We have known for a long time that Rush Limbaugh is unconscionably moronic.

ESPN must have known it when they hired him for their National Football League preview show. The American public must know it – hopefully that’s why they tune in by the millions to hear him expunge reprehensible babble largely meant to raise controversy.

Limbaugh was right to resign from ESPN last night. Now if only he would resign from public commentary.

No one should be surprised at Limbaugh’s ignorant comment about Donovan McNabb before the Philadelphia Eagles trounced the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. While not exactly racist, Limbaugh’s suggestion that McNabb was receiving too much attention from the media and NFL was completely unfounded and out of touch.

If the media and the NFL were looking for a success story in a black quarterback, they found it long ago with Warren Moon, Doug Williams, Daunte Culpepper, and so on. McNabb’s talent is indisputable: He led the Syracuse University football team to four straight bowl games and two Big East Championships. On the Philadelphia Eagles, he had two straight NFC championships and was an MVP runner-up. He accounted for the majority of the Eagles’ offense and his young career is clearly worthy of praise.

Limbaugh’s subsequent comment on his radio show that he must have been right because the issue was creating such a stir was devoid of any logic. By that reasoning, every offensive comment sputtered out by Limbaugh in his entire career would be correct.

It was unfortunate that none of Limbaugh’s ESPN cohorts said anything in reaction to his comment on Sunday. A group of supposedly responsible sports journalists has an obligation, even on a sports show, to react to sheer ignorance – especially when it’s coming from someone who was hired to provide just that. Chris Berman said he ‘probably should have looked to soften’ Limbaugh’s comment. No kidding.

ESPN lost Limbaugh last night and maybe some ratings, but hopefully gained some perspective into what is important in the sports world. They will have to make a decision between shock-jock ratings stunts and doing good work if they expect to continue as a respected outlet for sports commentary.

Published on October 1, 2003 at 12:00 pm