Since Sunday night everyone has written about Michael Sam. And with this media crush comes the idiotic and bigoted takes on Michael Sam. We knew Rush Limbaugh would say something offensive and stupid. That’s not news. Anytime Rush Limbaugh says anything racist, insensitive, homophobic, moronic, socially regressive etc. It’s not news, it’s just expected.
That’s who Rush is, it’s what he does. What is unexpected, is that Rush would use the exact same bit on Michael Sam that got him fired from NFL Countdown on ESPN.
Here’s a snippet of what Rush Limbaugh had to say on his radio show about Michael Sam. Full transcript available on Media Matters.org
Full audio below.
Why is it heroic for a gay man to play football? I’m just positing these questions, because there is an answer to all of these questions. And the answer is key and fundamental to understanding. Folks, you would not believe, this is why, you know you ask me all the time, how come we can’t hear these people talking to you? Because of what’s happening right now. I have got more people shouting, ‘because the media wants a gay football player to succeed.’ OK, that’s — why is a gay man playing football heroic? ‘Because the media wants a gay player to succeed.’ OK, you’re halfway there. Why does the media want a gay player to succeed?
Does that last part sound familiar? It should.
In late September 2003, Limbaugh, who worked as a commentator for ESPN at the time, stated that Donovan McNabb was overrated and that, “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”
So way to go Rush, copying and pasting the exact same insult you made over a decade ago to attack Michael Sam. Good job, good effort in plagiarizing oneself. If such a thing is possible.
Paul M. Banks owns The Sports Bank.net, an affiliate of Fox Sports. An MBA and Fulbright scholar, he’s also a frequent analyst on news talk radio; with regular segments on ESPN,NBC, CBS and Fox. A former NBC Chicago and Washington Times writer, he’s also been featured on the History Channel. President Obama follows him on Twitter (@paulmbanks)