# Did Rush Limbaugh get shafted? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 2, 2003, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-rush-limbaugh-get-shafted/205173 "2003-10-02T19:01:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-rush-limbaugh-get-shafted/205173/1 "2003-10-02T19:01:59Z")
To recap: Rush Limbaugh, in his new role as football pundit for ESPN, said that Philadelphia Eagles QB Donovan McNabb is not as good as his hype; and that the hype is a result of the media’s interest in seeing a black QB succeed. Storm of controversy ensues, with accusations of racism. Al Sharpton calls for an ABC/ESPN boycott. Limbaugh resigns from ESPN. Now, I pretty much loath Limbaugh and everything he stands for, but I think he got hosed on this one. He was attacking the media more than any one individual, or more than he was making any statements about race. I would’ve loved to have asked him why he thought the media cares about Donovan McNabb’s success; but the follow-up questions at the time were focused on whether or not McNabb is indeed as good as his hype–which missed the point. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-rush-limbaugh-get-shafted/205173/2 "2003-10-02T19:17:15Z")
I thought that the various pres candidates coming out w/ statements about it was tacky. ---
**Author:** ![krazy\_kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b2d939/32.png) [@krazy\_kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/krazy_kat)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-rush-limbaugh-get-shafted/205173/3 "2003-10-02T19:30:29Z")
Yes and no. Yes because his statement was an indisctment of the madia, not black quarterbacks. No because major networks don’t like to embroil themselves in race discussions, however tame. Rush must have known that when he said what he said. It wasn’t wrong so much as not right. ---
**Author:** ![ammo52](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@ammo52](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ammo52)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-rush-limbaugh-get-shafted/205173/4 "2003-10-02T19:34:25Z")
I don’t give much credence to the spin that he was supposedly indicting “the media” rather than McNabb’s blackness. It was a racially charged proposition from the second it left his mouth. What’s doubly stupid was the timing of his remark, which was maybe 10 years or so off the mark. He may have had a point a decade or so ago, when black quarterbacks were a more novel idea, and _undeniably_ they were handled with kid gloves by the media at that time, lest a critical remark be construed as racism. I’d like to ask Limbaugh if any of these names ring a bell: Steve McNair of the Titans, Duante Culpepper of the Vikings, Michael Vick of the Falcons, Kordell Stewart of the Bears… all of whom, among others, have enjoyed success, and praise, as black quarterbacks in the NFL. Hell, just in Philadelphia, a few quarterbacks ago, Randall Cunningham was the darling of the NFL for years, drawing praise for his unprecedented running ability. McNabb is only one of the latest in a long, and growing, string of black NFL quarterbacks. Rush Limbaugh’s treatment of McNabb, as if he’s the Jackie Robinson of the NFL, :rolleyes: makes me wonder precisely why anyone was supposed to care about his brilliant observations regarding football in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-rush-limbaugh-get-shafted/205173/5 "2003-10-02T19:37:05Z")
If I’m not mistaken, ESPN had no plans to fire Limbaugh (this is according to a statement I read this morning released by the network). He quit. So how does one get shafted if one quits? ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-rush-limbaugh-get-shafted/205173/6 "2003-10-02T19:48:59Z")
I’m no fan of Limbaugh’s, but to address the OP I’ll say he “sorta” got shafted. After all, his comment, as tacky as it was, _could_ have just been a slam on the sports media instead on black athletes. On the other hand, given Rush’s long track record for making flippant insults in public against anyone who isn’t a white Republican male, I suspect that he would have gotten similarly dinged sooner or later. A leopard can’t change his spots, after all, and Limbaugh pulling a “Jimmy the Greek” was probably inevitable. > [@](#): > > If I’m not mistaken, ESPN had no plans to fire Limbaugh (this is according to a statement I read this morning released by the network). He quit. So how does one get shafted if one quits? Did he quit just to avoid getting pushed? Nobody knows. As **krazy kat** said, though, sports networks avoid these kinds of controversy the way Superman avoids kryptonite. ---
**Author:** ![HumanStromboli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@HumanStromboli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HumanStromboli)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-rush-limbaugh-get-shafted/205173/7 "2003-10-02T19:52:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JuanitaTech \* > \*\*If I’m not mistaken, ESPN had no plans to fire Limbaugh (this is according to a statement I read this morning released by the network). He quit. \*\* Well . . . maybe. From [a href=http://espn.go.com/gen/news/2003/1002/1628778.html]ESPN’s website[/a]: > [@](#): > > “We regret the circumstances surrounding this,” Bodenheimer said. “We believe that he took the appropriate action to resolve this matter expeditiously.” You can kind of read between the lines there. OTOH, Limbaugh had nothing but nice things to say about ESPN management, “New England Democrat” Chris Berman defended him, and the show’s ratings are up by 10% this year. _Actually, I just heard Limbaugh’s speech this morning; he says ESPN was supportive “earlier this week,” leading to an inference that the support was no longer there._ ---
**Author:** ![HumanStromboli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@HumanStromboli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HumanStromboli)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-rush-limbaugh-get-shafted/205173/8 "2003-10-02T19:57:51Z")
As just as Limbaugh apparently doesn’t know much about pro football, I apparently don’t know how to do the hyperlink dealie. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-rush-limbaugh-get-shafted/205173/9 "2003-10-02T20:19:44Z")
Well, Limbaugh could have said that McNabb is having a bad year and at present isn’t up to NFL quarterback level. That is not debatable. Why bring in “kid gloves” at all. Anyone who continually used the phrase “Let me ax you a question.” can’t be all good. Rush mocks and ridicules and if something got shoved up his - well good. ---
**Author:** ![cainxinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7bcc69/32.png) [@cainxinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cainxinth)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-rush-limbaugh-get-shafted/205173/10 "2003-10-02T20:20:35Z")
From a strictly non political strandpoint I think the man is wrong. Donovan had an amazing season last year until he broke his ankle… and if you recall he had an incredible game on his broken ankle. Than he starts the seaons with the two very major duds and gets smacked with criticism, believe me he did I live and work in Philly, the papers killed him… so did office cooler chatter. Then this facist blowhard goes on TV and says Donovan was never any good and only got good press because he was black. Donovan goes on to get back into his groove, play a great game and make Limbaugh look like the jackass that he is. The moral of the story: McNabb is a great quaterback and Limbaugh will be buying a crow dinner with his one and only espn paycheck. ---
**Author:** ![HumanStromboli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@HumanStromboli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HumanStromboli)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-rush-limbaugh-get-shafted/205173/11 "2003-10-02T20:36:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by David Simmons \* > \*\*Anyone who continually used the phrase “Let me ax you a question.” can’t be all good. \*\* To be fair, Tony Kornheiser says this all the time on his sports radio show. Kornheiser is liberal and friends with Jesse Jackson. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-rush-limbaugh-get-shafted/205173/12 "2003-10-02T20:45:12Z")
Rush was hired to talk about football and not social policy. I don’t blame ESPN for giving him the boot. And, yes, it was really tacky for the presidential candidates to chime in. Tacky, but not unexpeted. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-rush-limbaugh-get-shafted/205173/13 "2003-10-02T20:46:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by cainxinth \* > \*\*… Limbaugh will be buying a crow dinner with his one and only espn paycheck. \*\* That was his first show? F’real? ---
**Author:** ![Conflict\_of\_Interest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/57b2e6/32.png) [@Conflict\_of\_Interest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Conflict_of_Interest)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-rush-limbaugh-get-shafted/205173/14 "2003-10-02T21:01:48Z")
I agree about McNabb, he is a good QB. Obviously Rush, unlike Bo, don’t know football. But I do think more was made of it than there should have been. I remember when Seehorn came into the NFL. alot of anouncers made statements that they were surprised that a white man could play the position so well. I don’t think anyone ever said anything about it. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-rush-limbaugh-get-shafted/205173/15 "2003-10-02T21:09:58Z")
That’s just it, John Mace, ESPN didn’t give him the boot. He quit. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-rush-limbaugh-get-shafted/205173/16 "2003-10-02T21:14:49Z")
IMO he was shafted. I hate Limbaugh, but his statement was not racist. His crime was being too stupid to realize that too many people (maybe the majority) find racism pretty much whenever race is ever mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![darksight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@darksight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/darksight)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-rush-limbaugh-get-shafted/205173/17 "2003-10-02T21:22:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Revtim \* > \*\*IMO he was shafted. I hate Limbaugh, but his statement was not racist. > > His crime was being too stupid to realize that too many people (maybe the majority) find racism pretty much whenever race is ever mentioned. \*\* Thats right. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-rush-limbaugh-get-shafted/205173/18 "2003-10-02T21:26:24Z")
Rush didn’t get shafted. He deliberately invited this controversy and paid for it. “McNabb is overrated” is not a controversial comment. Well, some people would have disagreed, but it wouldn’t have cost him his job. Instead, he said “McNabb is overrated by the media _because he’s black_.” The implication being that an affirmative action-type deal is going on to pump up black quarterbacks. The only necessary response to that is “Warren Moon,” who was a star a good long time ago. And there’s Randall Cunningham, one of McNabb’s predecessors in Philly. The comment’s not racist because it’s about race; it’s stupid because it implies black quarterbacks wouldn’t make it in the NFL without the white liberal media helping them out. ---
**Author:** ![Beagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Beagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beagle)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-rush-limbaugh-get-shafted/205173/19 "2003-10-02T21:34:33Z")
I don’t think white, conservative radio talk show hosts have the, ah, necessities to do football broadcasts. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2003, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-rush-limbaugh-get-shafted/205173/20 "2003-10-02T21:37:13Z")
Clearly, how good McNabbis of a subjetive nature. I am not so sure his staement, or at least his vantage point isn’t racist. I mean the flip side of his argument is, “Rush devalues QB Donovan McNabb’s ability because he is black. If he were a white qurterback with the same stats, Limbaugh would be parading him as the second coing of Joe Montana.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-rush-limbaugh-get-shafted/205173.md?page=2)