Rush to judgment

ESPN Countdown crew sounds off on Limbaugh controversy

ATLANTA (SI.com) -- In the wake of Rush Limbaugh's comments last Sunday and his subsequent resignation, ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown crew took the opening minutes of Sunday's broadcast to address the controversy.

Limbaugh, who stepped down from the show late Wednesday, said that Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was overrated because the media wanted to see a black quarterback succeed.

During last week's show, 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."

Countdown host Chris Berman said the controversy was hurtful and left him angry.

"I'm angry for all the hurt ... more for you, the viewers ... African-American, all Americans," Berman said.

"I've never looked at Donovan McNabb as a black quarterback -- ever."

Tom Jackson, a former NFL linebacker, added it had been "a rough week" and defended the crew's silence during the week by noting that no one prevented the analysts from speaking out on the controversy.

"It was not our decision to have Rush Limbaugh on this show," Jackson said. "His comments [about McNabb] made us uncomfortable. Rush Limbaugh is known for the divisive nature of his rhetoric."

Jackson added the Limbaugh was "brought in to talk football and he broke that trust."

"Rush told us the social commentary for which he is so well known would not cross over to our show," Jackson said. "And he instead would represent the viewpoint of the intelligent, passionate fan.

"The fact that Donovan McNabb's skin color was brought up at all was wrong."

Steve Young, another analyst on the show, added that Limbaugh's mistake was that he "refused to recognize that in the last 20 years the quarterback position has become blind to color."

Limbaugh told the National Association of Broadcasters at its convention in Philadelphia on Thursday that "The great people at ESPN did not want to deal with this kind of reaction. The path of least resistance became for me to resign."

McNabb said he didn't mind criticism of his performance, but was upset 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."

Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie on Thursday accused ESPN of "institutional racism" for its decision to hire Limbaugh and for the portrayal of NFL players in the network's fictional series Playmakers. He said the hiring of Limbaugh and the show are examples of "racist potshots" toward the league.