i agree, and i think it's hard to argue to the contrary...we heard this very same thing with Doug Williams...there was a lot of press about how neat it would be to see a black QB win a super bowl. i don't think there's necessarily anything wrong with that...but it is what it is. remember when isiah thomas said that larry bird wouldn't be considered great if he weren't white??? how is this different?
Some interesting thoughts one this "issue," but let's be real here. Rush was obviously bringing politics into the discussion, and not NFL politics but national politics. His comment wasn't so much a knock on McNabb (although I can't see how it would have pleased him) but rather a knock on the "liberal" media (which is owned and controlled by the super-rich) and how of course all the bleeding hearts in the media would want a black man to succeed because liberals, and thus the media, hate whites. As a member of the media (and don't let the screen-name fool you, I'm moderate) I can say that this is laughable. The media is a business just like any other and no one is out to promote any "agenda" besides making a living. But of course, Rush's comment is merely an opinion, and has much less to do with racism than simple ultraconservatism. Rush has a long history of bashing the mythical "liberal" media. And of course, promoting ultraconservatism is how Rush makes his living AS PART OF THE MEDIA. Basically, I don't have a clue what ESPN was thinking in hiring Rush, other than that I guess they believed he'd appeal to the NFL's stereotypical "good ole boy" audience. Well, of course the NFL's viewership isn't nearly that one-dimensional. I can't really blame Rush in this circumstance since his only talent is for ultraconservative jokes and ranting, which he's well-known and liked for. Obviously he would assume that this is why ESPN hired him, since he's by no stretch a football expert. If ESPN didn't want his politics to come up in the show (How could they not? That's all the guy does!) they shouldn't have hired him. So, what we really have here is a case of a network being stupid enough to hire a radio shock-jock whose talents lie specifically in political controversy and then expecting him not to be himself. I mean, honestly, what did they expect? As was said, nobody's gonna hire Al Sharpton and expect him to be some regular announcer. He's a political ranter, and that's the only reason people would want to watch him.
Hutchinson was praised over Carter, not because of race, but because of talent and skill perception. Carter will never live down the fact that he was an undeserving 2nd round draft pick. Totally not his fault. However, unless he wins a Super Bowl, he will go down as a joke in the media as the perfect example of how destructive Jerry Jones' ego can be. Hutchinson, on the other hand, has an "mysterious" perception because he spent time away from the sport and pursued other options before returning. The media is enthralled by his tale and his potential. If the races were reversed for Carter and Hutchinson, I wholeheartedly believe their media receptions would be exactly the same.
And Isiah's comments were called racist or at least stupid. He caught flack for those comments, case in point, they were 15 years ago and you still remember.
they were?? he did??? did he catch flack like rush is catching today?? did he step away from his job as a commentator?? the man was subsequently made a head coach in the league! you really feel like isaiah was treated the same way rush was for saying virtually the same thing???
Money. They were hoping to appeal to Limbaugh fans as well as the people who tune into his radio show just to "hear what he'll say next" Shock value, i.e. Howard Stern. Love him or hate him, he draws in the masses. This equals higher ratings. This equals higher prices charged to businesses for commercials during the 1.5 hour show. This equals more money. Plain and simple.
And Limbaugh will continue to make his millions in radio. I wouldn't be surprised if the controversy makes him more appealing to a rival network. This ordeal has shown that his words are powerful. He could easily turn this into a lucrative television offer, if spun properly.
My point exactly! Wasn't this type of thing exactly what ESPN was going for by hiring him? NOW they wanna fire him? If you hire a guy to shock (and his comment was obviously meant to) then at least let the guy do it. But, I don't feel bad for Rush. He hasn't alienated anyone who already listens to him. I'd be confused too if I was fired for doing what I was hired to do.
1988 he was still playing, I doubt they would get rid of a player. That's another thing about Isiah's statements, he was talking to Rodman (I believe) and he was caught on tape. It was locker room talk and a media member happened to over hear. He wasn't even talking to the media. As far as him getting a coaching job over ten years later, I'm not sure that's a valid point.
But Rush said "the media' overhypes black QBs because they want them to succeed. If there are exceptions to the rule, doesn't that negate the rule somewhat? But the media still overhyped Hutchinson even after he had gone on the field and proven he wasn't that good. The fact that he did poorer than Quincy over the same number of games was ignored and Hutch was still hyped as a better QB than Quincy. That doesn't sound like a media that overhypes black QBs because it wants them to succeed like Rush claims the media does. Even during training camp and preseason when it should've been obvious that Parcells, a guy who might know a little something about football, was leaning toward Quincy, the media still overhyped Hutch and made excuses for why he wasn't playing in preseason (he doesn't need the experience!?!?!). It wasn't until Parcells made it clear that Quincy would be the starting QB that he started getting a fair shake. All that from a media that overhypes black QBs because they want to see them succeed. I don't think it would be exactly the same. There are some who believe Hutch just looks like a Dallas Cowboys QB and Quincy does not. And Dallas is used to the drop-back passer mode. Having a guy who doesn't throw a tight spiral, but who does have the legs to make some plays on the ground is going against what Cowboys fans are used to.
Interesting that the Democratic candidates felt the need to weigh in on this: http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/politics/6910072.htm Can you imagine the outcry from the left if President Bush had commented on the Dixie Chicks kerfluffle? -- Clark, Dean Urge Rush Limbaugh's Firing RON FOURNIER Associated Press WASHINGTON - Three Democratic presidential candidates urged ESPN to fire conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh on Wednesday for saying the media wanted Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb to succeed because he is black. Wesley Clark, a retired Army general who entered the race Sept. 17, called the remarks "hateful and ignorant speech." Front-running candidate Howard Dean, a former Vermont governor, followed up with his own assessment - "absurd and offensive." Al Sharpton scheduled a news conference Thursday morning in front of ABC headquarters in New York to urge ESPN to fire Limbaugh. ABC and ESPN are corporate cousins, both owned by Walt Disney Co. The Clark campaign, in a letter to ESPN president George Bodenheimer, said: "There can be no excuse for such statements. Mr. Limbaugh has the right to say whatever he wants, but ABC and ESPN have no obligation to sponsor such hateful and ignorant speech. Mr. Limbaugh should be fired immediately." Later, Dean said in a statement, "There is no legitimate place in sports broadcasting for voices that seek to discredit the achievement of athletes on the basis of race." Sharpton said he would call for a national boycott of the network this weekend if Limbaugh wasn't fired. "I'm going to call for ESPN to terminate Rush Limbaugh as we've seen other networks terminate people for racist remarks in the past," he said. "I'm shocked that we're at Wednesday and we have not seen an apology from Mr. Limbaugh. We cannot sit back in silence. That would be consent and we would have lost self-respect." Limbaugh said in his syndicated radio show that he was exercising his free-speech rights in calling McNabb overrated.
Way to spin, I guess Dean said "If I were president, I would lock anybody up who makes statements I don't agree with"
The eagles play the Redskins this weekend. do you suppose Clark, Dean, and Sharpton will protest the "racist" Washington team identity?
Isn't this exactly the kind of intimidating tactic you accuse Ashcroft and the Bush administration of engaging in?
How was Rush going to do his weekly segment from rehab, which is where he will surely be headed soon? He resigned because of his drug addiction and the fact tht it was about to become public. If it's proven I gurantee you that had something to do with his decision to quit.
You'd think that if they were going to say something about the Redskins name, they would've said something before now since the team has carried that moniker since before they were all born.
