Boston — Rush Limbaugh’s bid to buy the St. Louis Rams ran into opposition within the NFL on Tuesday. Colts owner Jim Irsay vowed to vote against him, and commissioner Roger Goodell said the conservative commentator’s “divisive” comments would not be tolerated from any NFL insider.
“I, myself, couldn’t even consider voting for him,” Irsay said at an owners meetings. “When there are comments that have been made that are inappropriate, incendiary and insensitive ... our words do damage, and it’s something that we don’t need.”
Limbaugh has long been a hero of conservatives and villain to the left, thriving on his place in the political spectrum while establishing himself as one of the most successful broadcasters in history. But the NFL tries to avoid controversy, as Limbaugh learned in 2003 when he was forced to resign from ESPN’s Sunday night football broadcast after saying of Philadelphia’s Donovan McNabb: “I think what we’ve had here is a little social concern in the NFL. The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well.”
“Divisive comments are not what the NFL is all about,” Goodell said.
NFL
Eagles hand out grants
Philadelphia — Months after facing criticism for signing convicted dogfighter Michael Vick, the Philadelphia Eagles are making good on a pledge to support animal welfare groups. The team on Monday unveiled a program called TAWK, which stands for Treating Animals With Kindness. The Eagles awarded grants of $50,000 each to Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society, the Humane Society of Berks County and the Humane Society of the United States.
NFL watching Cable probe
Boston — Oakland Raiders coach Tom Cable will be subject to NFL discipline if he is implicated by police in their investigation of an alleged assault on an assistant coach. Commissioner Roger Goodell said Tuesday that workplace violence is specifically identified in the league’s personal conduct policy, and if Cable is charged with any crimes, he could be punished by the NFL.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Gillispie, Kentucky settle
Lexington, Ky. — Former men’s basketball coach Billy Gillispie and the University of Kentucky have settled their cases over his firing for nearly $3 million, the school said Tuesday.
Gillispie was dismissed earlier this year and sued for breach of contract and fraud in May, seeking at least $6 million. The university countersued.
He had not signed a contract during his two years coaching the Wildcats to a 40-27 record but was working under a memorandum of understanding. He charged that he should have been paid $1.5 million per year for four of the five years left on the deal.
In a statement, the university said the lawsuits were settled through mediation. The agreement, signed Tuesday, said Gillispie would receive a little more than $2.98 million.
Purdue guard suspended
West Lafayette, Ind. — Purdue guard Lewis Jackson has been suspended for two exhibition games and the season opener for violating team and NCAA rules. The team suspended him for two games after he pleaded guilty in April to charges of illegal alcohol consumption and possession of drug paraphernalia.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
N.M. coach suspended
Albuquerque, N.M. — New Mexico coach Mike Locksley has been suspended one game and will miss 10 days as punishment for striking an assistant coach.
Locksley initially was reprimanded, but athletic director Paul Krebs now says the coach will not be allowed to have any contact with the team this week from Tuesday through Friday and Monday through Oct. 24. Locksley won’t be on the sidelines when the Lobos (0-6) play their next game against visiting UNLV on Oct. 24. Assistant George Barlow, who coaches New Mexico’s defensive backs, will serve as an interim coach.
Receivers coach J.B. Gerald told Albuquerque police Locksley struck him during a Sept. 20 staff meeting at the football office, splitting his lip.
Bryant says he panicked
Oklahoma City — Oklahoma State receiver Dez Bryant claims he was worried he had done something wrong when he “panicked” and lied to the NCAA about a meeting with former NFL player Deion Sanders at a Texas athletics center.
In his written apology to the NCAA, obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press following an open records request, Bryant said that he is “very, very sorry” and “made a terrible mistake” when he lied to Marcus M. Wilson, the NCAA’s assistant director of agent, gambling and amateurism activities, in July.
Holiday extends agreements
San Diego — The Holiday Bowl has extended agreements with the Pacific-10 and Big 12 conferences through 2013. The four-year extension begins with the 2010 game. The bowl will have the second selection of eligible Pac-10 teams after the Bowl Championship Series selection process and the fourth selection after the BCS process in the Big 12.
NBA
West back at practice
Independence, Ohio — Cavaliers guard Delonte West returned to practice Tuesday after missing one week to attend to personal issues. West took part in the team’s workout at Cleveland Clinic Courts, but was not with his teammates for the portion of practice open to the media. He was excused last week by the Cavaliers, who wanted to give him time to deal with legal and medical issues.
BASEBALL
Cubs gain approval
Wilmington, Del. — The sale of the Chicago Cubs moved closer Tuesday as a bankruptcy court judge said the team can go to the family of billionaire Joe Ricketts in a $845 million deal.
The judge had already cleared Tribune Co. to sell the team and Wrigley Field. But he gave his approval again Tuesday because the Cubs filed separately for Chapter 11 protection on Monday.
The team cited assets of $1.42 billion and liabilities of $1.26 billion, but the Cubs’ finances weren’t in question. The bankruptcy filing was made to ensure that the team can’t be hit with claims by Tribune creditors.
SOCCER
U.S. player hurt in accident
Arlington, Va. — U.S. national team forward Charlie Davies had several broken bones and a lacerated bladder after a one-vehicle accident Tuesday in which another person was killed. Davies underwent several hours of surgery at Washington Hospital Center Medstar, where he was listed in serious but stable condition.
Comments
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lounger (anonymous) says…
He would ruin The Rams...
truman1902 (anonymous) says…
Could Rush Limbaugh's partial ownership of the Rams be ANY degree MORE reprehensible than Al Davis' last 20 years of incompetence with the Oakland/LA/Oakland Raiders?.ONE thing Rush will not tolerate is administering a football team of losers!! Say what you will about his politics, but hundreds of AM radio stations and their tech & sales staff owe their very existence to Mr. Limbaugh's 3 hours of spirited discussions involving issues near and dear to all of us..Yes, he HAS an opinion..For THAT, he remains a target of some rather spineless pundits whose judgment on issues of substance consists of hoisting there finger in the wind..
hail2oldku (anonymous) says…
"lounger (Anonymous) says…
He would ruin The Rams…"
Yes, because the Rams are such a successful organization right now.
grammaddy (anonymous) says…
A big fat NO to Rush owning the rams.
KS (anonymous) says…
Go Rush, go! You are such a fan of football. I can't understand how someone can be such a fan, like Rush, and still be considered a "racist"? What do folks think he is going to do; fire all the black players and hire only white players? Good luck trying to win a game doing that!
shotgun (anonymous) says…
Rush is an idiot! Let him buy the Rams. He will lose money, chase them back to LA. Make him buy the Con-Dome along with the team. He can hold neo-con rallies there!
AreUNorml (anonymous) says…
O'Reilly had a fellow on the other night who was opposed to Rush owning an NFL franchise. Here's what was determined. The racist comments that are floating around the net, weren't actually real. Rush never said the things he's accused of. The only thing that he did say was that McNabb was over-rated and that the media had pushed hard to have a successful black quarterback. kinda reminds me of a recent election we just had...but I digress. Additionally, Rush is involved in a group of people who want to purchase the team. He would not be the soul owner of the team. I think that the Soros bug has reached so far into some peoples minds and given them so much mis-information, that this guy can't even chase his American dream.
AreUNorml (anonymous) says…
Michael Steele is weak as a leader. I'm not entirely sure why he's in that position to begin with. And since when is football "family entertainment"? Dog fighters, murderers, rapists, crack heads, thieves. A lot of fine role models there. Next you'll tell me that Congress is family oriented as well. and I'll repeat my list of criminal activities.
bad_dog (anonymous) says…
"I think that the Soros bug has reached so far into some peoples minds and given them so much mis-information, that this guy can't even chase his American dream."
Oh the humanity-that Rush might be unable to *chase his dream*. What has this country come to? (Although I must admit the thought of seeing Rush actually *chasing* anything is a little off putting)...
"Michael Steele is weak as a leader. I'm not entirely sure why he's in that position to begin with."
Neither am I, but I can speculate...
"And since when is football “family entertainment”? Dog fighters, murderers, rapists, crack heads, thieves. A lot of fine role models there."
Please, expound upon all the dog fighter(s), murderers, rapists, crack heads and thieves you can identify in the NFL.
I say let Rush have a shot at it. He probably can't do anything to hurt that franchise. Perhaps he'll have some interesting thoughts on training table menus or uniform design.
BigAl (anonymous) says…
Limbaugh is a blow-hard. He is a draft dodging coward that spews hate and negative propoganda. He is a drug addict with zero family values. He spews his opinions and never allows a dissenting view.
I also don't care if he buys the Rams or not. If he buys the Rams, I hope they never win another game but he definitely has the right to buy them.
puddleglum (anonymous) says…
Let him buy into the rams.
this is the same guy who said that slavery had its merits.
I'd like to see any black player stay with the team.
maybe they can become the st. louis all-white rams, with a great white hope quarterback?
jonas_opines (anonymous) says…
I still say it's probably a bad idea. All problems with the Rams afterwards would be called as totally the fault of the Left side of the O and D lines.
The Left can't even defend America, much less a quarterback!
kmat (anonymous) says…
puddleglum (Anonymous) says…
Let him buy into the rams.
this is the same guy who said that slavery had its merits.
I'd like to see any black player stay with the team.
maybe they can become the st. louis all-white rams, with a great white hope quarterback?
___________________
Smartest comment yet.
If he becomes owner of the Rams, many players will quit rather than play for that racist. But, we are talking about MO, still one of the most racist states.
Top Rush racist quotes:
"I mean, let’s face it, we didn’t have slavery in this country for over 100 years because it was a bad thing. Quite the opposite: slavery built the South. I’m not saying we should bring it back; I’m just saying it had its merits. For one thing, the streets were safer after dark."
"You know who deserves a posthumous Medal of Honor? James Earl Ray [the confessed assassin of Martin Luther King]. We miss you, James. Godspeed."
"Look, let me put it to you this way: the NFL all too often looks like a game between the Bloods and the Crips without any weapons. There, I said it."
"The NAACP should have riot rehearsal. They should get a liquor store and practice robberies."
"They’re 12 percent of the population. Who the hell cares? "
"Take that bone out of your nose and call me back"(to an African American female caller).
And lastly - "Barack the Magic Negro"
Enough said.
BigAl (anonymous) says…
Lighten up Boris. I have no problem with Limbaugh buying the Rams and I said so. But yes, I am bigoted towards one loud-mouthed blowhard. I freely admit that. He on the other hand is bigoted towards an entire race of people. HUGE difference.
BigAl (anonymous) says…
Kmat. I've seen those quotes from Limbaugh and yet the far right will still defend him. Pathetic.
Sulla (anonymous) says…
Imagine someone with a nick of 'truman'(a liberal! president) defending that corporate huckster mealy-mouthed hypocrite. LOL! You starry-eyed dittoheads need to go drink some kool-aide - decades ago.
kmat (anonymous) says…
BigAl - it's because the far right agrees with those quotes.
It's still a pretty sad world we live in.
Sulla (anonymous) says…
SFM...not as bigoted to poor misunderstood Rush as the morons who listen to him... You ever noticed that some of these free-market ueber alles preachers never worked a day in their lives, like Marse Rush ? Shooting off one's mouth on the radio , regardless of what they talk about, anybody except for mutes can do it.Sheesh!
AreUNorml (anonymous) says…
I riled a few people with my post, so here's my best (half-assed) effort to respond.
This link is the very first thing I found when inquiring about "convicted NFL players" on Google
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?pageId=7973
I've never said that Rush is a saint. But he certainly isn't more criminal than the lot that already occupies the locker rooms. Don't forget, the NFL is big corporate America. From the commissioners office on down, there's some shady sh!t happening in football.
This very tired issue of calling Rush a drug addict, as if he's a pariah because of it, has gotten old. Aren't the Democrats the party of compassion and understanding? Aren't these the people who endorse giving heroin addicts clean needles? Don't Liberals pine for decriminalization and legalization of drugs? Aren't the pharmaceutical companies partially to blame for the number of Americans who are addicted to pain pills that they were legitimately prescribed? yet you continue to harp on this one guy that got caught up in something because he is in fact, human.
I haven't read one thing in all of these posts as to why Rush shouldn't be allowed to own a football franchise. It's primarily a bunch of sissies bitching about the guy as if they had a real clue about the man he is. someone said it in one of these posts. He's an entertainer. well for damn gosh golly, I'm pretty sure that football is entertainment....at least to some people.
AreUNorml (anonymous) says…
Kmat, can you please provide links to the transcripts that show these quotes? or are these just fabrications and spread around the internet to increase the hype against Rush? Citing someone else's slanted citation will not get you the respect you're looking for.
AreUNorml (anonymous) says…
Well Porch, aren't you the beacon of perfection in this world. I'm certain that you've never medicated (legally or illegally) have you? there are millions of Americans right now (red & blue) that use and quite likely abuse pain medication. He came clean about his problem and has made great strides to fix the problem. So do you have a problem with ex-addicts, or just addicts?
And your assumption that I blindly follow what Rush is saying is asinine. I have heard the show and seen the man on the news, but I have never been a follower. But what I do see is your blind following of those that express pure hatred for the man. You don't know why you hate him. I'm sure you've never sat down and listened to his show either. But someone told you that he's a racist, and you jumped all over it. I've read plenty of your work and I'm pretty certain that I know who the racist (or at least race baiter) is.
my argument here today is about misinformation. that which you think you know, but are completely wrong about. There is no reason in the world that Rush Limbaugh should be forbidden from buying into an NFL team. None.
AreUNorml (anonymous) says…
(laughter)
AreUNorml (anonymous) says…
I sure wish my political party was so obsessed with an "entertainer" that we had to have meetings and organize anti slogans on how to combat what an entertainer was telling people. This is really similar to why CNN felt compelled to pick apart the SNL skits about Obama. come on folks it's just entertainment..or is it a bit of truth that's being told that really scrapes your knees?
The_Original_Bob (anonymous) says…
Rush has been dropped by the ownership group. Move along. Nothing to be seen here.
AreUNorml (anonymous) says…
another win for Soros & Co. well done sissy-men!
AreUNorml (anonymous) says…
porch, I'd support you too if someone was attacking your right to free speech and misquoting you in order to further a bigger agenda. but that's my Libertarian way.
BigAl (anonymous) says…
AreUNormal. I am not swayed by any political party when it comes to Limbaugh. I am swayed by common sense and the fact that this man IS a drug addict. He has NO family values, married and divorced 3 or 4 times. No kids. Managed to find himself ineligible for the draft in the Vietnam war, a war in which I served. It goes on and on but don't let a few facts get in the way of your thought process.....
BigAl (anonymous) says…
By the way, I have never, to my knowledge, read or watched anything put out by Soros and Co. However, I do watch Fox News and I can still make my own conclusion about a blowhard like Limbaugh.
jayhawklawrence (anonymous) says…
Whenever you see Limbaugh on TV he looks possessed.
I think giving him ownership of the Rams would be a good way to show everyone what a strange guy he is.
Give him the rope. He's begging to hang himself with it.
mancityfooty (Corey Williams) says…
AreUNorml (Anonymous) says…
"This very tired issue of calling Rush a drug addict, as if he's a pariah because of it, has gotten old. Aren't the Democrats the party of compassion and understanding?"
Let's go to a Limbaugh quote for your answer:
"I want to let you read along with me a quote from Jerry Colangelo about substance abuse, and I think you'll find that he's very much right…"I know every expert in the world will disagree with me, but I don't buy into the disease part of it. The first time you reach for a substance you are making a choice. Every time you go back, you are making a personal choice. I feel very strongly about that."... " --Rush Limbaugh TV show (9/23/93)
"Don't Liberals pine for decriminalization and legalization of drugs?"
Some do. It's when it involves hypocrites like Limbaugh that sympathy goes out the window.
"Aren't the pharmaceutical companies partially to blame for the number of Americans who are addicted to pain pills that they were legitimately prescribed? yet you continue to harp on this one guy that got caught up in something because he is in fact, human"
I'd like to say something about personal responsibility, and how it's constantly being brought up by republicans in regards to health care, but you really wouldn't get the point, would you?
Sulla (anonymous) says…
...and I'll give the Il Slobbo his due that he would be a good owner(do what it takes to win) . Seems that right wing nuts make good professional sport owners. Fortunately, I am not a Rams fan or a fan of the NFL. I just hate dittoheads:-)
puddleglum (anonymous) says…
hey, dittoheads need love too.
Guardian (anonymous) says…
I guess we hate what we fear most. Please continue to live in fear. A contract for $400 million a year and the largest media show audience in America. Some idiot he is!
I'll second the demand to provide the source of Rush's racism quotes.
terrapin2 (anonymous) says…
Those racism quotes are very easy to find. Look them up. Kmat is right on the money. Runorml-mancityfooty is absolutely right. It's Rush's absolute hypocrisy with regard to drug addicts that made liberals' compassion go out the window. He had no compassion for any other drug addict. He was high at the time he was saying disparaging comments about illegal drug users. And these people using prescription drugs may have legitimately gotten a prescription to start out with, but as soon as they start getting them without a prescription, start faking pain for more, start doctor shopping, getting them overseas, etc... they (Rush) are just as big a criminal as the crack heads on the street.
Sulla (anonymous) says…
puddleglum:
Dittoheads need 'love'? Why you faker, love is L-i-b-e-r-a-l! Avatar Rush says so!
Guardian (anonymous) says…
Nice link to an obvious anti-Conservative spin site porch, but a miserable failure. About what would expect from someone so impressed with his own inept humor. Maybe you should try listening instead of searching for the talking points.
terrapin2 (anonymous) says…
Whether you like the link or not, the quotes from Limbaugh's mouth are still true. Go find the transcripts from his shows and compare. How about you try listening to the truth instead of coming up with your own talking points. At least the ones kmat and porch listed were actual quotes. So what if he makes a bunch of money and has idiots believing his crap. Money and followers is not how I judge success and the vast majority of people in this country think Limbaugh is a big fat idiot.
scott3460 (anonymous) says…
Limbaugh's baggage has caught up to him once again. He'll whine and moan about it, but the fault is entirely his own. Enjoy your spilt milk, buddy.
And, in the immortal words of Nelson Muntz (of the Simpsons - a show Limbaugh, no doubt, hates:) "Haw-Haw."
Guardian (anonymous) says…
After re-reading the articles in the web site, I have no reason to doubt the quotes are verbatim. I also fail to see where the comments are not factual. Since when is stating facts being racist?
Limbaugh---"...Obama is an angry Black man!"
From Dreams of My Father:
"I ceased to advertise my mother's race at the age of 12 or 13, when I began to suspect that by doing so I was ingratiating myself to whites."
"I found a solace in nursing a pervasive sense of grievance and animosity against my mother's race."
"There was something about him that made me wary, a little too sure of himself, maybe. And white."
It remained necessary to prove which side you were on, to show your loyalty to the black masses, to strike out and name names.
"I never emulate white men and brown men whose fates didn't speak to my own. It was into my father's image, the black man, son of Africa , that I'd packed all the attributes I sought in myself , the attributes of Martin and Malcolm, DuBois and Mandela."
Limbaugh on Donovan McNabb-
"McNabb is overrated ... what we have here is a little social concern in the NFL. The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback can do well—black coaches and black quarterbacks doing well."
At the time, McNabb was a mediocre to fair QB. And I do recall my history, there was a great desire for African American coaches and QBs to succeed in the NFL because there were so few in the NFL then.
Again, where is the racism?
BigDog (anonymous) says…
Roger Goodell is such a hypocrit it isn't even funny. He is okay with a liberal blowhard like Keith Olberman being a commentator for the NFL games. They let guys like Leonard Little in the the league (killed someone in drunk driving accident), re-instates Michael Vick (we all know his story), numerous illegal drug and steroid users throughout the league.
Yeah it is about image.
Guardian (anonymous) says…
Well porch, you obviously missed the point. Not surprising. I was not intending to prove Biraq was racist, only that he was:
a.) angry
b.) identifies himself as black
c.) male
a+b+c equals angry black man
But, using your criteria, I can see where Biraq could be accused of being racist. He was certainly not 11 when he wrote the book and he certainly was not 11 when he attended Rev. Wright's church.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rush on Tiger Woods----“ I think he's just the epitome of a class act.”
Rush on Tony Dungy----“…you would be hard pressed in any walk of life to find anybody of greater character and more dignity, more common sense than Tony Dungy; who has spent his life in football, the National Football League. “
Rush on Clarence Thomas-----“I'm so glad that you wrote the book, if I may get personal here for a moment, and I'm so happy that you're doing the interview rounds, because those of us that know you and are privileged to know you and love you, know a man that we wish everybody knew as we do.”
Yep! Pretty strong racial comments.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
McNabb---"...in his five years in the NFL, McNabb had yet to complete 60 percent of his passes or average seven yards per attempt over the course of an entire season, two statistical thresholds widely accepted as benchmarks for what constitutes a successful season for a modern-day NFL quarterback."
http://nfl.wikia.com/wiki/Donovan_McNabb
97.5 QB rating for what would appear to be screens and slant passes, which generally have a high completion rate.
I am impressed! (yawn). Thank the football gods for a strong defense.
Sulla (anonymous) says…
Guardian, I suggest that you desist because you're light years ago beat like a drum. porch_person owns you! LMAO!
jaywalker (anonymous) says…
This is a spectacluar example of Much Ado About Nothing.
For the love, ...are you kidding me? And can we demonize an individual more than this? Seriously, never been a Limbaugh fan, but this whole exercise is disturbing.
snap_pop_no_crackle (anonymous) says…
Dear Leader's followers are using the Alinsky playbook.
What sort of Flavor-aid did you get, porchie?
AreUNorml (anonymous) says…
that's what I'm trying to say jaywalker. and the Ado that they do have is either misinformation or a spun up version of the truth.
AreUNorml (anonymous) says…
what amuses me most is that porch_person thinks they are an important part of any conversation.
(laughter)
(giggle)
(hiccup)
(throw up a little)
(more laughter)
AreUNorml (anonymous) says…
Porch, you don't see the concerted effort by some on the left to stifle the speech of Rush? Ideas such as taxing those like Rush to support opposing viewpoints? that's saying "you can say whatever you like, but because you're successful at it, you also have to pay for someone else to say something that they can't get paid to say"
Personal responsibility is definitely important, such as he did with his addiction problem. my own blame of the pharma. companies is solid. they are selling drugs to people that don't need them. do you disagree? pharma companies are also manipulating your doctors to push these drugs. It was a fair question, as to whether or not we should place some blame on these legal drug dealers.
As for misquoting Rush, yes lots of people are misquoting him. he has never said 90% of what he credited for. but since it's race based, you're all over it, aren't you? Seeing racism in everything is a sure sign of your own racism.
scott3460 (anonymous) says…
"Porch, you don't see the concerted effort by some on the left to stifle the speech of Rush?"
Hard to do when the corporate mainstream media reserve a spot for him on every AM radio station in the country.
I would not worry too much about Rush's speech being stifled. He'll have a forum so long as he is serving the needs of his corporate masters. When, and if, he doesn't, he'll be in the same boat as the rest of us.