NFL Players and Administration Balk at Rush Limbaugh

Written by Danie Dutche on October 11, 2009 · 2 Comments

Rush Limbaugh, the radio host and often suspected racist is looking to purchase the St. Louis Rams. In recent comments Rush said “The Rams would be a great team to have, I have a lot of friends in ownership in the NFL, and my desire to get involved has not been a secret.”

His interest in the team has opened up a fire storm of comments and dissent. In an e-mail to the NFL union’s executive committee on Saturday, NFL Players executive director DeMaurice Smith wrote

I’ve spoken to the Commissioner [Roger Goodell] and I understand that this ownership consideration is in the early stages. But sport in America is at its best when it unifies, gives all of us reason to cheer, and when it transcends. Our sport does exactly that when it overcomes division and rejects discrimination and hatred.

Smith is not the only person in the NFL sounding the horn, players have also expressed their concern. Mathias Kiwanuka, NY Giants defensive end told the NY Daily News

All I know is from the last comment I heard, he said in Obama’s America, white kids are getting beat up on the bus while black kids are chanting ‘right on, 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.

The concern over Limbaugh’s racial sentiments is not without merit. In 2003 he was forced to resign as an ESPN commentator for saying

“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. 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. The defense carried this team.”

Other parties interested in purchasing the team include African Americans Donald Watkins, attorney and founder of Alamerica Bank & David Stewart, founder of World Wide Technology.