RUSH GETS BLITZED: In the "knockout pool" of how soon new ESPN pregame commentator Rush Limbaugh would say something on the air to embarrass himself and his network, who had Week 4?
On Sunday's episode of "Sunday NFL Countdown," on which Limbaugh is one of six panelists, the conservative talking head went off on a rant that amounted to an accusation that Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb is overrated, and that the nation's sports media has overrated him because it "has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well. There is a little hope invested in McNabb, and he got a lot of credit for the performance of this team that he didn't deserve."
Limbaugh apparently forgot that he isn't broadcasting to his ditto-heads anymore, and some people who watch ESPN are actually, you know, sensitive to racism, if not African-Americans themselves. But even more than for its racial ignorance, the comment is appalling for its factual ignorance: unlike, say, Tiger Woods, McNabb is far from the NFL's only black superstar quarterback; others include Michael Vick, Steve McNair, and Daunte Culpepper, with Aaron Brooks and Quincy Carter just a notch below; Randall Cunningham and Rodney Peete both starred at QB for McNabb's team a decade ago.
Also, Rush doesn’t realize that the sports media doesn’t work the same way his beloved "liberal news media" does- it's hard to figure why either the league or the media would conspire to elevate the reputation of an undeserving player just because he was black- especially when that player was good enough to lead his team to the NFC championship game two years in a row. And he can't be talking about the Philly sports media; as anyone who followed their coverage of last year's Iverson arrest can tell you, coddling of black athletes is generally the furthest thing from their mind.
Then on Sunday, McNabb went out and made Limbaugh look like even more of a dumbass, beating the previously impressive Buffalo Bills in order to improve Philly's record to 1-2.
I didn't oppose Limbaugh's hiring at first; just because the man is a political demagogue doesn't mean he can't talk intelligently about football. But more stupid stuff like this, I'm going to have to reconsider my opinion.