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  • Your opinion of Rush does not really matter, but...

    Here's an article that might provide a good argument as to why Rush would not be good for the Rams:

    Black NFL players crush prospect of playing for a Rush Limbaugh-owned St. Louis Rams

    BY Ohm Youngmisuk
    DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
    Updated Friday, October 9th 2009, 8:59 AM


    Mathias Kiwanuka loves his former defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, but the Giants' defensive end says he will never play for Spagnuolo's Rams if Rush Limbaugh purchases the team.
    Kiwanuka and the Jets' Bart Scott made it clear Thursday that they would never play for the Rams or any team owned by the controversial conservative radio host.
    "All I know is from the last comment I heard, he said in (President) Obama's America, white kids are getting beat up on the bus while black kids are chanting 'right on,'" Kiwanuka told The Daily News. "I mean, I don't want anything to do with a team that he has any part of. He can do whatever he wants, it is a free country. But if it goes through, I can tell you where I am not going to play."
    "I am not going to draw a conclusion from a person off of one comment, but when it is time after time after time and there's a consistent pattern of disrespect and just a complete misunderstanding of an entire culture that I am a part of, I can't respect him as a man."
    Limbaugh said on Tuesday that he is joining former Knicks president and Madison Square Garden CEO Dave Checketts in a group bidding to purchase the Rams. Checketts, who owns the NHL's St. Louis Blues, is heading the group, reportedly one of many bidders. The potential sale is still in an early stage. If the Rams are sold, St. Louis will choose one bidding group, which will then be subject to a vote by the NFL's 32 owners, with approval needed by 24 of them.
    Limbaugh's controversial comments are well-known. He resigned from ESPN in 2003 after he said the media were "very desirous that a black quarterback do well" in reference to Philadelphia's Donovan McNabb being overrated. "If he's rewarded to buy them, congratulations to him," McNabb said during his weekly press conference. "But I won't be in St. Louis anytime soon."
    Scott says players remember what Limbaugh said, and adds that the NFL would be wise not to allow the nationally syndicated host into the league. "It's an oxymoron that he criticized Donovan McNabb," Scott said. "A lot of us took it as more of a racial-type thing. I can only imagine how his players would feel. I know I wouldn't want to play for him. He's a jerk. He's an ---. What he said (about McNabb) was inappropriate and insensitive, totally off-base. He could offer me whatever he wanted, I wouldn't play for him. ... I wouldn't play for Rush Limbaugh. My principles are greater and I can't be bought."
    Limbaugh, who grew up in Missouri about 100 miles south of St. Louis, is an avid sports fan who once said that "the NFL all too often looks like a game between the Bloods and the Crips without any weapons."
    Kiwanuka cringes at the idea of Limbaugh becoming an NFL owner. "They are flat-out racist," Kiwanuka said of many of Limbaugh's statements. "He jumps on Obama and he jumps on other people for being racist. But a lot of the comments that he said, I feel like they have no place in journalism. It is just an opinion show that should be only be taken for shock value. I liken it to 'South Park' when I am listening to him."
    "I love Spags and would play for him in a heartbeat, but under that situation ... obviously trades you have no control over, but if it was a free-agent thing, I wouldn't care if I only had one offer on the table, I would rather stay a free agent."
    Now, before the "JUST SAY NO TO RUSH" group declares victory, let's be clear. This article quotes 2 players. For all we know, the reporter interviewed 2 dozen players, and the other 22 said they would not care if Rush was a part owner.

    The question that I find myself asking is... what does Dave Checketts think? He's no novice in this game, so I can't imagine he would not have considered how Rush's persona might impact his potential ownership of the team.

    In the end, I'm just hoping that the team is bought by someone willing to invest in the roster so that we see a quality product on the field.

  • #2
    Re: Your opinion of Rush does not really matter, but...

    I can understand the dislike of Rush. I'm not a fan of his in any way shape or form because I personally find him offensive. But having said that, I don't think the players have thought it through very far. Many people literally hate Wal-Mart and Stan Kroenke's wealth comes from Wal-Mart. How many players have refused to play for the Rams because they know someone who lost their family business to Wal-Mart?

    Rush wouldn't be my favorite ownership choice but Checketts would be the voice and face of the franchise ownership and he's a stand up guy.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Your opinion of Rush does not really matter, but...

      You've already indicated my opinion doesn't matter, and you've already made your apologies up front in rebuttal to the article, so what was the point of this thread?

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Your opinion of Rush does not really matter, but...

        Its easy to make a bold statement when answering to a hypothetical. If one of these guy's agents calls, though, and says "the Rams are offering $3 million more on the signing bonus," I have a hard time believing that the player would say, "tell them no because of Rush."

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Your opinion of Rush does not really matter, but...

          So the purpose of this thread is to further bolster an opinion you've already shared in support of Rush being an owner. Okay...we get it. Let's move on. This has become tedious.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Your opinion of Rush does not really matter, but...

            Originally posted by bigredman View Post
            You've already indicated my opinion doesn't matter, and you've already made your apologies up front in rebuttal to the article, so what was the point of this thread?
            Your opinion does not matter. My opinion does not matter. HUbison's opinion, Nick's opinion, etc., etc., etc. ... same thing.

            We don't get to decide who the Rams will be sold to. Those who do get to decide will not do so based upon how we feel about Rush or any other potential owner.

            The opinion of players... well, those might actually matter.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Your opinion of Rush does not really matter, but...

              Originally posted by bigredman View Post
              So the purpose of this thread is to further bolster an opinion you've already shared in support of Rush being an owner. Okay...we get it. Let's move on. This has become tedious.
              I'll call maintenance and have them come out and repair your "don't respond" button.

              In the meantime, to make sure I'm not incorrectly portrayed...

              I don't know that I've ever said that I "support" Rush being an owner. I have said that I don't think his politics should be the deciding factor.

              At this point, the only reason I might support Rush, in a sense, is that I think Dave Checketts would be a very good person for the role of "managing owner."

              Would I prefer that Checketts had other, less controversial, investors? You bet I do. But I'm not ready to throw the Checketts baby out with the Limbaugh bath water.

              Comment


              • #8
                SI - Players would boycott Rush's Rams

                From SI.com:

                Black Players Would Boycott Rush's Rams
                Mathias Kiwanuka loves his former defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, but the Giants' defensive end says he will never play for Spagnuolo's Rams if Rush Limbaugh purchases the team. Kiwanuka and the Jets' Bart Scott made it clear Thursday that they would never play for the Rams or any team owned by the controversial conservative radio host. "All I know is from the last comment I heard, he said in (President) Obama's America, white kids are getting beat up on the bus while black kids are chanting 'right on,'" Kiwanuka told The Daily News. "I mean, I don't want anything to do with a team that he has any part of. He can do whatever he wants, it is a free country. But if it goes through, I can tell you where I am not going to play."


                Although to be fair a white kid did get beat, almost to death, by a gang of black kids on the bus. So I don't see how that's a controversial statement.

                But that's not the point. The point is I was afraid we would lose out on some players if Rush was a part of ownership. It looks like that would happen.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Your opinion of Rush does not really matter, but...

                  I'd be willing to bet these types of articles will increase in number and that this issue is going to approach Michael Vick proportions.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Your opinion of Rush does not really matter, but...

                    I don't think I really even understand the arguement in this thread correctly?? So this article is supposed to gain support for Rush?? I personally don't like checkitt or Rush.. I like the rams and I have for a long time.. They have been my team for as long as I was old enough to pick one.. I think saying our opinion doesn't matter is wrong, Our opinion maters very much actually because ultimatly we are the judge and hury by the Nfl's success in every aspect of it. Ask the browns if the fan's opinion counts.. No I am not going to bring politics into it, because this isn't politics this is buisness... There are risks and rewards and expectations... Not only will the league have to take into fan consideration because of risks of support and sales but also of getting pulled into the political lime light that they try frequently to stay distanced from. As we'll as the bringing of politics from the players perspective which is already begining. Money only does so much, contrary to popular belief not everyone can be bought and I belive the statements these guys made.. Just with these 2 factors alone Rush is not worth the risk of bringing him into the NFL... Every meeting, every interview, every radio show is a chance for a bomb to blow up in the NFL's face.. Rush's whole career is based off of crossing lines and rules... No way he's getting in... and if he does me and many more like me will lose some of our child hood, atleast I can say for me simply put my moral standards will not allow me to willing support Rush.. and that Matters if your doesn't that up to you, but mine will always be important because having one is actually what matters most

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Your opinion of Rush does not really matter, but...

                      I wouldn't mind Rush becoming owner at all... unless sentiment like this becomes widespread. Of course it's easy to say you'll never play for a team, but who knows how much players are willing to sacrifice financially to cross certain teams off their list. I honestly don't know how big of a deal it would be, but it is scary to think we could become ostracized because of it.

                      On an unrelated note, what does this mean:

                      "It's an oxymoron that he criticized Donovan McNabb," Scott said.

                      I'm honestly not trying to make fun, I really didn't understand what he's trying to say there.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Your opinion of Rush does not really matter, but...

                        Originally posted by bigtiger737 View Post
                        I don't think I really even understand the arguement in this thread correctly?? So this article is supposed to gain support for Rush??
                        You are correct. You don't understand the argument.

                        I personally don't like checkitt or Rush.. I like the rams and I have for a long time.. They have been my time for as long as I was old enough to pick one.. I think saying our opinion doesn't matter is wrong, Our opinion maters very much actually because ultimatly we are the judge and hury by the Nfl's success in every aspect of it.
                        Well, unless Chip Rosenbloom and the NFL are worried that you, along with the majority of fans, will boycott the team if he sells to a group that includes Rush, then my point remains: your opinion (like mine) is not a variable in the equation.

                        Not only will the league have to take into fan consideration because of risks of support and sales but also of getting pulled into the political lime light that they try frequently to stay distanced from.
                        I agree that the NFL would like to stay out of the political arena. But if the league were to block a bid because of Rush's involvement, it would be making a political statement. There's your Catch-22. The league is damned if it does, and damned if it does not.

                        No way he's getting in... and if he does me and many more like me will lose some of our child hood, atleast I can say for me simply put my moral standards will not allow me to willing support Rush.. and that Matters if your doesn't that up to you, but mine will always be important because having one is actually what matters most
                        I'm not real big on critiquing grammar and spelling, but you really lost me there.

                        I think what you are trying to say is that your view matters to you. Of course it does. That's not my point. My point is, Chip Rosenbloom is trying to sell an asset that he pretty much MUST sell because of his financial situation. When he decides who to sell the team to, he's not going to ask for your opinion (or mine). He's going to (1)see who offers the most money, and (2) consider which ownership group is most likely to be approved by the league.

                        If enough players speak out the way Kiwanuka and Scott did, it is possible that Rosenbloom will be concerned that a sale to the Checketts/Limbaugh group would be blocked. Therefore, he should and probably does care what the players think (assuming there is a consensus).

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Your opinion of Rush does not really matter, but...

                          Kiwanuka cringes at the idea of Limbaugh becoming an NFL owner. "They are flat-out racist," Kiwanuka said of many of Limbaugh's statements. "He jumps on Obama and he jumps on other people for being racist. But a lot of the comments that he said, I feel like they have no place in journalism. It is just an opinion show that should be only be taken for shock value. I liken it to 'South Park' when I am listening to him."
                          I find this comment HILARIOUS.. The guy doesn't like anything about Rush, but he listens to the show anyway. lol

                          I have a feeling that Kiwonky wouldn't play for the Rams either way. Just wanted to take a jab at Rush.
                          The Rams... Where dreams go to die.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Your opinion of Rush does not really matter, but...

                            I think we're all missing the big point here.

                            "I love Spags and would play for him in a heartbeat..."

                            Mathias Kiwanuka would be an excellent addition to this team. We need this guy!

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Your opinion of Rush does not really matter, but...

                              Originally posted by shower beers View Post
                              I think we're all missing the big point here.

                              "I love Spags and would play for him in a heartbeat..."

                              Mathias Kiwanuka would be an excellent addition to this team. We need this guy!
                              Haha, agreed! When does Kiwanuka become a free-agent?

                              Comment

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