Tough spot for Dave Checketts in Limbaugh storm (Barf)

St. Louis Post-Dispatch ^ | 10/14/09 | Bryan Burwell

[oldvike]

Dave Checketts is a smart man. He has built successful sports empires in Utah and New York, and he is at it again here, where he's turned a once-moribund hockey team into one of the NHL's most promising young clubs. Now this very smart man is trying to build on his already impressive résumé, attempting to put together a group to buy the Rams and keep them in St. Louis.

But this very smart man is stuck smack dab in the middle of an old-fashioned storm of controversy as stories have come out that as part of his efforts to assemble an ownership group, he brought in Rush Limbaugh.

Within days of the news leaking out, Limbaugh's involvement has been assailed by NFL players, the head of the players association and at least two owners. Even NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has expressed a few reservations about Limbaugh and his polarizing demagoguery.

"I, myself, couldn't even consider voting for him," Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay told The Associated Press. "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."

[oldvike]

I believe Mr. Burwell is the same man who kind of got this whole "Rush is a racist" firestorm started late last week. As a matter of fact, I think Rush specifically mentioned the Post Dispatch yesterday when talking about possible libel lawsuits. I guess that didn't even phase Mr. Burwell.

[massgopguy]

I heard on the sports show this morning that Mr. Irsay is an anti-semite.

[originalbuckeye]

I hope Rush does sue. I am fed up with the Leftys making things up and having Big Media run with them as if they are true. I'd like to see someone PROVE that Rush said the things he's accused of saying.

[oldvike]

I hadn’t heard about that, but I do know that these constant accusations that Rush is a racist are fricking bogus. Anybody that’s listened to him a few times would know that.

[Buckeye McFrog]

Since sports media guys apparently love to run their mouths without first checking sources, I would be careful about accepting that Irsay is an anti-semite. At least I had not heard that before.

Since the NFL and Media are largely backed into a corner on this one, they are trying to wriggle out of it by pressuring Checketts to dump Rush from his group. If they can’t produce an audio clip of Rush celebrating slavery he can prove hundreds of millions in damages in a libel suit.

[Neverforget01]

I’m anxious to see what kind of guts Mr. Checketts has. Will he stand up for the truth or will he let media lies rule the day?

[txrangerette]

My question is a rhetorical one for Rush:

Did you not EXPECT this? Surely you aren’t surprised, dismayed, taken aback, etc. Someone as smart, experienced and precient as yourself HAD to know this would happen.

Therefore, if I’m correct, you had to have a larger reason for doing this than that you love the NFL and long to own a team.

Are you trying to make some kind of a point? Because if you don’t get the franchise, your great dream will end in ashes. Then all you’ll be left with is whatever point you were trying to make when you took this on, KNOWING this would happen.

BTW, I’m a Rush fanatic. One of his most loyal fans. I’m just doing what Glenn Beck does. I’m asking questions.

There’s nothing subversive going on with Rush, unlike with Obama and the Dems, so in that sense the analogy ends. But my methodology is pure Beck.

[CharacterCounts]

If they can’t produce an audio clip of Rush celebrating slavery he can prove hundreds of millions in damages in a libel suit.

That hasn't been the law for over thirty years - since the New York Times v Sullivan Supreme Court decision which provide press immunity unless the plaintiff (if he is a public figure) can meet an impossible standard of proving actual malice.

[Colonel_Flagg]

Did you not EXPECT this? Surely you aren’t surprised, dismayed, taken aback, etc. Someone as smart, experienced and precient as yourself HAD to know this would happen.

My thought is that Rush knows exactly what he's doing.

[llevrok]

It is curious how the NFL will take Rush's money and gives access when he buys a luxury box and walks the sidelines before Steeler or Super Bowl games. But not as an owner.

And when the Rooneys are big Obama supporters and the old man is named ambassador to Ireland, politics there are ok.

PC makes hypocrites and this is another example.

[popdonnelly]

Put a sock in it, Burwell.

[txrangerette]

My thoughts as well, but if he doesn’t get the team then I’m curious as to what his other reason is for doing this.

[Louis Foxwell]

We know with certainty that Irsay is a liar, a fraud and a con man. He left Baltimore with “his” team in the middle of the night, robbing Baltimore of its most cherished sports icon. His judgement is worth nothing to those who have been injured by his cowardice.

[kaboom]

His father (who took the Colts out of Baltimore) was Jewish but Jim was apparently brought up in a Christian home. There is a lot written about him having issues with the behavior of his father, but I can’t find anything indicating that he’s an anti-semite.

[wardaddy]

I heard on the sports show this morning that Mr. Irsay is an anti-semite.

Does Al Davis know about this..lol?

[AmishDude]

Since this is about PR, it is to Rush’s advantage to sue them and lose. Assuming he can get the case heard by even the lowest court, they would rather settle, considering that Rush really only wants a public retraction and apology.

In the case of malice, Rush would have a case against the internet hoaxster who made up the quotes, if he could ever be found. The media can simply plead ignorance, but that too is good for Rush.

The “layers of factchecking” have once again proved to be a joke and even in the face of it, so-called journalists like Jason Whitlock don’t even have the decency to express skepticism. I think in the case of those journalists who are faced with the evidence of no evidence and still double down, Rush might even have a case of malice. I’m thinking of Sharpton v. Pagonis. I don’t know the details, but after knowing it was a hoax, Sharpton should have retracted.

[Toaster tank]

I’m not for Rush’s ownership. I hope he backs out or they vote him down.

If he becomes an owner he’ll be hypersensitive & will tone down his show so as not to violate any league PC policies.

This will have the effect of making his show less effective.

[skinkinthegrass]

Someone as smart, experienced and prescient as yourself
HAD to know this would happen.
My thought is that Rush knows exactly what he's doing.

...in my estimation...
Mr. Limbaugh, Is fight FIRE; With FIRE
...he knows exactly what he's doing.
and it scares the Sh!t / Pants / Dresses outa the "Monica" Liberals...

If the aggressor sets the rules, Limbaugh is giving
the Liberals a taste of their own medicine.

[junta]

I think it was more a ploy on Rush’s part to draw out the PC fanatics, he even stated he knew this would come.

[CharacterCounts]

I don’t know the details, but after knowing it was a hoax, Sharpton should have retracted.

Here is how the game is played since 1973:

1. A blogger makes an outrageous defamatory and untrue statement. This guy has no funds worth suing over.

2. Then ten media outlets repeat the false allegation from the blogger and retraction demand letters are sent.

3. Then 100 medial outlets repeat the lie based on articles written in the first ten media outlets and retraction demand letters are sent to them

4. Then the first 10 media outlets retract their statements.

5. Then 1,000 media outlets repeat the lie based on the first 110 articles.

6. And so on and so forth until the lie is accepted by the public at large as common knowledge.

The only way for this cycle to be defeated is if the victim has a huge megaphone. In this case Rush does and he may ultimately win this battle - but it won't be in the courts unless he can sue the NFL for something like an antitrust violation.