I'm trying real hard to be angry about Rush's potential ownership. But I can't.

I find him entertaining, but blatantly racist sometimes. And elitist. But that's a large club…

I have an over-arching theory about people like this: give them enough rope to hang themselves. Rush thinks he can compete in the NFL world. He thinks he can spew forth venom and hateful diatribes, and survive.

Let him for once, put his own money where his large pill-popping mouth is. Let him test his free-market-at-all-costs theories on something as unruly as an NFL payroll.

Stand back and watch. Inconsistency, thy name (will be) Rush.

I'm not black and I'm not a football player, so I'm probably not qualified to make an observation on the feelings of msny NFL players, who are starting to voice objections.

But throughout modern history, gasbags like Rush tend to fizzle and fail when you let them have what they really want. His biz philosophy probably cannot survive in the NFL. He earned that money, albeit from hate-mongering more than I like. So let him blow it.

Oh, racially insensitive is the new standard of freedom of speech? The Bell Curve is racially insensitive then, I guess, for actually putting into a work of social science that there are IQ differences between races. Of course, if you didn't know that your bulb wasn't the brightest but knowing it might help with schools and their vast wasted dollars and much other poor public policy that proceeds unprotected by truths. I wonder if IU law school is still recruiting affirmatively across the nation folks who please them but whose qualifications are much less than the Indiana applicants whose taxes pay for the school and who are kicked to the gutter. No doubt in my mind that even saying things like that will be offensive to liberal law professors to which the proper answer is “hard cheese”.
It is (or used to be) a free country. The idea that political correctness (didn't that term originate in communist party circles) has any good role to play in America is wrong. Rush does tons of good works prodding a liberal media to face scrutiny and get off their prejudices for socialism and their many other inbred bias points (gun control, homosexuality, divorce, etc. etc). He is a journalist apart from the pack of run of the mill undeducated hacks that infest our normal jounalism and is a distinguished intellect easily able to handle degreed quacks. The government “club” (aka NFL monopoly) could use a free market guy to shame them and perhaps lead them away from their evil ways.

I think Irsay's view is fair. When Rush inevitably goes off on some racist tangent, it won't be just the Rams that are hurt. The entire NFL will suffer. It's a business decision on the part of each owner.

What would the conversation be if Michael Moore wanted to buy the Lions?

I agree with Hammer and couldn't have said it better myself. The dog killer has it a lot easier than the guy with the big mouth.

It simple, really. Irsay is pals with the Democrats. Rush jibes Democrats for 3 hours every weekday day.

In the first place, Rush has been around for over two decades and is more popular than ever. So much for your fizzle theory….

Second, the 'racially-insensitive' comment Rush made on ESPN was true. And anyone who labels Rush a racist is lying about being a listener of his show. Libs love to throw the word 'racist' around so much they've devalued its meaning.

Third, since race pimps like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson are leading the charge on this, shouldn't we be asking ourselves why these guys are still considered credible?

I agree with you, Abdul. This is an issue for one reason and one reason only—Rush is a conservative. After all, our vice-president once described then-candidate Obama as “..clean and articulate”. If Biden was a republican, he would have been run out of office for such a comment and everyone on this blog with a brain knows it.

The black community overwhelmingly stands behind a scumbag like Michael Vick (who, I believe, didn't deserve a second chance), then behaves like their sensibilities are being attacked because of a 'racially-insensitive' comment.

I guess I should get used to this. This is, after all, the 'Era of Obama', where race matters first. I predicted over a year ago that race relations would suffer under this president. I'm not blaming Barry for this, but when our president plays the race card (on several occasions), he sets an example for many to follow. He must be proud of what's happening in the NFL on this issue.

Forgive me, Abdul. It is Jason with whom I agree on this issue.

The Problem with Rush being an owner is not about what he has said in the past, it's about what he may say in the future. The NFL does not want to take the risk of having an owner who has such a big audience commenting daily on polarizing topics.

Damn, so much misinformation here you'd think it was a fool's holiday.

John Howard, you'd best check the latest state and federal campaign finance reports. The money that Irsay gives goes mostly to the GOP. It's his right. Are you perhaps confusing him with the Simons?

Rico, I began listening to Rush on the old AM 1260 band about 16-18 years ago. I listen as frequently as I can. He is about as racially insensitive as you can get, and still broadcast over the FCC airwaves. It is his right to do so. That's how he's earned his money for almost 20 years.

I learn a lot from Rush. He forces me to confirm my beliefs or alter them. I listen to him with an open mind…probably 1-2 hours a week, total, on average…never longer than 20 mins. at a time, in and out of the car. I could easily pass a 20-question quiz on Rush's show–could you? And for that matter, do you spend ANY time listening to shows that deviate from your beliefs? You might learn something.

“Racially insensitive as the new standard…” Hey, pal, in the rarified air of NFL Ownership, they can set whatever guidelines they want. They've got Jerry Jones and Al Dvais, two of the biggest gasbags you'd ever want to hear, but they make money.

This is a cultural clash because those owners, all white, have been making gazillions off their athletes, 70-80% non-white, for decades. Salaries continue to rise, and owners continue to pass the costs along to networks, us, and sponsors. Should the athletes be making more? I don't have any idea. Regardless how any of us feels about this Rush thing, the huge money on the table virtually gauranteed this kind of bruhaha.

For my money, which is soncidetably less than Rush's, I'd say let him in. For one thing, it puts his remarks under the auspices of the NFL Commissioner, who isn't as tolerant as Rush's listening audience.

And don't think fo rone minute that Rush was oblivious to this. He is a maser of PR. Name me one other national talk-show host who could survive criminally improper drug acquisition and use. He survived, and increased his audience share. The pity factor was huge.

Irsay’s holier than thou attitude is insulting. Rush may be opinionated and if so, who isn't?
If Rush can afford the team, staff and its management then crybabies like Irsay need to get out of his way.
Rush made is own way. Little Jimmy had life handed to him and he still couldn’t handle the pressure.
The more Irsay opens his mouth the less I respect him.

First, before Jason starts submitting written articles, he needs to review the usage of standard English. I hope his oral language is not as sloppy as his writing. Secondly, Rush does not need to have any connection with the NFL. He continues to this day spewing hate, racism and sexism. He does it proudly. He makes money from being a bigot. Remember Marge Schott lost her baseball team YEARS ago because of her racially insensitive remarks. This is not new politically correct beliefs. It is the old fashioned belief in equality, fairness and good taste. All of which Rush lacks.

Umm, Rush Limbaugh ran out of second chances about a thousand chances ago. Vick and others made a mistake, took their punishment, repented, and returned. The idea about giving Rush a second chance is ridiculous, because in Rush's mind he has never done anything wrong. Has never even acknowledged that some of the things he said was wrong (for instance, Donovan McNabb is only praised because he is black, not because he is good; NFL games look like a fight between the Crips and the Bloods). I wouldn't vote to allow him in. I respect Rush's right to apply for ownership, but I also respect Irsay's another others right to vote no. That's just how it works in the NFL.

I absolutely could pass that quiz. I listened to Rush even before he went national. I listen to all kinds of talk radio. I even listen to Indy's own race pimp Amos Brown once in a while. On a national level, though, liberal radio is hard to find. That's due, dare I write, to the free market. Nationally-broadcast liberal radio has been a profound failure . Most listeners don't want to be told on a daily basis how much America sucks.
While I find it humorous that the comment in question is even considered racially-insensitive, stipulating that fact still doesn't equate racially-insensitive with racist. Folks like you have devalued a word that should have deep, profound implications. That word is racist.

Fact Checker: Someone should smash your snooty face with a dictionary. One doesn't spew 'hate'. As you know, linguistic scholar, 'hate' is a verb, not a noun. The noun would be 'hatred'. Rush doesn't spew hatred.

And shouldn't it be 'these are not new politically-correct beliefs'? Does it make you feel superior to criticize the grammar of others on here? You're such an a-hole!

MIchael Vick made a mistake????? Why don't you go back and read the details of Vick's several year 'mistake'? Vick committed acts of cruelty beyond comprehension. He personally electrocuted dogs. He personally slammed dogs to the ground, killing them. And anyone who thinks that scumbag wouldn't still be involved in that enterprise had he not been caught is a fool. Vick's sentence should have been a few hours in a room full of rabid pit bulls. In my opinion, anyone who could commit such acts of brutality and cruelty is a threat to his fellow man. Mark my words: Michael Vick will one day seriously injure or kill another human being! The NFL should be ashamed to even allow that monster to play again. And they pretend to be offended at a racially-insensitive remark? What a joke!

With this I agree: Rico's right about Vick. He'd be sentenced to 10 years of Humane Society kennel cleaning if I had my way. What a complete moron. The vile things he did, and got away with for years, were known by many, and they kept their mouths shut. Shameful.

But Rico, it is racist to spew hatred the way Rush did, vis-a-vis generalization of NFL players. There is no other conclusion. He did it to provike comment, and it did. I don't know if he's racist, but his remarks definitely were.

I suggest you look up “hatred” and determine for yourself if those kinds of remarks are indeed hateful. Most of the folks who understand the definition have already formed their opinion–negatively.

That said, I still think the fat bastard should be able to buy a team. It's his money. He earned it by spewing hatred, but…it wasn't illegal.

If I were going to go down the denial path, I'd be a lot more perplexed by his past drug abuse and potential criminal activity therein, than the racist stuff.

Racism, and reactions to it, tend to find their own low ground. I believe in the marketplace enough, that Rush's ownership of an NFL team will have the proper effect on him and the team, that the market intends.

I don't have to like his words, to believe in that system.

But I could be proven wrong.

Probably just a clerical error on Jimmy's part:

IRSAY, JAMES
INDIANAPOLIS,IN 46254 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS/PROFESSIONAL FOO 9/1/07 $500 Towns, Edolphus (D)

IRSAY, JAMES
INDIANAPOLIS,IN 46254 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS/OWNER AND CEO 10/25/08 $250 Hill, Baron (D)

IRSAY, JAMES S
INDIANAPOLIS,IN 46254 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS/OWNER 9/22/08 $2,500 Indiana Democratic Congresl Victory Cmte (D)

IRSAY, JAMES S
INDIANAPOLIS,IN 46254 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS/OWNER 8/17/07 $2,500 Indiana Democratic Congresl Victory Cmte (D)

IRSAY, KALEN M
CARMEL,IN 46032 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 4/15/08 $500 Obama, Barack (D)

etc., etc.,

This doesn't have a thing to do with football -it has everthing to do with destroying Rush Limbaugh by the left. What better than a racist charge. They love to turn an argument -once the lies are there -enforced by the willing media if you are the target you don't have a chance.

http://townhall.com/columnists/HughHewitt/2009/... This is the best I've found but even it does not challenge the nitwit liars who fabricate quotes out of their lower orifaces. Should be put up or shut up time for liberals to document these sayings of Rush that they think they can prove, doing so in context of course, and accurately. In the age of U tube never take the word of some slimey journalist. I must agree, however, with TA, that 20 minutes of Rush is about all the time a reasonable person could stand.

I'm not sure which remarks your talking about. But I reject your contention that most would find his words hateful. The comment about McNabb (sp?) was certainly not hateful. I've never heard any comment he has ever made based in hatred. The blood/crips comment was not about all NFL players, but the ones on the field at the time acting like thugs. Rush admitted he could have chosen his words better. Many, including Mercury Morris, agreed with the comments.

My dear grandma prejudged blacks. It was a function of the era in which she was raised. She, however, didn't have a hateful bone in her body and performed acts of kindness daily to those of all colors.

I just think the term has been devalued because so many use it to attack others who don't happen to hold the same viewpoints. The scum who have misquoted Rush by repeating a fake quote off Wikipedia without fact checking it need to have their asses sued. That is exactly what Rush will do if they don't retract their comments and apologize. I agree with him that some charges are so vile that they must be answered.

This whole issue is typical of how liberals attack and attempt to silence their opposition. I think they went too far this time and it's going to cost them.

The rush to judgement is a hearsay problem, of willful & therefore insidious mischaracterization.

The majority of Limbaugh's critics are members of an intellectually discordant choir; carrying little more than an emotionally overstuffed nap sack, into the battlefield of ideas…

Put down the bong and go to bed, Dave.

What gets me is the idea that a so called free market economy conservative like Rush Limbaugh would support the NFL. How many NFL teams are only around because of taxpayer money? The Indianapolis Colts are one such team. Rush was on the radio recently saying how he was a defender of player wages, that their salaries are just what the market will pay. That is not true. If it were not for the billions that taxpayers around the country are pumping into the NFL, some owners wouldn't exist, some owners would be making a lot less money, which would mean overall, there would likely be less money to be made by players.

I am a fan of Rush's hilarious radio show. I think he should be allowed to buy whatever he wants, but him wanting to get involved in the government taxpayer funded (ie: Welfare funded) NFL comes as a shock. I am also surprised that he hasn't criticized the NFL for the push for more and more local/state government handouts.

Ir$ay's a Democrat. No wonder he has no problem taking taxpayer money and putting it in his own bank account. Democrats have never hated any tax, especially one that helps put money into their personal bank account.

TA, I guess you aren't telling the truth…again. Perhaps you need to read just how Jimmy “Pills” Irsay contributes to the “D”. Please see John Howard's facts posted below!

“Corruption is as corruption does.” –The Democrat Machine

I wish TA & The Democrat Machine would cease their disinformation campaign.

John Howard, I can look up contributions too

200-2008 Irsay contributions; $20,980 GOP, $4,556 Dem

I've solicited him for Democratic politicians. His answer was: “I'm mostly a Republican, but I like a few Democrats.”

For instance, he loved Bart Peterson. (Duh) He was a co-host of Tony George's (misguided) fund-raiser for George Bush. But I digress.

As of this morning, the potential ownership group has rejected Rush. See, the free market works!

TA: You are lacking in fact! John Howard has specific, you have allegations….

What works is hateful liberal hacks distorting the truth, misquoting, and outright lying about a person because they don't agree with his viewpoints. They did the same thing to Clarence Thomas, Robert Bork, etc., etc., etc. It doesn't surprise me that you believe that's how the free market should work. Those people are scum! You're in good company, TA.

I actually liked Bork's writings and would'n't have minded seeing him on the court, Rico. I don't agree with any of his writings, but he's clearly brilliant.

Not so Thomas. The court's biggest dunce in decades.

“The court's biggest dunce in decades.” Put to a vote among folks who follow these matters and actually read opinions there would be many, many folks ahead of Judge Thomas.

Uh, I doubt it, Pascal. I am one of those who regularly reads SCOTUS rulings.

His writing, when it's there, is shallow, at ebst.

His public statements are pompous and not scholarly like, say, Scalia. Whose opinions I pour over like gold…what a mind he has.

SCOTUS scholars are pretty united on this issue, pascal…not many will publicly state it because Thomas is, uh, alive, and on the court for a lonnnnnnng time.

I keep replaying in my mind that 60 Minutes interview he gave last year, complete with his motorhome tours of the country. He clearly has no PR handlers. It was a disaster.

Hey we're off topic again, huh Abdul? Maybe the Gods of the Internets will spite thee again, like yesterday.

Huh?!?

Once again, TA, the point is lost on you.
The point is the left literally try to destroy these men. Why? Because they were conservative. That is how the left operates.

And, by the way, even the late Julia Carson would look like a Rhodes Scholar compared to Justice Sotomayor (our new affirmative-action Justice).

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?pageId=113022 A Limbaugh speaks to the TA's of the world. While I listen to Rush when I'm driving down the highway I've not heard him lie, have any malice, certainly no hatred. To be a liberal and to put up with the serial lies spread about Rush is to be an actual POS. There is no defense for these liars that any honest person would buy.

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?pageId=113022 A Limbaugh speaks to the TA's of the world. While I listen to Rush when I'm driving down the highway I've not heard him lie, have any malice, certainly no hatred. To be a liberal and to put up with the serial lies spread about Rush is to be an actual POS. There is no defense for these liars that any honest person would buy.