NFL can't even see its own hypocrisy

Being late to the party on this Rush Limbaugh thing is OK because his critics still are smiling, wearing lampshades and chugging champagne.

As you know, protectors of the NFL's honor last week derailed Limbaugh as an investor in the St. Louis Rams.

Actually, they were protectors of the NFL's hypocrisy.

What a fascinating social study the episode was, as the league cowered when a perceived racist threatened to sully its image.

Huh? Isn't this the same NFL that includes a team named the Redskins? They weren't changed to the Redshirts while we weren't looking, were they?

Worse is that the Redskins reside in the nation's capital, where politicians of both parties campaign for votes from the middle class and minorities while sitting in luxury boxes cheering on a team named for a racial slur.

So let's review: an alleged radio racist is a problem but a team called the Redskins isn't.

Perhaps if more American Indians played in the NFL, the league would have no choice but to re-brand Washington's franchise.

As things stand, something other than political correctness must have bothered current NFL owners about Limbaugh.

Hey, maybe we're simply talking here about the Rushinator being bad for business.

If Limbaugh's group could get the Rams despite him, his money would be good. If black players wouldn't avoid St. Louis because of him, he'd be in. If the impression were that he would attract more customers than he would drive away, the stadium would be named for him.

Anyway, I'm no fan of the entertainer disguised as a political analyst but he would have injected some fun into the No Fun League.

Limbaugh nearby as a part owner of the Bears would be unbearable, but he'd be amusing from afar. That isn't a political comment because it's best to keep a distance from all gasbags like him, Keith Olbermann, Sean Hannity, Bill Maher, Bill O'Reilly and Rachel Maddow.

(Why do those people want to keep yelling at me and making my ears bleed?)

Back to having a Limbaugh in the NFL: every sporting event can use a polarizing figure worthy of pro wrestling.

If Limbaugh wants to be pro football's Notre Dame, somebody about whom hardly anybody is neutral, so be it.

Love Rush ... hate Rush ... just don't ignore Rush. If you spell Rush's name wrong, just run a wide-angle photo of Rush so people know you're talking about Rush.

One benefit to having Limbaugh's bluster and bombast in the NFL would be that he would make Jerry Jones seem as quiet as Mike McCaskey.

Ah, but it wasn't to be. Enough pressure was exerted on other prospective Rams investors that Limbaugh was excluded.

The round mound of sound was deemed unfit to be an NFL investor essentially because it's bad for business if someone to scream publicly what many owners to the right of even Limbaugh say privately.

Remember, we're talking about a league in which hardly anybody thinks twice anymore about having a team called the Redskins. If you're celebrating Limbaugh's exclusion, put down the champagne just long enough to acknowledge the NFL's hypocrisy.

mimrem@dailyherald.com