The NFL, Power, and Rush Limbaugh... seriously?

Two stories came up this weekend from completely different ends of the spectrum. One is from the NFL. On Friday we learned that the 2010 Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints had been involved in a scheme to pay their players for injuries inflicted on their opponents. Both Brett Favre and Kurt Warner, potential Hall of Fame quarterbacks, suffered serious injury at the hands of the Saints defense and their pay for pain plan. We also learned that everyone connected with team management was aware of this. The NFL is now looking into what penalties they should levy against those involved. Also this weekend, the titan of talk radio, the man who boasts about having "talent on loan from God," Rush Limbaugh, stepped in it. In response to testimony from college law student Sandra Fluke, Limbaugh called her a slut and a prostitute. He has since apologized, saying "My choice of words was not the best, and in the attempt to be humorous, I created a national stir. I sincerely apologize to Ms. Fluke for the insulting word choices.’’ Here's my take on both situations, which in my mind are part of a larger narrative where those in power get to play by a different set of rules than the rest of us. They should all be fired. Yep, you heard me right... fire 'em all. Rush, any Saints players who participated and are still in the league, and any coach who knowingly went along with the plan to injure other players. Rush is in the business of pissing folks off, and that's fine. But after years of being on the air, if he did not know it was wrong the minute he said it, he is not fit for the public airwaves. And if he did know it, why did he wait three days to apologize, using two of those days to further degrade Ms. Fluke? The Saints coaches and players who were part of this debacle would never say it would be legitimate for other teams to purposefully target their QB Drew Brees. All of these folks knew exactly what they were doing and made a conscious decision to not only flaunt the rules of their employers, but decency as well. But I know I am pushing water uphill in this battle. Today Rush is back on the air, as he will be tomorrow. Sometime this week, the guilty Saints, there's an oxymoron, will receive their slap on the wrist and move on to get ready for another season. If you or I had purposefully hurt a fellow employee while on the job, or had taken part in it, what are the chances we would still have a job? If you or I had brought the values of our companies into question publicly like Rush did for all of his radio partners and sponsors, do you think we'd still be employed? Of course not. Both of these stories point up the inequities of a system where the powerful have an innate advantage over us regular folk who are just trying to keep our noses clean and our bank balances above zero. I am sickened by all of it.

A Little Sports Potpourri

1. I miss Dandy Don. Early Monday Night Football announcer Don Meredith passed away yesterday. For all you folks who like watching football, I am not sure I can explain the importance of Don Meredith and his two buddies, Howard Cosell and Frank Gifford to the sport. They came along when football was just another game, along side basketball, and right after the baseball season. But Monday Night Football changed that. It was an event. It was appointment viewing, either at home or in a bar. Monday Night Football made the NFL and sports television what it is today. If you go to sports bars to watch games these days, thank Don, and Howard, and Frank. Rest in peace Don Meredith... and say hello to Howard. 2. Auburn vs. Oregon in the BCS Championship. I admit, I am conflicted about this. I grew up rooting for the Pacific 8/10 and have been a fan all of my life. But my son went to Auburn and I have come to love that school. I have many friends who have attended Oregon, and a nephew who is also an Auburn grad, so picking a winner is going to be tough. But here is where I am. I am taking Auburn in a lower scoring game than most people think. I think Auburn coach Gene Chizik is a better defensive coach than Oregon coach Chip Kelly, and defense wins championships. Sorry Gordon. 3. Adrian Gonzalez signs with the Red Sox. With apologies to my blogging friend Shaw over at Progressive Eruptions, this is another nail in the baseball coffin. Following a trend that started when Curt Flood challenged the reserve clause of baseball, Gonzalez is the latest star to leave the team that gave him his start for more money. Is it any wonder kids have no allegiance to a specific team. Except for a few rare exceptions, gone are the days when players were identified primarily with one team. Think Mays and the Giants, Ripkin and the Orioles, Koufax and the Dodgers, and now Jeter and the Yankees. While good for the Red Sox, this was bad for baseball. 4. With apologies to Peyton Manning, Tom Brady is the man in the NFL. A winner and champion to me is someone who can elevate those around him to another level. Think Magic Johnson here. He came to a team that had all the parts and made them champions. If you take Tom Brady off the Patriots, they are not the same team. They'd still be good, but not the dynasty they are on the verge of becoming. If this team wins the AFC and the Super Bowl this year, Brady just might replace Joe Montana in the eyes of many as the greatest quarterback in NFL history. 5. A judge has ruled in favor of Jamie McCourt in the Dodger Divorce Duel. This potentially means that to settle their divorce, the McCourt family will have to sell the Dodgers. I could only hope that maybe Magic Johnson might be interested. We could do a lot worse.