ESPNs Tom Jackson would have walked if Rush Stayed

[grogg]

In the hours leading up to Rush Limbaugh's resignation from ESPN Wednesday, the network's suits faced another dilemma that could have ripped apart the cast of their ``Sunday NFL Countdown" show.

Well-embedded moles report that Tom Jackson, a 16-year ESPN veteran and the most popular member of the "Countdown" cast, would have quit the show if Limbaugh had stayed.

Spies say Jackson was "beating himself up" for not responding directly to Limbaugh's racist remarks concerning Donovan McNabb on Sunday. Limbaugh said he never thought McNabb was "that good" of a quarterback.

Say what you want but Rush was a fish out of water on Countdown. Berman and the ex-jocks had fire in their eyes about the weekend in football. Rush looked as though he came out of a stockholders meeting. Interjecting social and political commentary had little place on an all football show.

NFL Countdown was never broke so why did the suits try to fix it.

Link

[Defender]

Every once in a while I sit next to Tom on airplanes as he leaves Hartford for home on Tuesdays following an NFL weekend. He always seems tired and sleeps on the way.

He doesn't particulalry know that much about the IRL, either, like most of his peers at ESPN.

He should probably do what smart people do, and that's recognize the right Rush has to speak, regardless of the degree of tact or lack thereof, disagree without getting out a hammer and nails for a crucifixion, then move on. Getting upset about such comments is a waste of time.

[Truth Detector]

h

[Frank Capua]

After watching the first 15 minutes of Sunday's show it was obvious that Tom Jackson might not have been the only one to walk out if Rush had still been there. Berman stated that Rush promised that he wouldn't throw in the kind of social/political comentary that he offered on Sunday... something that Steve Young echoed and then Berman noted that Rush took the fun out of getting up on Sunday morning to get ready for their program.

Tom Jackson also noted that it now appears clear that not only were Rush's words not fit for ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown, but that Rush himself was unfit to be on the program.

For the first time I got to see the entire segment, not just what was being shown by the media over the last week. And what Rush said was most definitely racist and this is why.

Rush said that McNabb was overated... nothing racist about that. but then he added that McNabb was overated due to members of he media wanting a successfull Black quarterback. This was an attack using one of Rush's most used charges about a liberal press, but it goes farther than that because it insults McNabb by trying to say that he has only beaten out "white quartebacks", voted onto all-star teams or given the credit for the talent he has, because of the color of his skin, not what he has done on the field or the work and effort he has made to be the best.

That's not just stupid... it is racist and has no place on a sports program. As Steve Young pointed out race hasn't been an issue with NFL quarterbacks for a very long time.

For true fans of the NFL McNabb isn't the black quarteback of the Eagles, he's the quarterback of the Eagles and like all Eagles his color is Green.

In fact the only Black quarterback I know of in the NFL is Rich Gannon.

[roadracer]

Last week was an ugly and unnecessary chapter, I hope the page is turned now. Over.

btw, that was a battle royal between Philly and the 'skins yesterday. Not pretty, but both teams gutted it out. And yeah, something isn't quite right with Donovan's mechanics - his passes don't have their usual laser trajectory and accuracy. Looks like he's not balanced. Anyway, they won a tough one.

But here's the big question. Can the Colt's offense outspeed the Tampa D? I really think they can, don't think they will. Tampa by 10.

[KnockOff]

Gee, did anyone at anytime ever discuss the issue of Larry Bird's race and skills?

What? No one was ever publically shamed and forced to resign?

Ohhhh, well that makes sense then. His race didn't need "protecting".



Rush's remark was a criticism of the media, not McNabb, but because of his prior political history he was prohibited from not only discussing anything related to a protected class, but saying anything which could by any stretch be interpreted as critical.

The thought and speech police struck again and were allowed to do so within the context of an obvious double standard.

[rrrr]

Originally posted by Whosyer-Sparkplug
Rush said that McNabb was overated... nothing racist about that. but then he added that McNabb was overated due to members of he media wanting a successfull Black quarterback. This was an attack using one of Rush's most used charges about a liberal press, but it goes farther than that because it insults McNabb by trying to say that he has only beaten out "white quartebacks", voted onto all-star teams or given the credit for the talent he has, because of the color of his skin, not what he has done on the field or the work and effort he has made to be the best.

That's not just stupid... it is racist and has no place on a sports program.

That's pure BS. Where do you make the jump from his comments about the media to claim Limbaugh was inferring "he has only beaten out "white quartebacks", voted onto all-star teams or given the credit for the talent he has, because of the color of his skin, not what he has done on the field or the work"?

He didn't say that, never even came close. You and the rest of the people that call Limbaugh a racist are unable to separate an opinion that refers to the MEDIA from the kowtowing oh-my-god-don't insult a black, er, African-American at any cost stick your head in the sand mentality.

Of course, since I am defending him, that makes me a racist too, right?

Jackson is practicing the same nonsense another fellow with the same last name has made a career of.

[grogg]

I don't know if Rush is a racist or not, but he certainly flirts with the line every now and then. An example of this is when Carol Mosely-Braun announced her run for president. When Rush announced this on his show he played the "Movin' on up" theme from the Jeffersons.

As for Tom Jackson, I always thought he was a class act, on and off the field. I never remember him playing the race card for any reason.

Rush was out of his element, pure and simple. It sounds like there is a consensus opinion about Rush from the regulars on Countdown.

[BlueStang]

Originally posted by grogg
Rush was out of his element, pure and simple. It sounds like there is a consensus opinion about Rush from the regulars on Countdown.

Do you honestly believe that any of them would voice an opposing opinion?

IMHO, seeing as how what he said was against the media, I have to agree. A few years back, there was a huge movement in the media to get a black player the Heisman trophy. It worked. I can't even tell you his name now (he played for Michigan), but I know who should have gotten it that year. His name is Manning.

[hdolan]

Listening to Irvin pontificate was funny as ****..Dallas Cowboys, drugs, whores...

[IndyIRLman]

Rush should have just limited his comments to McNabb being overated in his opinion. He could have used stats to back it up. Playing the race card is just dumb. I think most people know by now that there are some things that you just can't risk saying. Having said that, IMO people are way to sensitive these days.

[roadracer]

I have a couple more things to say about this before letting it drop.

I don't think Limbaugh is a racist, certainly not evidenced by anything said last week.

His football analysis was wrong. McNabb overrated? No.

His observations regarding the media pushing for black quarterbacks are at least a decade out of date, if not more. I am a major NFL fan, and this issue just has not been active, or really even on anyone's mind, for quite a while. Why he dug it up, or thought it was valid, I don't know. Why go back there?

Because there is a racial element to what was said, there has been a huge reaction. Whatever, the media needs stories and this was a big one.

The man just didn't make any sense. Puzzling.

[ensign14]

Originally posted by Whosyer-Sparkplug
Rush said that McNabb was overated... nothing racist about that. but then he added that McNabb was overated due to members of he media wanting a successfull Black quarterback. This was an attack using one of Rush's most used charges about a liberal press, but it goes farther than that because it insults McNabb by trying to say that he has only beaten out "white quartebacks", voted onto all-star teams or given the credit for the talent he has, because of the color of his skin, not what he has done on the field or the work and effort he has made to be the best.

That's not just stupid... it is racist and has no place on a sports program.

I have to be honest...not knowing the background, and only having heard Limbaugh on holiday (a right winger, I believe ) when trying to find a radio station that is not playing country/metal/rap/fundamentalist preaching/loony people saying the sun is less yellow than it used to be, the statement above is not racist.

It is a comment on media treatment of players and the media ranking said players on their colour as opposed to their ability.

One would have thought that, if someone were over-rated, the fact that they were voted onto various all star teams was due to the media's over-estimation of them. For whatever reason. Just that Limbaugh said that the reason was essentially positive discrimination. Think it is fair enough to surmise that. May be complete bollocks, but I cannot stand that peanut-hugging 'sport' anyway.

[Guy]

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=34934

[Eagle104]

Originally posted by hdolan
Listening to Irvin pontificate was funny as helll..Dallas Cowboys, drugs, whores...

....but thankfully he's turned around/out ok. i miss him on best dahm.........