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Rush Limbaugh and the Rams
- Thread starter Dr. Cheese
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We get it. You like Rush. That is your God-given right too.
The point of this thread is not the virtue of his beliefs, or the lack thereof. The thread, as I envisioned it, was about him owning a NFL team. IMO, discussion of his views is plainly political, and off topic.
I see his views directly influencing his ability to acquire a pro team. His views and the situation are inseperable.
Jay Z, as controversial as his views and product are, can acquire a pro team.
Rush Limbaugh can not.
This is a no-brainer.
Of course its a no brainer:
Jay Z is physically fit enough to play a sport besides golf.
Rush Limbaugh is not.
Jay Z is physically fit enough to play a sport besides golf.
Rush Limbaugh is not.
One, the NFL is not the NBA. There are far fewer people trying to buy teams and thus the NFL has the luxury of choosing between many more bidders each time a team comes up for sale. This is almost certainly because some NBA (and some MLB) teams DO lose money, something that doesn't happen in the NFL.
Secondly, while you might dislike Jay-z (I'm personally indifferent) the simple reality is that he's not as divisive a figure as Rush Limbaugh.
Side note: "As controversial as his product and views are"? Do you know what Jay-Z's "views" are? I don't. And I'm not sure how controversial his products are. I'm sure you're talking about his music and not his clothing line or whatever his other business endeavors are, but Jay-Z (AFAIK) isn't exactly a "gangsta" rapper though again I'm personally not a fan so I'm not going to defend his lyrics.
Isn't he like 60 or 70? Of course he's not fit to play anything but golf and maybe checkers. If that was a comment about weight, I think he lost it per an interview he did yesterday morning on one of the morning news shows (my wife watches them, sorry).
All that aside, I'm not sure the politics CAN be separated from the individual in this thread or in any discussion about the guy. He's made a living being synonymous with his views, apparently to his detriment in this case.
Mike
Not really, but surely one of his 99 problems would stop him from buying an NFL franchise.
Mike
Decaf bro, decaf.
Again, buying an NFL team isn't just about having the desire and the cash - there are always multiple bidders that throw their hat in the ring when a team goes up for sale. The reality is that Limbaugh or no Limbaugh (and now it looks like no Limbaugh) the group he was part of might not be the bid that the current Rams owner and the NFL accepts.
You're the one who seems offended. Attacking people, and then feigning offense when they respond with sharp words, is called trolling. Limbaugh is the ultimate troll. Attack attack attack, and then when someone turns it around on him, it's poor little victim Rush.
A NFL franchise is not a consumer product sitting on the shelf in a supermarket. Owning a franchise is a contractual business relationship between parties. Nobody should be forced into a business partnership with anybody who wants to join. It is perfectly reasonable for the prospective partners to check out the applicant's other business interests and to back out of a deal if a conflict appears likely.
But for the record, I would love to see the NFL hand a public venue to Limbaugh's opponents by turning every televised NFL event into a political circus.
They are undoubtably expressed in his lyrics, which are controversial. Don't take my word for it, read them for yourself.
The point is, that shouldn't keep anyone, Jay Z or Rush Limbaugh, from buying a pro franchise.
Apparently, the other owners who run the NFL, for starters.
Buying a NFL franchise isn't like buying a McDonald's franchise, not everybody is allowed to buy one.
This is an odd statement for a Libertarian to make. In order to implement your recommendation, Congress would have to make "controversial media figures" a protected class for which discrimination would be illegal. Just what we need, a law to create more opportunities for Rush and Michael Moore to stir the pot!
Not to mention the negative impact this might have on the NFL's ability to run its business which appears to be quite successful under their current owner selection procedures which take other factors into account other than the highest bid when a club is being sold. As distasteful as many on this thread seem to find the NFL's policies, the current ownership of the Rams knew the rules when they bought so I doubt you'll hear any complaining from them that the Checketts/Limbaugh group is non-viable (unless Checketts can find a big money guy more to the NFL's liking.)
EDIT - I guess I took a little too much time thinking about this post (also even deciding whether to post or not). Jared, fdeck, and jrthebassguy all beat me to the point. There was less heat and more light in the baseball thread (last year, the year before) that was dominated by good citizens of Red Sox Nation and stormtroopers from the Evil Empire. I think we gotta run those guinea pigs on each page of the thread!
I have heard Jay Z speak very little on politics. Many do not like Hip Hop, but he has not made a career of actively pissing off large segments of the population either. Finally, there is not the same cast sharing in the NBA, so Jay Z's profile will not pull down another owner's take.
Jay Z is not a clear parallel to Rush Llimbaugh.
Okay, I'm learning on the run here. As has been pointed out, buying an NFL franchise is not like buying a Big Mac. It takes a special set of circumstances and business machinery. Understood.
Rush Limbaugh has been blacklisted for his views, unfairly portrayed as something he is not, and this dissolved the business machinery making it effectively impossible for him to acquire an NFL team at this time. Understood.
If anyone on this thread actually understands defamation of character, slander, libel, and the legalities at play here, you will also understand that this is not just unfair, but possibly illegal.
Like I said earlier, I hope he pursues it to the furthest length possible.
While this sounds nice on the surface, I wholeheartedly disagree.
Suppose I want to buy your car, and you don't want to sell it to me for any price. You have NO obligation whatsoever to sell me your car. Unfortunately for me, there is nothing I can do about it no matter how badly I might want your car.
That's it. Every mishap deserves a lawsuit.
It's very hard for a political figure to win a defamation suit. The threshold for proof is astronomical.
He will to the extent that it makes for good ratings which make for a good paycheck. But for the principle of it, to the extent that it starts to cost him money, I don't think so (I'm not a fan, but the guy is not stupid).
Rush's own words and deeds allow folks to draw their own conclusions; no one needs to read anything written about him to figure the guy out. Maybe the NFL doesn't want any owners who are admitted pain killer abusers. I'm not an attorney, but if he thinks he has a case, I would be worried that he is relapsing.
OK. So I'm hot headed. Some of you have made some very valid points about my remarks (too many to quote all of them). I guess I just get a little ticked off when people in this country are so easily offended. And if Rush doesn't get to buy the team, it's because PEOPLE ARE OFFENDED BY HIM. That's the ONLY reason. I guess I just want people in this country to have a little more balls than that. I don't have to agree with you to do business with you. I don't even KNOW the political views of the owner of the Red Sox and I don't care. I'm still a fan (boy, we took it on the chin last week....anyhooo....). The part about players boycotting is just...well....weak to me. So I guess to refine my take on this. Earlier I said that anybody should be able to buy anything. I guess what I meant was that Rush's views shouldn't even be part of the discussion. If I were a fellow owner, all I would care about is his ability to hold up to his end of a contract. I guess I'm just not that easily offended by his words. (And, yes, I know my first post sounded like I was offended. I get it. 
I just all-caps every now and then for emphasis. I'm sure it looked like I was "cyber yelling".) I'm just sad to see the "wussification of the nation". (Hey that sounded all Rev. Jessy Jackson for a sec, didn't it?) Anyway. Thanks for chiming in guys. I'm fine. Really. You're all right. The other owners don't have to let him in. (They're still wusses though 
)
I just all-caps every now and then for emphasis. I'm sure it looked like I was "cyber yelling".) I'm just sad to see the "wussification of the nation". (Hey that sounded all Rev. Jessy Jackson for a sec, didn't it?) Anyway. Thanks for chiming in guys. I'm fine. Really. You're all right. The other owners don't have to let him in. (They're still wusses though )
Sigged for both humor and accuracy!!!
Pretty sure in my 9 years of TB that's my first time to make someone's sig.
I agree that if he has money that he should be able to buy what ever he wants. But if the NFL has its rules about who can buy a team...which is kinda weird but also not very surprising here in America...then there it is. Go buy something else. Don't cry about it and make a big fuss! Don't make it sound like you are being held down. Rise above it. Especially since some of the Rush fans have stated(with out quotes of their own) that he is a positive guy about rising above crap.
I must point out a couple of things...
I don't listen to Rush...the band either.
I don't follow the NFL.
This is the first I have heard of it and can care less about what happens in the end.
I am bored and was surprisingly intrigued by this thread.
Have a wonderful day.
I must point out a couple of things...
I don't listen to Rush...the band either.
I don't follow the NFL.
This is the first I have heard of it and can care less about what happens in the end.
I am bored and was surprisingly intrigued by this thread.
Have a wonderful day.
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