ESPN Sunday NFL Countdown thread (Rush update)

10/05/03 | Andy from Beaverton

[Andy from Beaverton]

Is anybody watching the show? Can you believe what they are saying? Talking about stabing someone in the back!

[Night Hides Not]

Thanks for the link. Here's the friendly message I sent them:

I was saddened by the panel's diatribe against Rush Limbaugh this morning. Tom Jackson went over the top, implying that Rush's 20 million listeners were racist. I doubt that Mr. Jackson has ever listened to Rush's show.

Rest assured that I will watch other channels for my sports news until Mr. Jackson is asked to resign. Of course, I won't hold my breath, because Mr. Jackson is of a 'preferred' racial persuasion.

Enjoy your drop in ratings, fools!!!

[G.Mason]

Thank God for NASCAR and racing in general.

Until they outlaw it .........

[cp124]

Hey troll Walkin Man

Shouldn't you walk over to a site you would be more comfortable with. CBS, DNC, PBS, CNN?

[untwist]

I am sure Rush knew this assault was coming. His remarks Friday were very classy toward Jackson and Irvin because he is always a step ahead of his hateful critics. Rush is opinionated but focuses on ideas, not race. We as regular listeners know this but those who don't listen only pay attention to the stereotype.
All the cast of the show had the opportunity to listen to Rush and respond at least with some restraint. They could've expressed disappointment and may have had a legitimate gripe about having to deal with this because Rush attracts so much attention. This is a very strongfisted response from ESPN/ABC management and in their arrogance I don't think they realize they're pouring more gas on the fire.

[Tuxedo]

Actually Walkin Man is not a troll. There is merit in what he said. Rush does need to get this drug story behind him.

[marajade]

"Oh, and Michael Irvin is next going to be talking about respecting women and staying straight."

Dion Sanders has converted him to Christianity. I think we ought to give the guy a chance.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Sad. So much for ESPCN.

Watch the media loudly proclaim that ratings were up for today's show, while ignoring that they nosedived after the first 15 minutes. The real measure of the ratings impact will be next week's ratings.

[ConservativeStandUP]

Walkin Man is a bitter little bartcopper

[G.Mason]

"Rush better clean his own house first."

Something about "let he who is without sin cast the first stone" comes to mind here.

Perhaps you conveniently left that off your FR site?

[cwb]

I'm sick of all this self-righteous race indignation. Howard Dean came out and said we have to have a debate on race in this country. Last time I checked, the only time you could have a debate is when you have two or more differing opinions. Yet, anytime an opinion is offered contrary to liberal orthodoxy, it is shot down by those very people. They are so stupid, they don't even realize the hypocrisy of their own views. They are the ones who are prohibiting the debate from occuring.

[Cedric]

Hold it! Rush's comments about sports are generally inane. Remember when he first started playing golf and wore two gloves?!?! Then, he proceeded to chide professionals and other avid life-long golfers for not doing the same? Duh!
His comment about the media and black QBs was about 10-15 years late.
The flop of Dennis Miller should've provided sufficient warning to Rush. Obviously, it didn't!
Sorry, this wound was self-inflicted.

[Let's Roll]

Rush's arrogance got in the way in this situation BUT I've been thinking and leaving the ESPN show will turn out to be one of the most fortunate events in Rush's life.

He needs to give as much attention as possible right now to the dim sponsored attempt to nail, smear etc. him with these drug charges. ESPN not that important - although they will find their ratings will go back down now, probably even a point or two lower than they were in response to their treatment of Rush.

[winodog]

Yes Tom acted as if Rush had said the only reason Tom was there is because he can run fast and catch balls.
Chris and Tom both sat there and lied through their teeth. They admitted that they were too stupid too realize that Rush's remarks were over the top untill the race pimps told them what to say.
Tom and Chris were pathetic. So much for respect.
You know they were set up to use Rush as a bad guy when you saw the set and he was seperated from them. It would take more then just the four of them to debate Rush on anything including sports.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Bottom line, though, this is still all Rush's stupid fault. He did say, several times, both on his show and on his first ESPCN appearance, that he was there to offer a fan's perspective, and that he would stay out of politics.

Maybe that was unrealistic, but this was his second comment on race in his 1st 4 shows, including his very first show. Notwithstanding the shameless pandering by the crew under the blackmail of Jesse Jackson(if true, I didn't watch), I can understand Jackson and Berman not wanting to have every other show drop some race controversy bomb. Too bad they bungled this whole thing.

[Cedric]

Agreed. ESPN hired the wrong gut for the job and it blew-up on everyone, as it was surely destined to!

[timpad]

Voice your displeasure

Thanks for the link, I used it to send the following:

Just watched the "response" to Rush Limbaugh on the 10/5 show. Funny how CYA can mean two things. We know the meaning as it applies to the panel. It can also mean C-YA, as in "C-YA, NFL Sunday Countdown."

You know why everyone missed the racism in Rush's statement? Because it just wasn't there. So C-YA.

[mrsmith]

First time I've watched the show ( and I'll never see it again).

They seemed sickened that they couldn't censor Rush for not being PC without losing the money from the ratings he brought by speaking his mind.

Poor (LOL!) sheep.

[unsycophant]

From July 2003:

Limbaugh will be voice of fan on ESPN NFL show

ESPN.com

 
National talk radio personality Rush Limbaugh will join ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown to provide the voice of the fan and to spark debate on the show, the network announced Monday.

Limbaugh will appear weekly and make his debut when Sunday NFL Countdown premieres Sept. 7.

...."Rush is a great communicator and a fan's fan," said Mark Shapiro, ESPN's executive vice president of programming and production. "His acute sense of what's on the minds of his listeners combined with his ability to entertain and serve as a lightning rod for lively discussion makes him the perfect fit for this new role.

 
ESPN clearly does not have the leadership it takes to stand by decisions they make. At the first sign of controversy (which they wanted!)----they start yapping like a pack of chihuahuas.

[Fair Paul]

They're now piling on Rush on the CBS pregame show.

[Night Hides Not]

You're right. Tom Jackson knows so much about football, but so little about anything else.

So many of us are willing to engage in debate, but so few of the other side want to deal with the facts. It's all about feelings to them.

I used to think highly of Donovan McNabb. As a quarterback, he plays with courage and fearlessness. Imagine my surprise when I saw that off the field, he's a pu$$y.

No more Chunky Soup for me!