I don't really listen to Rush (his positions are ok, it's just his ego that's a little out of whack to me) but I agree in principle with those who are willing to support him and call out the NFL on this bit of garbage that they've pulled (fabricating quotes out of thin air really sealed that deal).
However, I think there needs to be healthy dose of realism here. Rather than 20 percent I think you need to be thinking in the low single digits. To be frank, any small, measurable impact would be a success, but I just don't see it happening. You won't see Rush go out on a limb on this because he knows the craziest thing he could do is to appear to be taking on the NFL. It's hugely successful, hugely popular, and hugely profitable (even with the "downsizing" of staff this year). BUt even moreso, most football fans I know do NOT want to mix their politics with their weekend pigskin love affair. Some things just don't fit together. Diehard Rush fans excluded.jmho
Generally I agree w/you (except for the Rush part, whom IMO is simply a genius and his “ego” stuff is 75% self-deprecation)
First, I absolutely agree that *every* football fan would like their football served politics-free. They’d like it served off-field violence-free, dogfight free, and murder-free. I believe that sports, generically, is where the races mix and get along better than virtually anywhere. Though I am not a sports fan, I recognize that it’s a wonderful piece of escapism that starts and ends and has a decisive conclusion. Those two elements aren’t widely available elsewhere.
But as to the potential conservative reaction to this dustup...while Rush was the trigger, I don’t believe Conservatives will soft or hard boycott the NFL out of pure loyalty to Rush. This dust-up was an attack on Conservativism that showed two things: That there is (yet another) fetid reservoir of bias against them and 2: that this bias will resort to the basest kind of slander to further its’ aims, while appearing to allow the likes of Al Sharpton to lead the parade.
That is going to be a bridge too far, IMHO. It’s not out of fan loyalty to Rush on a personality basis. It’s a trifecta insult to Conservative ideas and ideals. It won’t be a matter of wanting to hurt the NFL out of spite. It’s more a matter of being personally insulted and I think the wounds will take some time to heal.