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ESPN's NFL Show Goes On, With an Apology...not to Rush, of course.
The Cincinnati Enquirer ^
| Oct 5, 2003
| CONNOR ENNIS
Posted on 10/05/2003 1:12:00 PM PDT by yankeedame
Oct 5, 3:54 PM EDT
ESPN's NFL Show Goes On, With an Apology
By CONNOR ENNIS
AP Sports Writer
NEW YORK (AP) -- ESPN's NFL pregame show returned Sunday with an apology - and without Rush Limbaugh - a week after the commentator's race-tinged comments about Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb.
Panelists Chris Berman, Tom Jackson, Steve Young and Michael Irvin took criticism from the media, as well as McNabb, for not responding when Limbaugh suggested on the Sept. 28 "Sunday NFL Countdown" show that McNabb was overrated because the media wants to see a black quarterback succeed.
"Do I wish that I had caught it in hindsight? Absolutely," Jackson said Sunday. "Do I regret that I didn't? Yes. But I'm human. Mostly, I regret that I missed it for Donovan McNabb's sake. I regret that."
Limbaugh resigned from the show Wednesday, and later said he was leaving so the sports network's employees would be spared the uproar over his remarks. He denied that his comments were racially motivated.
On Sunday, following a video recap of the happenings of the past week - including a replay of Limbaugh's original comments - the ESPN panelists offered their thoughts on the controversy.
Though they agreed that someone should have responded to Limbaugh right away, Young compared it to viewing game film the week after having missed an open receiver in the end zone.
"We all missed it. I missed it. And the truth is, everyone at ESPN missed it," the former quarterback said.
Berman said: "I have been kicking myself all week."
Jackson criticized the network's decision to bring Limbaugh aboard.
"Rush Limbaugh is known for the divisive nature of his rhetoric," Jackson said. "He creates controversy, and what he said Sunday is the same type of thing that he said on radio for years."
Before McNabb led the Eagles to a 23-13 victory over the Buffalo Bills, Limbaugh said on ESPN's pregame show that he didn't think McNabb was as good as perceived from the start.
"I think what we've had here is a little social concern in the NFL. The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well," Limbaugh said. "There is a little hope invested in McNabb, and he got a lot of credit for the performance of this team that he didn't deserve. The defense carried this team."
McNabb, who was outspoken about being disturbed by the lack of argument from the other panelists, didn't seem to be holding a grudge against the network.
Later in the program, he participated in a humorous segment where a woman who follows feng shui said the Eagles new stadium, Lincoln Financial Field, had good vibes.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved.
TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: apology; espn; liberals; mcnabb; nfl; rush
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I love the photo they used for this article. Rush standing there before a lecturn, finger raised, looking like a middle-school principal....
To: All
2
posted on
10/05/2003 1:12:49 PM PDT
by
Support Free Republic
(Your support keeps Free Republic going strong!)
To: yankeedame
They owe Rush an apology and the American people one for trying to insult our intellegence.
3
posted on
10/05/2003 1:16:17 PM PDT
by
freekitty
To: yankeedame
Why does a former employer have to apologize to an employee they canned?
4
posted on
10/05/2003 1:17:02 PM PDT
by
lelio
To: yankeedame
In the first 15 minutes of the Packer game, it appeared that McNabb was in 2 out of every 3 commercials. (FOX)Coincidence? I think not.
5
posted on
10/05/2003 1:17:12 PM PDT
by
gorush
To: yankeedame
So, how is the media's favorite quarterback doing today? ;-)
To: yankeedame
""We all missed it. I missed it. And the truth is, everyone at ESPN missed it," the former quarterback said."
What a crock. They missed it because it simply wasn't there, and these kind of statements make it sound like they missed an opportunity in their minds to beat the racist drums.
7
posted on
10/05/2003 1:18:55 PM PDT
by
freekitty
To: yankeedame
"Later in the program, he participated in a humorous segment where a woman who follows feng shui said the Eagles new stadium, Lincoln Financial Field, had good vibes."How utterly insensitive that he should find humor in this woman's spirituality. He should be fired.
To: yankeedame
Chris Berman, Tuesday, Sept. 30 (paraphrase): "It didn't seem bad to me when it went by my ears."
Chris Berman , Sunday, Oct. 5: "I have been kicking myself all week."
Chris Berman cops out. He has been Pollyannish for years, and this is how a Pollyanna deals with controversy.
To: lelio
Why does a former employer have to apologize to an employee they canned? Did you even read the article?
10
posted on
10/05/2003 1:21:55 PM PDT
by
TrappedInLiberalHell
(Hillary walks into a bar. Let's hope it leaves a nice bump on her forehead.)
To: freekitty
Ya know what's funny about this?
The people that Berman, Jackson, and Ervin were pandering to WEREN'T EVEN WATCHING THEM DO IT!
The biggest whining complainers over this whole episode don't even watch sports...They're the whine & cheese liberals tuned to the Food Channel or gay old Bravo.
11
posted on
10/05/2003 1:25:26 PM PDT
by
Wondervixen
(Ask for her by name--Accept no substitutes!)
To: TrappedInLiberalHell
Yes, and I read the poster given title and am wondering why Rush needs an apology. His comments aren't for an NFL pre-game show but should of been left for his 15 hours a week of programming.
12
posted on
10/05/2003 1:26:37 PM PDT
by
lelio
To: freekitty
Ahhh, but actually Tom Jackson apologized to all of us viewers and sports fans for all the pain that Rush's comments surely caused us, and the pain they caused by distracting us from the sport of football. It was quite a show, and quite a joke.
The double standard marches forward...
13
posted on
10/05/2003 1:27:04 PM PDT
by
Akira
("Experience is a hard teacher, but fools will have no other." - Ben Franklin)
To: freekitty
This sad display by ESPN vindicates Rush.
Comment #15 Removed by Moderator
To: yankeedame
Rush has class. ESPN has none, especially lardass Jackson and fatmouth Berman. As for Deion, well, he can always plead stupidity...
16
posted on
10/05/2003 1:30:40 PM PDT
by
clintonh8r
(A gentleman should know something about everything and everything about something.)
To: yankeedame
I've been noticing that these articles fail to print the WHOLE Rush quote, which includes black coaches.
Here it is.
Sorry to say this, I don't think (McNabb) has been that good from the get-go; I think what we've had here is a little social concern in the NFL. The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well, black coaches and quarterbacks doing well. There is a little hope invested in McNabb, and he got a lot of credit for the performance of this team that he didn't deserve. The defense carried this team."
17
posted on
10/05/2003 1:31:27 PM PDT
by
Benrand
To: lelio
Yes, and I read the poster given title and am wondering why Rush needs an apology. His comments aren't for an NFL pre-game show but should of been left for his 15 hours a week of programming. I thought you were implying that the article itself (not the poster's editorial in the title) was indicating that Rush was (or should have been) apologized to. Sorry if I misunderstood you.
18
posted on
10/05/2003 1:32:34 PM PDT
by
TrappedInLiberalHell
(Hillary walks into a bar. Let's hope it leaves a nice bump on her forehead.)
To: Support Free Republic
McNabb will never ever be benched because of this episode and the media PC attitude he will be the leagues token black quarterback forever and all who follow him will have this hanging over them also.
This is too bad.
19
posted on
10/05/2003 1:33:51 PM PDT
by
right way right
(The enemy within is ticking me off!)
To: yankeedame
DISGUSTING BACKSTABBING
Oh, why bother!
20
posted on
10/05/2003 1:34:45 PM PDT
by
OldFriend
(DEMS INHABIT A PARALLEL UNIVERSE)
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