ESPN Rushes to right

NY Daily News ^ | July 14, 2003 | RICHARD HUFF

[presidio9]

Conservative radio ringleader Rush Limbaugh is taking his schtick to ESPN. Starting this fall, Limbaugh, best known for his daily radio rants, will turn up on ESPN's "Sunday NFL Countdown," where he'll provide a weekly opinion piece on football.

He'll also get into verbal sparring matches — "challenges" in cute TV talk — with "Countdown" football analysts Steve Young, Michael Irvin and Tom Jackson.

"I'm really looking forward to it," Limbaugh said yesterday. "Football is a lot like life; I know life pretty well."

Under the setup, Limbaugh, who lives in Florida, will be in ESPN's Bristol, Conn., studios about half the time and do the show from his home on other occasions. He'll do a 90-second commentary — from the fan's perspective — and turn up later to spar with the analysts. He won't sit at the main desk, but will be positioned off set, similar to local TV weatherman.

"I haven't told anybody this: If I get really worked up and have to walk onto the set, I'll do it," Limbaugh said.

The ESPN gig comes on top of Limbaugh's daily radio show, which is heard on 650 stations around the country, including WABC (770-AM) here.

"I think it has an entertainment value," said sports consultant Neal Pilson, head of Pilson Communications. "It will bring some additional viewers to the set who are primarily Rush fans, who may want to hear what he has to say about the NFL."

For several years, Limbaugh has been hankering for a hunk of the television football pie.

In 2000, he threw his hat into the ring for an open slot in the broadcast booth at "Monday Night Football," although that position went to comic Dennis Miller. Miller is no longer part of that program.

"Nobody gets everything they want — that was admittedly a longshot from the get-go," said Limbaugh, who in 2001 signed an eight-year, $250 million deal for his radio show. "I'd still love to do something like that."

Getting into sports isn't that much of a stretch for Limbaugh. He worked for the Kansas City Royals in the ticket sales department. And in 1996, he was part of a group that attempted to buy the team.

The ESPN tie-in should serve as an indication that he's serious about pigskin, Limbaugh said.

"Everybody has to start somewhere," he said. "I had no experience in sports (when pursuing 'MNF'). I think I'm starting at the top here."

[Guillermo]

Good for Rush.

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[presidio9]

Good for us. Rush will make that show a lot more entertaining.

[b4its2late]

I know I'll watch it now....

[JacksonCalhoun]

I'll have to give ESPN credit for this one. Most of their forays into politics seem to be into left field, but Rush is talented enough to pull this off.

[presidio9]

Past winners of Arthur Ashe ("ESPY") Award for Courage
2002: Flight 93 passengers
2001: Cathy Freeman
2000: Dave Sanders
1999: Billie Jean King
1998: Dean Smith
1997: Muhammad Ali
1996: Loretta Claiborne
1995: Howard Cosell
1994: Steve Palermo
1993: Jim Valvano

[smiley]

This is GREAT news for Rush....he no doubt knows that the liberal/democrats will be ready to pounce on his every word and deed...GO GET 'EM, RUSH!

[presidio9]

1999: Billie Jean King

Guess why she/it won.

[Steve_Seattle]

I've never heard of Kathy Freeman, Dave Sanders, or Loretta Claiborne (post #7) - can anyone help?

[ken5050]

It's good for ESPN..it also means that you can now skip the first hour of Rush's show Mondays during the football season...

[presidio9]

Freeman is an aborigine who won multiple golds at the Sydney olympics. I believe Loretta Claiborne is a mentally retarded Special Olympian. Not sure what Dave Sanders' story is. He may be an amputee of some sort. The award itself is pretty admirable, but they keep sending "we so desperately want you to know that we're lefties" messages with it. Ali is suffering from Parkinson's, and I feel sorry for him. But the affliction took place long after he retired. What was his courageous move as an athlete? Dodging the draft?

[presidio9]

Coincidently, Freeman announced her retirement today. From the front page of today's Sydney Morning Herald:

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/07/16/1058035019348.html

[Charlie OK]

Flight 93 passengers is pretty sweet.

[presidio9]

Yeah, except if I remember correctly, it was not all of the passengers, like Tod Beemer, for instance. It was the members of a gay men's rugby team from San Francisco, like Mark Bingham. When they gave out the award, as much time was spent describing how much courage it took to be an openly gay man in San Fransisco as to storm the cockpit of a hijacked plane. ESPN can help itself.

[presidio9]

Not honored at the ESPY awards:

Donald Greene

http://www.unitedheroes.com/Donald-Greene.html

[Stopislamnow]

Everyone knows Rush loves football.

He's gotta be happy.

Destroying liberals every day(when not golfing) and commenting for ESPN about football, not only does this guy get to do what he loves to do, twice, he gets paid for it.

Congrats Rush.

[HighWheeler]

"Ali is suffering from Parkinson's, and I feel sorry for him. But the affliction took place long after he retired. What was his courageous move as an athlete? Dodging the draft? ."

In that case then, the 1995 award should have gone to Christopher Reeve for falling off the horse. But Howard Cosell died of an embolism a month earlier instead, so he won.

[For_God_and_Country]

Dave Sanders was a science teacher and girls softball coach at Columbine High School, who was killed in the attack there. He positioned himself in front of Eric Harris who was trying to gain entry into his classroom to kill some of his players. Sanders was shot in the abdomen and bled to death in front of his students while waiting for rescue.

[goldstategop]

More liberal whine. Do they really think Rush will bring his politics on ESPN? Sheesh look who is obssessed with the King Of Talk Radio. It ain't conservatives...