Rush Limbaugh Says He Shows Bravery On Race, But Really It’s Racism On Race

Conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh made controversial and derogatory comments (not to mention just plain stupid) about Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb. This was years ago when ESPN tried an experiment with Limbaugh adding analysis for a National Football League-centered program on its network. The experiment failed and ESPN (after recklessly and hurtfully defending him at first) rightly pulled the plug (techinically I suppose he resigned) on this conservative ball of hot air. Limbaugh said the following:

LIMBAUGH: Sorry to say this, I don’t think he’s been that good from the
get-go. 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 comments were ignorant because McNabb was (even at that time) a very good quarterback and doing a solid job for his team. Earth to Limbaugh, people want all quarterbacks to do well. People wanted John Elway to win the big one (he did … twice), people wanted Jim Kelly to win the big one (he didn’t), people wanted Dan Marino to win the big one (he didn’t). People want all quarterbacks to do well. As far as getting too much credit, welcome to the real world. Quarterbacks often get way too much credit in what is the ultimate team sport. Here is a January 2009 comment from the L.A. Times about about the Limbaugh-McNabb controversy:

In the five-plus years since Rush Limbaugh uttered those words, the Philadelphia Eagles’ quarterback has:

• Passed for 19,151 yards and thrown 155 touchdowns in 77 regular season games
• Has a 6-3 record in the NFL playoffs
• Reached the NFC title game three times
• Gone to one Super Bowl
  

That’s not too bad, huh? Now, fast forward to the present as Limbaugh responds to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder’s comments about people being cowards when it comes to having open and honest dialogue on race issues. Limbaugh, of course had to interject himself into the discussion by trying to once again defend the indefensible (his stupid comments about Donovan McNabb that were not only racially stupid, but also football stupid).

LIMBAUGH: I, El Rushbo, am no coward. … In fact, I show bravery on race. I am
totally willing to discuss it openly and honestly. How does one show bravery on
race as I have? You talk about media bias, you talk about slavish media coverage
of Black quarter backs in the National Football League. Then see what happens.
Then watch all hell descend upon you from every quarter of this nation’s media.
From print to broadcast to Internet. … I show bravery on matters of
race.

Limbaugh shows stupidity and borderline (if not over the borderline) racism on matters of race.

ESPN:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=1627991

Los Angeles Times:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2009/01/mcnabb-gets-las.html