As NewsBusters previously reported, black sports columnist Jason Whitlock's article on an "information bubble" that's an obstacle to the success of black National Football League quarterbacks was read on the air by Rush Limbaugh during the Wednesday edition of his radio program.
Instead of being pleased with getting some free publicity, Whitlock slammed the conservative talker for quoting him, saying instead that Limbaugh was using his column as part of his "daily" campaign of "talking race."
Back in September of 2003, the conservative football fan ignited a firestorm of criticism from the left-dominated sports media and lost his commentator position on ESPN's "NFL Countdown" TV show for pointing out that many people in the NFL and the media hype up black quarterbacks in the hopes of seeing them succeed.
Limbaugh's earlier criticism was focused on Donovan McNabb, who was at the time the quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles and Rush thought "was propped up by the sports media" even though "the defense carried the team.'"
Later in the day, Whitlock was a guest on Mike Missanelli's radio show on 97.5 The Fanatic in Philadelphia, and he said that the "bubble" he wrote about does not parallel Limbaugh's McNabb comments nine years ago.
"I don't think the sports media was bending over backwards hoping for Donovan McNabb to have some success," the writer noted, adding that "I thought [Rush] really, really overreached."
And just to be quite honest, Rush Limbaugh is not qualified to make these comments, and it's not because he white, it's because he is in no way, in my opinion, trying to be thoughtful on these issues.
"He doesn't have football expertise," Whitlock added. "I'm sure he watches the NFL somewhat, but for the most part, he follows politics around the clock."
I didn't have a problem with what ESPN did to him, and he's certianly no victim because, you know, he makes a boatload of money talking about these issues and race.
Whitlock mentioned the fact that Limbaugh "read my column today on his show and talked about it extensively, and agreed with it, and tried to subtly use it as: 'Hey, look. I was trying to say this in 2003, but ... ."
Eventually, the columnist admitted that Limbaugh "has the right to talk about my column" over the airwaves. Now if we could only get him to realize that Limbaugh actually has been an obsessive follower of the NFL for decades and that it was his knowledge of football was a big contributor to him being invited to serve as an analyst by ESPN and also be approached by a group to become part-owner of the St. Louis Rams.
