How Rush Limbaugh gave America its Sundays back

American Thinker ^ | 10-18-09 | Neil Braithwaite

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October 18, 2009

How Rush Limbaugh gave America its Sundays back

By Neil Braithwaite

Ever since I can remember, from my days as a young boy sitting beside my dad perched in front of the old black and white 25" console, to just last week watching my high-def 42" flat screen television, pro football has been the essence of my fall and winter Sundays. I'm sure this is also true for countless milions of other men across this great land.

But for many pro football loving men this past week, that came to a halt faster than the Cowboys' Walt Garrison on the goal line when hit by Washington Redskins' Kenny Houston on October 8, 1973. Go Redskins!

So what would persuad thousands of armchair quarterbacks to put down their remotes and walk away from their split-screen NFL Sunday utopias -- cold turkey?

Was it because the pro football game has gotten so boring and predictable? Did all their wives finally put their collective feet down? No. Countless men addicted to the NFL are walking away from pro football this week as a direct result of what transpired in the media during Rush Limbaugh's attempt to become a minority NFL owner.

Rush Limbaugh has attracted many male listeners over the years because of his staunch conservative views, unabashed humor and unapologetic manly attitude. It all makes for great male bonding. But the one thing that helps form a special bond between the big guy and many of his male listeners is Rush's love for pro football.

Rush is known for being a very passionate guy, so when he corroborated the story that he was a minority partner in a group trying to purchase the St. Louis Rams, he must have had some serious "game day" butterflies. Rush's pro football-loving listeners share his passion, so when they found out about his bid to become an NFL owner, they immediately began to root for their competitive friend to win. Go Rush!

Most Rush listeners know beyond a shadow of a doubt that he would not only be great for the St. Louis Rams' organization and its players, but also ultimately be great for the NFL. They know that Rush is a strong competitor and would bring that "must win" attitude to the NFL. His love and respect for the game, its players and organizations have been on display for all America since his radio talk show became syndicated in August 1988. If Rush had become an NFL owner, many of his loyal listeners would have to enlarge their sentimental NFL team base to include the St. Louis Rams just because of Rush. Go Rush -- go Rams!

It was inevitable however, that Rush would get some flack about his stint as a commentator on ESPN and the whole Donovan McNabb story, but no one expected what ultimately transpired in the media because of his minority ownership bid.

In retrospect, the vicious and slanderous attacks that poured out on Rush from the likes of Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson were to be expected. These two guys never miss an opportunity to sling a little racial slander and grab some limelight. But several liberals in the news media decided to get on board the slander train and that's when things started getting out of hand. Then some current and former NFL players along with a select group of the sports media decided to jump into the Rush feeding frenzy and things really began to go overboard. This band of ignorant and slanderous liberals attributed unthinkable racial statements to Rush without any definitive proof. The angry mob's accusations ultimately led to Rush's removal from the group bidding for the St. Louis NFL franchise.

But the story doesn't end there. Not one NFL owner or representative came out to denounce the uncivil tone and unfounded slanderous attacks made against Rush, who, as if they were too ignorant to know, happened to be one of the NFL's biggest supporters as well as a prospective owner. It was the ultimate responsibility of the NFL's commissioner, Roger Goodell, to put a stop to this nonsense. But did Goodell step forward? No. In fact, he did just the opposite and climbed on the slander train himself by saying that "divisive comments" would not be welcome in the league. Goodell's statement was reprehensible and became the straw the broke the camel's back for countless thousands of Rush supporters. It was game over -- adios NFL!

Unlike the NFL, in the game of life there are not always clearly defined winners and losers. However, in this tragic situation there are a few of each. The biggest losers are the NFL and the St. Louis Rams, who lost an opportunity to have an awesome new competitor and minority owner. The merry host of media slander slingers also lost the last bit of respect anyone may have ever had for them. And America just lost a little of what makes her the greatest country in the world -- civility, respect and fairness. Rush Limbaugh, on the other hand, became a big winner in the eyes of his loyal listeners for the responsible and dignified manner in which he handled the whole situation.

But the biggest winners of all are the thousands of families throughout America who just got their husbands and fathers back on Sundays. Picnic anyone?

Neil Braithwaite is a Real Estate Broker and writer in Charlotte, NC. He writes political commentary and satire and is a regular contributor to PoliticalDerby.com. 

Page Printed from: http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/10/how_rush_limbaugh_gave_america.html at October 18, 2009 - 01:16:21 AM EDT

[rigelkentaurus]

I gave up all sports in 1991 - have not watched a single game or event of any sporting event since then. Have not even been tempted once to watch one.

I like having my time back!

[KSCITYBOY]

Unless like me you don’t give a rats ass about the NFL.

[MadelineZapeezda]

Hubby and I had our football fix last night in Morgantown....we are not watching NFL today.

[Tribune7]

Rush should look to start his own league. Put a wrinkle in and limit substitutions. Old-time football. Make the players play both ways. It would certainly get rid of the 300 pounders.

[Theodore R.]

Notre Dame may no longer believe in God, but the people who believe in Notre Dame are TRUE BELIEVERS!

[ZinGirl]

After the first baseball strike, I didn’t call for a boycott. I just stopped watching. I stopped going. I stopped taking it seriously

that is exactly what my husband did back then.

today, he's doing the same thing. "i stopped watching baseball....i can stop watching football". the stupidity isn't worth it.

[longtermmemmory]

one of our philanthropic groups was doing a superbowl party this year.

we cancelled it.

This monday’s footbal social looks like it is going to fad fast.

Time to write to monday night football sponsors.

[longtermmemmory]

Those that care less are just happy to have their soylent green. (has anyone seen grandma? she went down to the obamacare center)

[Enterprise]

I can’t take any sport seriously, but there is one subtle difference in behavior during the games. In basketball, someone dunks and then snaps their jersey and hops away like they’re on a pogo stick. In football, someone makes a tackle and gets up and does a butt dance. In baseball, uh, careful there. Too much celebration and they’re going to get beaned by a 100 mph fast ball.

[Kitten1]

**I really don’t care so much whether Rush becomes a minority owner of the Rams - the St. Louis fans are really the only losers if he doesn’t. But this is the last straw in a very large load. Why am I making these idiots rich? They only hold me in contempt.

See you, guys. It used to be fun but now it isn’t. **

*****************************************************
Perfect summary of why many are angry at the latest revelation of liberalism. I would stop watching the NFL, but I stopped watching/supporting most professional sports when Sprewell choked his coach and got away with it.

And I am someone who had (still has) the ability to attend any sporting event in Chicago with floor/50-yard line/1st base line seating.

I will not willingly support liberalism/bad behavior/disrespect with my dollars or viewership. For me, it’s a matter of principle. The only sports I follow these days are tennis (the men) and golf.

[stevem]

Goodell's statement was reprehensible and became the straw the broke the camel's back for countless thousands of Rush supporters. It was game over -- adios NFL!

I hope he is right.

[mewzilla]

Countless men addicted to the NFL are walking away from pro football...

Not just the guys....

[NativeNewYorker]

It’ll be intersting to see the Neilsen ratings for this weekend’s NFL games.

Careful. Sharpton & Co., have been putting pressure on Neilsen to inflate "protected class" numbers.

[RGSpincich]

I’ll really miss the Raiders and 49ers......

[Ransomed]

Exactly. Even with the DH and the wimpier than ever umps nowadays, the rules still promote better on field behaviour from the players.

Freegards

[discostu]

Goodell didn’t kick Rush out of the deal did he? No he didn’t.

[discostu]

You really believe Rush is stupid enough to put millions into a pool and not know who ALL the partners are?

[RobRoy]

There is much truth in your post. What happened to me with baseball was that I just saw the game differently. It’s like falling out of infatuation with a girl you wanted. You date her long enough to see some serious incompatibility problems and you are no longer interested.

I used to be a big fan of pro sports but saw enough of WHY it is what it is that I no longer appreciate it. The strike was a final blow for baseball. For Football, it was when I discovered that some timeouts during the game were LITERALLY for TV commercial breaks. I don’t see it as a sport any more. I see it as a business.

I have a phrase I use with people when they have wronged me. It is not a nice phrase, but it is utter truth. It is not nice because there is nothing whatsoever they can do about it. The phrase is this: “I’m not angry with you, I just see you differently now.” And I do. The relationship is forever altered.

People give us free tickets to games occasionally. We were at a Sonics game two years ago, 13 rows up from the centerline and left after the first quarter. I simply did not enjoy watching a bunch of overpaid thugs play a childrens game, and a game I would much rather play than watch.

Two weeks ago we got free Seahawks tickets (including parking). We gave those away. We get free tickets to Mariners games on a fairly regular basis. Sometimes we use them if it is a nice day. We’ll watch a few innings as part of our visit to downtown before what we REALLY enjoy doing down there: people watch and feed the seagulls at Ivars.

Meanwhile, my wife and I love to stop on road trips in towns we are driving through and spontaneously stop to watch little league games played and watched by people we have never met. It is VERY exciting.

I see professional sports as nothing more than a for profit business that I prefer not to support. This event confirms what I already knew.

I don’t hate professional sports, I just see it differently now. I simply cannot appreciate it as a game any more than I can appreciate a movie with bad lines recited by bad actors.

[discostu]

Why do I what if others do? There’s a word missing somewhere in that question.

[RobRoy]

>>I’m not “boycotting” anything.

I genuinely don’t care anymore. I’d rather play touch football with the neighborhood kids. It says a lot to me that most of them don’t care about the NFL.<<

This.

This would be an excellent time for everyone to rent a copy of the original Rollerball.