Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh, who once famously said "the NFL all too often looks like a game between the Bloods and the Crips without any weapons," now wants in on team ownership. According to various reports, Limbaugh is part of a group that is making a bid to buy the St. Louis Rams. Although the details on the bid are confidential and there's no guarantee that Limbaugh's group will win the team with their bid, Rev. Al Sharpton, Rev. Jesse Jackson and NFL players are speaking out against Limbaugh potentially having ownership of an NFL team."The National Football League has set high standards for racial justice and inclusion," Jackson told the Associated Press. "He should not have the privilege of owning an NFL franchise - and it is a privilege."
In an interview with the NY Daily News, New York Giants defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka said that if Limbaugh ends up as an owner, he'll at least know where he isn't going to be playing.
"All I know is from the last comment I heard, he said in (President) Obama's America, white kids are getting beat up on the bus while black kids are chanting 'right on,'" Kiwanuka told The Daily News. "I mean, I don't want anything to do with a team that he has any part of. He can do whatever he wants. It is a free country, but if it goes through, I can tell you where I am not going to play."
"I am not going to draw a conclusion from a person off of one comment, but when it is time after time after time and there's a consistent pattern of disrespect and just a complete misunderstanding of an entire culture that I am a part of, I can't respect him as a man," Kiwanuka added.
Sharpton wrote a letter to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, saying that Limbaugh is "anti-NFL," and gave examples of the Bloods-Crips comment and the 2003 comment, where Limbaugh said the media wants Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb to succeed simply because he is black.
"If he's rewarded to buy them, congratulations to him," McNabb told the Associated Press. "But I won't be in St. Louis any time soon."
Goodell finally responded to the news this week, saying that Limbaugh's commentary is not one that would be welcome in the NFL.
"I've said many times before, we're all held to a high standard here," Goodell told 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. The comments Rush made specifically about Donovan, I disagree with very strongly. 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."
Despite what Goodell says, the group Limbaugh is a part of must first win the bid to purchase the team, and then submit their bid to the other 32 owners in the NFL for approval. Of those 32, 24 owners must approve the sale before it goes through.
Comments: (29)
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By: jewduv on 10/13/2009 7:01PM
I am curious to know, who else is a part of this group besides Limbaugh? Why are their names being withheld???
We have heard extensively over the years since September 11, 2001 on how the terrorists were so heavily funded through different channels, including so called legitimate companies and backers and groups.
This mysterious group and Limbaugh are now interested in possibly buying the St. Louis Rams, very interesting?????????
America has it's own TERRORIST'S GROUPS, and this sounds like one of them. I will NOT give funds to this group, I will NOT support the Rams, the city of St. Louis, nor the NFL if this comes to be!!!!!!!!
Spend your money wisely America!
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By: Chicago Rounder on 10/14/2009 8:48PM
Jewduv, do you really think so-called terrorists would truly be interested in an NFL franchise or Limbaugh? Limbaugh was probably named as an investor by Limbaugh himself. All this chatter boosts his ratings and his appeal.
If you're so concerned about terrorist financing, look at the Carlyle Group, Halliburton, UNOCAL, or other companies within the Iron Triangle. I have yet to see major media outlets investigate their relationships, yet Limbaugh vs. the NFL is a top story. I wonder why....
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By: budman692u on 10/13/2009 8:02PM
Odds are it's probly just another stunt that Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are pulling just for there plublicity stunt. Hell, the themselves may want in on some of that action and just trying to oust Rush..I would say that it most definetly could not be a racial move as we know the Rev. would NEVER do such a thing. :O)
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By: Andrew Thompson on 10/14/2009 5:44PM
Stunt man are you looney or what how can you equate Rev. Jessie and Rev Al in the same catagory as to Rush. Whatever you are drinking or smoking please do not give it to anyone else.
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By: willkill1 on 10/13/2009 8:11PM
this man has made his money by hate now he wants to laundry it,and this is not right.
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By: jessup1218 on 10/14/2009 9:54PM
Sharpton was VERY quiet during the Chicago teen Derrion Albert case after the video surfaced showing him getting beat to death. Now he is all in the news because he can pimp the racial divide.
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By: Toneb on 10/14/2009 7:42PM
Rev. Al talked about the Chicago beating 3 days straight on his radio show.So let me get this right!Rev. Al should only address black on black crime,and over look racial issue!Your crazy! he should tackle both problems.
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By: jessup1218 on 10/18/2009 10:51AM
Yes Toneb, you proved my point. Al should have talked about the Rush Limbaugh deal on his radio show for three days straight, AND KEPT IT THERE.
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By: Morbidlyamused on 10/13/2009 9:56PM
If Limbaugh fell off the face of the earth, I wouldn't lose any sleep. I find it ironic that this story makes headlines the same week that Sports Illustrated publishes a long article on the NFL's history of segregation in its early decades.
All of the main characters in this story, Limbaugh, Sharpton and Jackson, are polarizing figures who make their living by inciting those on the extremes. None of them deserves the attention they get.
As to becoming an owner of the football team, Limbaugh should not be denied. Sharpton and Jackson can purchase their own team if they want. The NFL, its owners and the NFLPA know that two-thirds of NFL players are black. As a group they have a powerful voice. The last thing the game needs is players who would unite to make their voices heard. Whether that would be to refuse to play in, or for St. Louis, the owners understand the impact this would have on the reputation of the league. The NFL is as protective of its reputation as the owners are of their franchises. The owners are running a for profit business. In the end they will do what they have to protect their business and their profits and deny the Limbaugh group's bid.
Let the cheap shots begin!
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By: Morbidlyamused on 10/13/2009 10:09PM
Please pardon the Omission in the second paragrah:
All of the main characters in this story, Limbaugh, Sharpton and
Jackson, are polarizing figures who make their living by inciting
those on the extremes. Perhaps, Sharpton and Jackson should find
something else to work on, like stopping the gang wars in the south
side of Chicago, that claims hundreds of lives every year. None of
them deserves the attention they get.
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