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Andrew
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Rush Limbaugh: Right or Racist?
| Published 10/17/03

Graphic By: Baudi Ratcliffe-Hollins

Reading media articles would make you think that Limbaugh said McNabb was a quarterback only because he was black or he has no right to form an opinion on any athlete's ability to play their sport since he is a radio show commentator. However, I've noticed no one cares when Chris Berman or James Brown or that dunce on CBS forms their opinions on their particular shows. Why is it then that people care so much about what Rush said? The answer is that Rush is a conservative. In today's society, the term "conservative" is synonymous with "racist." This is funny, because it was the conservative party that catapulted the Civil Rights movement in the 60s, and it is why the Ku Klux Klan continues to hate the Republican Party.

Was Rush Limbaugh wrong about his assumptions? No, not really. If you are an In-depth football fan and you understand the history of the game, you will be well aware of the controversy that has existed through the prominent history of the NFL with the position of the black quarterback.

For most of the early years of the NFL, it was a misconception that a black player was not mentally able to play the position of quarterback or middle linebacker, the two respective positions that directed on-field play calling for the team. As the years passed, we've only seen a few notable quarterbacks were in this situation: Warren Moon, Doug Williams and Randall Cunningham. Even though these quarterbacks were successful in their career, they were also journeymen. In the end, each sputtered or had huge gaps in his career years. Then in the later half of the 1990s, the questions surrounded whether a black quarterback could throw the ball as well as a white quarterback, instead of being a mobile light-weight running back. The drafting of Akili Smith, Daunte Culpeper, Donovan McNabb, Kordell Stewart and Steve McNair has not necessary changed this belief.

In examining the stats of both Donovan McNabb and Kordell Stewart, the numbers aren't that different for career averages. Both quarterbacks are under 60 percent completion rates, and both have quarterback ratings in the mid-seventies. Therefore, both have been proven to be very average quarterbacks. This comparison is surprising, because even I didn't know their numbers were so similar. It is true that Kordell has thrown more interceptions. However in more years and while their touchdowns are of similar number, McNabb has thrown the ball much more due to lack of a serious running game in Philadelphia. However, Donovan McNabb, if he indeed was an elite quarterback, should have much better numbers considering he plays in a West Coast offense, where the emphasis is on short passes and yards after the catch created by innovative wide receivers. I doubt any serious football fan would consider Kordell Stewart to be an elite NFL quarterback, even though when he played well he was named to the Pro Bowl and led Pittsburgh to winning seasons.

So was Rush Limbaugh really all that far off in stating that he thought Donovan McNabb was overrated? From the evidence available, I conclude he was not. What made Donovan McNabb seem to do so well? Well, it had to be the media's presentation of him. Last year McNabb only completed 211 passes for 2289 yards. Does that strike you as elite? No, that is year two of Michael Vick's NFL career. Michael Vick is not elite yet. He is just an athlete.

The media is desires a black quarterback doing well. I support that desire, because I think that a black quarterback is very capable of doing just as well as any other race. In fact, race isn't even a matter when it comes to this. However, the media, sports and everyone else always continues to bring up race in more regards than Rush Limbaugh has. Look at Dusty Baker's comments about blacks being better suited for long games in the heat, or baseball players claiming that the reason the media was coming down on Sammy Sosa was because of his skin color and not because of the corked bat. It is a fact that race is a concern amongst the media, players and fans of sports. They are far more direct than the belief stated by Rush Limbaugh.

Limbaugh meant exactly what he said. It was a social concern in the NFL. Just like the number of black head coaches and front office people is a social concern, and I don't remember anyone getting put under a microscope for analyzing that. On the contrary, it was perceived as racism for it not being recognized. Now there is a NFL rule stating that when there is a coaching vacancy, a black coach must be interviewed. Therefore, the failure to acknowledge that a social concern for blacks at all levels in the NFL exists is folly on all those who know and love the game.

Send this Article to a Friend Responses: Refresh frame to view latest entries. Name: Shaggy Year: Alumni Comments: I wrote my reflections on this subject in the Bruise Board but to simple state it again: Limbaugh no matter how stupid and uneducated his comments were, they were not racist. He has every right to voice his opinion and I think a lot of AMERICANS are forgetting he has that right. Screw you ESPN. Comments: I agree...good article. It sort of strikes me as odd that when you talk about a minority group in a negative way, you are being racist, but if you talk about a minority group in a positive way, you are not percieved as racist. Isn't any form of analysis that seeks to group people by race being racist regardless of whether the comments are positive or negative? If so, why aren't people upset with the members of media who, as Rush rightly pointed out, have tried so hard to build these quarterbacks up as outstanding with the unspoken idea that they are only oustanding because they are black quarterbacks? It's like saying a girl is an attractive black girl rather than just saying she's an attractive girl. Name: Mike Flick Comments: Excellent, excellent article, Andrew. You have raised some observations that I hope more people will consider. Keep it up!

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