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Did the Limbaugh fiasco prompt Khan's secrecy?

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  • #1

    Did the Limbaugh fiasco prompt Khan's secrecy?

    Bernie has commented that Khan has been involved in the bidding process for months, but has done so privately and, in fact, managed to keep his interest in the team from being leaked to the media.

    Makes me wonder... why all the secrecy?

    Could it be that Khan, as a Pakistani Muslim, feared the (entirely unfair, as he is a long-time American citizen with no known ties to radicalism) potential backlash from a public that is prone to knee-jerk reactions to Muslims?

    It would make sense if Khan feared such a reaction. Look what happened with Rush Limbaugh. He was set to be a small minority investor (as opposed to the primary owner that Khan would become), and the public went balistic.

    Again, fair or not, Khan - had he been viewed as a mere potential candidate along side people like Dave Checketts - could have prompted a similar reaction.

    By keeping it under wraps until now, it is more difficult for the knee-jerk crowd to do or say much about it. Its nearly a done deal, and the unfounded protest of a vocal, prejudiced, minority won't stop the deal from being completed.

    If my suspicion is right, its kind of a sad commentary on the world we live in, no?
    And you thought Mike Martz was "mad"!
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Re: Did the Limbaugh fiasco prompt Khan's secrecy?

    I don't know, there are alot of reasons to keep your bid secret, just as there are many reasons to make it public. I suspect he kept it secret to avoid prolonged discussion about his IRS deal if anything at all. I think any speculation on why it was kept secret is just that, speculation. There are many reasons such deals can be kept secret. We still don't know other people that were involved either and I'm sure they aren't all muslims afraid of strange reactions.
    "I've been saving the Universe for over a thousand years. I figure it owes me just this once."

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    • #3
      Re: Did the Limbaugh fiasco prompt Khan's secrecy?

      Originally posted by EvilXenu View Post
      Could it be that Khan, as a Pakistani Muslim, feared the (entirely unfair, as he is a long-time American citizen with no known ties to radicalism) potential backlash from a public that is prone to knee-jerk reactions to Muslims?
      If this was motivation for keeping things under wraps, I certainly couldn't blame him, there are a lot of stupid knee-jerkers out there that are quick to cast aspersions. Kahn is a Rams fan who actually enjoys going to games. Sounds like my type of owner. Besides, Muslims are nothing new to the NFL and we had a great one in Az-Zahir Hakim.

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      • #4
        Re: Did the Limbaugh fiasco prompt Khan's secrecy?

        Pardon me for my lack of knowledge, but is Mr. Kahn a Muslim, or does he have a different religious preference? I ask because 1) I haven't seen anything in the news about is religion, and 2) I know several Pakastani immigrants who are Christian.
        temp_4394_1467243487543_20
        RAMS!

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        • #5
          Re: Did the Limbaugh fiasco prompt Khan's secrecy?

          Good question Sam.

          I would also like to know (Your Avatar prompted this) Does he like dogs?

          Comment

          • #6
            Re: Did the Limbaugh fiasco prompt Khan's secrecy?

            Originally posted by Thresher View Post
            Good question Sam.

            I would also like to know (Your Avatar prompted this) Does he like dogs?
            Dunno, but my avatar isn't a pro-dog statement, it's a "If we get a different QB, let's get a better one" statement.
            temp_4394_1467243487543_20
            RAMS!

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            • #7
              Re: Did the Limbaugh fiasco prompt Khan's secrecy?

              If he wasn't muslim and was white would you be asking this question?

              Comment

              • #8
                Re: Did the Limbaugh fiasco prompt Khan's secrecy?

                If this was motivation for keeping things under wraps, I certainly couldn't blame him, there are a lot of stupid knee-jerkers out there that are quick to cast aspersions.
                Good point, Mike. I wonder how long until Burwell attributes quotes to Khan that Khan never made.
                The more things change, the more they stay the same.

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                • #9
                  Re: Did the Limbaugh fiasco prompt Khan's secrecy?

                  Each of the parties making bids was supposedly required to sign a confidentiality agreement upon entering the bidding process. Goldman Sachs didn't want the bidding process played out in the press. If I remember correctly, Limbaugh had talked about buying into the Rams a long time ago so the media just asked him if he was involved and he confirmed that little and then it exploded. Rush didn't actually make significant comments until AFTER he was removed from the group making a bid.

                  Jim Thomas said last fall that he wasn't getting a lot of information because of the non-disclosure agreement. That's why Bernie called Khan Mr. X just last week.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Did the Limbaugh fiasco prompt Khan's secrecy?

                    Maybe, but Occam's razor suggests there are a lot more likely explanations than that, not to mention I would be surprised if he weren't involved in the bidding process prior to Rush's Page Ranking problems.

                    Edit: Haha, I did not say "Rush's Page Ranking problems" but rather "Rush's PEE-ARR (as in public relations) problems, and the system changed it on me.
                    Last edited by Nick_Weasel; -02-12-2010, 09:13 AM.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Did the Limbaugh fiasco prompt Khan's secrecy?

                      Perhaps that if he and Limbaugh were publicly in the running for the team at the same time, Limbaugh would have less than flattering things to say about him on his radio show.

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                      • #12
                        Re: Did the Limbaugh fiasco prompt Khan's secrecy?

                        Don't care. Team is staying in St. Louis where it belongs. Case closed.

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          Re: Did the Limbaugh fiasco prompt Khan's secrecy?

                          i don't see how this has anything to do with limbaugh, pretty standard.

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                          • #14
                            Re: Did the Limbaugh fiasco prompt Khan's secrecy?

                            limbaugh is a very famous polarizing public figure and Im sure 99.9999% of the us population never knew of khan before 72 hours ago. so no, there's no connection

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                            • Varg6
                              Diversity, money are key issues with Khan's Rams bid
                              by Varg6
                              Per stltoday.com

                              By Bernie...

                              Now that Shahid Khan has signed off on a deal to purchase majority ownership of the Rams, it will be fascinating to watch how the NFL receives him.

                              If approved by NFL owners, Khan would become the first minority owner in control of a franchise in league history.

                              Khan, born in Pakistan, came to the U.S. in 1967 at age 16. He became a U.S. citizen, was educated at the University of Illinois, built a hugely successful auto-parts manufacturing company, raised a family and has lived in central Illinois for 40 years.

                              But we're reminded that the NFL is a private club, with only 32 lead owners/members. That point was underlined in a story that appeared in Saturday's Post-Dispatch.


                              This passage caught my attention: "As one observer familiar with the process emphasized, it's more than just a matter of money. Using the analogy of an exclusive tennis club, the observer said, 'Do you like him enough to invite him to join your club? And if so, can he afford to pay the dues?'''

                              I think it's ridiculous that we're even having this discussion. But Khan's application certainly will be a matter of keen interest for those who want to see if the NFL is truly inclusive at the highest level.

                              I believe NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is a man of integrity. I would be absolutely shocked if Khan is treated less than fairly by the NFL or the owners. And if Khan's finances check out, he should be fine. (More on that later.) I would think the NFL would be proud to open the doors to its inner sanctum to Khan — an ambitious, self-made man who represents the American dream.

                              After all, Goodell spoke out against popular radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh when Limbaugh briefly partnered with Dave Checketts in a bid to buy the Rams.

                              Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay also denounced Limbaugh; Irsay happens to be a member of the NFL Finance Committee, which will review Khan.

                              After taking Limbaugh to task for making "divisive" comments, Goodell was challenged by a member of Congress during an appearance on Capitol Hill.

                              Goodell responded, in part, with this: "The NFL is about bringing people together, it's about unity and that we do not — we do not move toward divisive actions. And, in fact, our teams, I think, have demonstrated that both on and off the field. Nothing brings a team and a community together better than the NFL."

                              The NFL received a "B" — its best grade ever — in the 2009 Race and Gender Report Card issued by the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES). The NFL had five minority general managers and six minority head coaches in 2009. But in its report, TIDES also pointed out that "no person of color has ever held majority ownership of an NFL team." And according to TIDES, no minority...
                              -02-14-2010, 01:18 PM
                            • r8rh8rmike
                              Bernie: More On Rams Sale & Shahid Kahn
                              by r8rh8rmike
                              02.11.2010 11:01 am
                              More on Rams Sale & Shahid Khan
                              By Bernie Miklasz


                              Good morning …

                              In no particular order:

                              * What are Stan Kroenke’s options? The Rams’ 40 percent owner has three choices. (1) keep his 40 percent and work with Shahid Khan if Khan is approved as the 60 percent owner. (2) sell his 40 percent to Khan. (3) exercise his right of first refusal, try to buy all 100 percent and then take on the NFL to persuade the league to change its rules covering cross ownership. Unless the NFL changes the rules, Kroenke can’t be the 100 percent owner.

                              * Perhaps Kroenke will have a fourth option; there are rumors of the NFL Denver Broncos being for sale.

                              * Why did Khan gain the advantage over Dave Checketts in the competition for the Rams? Two reasons: (1) The Checketts’ group was financially prepared to buy 60 percent of the team — the piece owned by Chip Rosenbloom and his sister Lucia Rodriguez. If Kroenke wants to opt out of his 40 percent, the Checketts’ group wasn’t in position to buy Kroenke’s 40-share as well. Khan, on the other hand, has the resources to buy all 100 percent if need be. (2) Khan’s bid is a stand-alone deal; he is, for now, by himself on this. (It’s always possible to add partners later). But the NFL likes clean deals. The NFL prefers a one-owner structure. Checketts had cobbled together a network of investors; the ownership pie was being divided among many people.

                              * What’s next for Khan? A purchase agreement has been signed. It will take several weeks, perhaps 6 to 8 weeks, for the Rams’ owners and Khan to formally close on the deal, which is a normal procedure. During this waiting time, Khan will likely be vetted by the NFL Finance Committee. Every aspect of his finances and personal background will be inspected by the league, which, again, is standard procedure. If Khan gains clearance from the committee, then the NFL owners will vote on the sale. Khan will need 75 percent of the 32 owners to support him.

                              * What about Khan’s dispute with the Internal Revenue Service? Will that be an issue? Obviously, this will draw scrutiny from the NFL’s finance committee. And here is a link to the latest news story on the Kahn/IRS dispute. A couple of things on this: a dispute with the IRS is hardly unusual. This isn’t a criminal complaint; it’s a disagreement on the validity of tax shelters and Khan and his wife paid the IRS the requested amount, $68 million. And now the Khans are challenging the IRS to get the money back. Also, Goldman-Sachs, which handled the sale for Rosenbloom-Rodriguez, thoroughly vetted Khan on this and other financial issues. Goldman-Sachs wouldn’t have forwarded Khan’s bid to the Rams unless the broker had reasonable confidence in Khan’s status and Khan’s prospects for being approved by the NFL. But obviously, questions will be asked.

                              * What about Chip Rosenbloom and...
                              -02-11-2010, 08:35 PM
                            • MauiRam
                              NFL should think twice on Rush Limbaugh
                              by MauiRam
                              NFL should think twice on Rush Limbaugh

                              Sports Columnist Bryan Burwell
                              ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
                              10/07/2009

                              Rush Limbaugh wants to own the St. Louis Rams. Well, good for him. His money is green and plentiful and his politics are conservative, which means he'll pretty much fit right in with the rest of the gang within the NFL ownership's corridors of power.

                              They probably don't care about his politics. In fact, if you checked most of their campaign contributions, you'd find that most of them probably are staunch supporters of the guy who has been called "the unofficial voice of the Republican Party." With a wink and a smile, they will surely welcome him to their club, because ultimately all they care about is whether or not his check will bounce, and we all know that's highly unlikely.

                              They will all look the other way when it comes to Limbaugh — forgetting his polarizing racial politics, conveniently ignoring (perhaps even quietly agreeing with) all the mean-spirited divisive bile that comes along with his ample financial clout — just like many of you surely will, too. They will look the other way because of his wealth and influence. You will look the other way because to some of you, he is your politically incorrect hero, and the rest might be willing to ignore all of that just as long as he can put enough money on the table to help keep your football team in St. Louis.

                              I don't have that luxury.

                              Though I think it is his right to take a shot at becoming part of a new Rams ownership group, Limbaugh's American Dream is a potential nightmare waiting to happen for the Rams, the city and the National Football League.

                              "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."

                              Those are Limbaugh's words. So are these:

                              "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."

                              I know how those words play out in Idiot America. They are embraced as gospel. But inside the locker rooms of the NFL, where the overwhelming majority of the players are descendants of slaves, Limbaugh's ignorant ramblings resonate with entirely different emotions.

                              His money might be green, but his words are colored with hate and intolerance. Bringing Limbaugh back into the NFL family will ultimately be met with the same disastrous effects from the last time it was tried.

                              Remember the failed experiment with the ESPN NFL pregame show?

                              Remember the seething anger and pained expression on the face of ESPN analyst Tom Jackson when he tried to...
                              -10-08-2009, 09:35 AM
                            • Alec22
                              Oh God, its Limbaugh Again........
                              by Alec22
                              "Rush Limbaugh really is interested in buying the Rams. Limbaugh and St. Louis Blues owner Dave Checketts head up one of three groups that submitted bids to buy the team, Charley Casserly of CBS reports. It's not clear whether the Checketts/Limbaugh bid includes the 40 percent stake owned by Stan Kroenke or the 60 percent stake owned by the late Georgia Frontiere's children. Rumors of Limbaugh's interest in the team started in May, and he was spotted at the Rams game on Sept. 20."

                              If Rush takes ownership in the rams...I simply dont know if I will be able to still call myself a fan, and I havent missed a game in 6 years...........
                              -10-05-2009, 11:52 AM
                            • Bralidore(RAMMODE)
                              Racist Remark #1
                              by Bralidore(RAMMODE)
                              Although, I hate to link to a lot of the various hate across the internet, this one involves the potential new Rams owner, Shahid Khan. “Conservative Commentator” Debbie Schlussel writes a blog post on her blog today about Khan. First and foremost, Debbie seems to be still upset and bitter that Rush Limbaugh was quickly shot down as a potential owner.
                              Not so with Khan, even though he’s had a number of questionable dealings with the IRS and tax problems. Normally those would be a problem with the NFL ownership committee. But maybe the NFL makes exceptions in the interest of Muslim affirmative action. Hey, it’s a good thing the football is no longer made of real pigskin, right?
                              So, lets see, Debbie first brings up the case of Khan’s issues with the IRS, which Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has explained as a disagreement between Khan and his tax accountant. Since we are in America and everyone is innocent until proven guilty, the Khan’s have said that they were under the impression that where they placed their money was legal. They paid the full amount to the IRS anyway and Miklasz says that the taxes will be no problem for the pending sale. So, “normally” these would not be a problem for the NFL owners, who haven’t even voted on Khan’s ability to join their ownership fraternity yet.
                              The fact that Debbie even insinuates that the Rams primary ownership group of Rosenbloom and Rodriquez chose Shahid Khan because he would be the first minority owner is ridiculous. Khan was chosen because he had enough money to purchase the full 100% of the Rams if necessary, is a Rams fan and is more than happy to keep the Rams in St. Louis.
                              More take down of Debbie Schlussel’s racist article after the jump.

                              And how does Debbie know that Shahid Khan is Muslim? Just because he lived in Pakistan until he was 16 years old? He could be Muslim, what does that have to do with anything about him owning the Rams franchise? It had nothing to do with him building a extremely successful international car parts company. Schlussel obviously has a personal vendetta against any person with any shade of brown skin who can say that they (or their ancestors) came from somewhere in the Middle East.
                              Like I said, conservative minority owners in the NFL–verboten; but Muslim tax cheats … YAY! Gee, I wonder if Mr. Khan will denounce HAMAS and Hezbollah. Actually, I don’t wonder because I know the answer: don’t bet on it. And the spineless NFL and its owners won’t have the guts to ask him, either.
                              What does Hamas and Hezbollah have to do with a business owner that lives in Champaign, Illinois and NFL football? Nothing. So, I’m sorry, Debbie Schlussel that your personal hero, Rush Limbaugh was quickly dropped from a possible ownership group, but Khan will be a great owner for the St. Louis Rams. Take your hate somewhere else, we don’t want it here.


                              --Courtest of Rams Gab...
                              -02-12-2010, 05:44 PM
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