ESPN’s Racist is Sal Paolantonio,

not Rush

     Although not a dittohead or even someone who has ever listened to the entire “Rush Limbaugh Show,” I cannot pass up the opportunity to comment on our nation’s latest publicized affirmation of it’s political correctness. The situation proves true Saul Bellow‘s analysis: “We can’t open our mouths without being denounced as racists, misogynists, supremacists, imperialists or fascists.”

     You see last Sunday I witnessed one such denunciation on ESPN but it was not made by Rush Limbaugh. In fact, another comment turned out to be far more (condemming) than his regarding race, sports, and the media. The offensive speech was made by another white talking head on ESPN. His name is Sal Paolantonio and he spoke a few hours before Rush on the program, “The Sports Reporters.”

     Unlike Limbaugh, what Paolantonio said was truly racist. He implied that a lot of people around the country were hoping that Notre Dame’s coach, Tyrone Willingham, would fail and be fired because of his race. In Paolantonio’s Jim Crow era mind, apparently there are still a great many Americans who want to keep the black man down.

     As far as I know, I am the only commentator who has made mention of his repugnant pseudo-insight. Even Mike Lupica was taken aback. Paolantonio threw the rotting straw man opinion out there without any references or justifications. He offered no evidence of the existence of any racism. Yet, he implied it, which is all that needs to be done to establish the existence of white racism in today’s culture.

     Sal Paolantonio made a horrendous, unsubstantiated accusation against white Americans, but no one in the newspapers or on the Internet wrote a critical word about him. His smear of Caucasians affirms a truth in our society that anything you say derogatory about white people is okay and valid. Analysts like those on “The Sports Reporters” are never questioned regarding racial opinions as long as they direct them against whites [ironically, I’m pleased to say that a black commentator on the show disagreed with Paolantonio and took issue with what he said].

     Specifically, when one examines what Paolantonio actually said it becomes apparent that it was a malicious and blatant lie. I can say honestly that, here in Chicago, one is subjected to the opinions of Notre Dame fans all the time, and, until his team got cremated by Michigan a few weeks ago, I never heard anyone mention coaching as being Notre Dame’s biggest obstacle. When a team can’t score a point against its archrival and gets humiliated on national television by such a wide margin, it is not surprising that people question their coach– no matter what his color is. Yet, for Sal Paolantonio, any criticism of Willingham means that its time to scream “racism!” Clearly, if anybody should have left ESPN, it should have been Sal Paolantonio.

     Well, what about Rush and what he actually said about the NFL and Donovan McNabb? Below is his statement:

     "I don't think he's been that good from the get-go. I think what we've had here is a little social concern in the NFL. I think the media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well. They're interested in black coaches and black quarterbacks doing well. I think there's a little hope invested in McNabb, and he got a lot of credit for the performance of this team that he really didn't deserve. The defense carried this team."

     I will not argue over what Limbaugh said regarding McNabb and his on-field performance. His skills may or may not be overrated, but that’s not the part of Rush’s commentary that caused the uproar. By citing the words “social concern” he exposed the NFL‘s hidden motivations behind some of their rules and procedures. That’s the real reason he’s no longer on television. Donovan McNabb is superfluous to the question. He’s just an example. What many people don’t know, is that the NFL makes an overt practice of reverse racism. Rush was 100% correct to highlight their overriding social concerns.

     More importantly, nothing Rush said was remotely racist. Is there not evidence of ham-fisted social concern in the NFL? The proof is its every breath and decree.

     My team, the Detroit Lions, got fined 200 grand for not playing the diversity game before hiring Steve Mariucci. The general manager was friends with Mariucci and alertly took advantage of San Francisco’s mistake in letting him go. I’m very glad he’s in Detroit and his skin color has nothing to do with it. The Lions deserved a medal for their hire. Instead, they got publicly issued a 200,000 dollar fine. To put this another way, would the league have fined them had the Lions hired Dennis Green without interviewing anybody else? Certainly not; no one would have said a discouraging word and the Lions would be champions of diversity.

     McNabb’s reaction, saying that isn’t it time we got beyond color in this nation was magnificent. He’s right and his words should be the prefect catalyst for the NFL getting rid of its minority privilege caste system (thanks for that one, Joda). I agree with McNabb. Color and race obsessions have nothing to do with the game of football. Installing “black quotas” is as offensive and reactionary as making players stay in segregated hotels. It's time to proclaim that racism has no place in the NFL, period.

     What makes Limbaugh’s situation most appalling is that there is no greater example of meritocracy on this earth than in the makeup of the National Football League. They are there because they are the best. The stopwatch, bench press, and game history determine who makes the roster, and complexion is never considered. A more just set of criteria could not exist.

     Most of the players in the NFL happen to be black, and the only reason for this is that, at the current time, they happen to be the most talented players. Who could take issue? Definitely not me. I don’t want to spend my Sundays watching inferior players or inferior play.

     We, as consumers, deserve the best. I don’t care that, other than Jason Seahorn, there are no white cornerbacks in the NFL. So what? Barry Sanders was my all-time favorite player and he would have been even if he was purple and migrated to the United States on a flying saucer. Just as we would never prevent Barry Sanders from playing due to his color, so should we never stop a team from hiring the coach they desire based on their color.

     Sadly, rather than showcase the absolute free-market, meritocratic achievements of their organization, the NFL’s administration wants to play the race-baiter game. The owners have a terminal case of "white guilt" and are more interested in impressing the politically correct than their fan base. They could care less about the nation’s welfare.

     I say, “To %&*# with them!” Bring Rush Limbaugh back. We can fire Sal Paolantonio and make room for him on “The Sports Reporters.”

Bernard Chapin is a writer in Chicago.