limbaugh's attorneys are about ti get rich.

[Monkeyleg]

I wonder if Mr. Goodell would have a problem if Al Sharpton was planning on buying a team, or perhaps Barbara Streisand or George Soros. Or is this a one-way street?

[brimic]

Screw the NFL.
They are going the way of pro wrestling, except with real convicts, criminals, and anti-American personalities to jeer against.

[mellestad]

You must not listen to the mainstream media, either...

Not that much, no.  I skim the headlines but most 'mainstream' TV and radio news has a bad ratio of content to commentary.  If I want commentary I'll get it from forums and blogs.  I have the gist of the story from NPR this morning, but they did not expound on it much either way.  They just said there was a controversy, Limbaugh was a potential minority holder, the current team owners had not yet agreed to sell to anyone, a bunch of people didn't like some comments he made while working for ESPN, and Rush was thinking about suing some people for claiming he made certain comments unless they issued retractions.

Jesse Jackson and other lefties have run their mouths on the issue. 

Ah, well I am probably better off not having heard it then.

[RocketMan]

Football team owners are leftist?

[Henery Hawk voice]Pay attention, boy! Now, pay attention![/Henery Hawk voice]

It wasn't the team owners I was referring to.   The other respondents filled in the details for you.

[Perd Hapley]

Left-wing pundits are paid by the bushel-of-hatred.  I thought that was a pretty transparent reference.   


So, now we know where we stand.  Michael Vick - in.  Soros - in.  Limbaugh - out.  How odd that a bid to purchase an NFL team should be such a clear object lesson in just which political side are the knuckle-dragging, blood-thirsty hate-mongers. 

[seeker_two]

So, now we know where we stand.  Michael Vick - in.  Soros - in.  Limbaugh - out. 

Clear moral judgment like that is the reason that I quit watching pro football a long time ago....

...and how would Limbaugh be any worse of a pro-team owner than Mark Cuban of the Dallas Mavericks (NBA)?.....at least Limbaugh knows when to keep his mouth shut... 

[JonnyB]

[Henery Hawk voice]Pay attention, boy! Now, pay attention![/Henery Hawk voice]

It wasn't the team owners I was referring to.   The other respondents filled in the details for you.

Methinks you meant [Foghorn Leghorn voice] instead.

jb

[ronnyreagan]

The way I see it this was kind of a lose-lose for the NFL. It's not like they're going to gain much of anything by having Limbaugh on board so it's a simple matter of choosing which group of people to piss off: his followers or his haters. Goodell seems to believe that Limbaugh's supporters are going to be the smaller, less costly group to offend and I believe he is correct. I'm not sure why Limbaugh's specific politics are assumed to be the reasoning when it makes sense as simple business decision. The guy is very controversial and while this choice isn't going to please everyone it seems like an attempt to create the least fuss.

[sanglant]

Methinks you meant [Foghorn Leghorn voice] instead.

jb

not quite the same





 

[mellestad]

The way I see it this was kind of a lose-lose for the NFL. It's not like they're going to gain much of anything by having Limbaugh on board so it's a simple matter of choosing which group of people to piss off: his followers or his haters. Goodell seems to believe that Limbaugh's supporters are going to be the smaller, less costly group to offend and I believe he is correct. I'm not sure why Limbaugh's specific politics are assumed to be the reasoning when it makes sense as simple business decision. The guy is very controversial and while this choice isn't going to please everyone it seems like an attempt to create the least fuss.

Yup.  I don't think this is 'political' exactly.  Goodell seems to be saying he wants nice, quiet football owners who don't habitually create controversy.

Love Rush or hate him, no one can say he is a calming influence.

[Dannyboy]

...and how would Limbaugh be any worse of a pro-team owner than Mark Cuban of the Dallas Mavericks (NBA)?.....at least Limbaugh knows when to keep his mouth shut... 

This is exactly what I thought.  I can only think that Cuban was less of a *expletive deleted*che when he bought the team.

[SADShooter]

That goofball actually had the nerve to comment on Limbaugh, and the tools at the Dallas Morning News printed it. :rolleyes: