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

[TigersEye]

I was responding to your argument wherein you claimed Soros was part of the deal and that divisive leftists would not be allowed in the league. Apparently you don’t even comprehend the things that you write.

[discostu]

I comprehend fully what I write. I’ve said repeatedly that this deal was doomed with Soros, really doomed even without Soros. Meanwhile YOU staked a claim on leftists being allowed in the NFL because of Soros and then YOU attacked the idea that Soros was in the deal. You skuttled your own argument, thus making it clear that at this point you’re arguing just for the sake of arguing, you actually have no point. So we’re done. Have a great life, no more replies from you will be read by me.

[RobRoy]

No, they are not all that obtrusive or blatant. For me, it’s the principle.

I have nothing against televised sports per-se. It’s just that I learned in business 101 that when you buy a product, you’re voting for it. I choose not to spend the gawdawful amount of time it involves. If I’m gonna spend four hours doing nothing, I’d rather do something interactive, like actually PLAY sports, not watch it.

[newgeezer]

It’s been at least a decade since I gave more than a rat’s derriere about watching the National Felons League, other than the commercials during the Super Bowl and an occasional game involving Kurt Warner.

This latest steaming pile of crap involving Rush Limbaugh just renews my disdain for the whole thing.

[TigersEye]

Meanwhile YOU staked a claim on leftists being allowed in the NFL because of Soros and then YOU attacked the idea that Soros was in the deal.

Liar. I never said that.

[rhema]

Uh, tell us again, Mr. Goodell and supercilious Limbaugh detractors, why Rush is unfit to join the august society of current NFL owners like Jennifer Lopez, who penned these deathless lyrics:

"And the game done chose me to bring pain to n ***** and p **** holes, they one in the same." - "I'm Real," co-written by Jennifer Lopez, minority owner of the Miami Dolphins.

"NFL Owners Who Use the N-Word and Wet Their Pants on Stage"

[TigersEye]

That can't be. There are no divisive leftist owners in the NFL. /s LOL

[VR-21]

I just watched the Bob Lily footage. Wow, no cheap shots, just power and quickness. Those were the days. Thanks a lot.

[buckleyfan]

If you think he's got an ego, you never listened in the first place.

I realize I'm real late in the ballgame here but I do want to respond to this.

Just because Rush Limbaugh has a knack for being very self-deprecating when he needs to does not mean he doesn't have an ego. He also can play the wounded victim when it's advantageous to him. He's done this on many occasions, it helps to maximize his exposure and he does understand enough about the radio the industry (he's largely built) that he knows how to parlay these things into success. Now don't get me wrong, that in itself is not always bad, but when he says he made it possible for Glenn Beck, etc. to have the careers that they do, the ego is talking.

I know the saying is "it's not bragging if it's true," but the problem is with that saying is that it's false. Bragging is still bragging. ;)

As for having never listened in the first place, how wrong you are. I used to be a huge fan, I remember when he made the jump to TV, I watched the show religiously (as well as tuning to his radio show). I remember the "America Held Hostage" running series on his show. I just gradually lost interest. I can find my own news and break things down more or less (this web site helps a lot) without needing a guru to feed it to me. I know that sounds a tad rude but it's just mho.

[Terpfen]

Just because Rush Limbaugh has a knack for being very self-deprecating when he needs to does not mean he doesn't have an ego.

No, the fact that he doesn't have an ego means that he doesn't have an ego.

[buckleyfan]

"Just because Rush Limbaugh has a knack for being very self-deprecating when he needs to does not mean he doesn't have an ego."

No, the fact that he doesn't have an ego means that he doesn't have an ego.

Great response! Is that you, Rush? ;)

You do realize that everyone has an ego, right? There are just different degrees of "inflation," so to speak. I feel that Rush's is larger than normal, or at least moreso than the hardliners among his fans would choose to recognize. Anyway, agree to disagree.

[Terpfen]

You do realize that everyone has an ego, right?

Yes, everyone has an Id, Ego, and Libido. In contemporary English, the phrase "doesn't have an ego" doesn't mean the absence of an ego, but rather an ego that is not considered excessive.

So, to put it another way, no, Rush does not have an overinflated opinion of himself. 99% of his self-indulgence is tongue in cheek, and the 1% is when he's exasperated about some event or statement and says "I knew this was going to happen!" Just like the rest of us do.

Rush is many things. An egotist is not one of them.