Sports Byline USA Insight

I Get the Point, But a Bad Idea

Rush Limbaugh says that he and St. Louis Blues’ owner Dave Checketts want to buy the St. Louis Rams. It didn’t take long for that idea to draw fire. Reverend Al Sharpton thinks it’s a bad idea and told the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell that he thinks Limbaugh would be bad for the league because Limbaugh has been “divisive and anti-NFL.” He bases that on Limbaugh’s political leanings and his nationally syndicated radio show. Sharpton’s “Limbaugh anti-NFL” position is based to some degree on Limbaugh’s brief 2003 ESPN stint which ended after Limbaugh said Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was overrated because the media wanted to see a black quarterback succeed. Limbaugh’s statement was stupid. But, Sharpton is using the wrong logic for not wanting Limbaugh as a NFL owner. Besides, there’s no law that says you can’t buy a business, even a NFL team, if you say stupid things.

Limbaugh’s biggest hurdle to overcome in trying to buy the Rams is the NFL Players union. NFL Players executive director DeMaurice Smith recently made a move to solidify the union against Limbaugh's bid in an e-mail to the union's executive committee. Smith said, "I've spoken to the Commissioner Roger Goodell. 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." Also, several NFL players have publicly opposed Limbaugh's interest in purchasing the Rams with Checketts. Of course, Smith is right, but as long as the NFLPA is only picking the low hanging fruit of social justice to take a stand, they really can’t claim the “moral high ground” in being against Limbaugh’s possible purchase and ownership of the Rams. I mean where is the NFLPA when it comes to taking a position against punishing fans who don’t sell out stadiums on Sunday, especially if their team sucks, and the local television broadcast is blacked out? And, where is the NFLPA on the issue of concussions and post career player disabilities and better pensions? No, Limbaugh is an easy target, but not one the NFLPA can take down easily or legally.

While I don’t subscribe to Limbaugh’s logic or his partisan and most of the time divisive politics, I think it’s a slippery slope and wrong to prevent anyone who has a legal right, from buying a business simply because you disagree with them or don’t like something they’ve said. To do so would be political correctness gone berserk. The Constitution allows every individual freedom of speech and thus, freedom of thought. I’m sure there’s a lot of buying of businesses that if you knew the politics and public statements of those trying to buy a business, you might be against them doing so. I wouldn’t want to be prevented, and I’m sure you wouldn’t either, from buying a business because someone doesn’t like my, or your, position on certain issues. That’s pure and simple discrimination.

If Limbaugh and Checketts are successful in buying the Rams, and the NFL players want to make a statement about whether they agree or disagree with his ownership of the team, let it be an individual one. A significant and strong message would be not signing to play for the Rams. A team without quality and star players will fail and fail miserably. And, a miserable team will fail financially. Limbaugh failing financially will send a stronger message, a more appropriate message and a legal one better than an un-Constitutional one.

I’m Ron Barr.

Ron Barr is an Emmy award winning writer and the host of the nationally and internationally syndicated sports talk show, Sports Byline USA.

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