Limbaugh Says Eagles' McNabb Is Overrated Tue Sep 30, 2003 By ROB MAADDI, AP Sports Writer PHILADELPHIA - Donovan McNabb has been to three straight Pro Bowls and two consecutive NFC championship games, and was runner-up for NFL MVP in his first full season as a starter. Still, commentator Rush Limbaugh questions his credentials. Before McNabb led the Philadelphia Eagles to a 23-13 victory over the Buffalo Bills, Limbaugh said on ESPN's "Sunday NFL Countdown" that McNabb is overrated. The comment contained racial overtones that set off a controversy. "I don't think he's been that good from the get-go," Limbaugh said. "I think what we've had here is a little social concern in the NFL. The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well. There is a little hope invested in McNabb, and he got a lot of credit for the performance of this team that he didn't deserve. The defense carried this team." An ESPN spokesman said Tuesday that Limbaugh doesn't do interviews and added that he didn't think the comments were racially biased. "He was comparing McNabb's performance on the field to his reputation in the media," spokesman Dave Nagle said. Nagle said that with Limbaugh on the show this season, ratings for "Sunday NFL Countdown" are up 10 percent overall, and 26 percent among the 18-to-34 male demographic. Sunday's show drew its biggest audience in the regular season since November 1996. "ESPN hired Limbaugh for his passion and his ability to express opinion and spark debate as a football fan," Nagle said. "In just one month, he has certainly delivered." Limbaugh is best known as the radio host of the conservative politically focused "Rush Limbaugh Show," which is syndicated in more than 650 markets worldwide. He spent most of the 1990s assailing then-President Clinton and now spends Sunday mornings talking football, a job he called "the fulfillment of a dream." A decade ago, there were few black quarterbacks in the NFL. This season, 10 of the 32 teams will have started black quarterbacks in at least one game. Seven black quarterbacks started NFL games last weekend and two of the best, Michael Vick and Daunte Culpepper, were on the sidelines with injuries. The veteran Rodney Peete also has started a game for Carolina, meaning that when Vick returns from his broken leg, he'll be the 10th to start a game this season. "I think the Philadelphia Eagles and the city of Philadelphia are very lucky to have Donovan McNabb," Eagles coach Andy Reid said, calling his quarterback "the best in the business." McNabb got off to the worst start of his career this season and was the NFL's lowest-rated starting quarterback after losses to Tampa Bay and New England. He was criticized heavily for his bad start, which came after a subpar effort in Philadelphia's 27-10 loss to the Buccaneers in January's NFC title game. Still, the Eagles are 36-22 in games he started. "It's sad that you've got to go to skin color. I thought we were through with that whole deal," McNabb told the Philadelphia Daily News. ***** McNabb: Too Late for Limbaugh Apology Wed Oct 1, 2003 By ROB MAADDI, AP Sports Writer PHILADELPHIA - Donovan McNabb isn't looking for an apology from Rush Limbaugh, who said he was overrated because the media wanted to see a black quarterback succeed. It's too late for that. "He said what he said. ... I'm sure he's not the only one that feels that way but it's somewhat shocking to acutally hear that on national TV," the Philadelphia Eagles' quarterback said of Limbaugh at a news conference Wednesday. "An apology would do no good because he obviously thought about it before he said it." Before McNabb led the Philadelphia Eagles to a 23-13 victory over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Limbaugh said ESPN's pregame show that he didn't think McNabb was as good as perceived from the start. "I think what we've had here is a little social concern in the NFL. The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well," Limbaugh said. "There is a little hope invested in McNabb, and he got a lot of credit for the performance of this team that he didn't deserve. The defense carried this team." McNabb, who was runner-up for the league MVP award in 2000 and has led the Eagles to two straight NFC championship games, said he has no quarrel with Limbaugh's comment on his playing ability. "I know I played badly the first two games," he said Wednesday. McNabb got off to the worst start of his career this season and was the NFL's lowest-rated starting quarterback after losses to Tampa Bay and New England. Still, the Eagles are 36-22 in games he started. He said Wednesday that Limbaugh's comments about his race were out of bounds and added that someone on the show should have taken him on. Among the other panelists are former players Michael Irvin and Tom Jackson, both of whom are black. "I'm not pointing at anyone but someone should have said it," McNabb said of the panelists, who also include Chris Berman and Steve Young. "I wouldn't have cared if it was the cameraman." Seven black quarterbacks started games last Sunday. Two other blacks who regularly start, Daunte Culpepper of Minnesota and Michael Vick of Atlanta, were out with injuries. ***** Limbaugh Resigns Over Comments on McNabb Thu Oct 2, 2003 By JIM O'CONNELL, AP Sports Writer NEW YORK - Conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh resigned from ESPN on Wednesday night, three days after sparking outrage by saying Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb is overrated because the media wanted to see a black quarterback succeed. Earlier Wednesday, Democratic presidential candidates Wesley Clark, Howard Dean and Rev. Al Sharpton called for the cable sports network to fire Limbaugh. "My comments this past Sunday were directed at the media and were not racially motivated," Limbaugh said in a statement Wednesday night. "I offered an opinion. This opinion has caused discomfort to the crew, which I regret. "I love `NFL Sunday Countdown' and do not want to be a distraction to the great work done by all who work on it. "Therefore, I have decided to resign. I appreciate the opportunity to be a part of the show and wish all the best to those who make it happen." George Bodenheimer, president of ESPN and ABC Sports, accepted the resignation. "We regret the circumstances surrounding this," he said in a statement. "We believe that he took the appropriate action to resolve this matter expeditiously." McNabb had said earlier Wednesday that he didn't mind criticism of his performance. He was upset that Limbaugh made his race an issue and said it was too late for an apology. "It's somewhat shocking to hear that on national TV from him," McNabb said. "It's not something that I can sit here and say won't bother me." Limbaugh insisted earlier Wednesday he had "no racist intent whatsoever." In fact, he said he must have been right; otherwise, the comments would not have sparked such outrage. Before McNabb led the Eagles to a 23-13 victory over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Limbaugh said on ESPN's pregame show that he didn't think McNabb was as good as perceived from the start. "I think what we've had here is a little social concern in the NFL. The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well," Limbaugh said on "Sunday NFL Countdown." "There is a little hope invested in McNabb, and he got a lot of credit for the performance of this team that he didn't deserve. The defense carried this team," he said. Limbaugh did not back down during his syndicated radio talk show Wednesday. "All this has become the tempest that it is because I must have been right about something," Limbaugh said. "If I wasn't right, there wouldn't be this cacophony of outrage that has sprung up in the sports writer community." The NFL disclaimed any responsibility from Limbaugh's remarks. "ESPN knew what it was getting when they hired Rush Limbaugh," league vice president Joe Browne said. "ESPN selects its on-air talent, not the NFL." Sharpton scheduled a news conference Thursday morning in front of ABC headquarters in New York. He said he would call for ESPN to fire Limbaugh and would call for a national boycott of the network this weekend if he isn't. ABC and ESPN are corporate cousins, both owned by Walt Disney Co. "I'm going to call for ESPN to terminate Rush Limbaugh as we've seen other networks terminate people for racist remarks in the past," Sharpton said Wednesday night. "I'm shocked that we're at Wednesday and we have not seen an apology from Mr. Limbaugh. We cannot sit back in silence. That would be consent and we would have lost self-respect." Chris Berman, who anchors the ESPN show, said he did not believe Limbaugh's tone or intent was malicious. "As cut and dry as it seems in print, I didn't think so when it went by my ears," he said. "I probably should have looked to soften it. We're sorry we upset a guy who got off to a rough start." McNabb said someone on the show should have taken on Limbaugh. Among the other panelists are former players Michael Irvin and Tom Jackson, both of whom are black. "I'm not pointing at anyone but someone should have said it," McNabb said of the panelists, who also include former quarterback Steve Young. "I wouldn't have cared if it was the cameraman." Limbaugh was scheduled to be in Philadelphia on Thursday to speak at a broadcast convention. McNabb said he wouldn't be welcome at the Eagles' practice. "I really don't want to see him," McNabb said. "You can say you're sorry all you want, it doesn't matter. It's been said." Clark, a retired Army general, called the remarks "hateful and ignorant speech." And Dean, a former Vermont governor, followed up with his own assessment - "absurd and offensive." The NAACP also condemned Limbaugh's remarks, calling them "bigoted and ignorant," and called for the network to fire Limbaugh or at least provide an opposing point of view on the show. "It is appalling that ESPN has to go to this extent to try to increase viewership," NAACP President Kweisi Mfume said in a statement. McNabb, who was runner-up for the league MVP award in 2000 and has led the Eagles to two straight NFC championship games, said he has no quarrel with Limbaugh's comment on his ability. "I know I played badly the first two games," he said. McNabb got off to the worst start of his career this season and was the NFL's lowest-rated starting quarterback after losses to Tampa Bay and New England. Still, the Eagles are 36-22 in games he has started, including 4-3 in the playoffs. Limbaugh on Wednesday reiterated that he doesn't think McNabb is a bad player, just that he isn't as good as some media members think he is. "This is such a mountain out of a molehill," he said. "There's no racism here, there's no racist intent whatsoever." Limbaugh is the radio host of the politically focused "Rush Limbaugh Show," which is syndicated in more than 650 markets worldwide. He spent most of the 1990s assailing then-President Clinton and now spends Sunday mornings talking football, a job he called "the fulfillment of a dream." Limbaugh helped increase the ratings for "Sunday NFL Countdown." ESPN spokesman Dave Nagle said ratings are up 10 percent overall. Sunday's show drew its biggest audience in the regular season since 1996. Seven black quarterbacks started games last weekend. Two other blacks who regularly start, Daunte Culpepper of Minnesota and Michael Vick of Atlanta, were out with injuries. Asked about Limbaugh's comments, Eagles defensive end N.D. Kalu said: "He speaks well, he's well-read, but he's an idiot." ___ AP Sports Writer Rob Maaddi in Philadelphia contributed to this report. ***** Limbaugh Faces Drug Probe Amid Race Flap Thu Oct 2, 2003 By JASON STRAZIUSO, Associated Press Writer WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Rush Limbaugh refused to back down Thursday from disparaging comments he made about a black quarterback, as authorities confirmed he is being investigated for illegally buying prescription drugs. The conservative commentator gave up his job as an ESPN sports analyst late Wednesday, three days after saying on the sports network's "Sunday NFL Countdown" that Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was overrated because the media wanted to see a black quarterback succeed. Law enforcement sources who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed to The Associated Press that Limbaugh is being investigated by the Palm Beach County state attorney's office. The drug allegations were first reported by the National Enquirer. CNN reported Thursday that sources close to the investigation said Limbaugh had turned up as a buyer of powerful painkillers but that he was not the target of the investigation. Premiere Radio Networks, which syndicates the politically focused "Rush Limbaugh Show" to more than 650 markets, issued a statement from Limbaugh on Thursday saying: "I am unaware of any investigation by any authority involving me. No government representative has contacted me directly or indirectly. If my assistance is required, I will, of course, cooperate fully." Limbaugh left his ESPN job late Wednesday, three days after saying on the sports network's "Sunday NFL Countdown" that Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was overrated because the media wanted to see a black quarterback succeed. "I think what we've had here is a little social concern in the NFL. The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well," Limbaugh said on the show. "There is a little hope invested in McNabb, and he got a lot of credit for the performance of this team that he didn't deserve. The defense carried this team." McNabb said he didn't mind criticism of his performance but was upset that Limbaugh made his race an issue. Democratic presidential candidates and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People criticized Limbaugh's remark, and Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie on Thursday called Limbaugh's comments "despicable." Limbaugh said Thursday that he resigned so network employees would be spared the uproar over his comments. "The great people at ESPN did not want to deal with this kind of reaction," Limbaugh told the National Association of Broadcasters at its convention in Philadelphia. "The path of least resistance became for me to resign." George Bodenheimer, president of ESPN and ABC Sports, accepted Limbaugh's resignation, saying: "We believe that he took the appropriate action to resolve this matter expeditiously." Limbaugh has denied that his comments were racially motivated. He said at the convention that he had thought about the issue the night before making the comments and wanted to write an essay on it. "It's something I have believed for quite a while," Limbaugh said. "I don't mean it to hurt anybody. ... It's just an opinion." Limbaugh told the broadcasters that he was used to scrutiny and expects to get attention, saying that to draw in listeners, "we want controversy." Limbaugh did not address the drug investigation reports in his speech. The Enquirer had interviewed Wilma Cline, who said she became Limbaugh's drug connection after working as his maid. She said Limbaugh had abused OxyContin and other painkillers. Ed Shohat, a Miami lawyer for Cline and her husband, said Thursday, "The Clines stand by the story." Shohat said neither he nor his clients would comment further. National Enquirer Editor in Chief David Perel declined to say whether the Clines were paid for their interview, but said the tabloid does "pay for interviews, photographs and exclusives - as long as they can be proven to be true." Referring to media reports saying the Clines were paid six figures for their story, Perel said, "People are just making things up." Limbaugh skipped his radio show Thursday to attend the broadcasters convention. He was scheduled to be back on the air Friday. ___ Associated Press Writer Jason Straziuso in Philadelphia contributed to this report. ___ On the Net: Rush Limbaugh: http://www.rushlimbaugh.com