Limbaugh resigns after controversial comments
Rush Limbaugh made
disparaging remarks
about Donovan McNabb
earlier this week on ESPN
By Ed Sherman
Chicago Tribune (KRT)
CHICAGO — ESPN hired Rush
Limbaugh to stir up its NFL pre
game show.
It got what it wanted.
I-ate Wednesday he resigned.
The political commentator parted
company with ESPN's "NFL Sunday
Countdown,* following a day in
which he defended his comments
on his syndicated radio show and
the network distanced itself from
his comments on Sunday's show
about Donovan McNabb. Lim
baugh said the Philadelphia Eagles'
quarterback was overrated because
the media wanted a black quarter
back to succeed.
"I think what we've had here is a little
social concern in the NFL," Limbaugh
said. "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 perform
ance of this team that he didn't deserve.
The defense carried this team."
Limbaugh issued a statement late
Wednesday night in which he wrote:
"My comments this past Sunday were
directed at the media and were not
racially motivated. 1 offered an opin
How can I be
I still have
/
checks left.
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ion. This opinion has caused discom
fort 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."
Earlier Wednesday on his radio
show, Limbaugh refused to back
down from his remarks.
"All this has become the tempest
that it is because 1 must have been
right about something," Limbaugh
said. "If I wasn't right, there would
n't be this cacophony of outrage that
has sprung up in the sportswriter
community."
Limbaugh then added: "This is
such a mountain out of a molehill.
There's no racism here; there's no
racist intent whatsoever."
But late Wednesday, ESPN issued a
statement distancing itself from Lim
baugh's comments: "Although Mr.
Limbaugh today stated his comments
had no racist intent whatsoever, we
have communicated to Mr. Limbaugh
that his comments were insensitive
and inappropriate."
McNabb, who led Philadelphia to
two straight NFC title games, was tak
en aback by the remarks. During his
weekly news conference Wednesday,
he said he would not accept an apolo
gy if one were offered.
"He said what he said," McNabb
said. "I'm sure he's not the only one
who feels that way, but it's somewhat
shocking to actually hear that on na
tional TV. An apology would do no
good because he obviously thought
about it before he said it."
McNabb was upset that none of the
other panelists had confronted Lim
baugh. The show features Michael
Irvin and Tom Jackson, both of whom
are black, along with Steve Young and
Chris Berman.
"I'm not pointing at anyone, but
someone should have said it, * McN
abb said. "I wouldn't have cared if it
was the cameraman."
While saying he didn't think Lim
baugh had "malicious intent,"
Berman said he wished he had done
more Sunday.
"As cut and dried as it seems in
print, I didn't think so when it went
by my ears," Berman said. "1 probably
should have looked to soften it.... As
the quarterback of the show, I feel bad
about it. I don't think it was meant the
way it came out."
ESPN added Limbaugh this year to
provide the fan's perspective on the
show. An avid follower of the NFL, he
does a weekly commentary and has
segments in which he debates the
other members of the panel.
(c) 2003, Chicago tribune. Distributed
by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information
Services.
Courtesy Utah athletics
Running back Brandon Warfield is fifth in the nation in rushing with 563 yards this season.
WARREN
continued from page 11A
"It's a shame," Bellotti said earlier
this week. "Parris is a good receiver. We
recruited him here, and he chose to
leave And that was his choice not ours.
I feel bad about that. We gave him a lot
of breaks and took care of him."
Warren has also recently gotten in
trouble with the law. After making his
debut with the Utes on Aug. 28
against Utah State — catching seven
passes for 103 yards in Utah's 40-20
win — he found himself under arrest.
He had attempted to steal a box
of condoms from a grocery store,
only to be pulled over. He eventual
ly paid a fine.
"I just got tied up in the wrong
place," Warren told the Portland Tri
bune, declining to discuss the situa
tion further. "Everybody doesn't
know the real story."
Running quiet
While Warren has made all the
headlines — at least for Oregon fans
— this week, Utah running back
Brandon Warfield is the true show
piece of the Utes' offense.
He has run for 563 yards this sea
son, crossing the scoring plane eight
times. His ability to eat up ground
and the clock has given the Utes the
ability to spread out their offense.
"It makes it a lot easier when he is
back there," Utah quarterback Alex
Smith told the Daily Utah Chronicle
earlier this month. "Teams have to
game-plan around him and it gives
me a lot more time."
Warfield averages more than 130
yards per game rushing and ranks
fifth in the NCAA.
He has been the workhorse of the
Utes' attack, running the ball at least
30 times in each of Utah's first three
games. Against Colorado State last
week, he finished with a season-low
78 yards on 20 carries. He did, how
ever, score a touchdown to propel
Utah to the 28-21 win.
"He's scary," Bellotti said. "He's
scary, one, because of his ability. He's
a tremendous running back. He's got
speed, he's got shiftiness, he's got
power. Because they spread you out
more than any team we've played,
those are huge concerns because he
catches the ball in the option, on re
verses, on fly sweeps and just the ba
sic running plays, but all the other
things that occur because you are
spread out."
Bellotti has a trusted friend in Ted
ford to rely on for suggestions on
how to stop Warfield, but even he
may not be able to help. Warfield ran
for 94 yards on 30 carries against the
Golden Bears, but scored three touch
downs as Utah controlled the game
late to win, 31-24.
Contact the sports editor
at hankhager@dailyemerald.com.