Owner Joins Fight Against Limbaugh's NFL Bid
Albert Breer - SportingNews.com
Oct 14, 2009
BOSTON -- Rush Limbaugh might yet become a member of the NFL's fraternity of owners, as part of a group looking into buying the St. Louis Rams.
But that doesn't mean he'll be welcomed.
"I, myself, couldn't even consider voting for him," Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay said at the league's fall meetings. "When there are comments that have been made that are inappropriate, incendiary and insensitive ... our words do damage, and it's something that we don't need."
On Tuesday, Rams president John Shaw made a presentation to the assembled executives indicating that the Rosenbloom family was exploring selling the club but hadn't made any final decision. Limbaugh says he is part of a group, led by St. Louis Blues owner Dave Checketts, with an interest in the bidding.
Irsay's reference was to comments Limbaugh made in 2003, saying Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was overrated based on the media being "desirous that a black quarterback do well."
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was clear with his feelings on those remarks.
"I have said many times before that we are all held to a higher standard here," Goodell said Tuesday. "I think divisive comments are not what the NFL is all about."
The league has shot down controversial figures before. Notably, in 1999, the league's owners voted down an $800 million bid -- a record offer for any professional sports franchise at the time -- from New York real estate mogul Howard Milstein, in part because of Milstein's abrasive style and business relationships.
In other developments at the owners' meetings:
Uncapped future
The uncapped season of 2010 and the restrictions on free agency (six years to become unrestricted, limits on elite teams' activity) were put in the current CBA as motivators to get a deal done before that league year.
Goodell said those conditions continue to serve as incentive to get an agreement with the players' association but conceded that the possibility of entering the uncapped year is real.
"The ownership is preparing for an uncapped season," Goodell said. "We want an agreement as soon as possible, but the most important thing is to get an agreement that works for us and works for the players."
Signs of health
Last week's Monday Night Football game, a/k/a. the "Favre Bowl," between the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings, was the most watched cable program of all-time. NBC's Sunday Night Football has won the Sunday night ratings battle in each of the first five weeks of the season, and Colts-Titans produced more than double the ratings of Yankees-Twins head-to-head this week.
Translation: The NFL is still growing. And the labor issues become more pressing when considering how a potential lockout could stunt that.
"When you look at the 10 most watched sport programs are NFL games and not any of the other sports, we have a great product here," said Patriots owner Robert Kraft, chairman of the broadcast committee. "So it's really important that we, the 32 owners, stay together as a unit and get an agreement in place that can work for the long time and allows us to grow the sport and keep the quality of the product as special as it.
"Really, it's so unique and we're so fortunate to be in this business."
This story appears in Oct. 14's edition of Sporting News Today. If you are not receiving Sporting News Today, the only daily digital sports newspaper, sign up today.
Staff writer Albert Breer covers the NFL for Sporting News. E-mail him at abreer@sportingnews.com.
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