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Gumbal is an idiot. His GOP comment was completely unwarranted, as well as racist. So what if he doesn't care about winter sports? He can go watch basketball on his own time. If he has a problem with the way skating is scored, maybe he should have a problem with the way gymnastics is scored too. If he doesn't think watching somebody hurtle down a mountain at 75 mph is interesting, then that's his opinion. It's pretty easy for me to ignore the opinion of a bigot.

I have a question that I should know the answer to, but don't:

Are there any African Americans serving in the Republican House or Senate?

I'm fairly certain there aren't any black GOP Senators. But I'm not sure about the House of Representatives.

Anyone know?

racist --- by definition.

Of course not.  Don't you realize that once an African-American runs as a Republican, their Blackness is revoked?

you broke the code. It's all a giant worldwide plot to keep the black man off the white nam's ski slopes.

Racist moron. Sorry, that's an insult to morons everywhere.

This edition of Inside Sports is now a week old, and there was nary a grumble over this comment.

Guess someone saw the replay.

I wouldn't call it a racist comment.

I would call it an anti republican and rather ignorant statement.

In an attempt to be pithy, Gumble frequently closes the show with commentary that is considered controversial.

This time he said something really dumb.

So wait, are there are or aren't there any African Americans in the Republican House or Senate?

Can you confirm one way or the other?

Your semi-sarcastic response makes it unclear whether you were saying there are or are not.

I was tempted to take the bait and answer the question I'm confident you do in fact know the answer to, but didn't really see the necessity.  Gumble was speaking about GOP conventions.  At a GOP convention you might find the likes of Colin Powell and Condi Rice, blacks in a higher role in government then they've ever seen in a Democrat administration, which I suppose wasn't relevant to Gumble.

There are no black Republicans in the senate, but if Steele wins in Maryland each party will have exactly one black Senator.

There are no black Republicans in the house since JC Watts' retirement, and I have no idea how many Democrats are in the house.

I think a better thing for Gumble to have said would have been "I havn't seen so many losers since a Democratic Convention".  More factual, and free of racially charged language.

Ski slopes and ice skating rinks are not really native environments for most Blacks.

his remark was as racist as the day is long. The Olympic Games are a waste of time, a GOP Convention, because there are no black skiers, ice skaters, etc., competing? The only way to make them interesting is to see blacks compete? That's not racist?

He is every bit as much a racist as David Duke or Cynthia McKinney. Its time someone called it by its name.

So wait, are there are or aren't there any African Americans in the Republican House or Senate?

Your assertion is correct - currently there are none.

However, by this time next year we could very well be talking about two black Republican governors (Swann, PA and Blackwell, OH) and a Senator (Steele, MD).

Now, care to honestly tell us what is your point?

And you would probably be well advised to tred very, very carefully on that one.  Some people in these parts - and we know of whom I'm speaking - seem to be a little trigger-happy on all things racial these days.

Fuzzy Zeoller,  Jimmy the Greek, Harry Carey.

Wonder what would happen if Terry Bradshaw said "i don't watch the NBA because it reminds me of...."

Make one a racist.

Gumble has been called many things...and has a very bad rep in the industry, but he has never shown himself as a racist.

He gets one shot every show to say something pithy...and its usually stupid.

This was just one of the dumber things he has said.

Bernard Goldberg has been on Elder's show more than a few times, maybe he should have him on again and ask his opinion as to whether Gumble is a racist.

You interpret it your way and I'll interpret it mine --- that's what makes horseraces.

I see it as racist because this sort of thing seems to roll off the tongues of some high profile people; any situation in which blacks are not 'adequately' represented is biased. I give you John Conyers, Cynthia McKinney, Jesse Jackson, Kweisi N'Fume. These people are race baiters and it serves them to make sure that race relations in this country remain sharply divided. If David Duke said something comparable about the NBA or something people would be all over him.

what had happened to Bryant Gumble and why he hadn't been considered (or even mentioned) as a successor to Dan Rather.

Perhaps this comment is why.

Or, perhaps this will boost his chances for the job.  Maybe that's why he said it; to get his name out of pay-cable and into news that more people can read about, including the honchos at CBS.  The job's still open, isn't it?

Doesn't mean it isn't racist. So if a white guy said the Olympics aren't worth watching because there are too many minorities involved, that wouldn't be racist, just stupid?

It does show how blatant the left's double standard of racism is.  Since they've defined racism to exclude their own views, and pounded that definition  in so well that even many on the right buy into it, the racists on the left now feel totally open to express their divisive views.

It's plain that had, say, Bob Costas said "I don't like watching the Summer Olympics too much, because it reminds me of a Democratic National Convention," he'd be booted off the air.

All racist remarks are stupid.

Not all stupid remarks are racist.

...something's not really a sport if a pseudo-athlete waits in what's called a kiss-and-cry area...

Now, basketball, track (sprints and extreme distances) and field (well, long jump and high jump, anyway)... those are some sports for real men, the ones you call the "world's greatest athletes". Whatever, Bryant.

Seriously, I'm ready to do away with the reflexive way that everyone looks for racism in every comment involving race. Well meaning people don't enter into any dialogue about race at all for fear of saying something that would be perceived as "insensitive"; we keep our pie-holes shut. America needs a more open & frank debate on the subject of race.

The only thing I find particularly galling in his comments is this: the GOP is as white as it is not because it pursues anti-black policies but largely because of the stigma assigned to Republican Party participation that blacks feel from other blacks. (Condolezza, JC Watts, Colin Powell ... need I continue?) Every American should be free to express himself or herself politically in the way that they perceive to be in their own self-interest, and should not have to explain their reasoning to anyone. I, as a white American, have enjoyed that freedom.

The GOP will have the last laugh. As black America prospers and joins the middle and upper classes, they will start voting their pocketbooks. They may also figure out that the conservative movement offers the best hope for the future for the number left behind economically.

complaint couldn't be said of the summer Olympics.

What Gumbel fails to consider is that this is the winter Olympics, and many of the states that have winter sports availability are states that often have very low minority populations.

But even this is changing.  There are African nations with Olympians present (granted they are small contingents, but some of those same African nations send small contingents to the summer games).  There are also African Americans finding their way into more Olympic sports.

But consider a typical winter sport like Hockey-which is almost entirely made up of white people.  Is it white, because it is racist, or is it white because for now the sport is supported most in states that are predominantly white?  

Instead of whining about the lack of minorities in the winter Olympics, how about Gumbel setting up a foundation to get African Americans more involved in winter sports.  Seems like it would be a better use of time.

Arther Ash did the same thing with tennis, and there are more African American athletes involved with tennis.  Give me the guys like Ash who put their time, money and efforts where their mouths are, rather than just a bunch of whining words.

The lack of black Republican House members and Senators = Republicans are racist (nudge, wink).  Hopefully, Pennsylvania will have a black Republican governor and Maryland a black Republican Senator, no matter how liberals will try to portray them.

Like he is just trying to follow the Bill Maher formula. I'm not so sure he really cares one way or another... I think he is just looking to stir up controversy to remind people that he still exists. Whatever they are paying those guys, it is too much.

The last national level black Republican was Congressman J.C. Watts (R-OK) who served from 1994 through 200.  He  declined to join the CBC.  The last black Republican Senator was Edward Brooke of Massachusetts.  Mr. Brooke was the first black Senator (of either party) since Reconstruction.  Since then, Senator Mosley-Brown and Senator Obama both of IL have served.  In 2006, candidates Ford (D-TN) and Steele (R-MD) are prohibitive favorites in their primaries while Butler (R-MI) is in a tight primary race.

I would be quite interested if anyone could research the demographics of some of the representatives in Congress.  J.C. Watts won in a district that is not majority black.  All black Senators did the same as no state is majority black.  I'm wondering how many of the current representatives won election in districts that they are a racial minority in.

Also, outside Washington the highest ranking black politician is Lt. Gov. Steele of MD (R).  Secretary of State Blackwell (R) is a #3 in his state which I believe is higher than any other state level black politician.  Someone correct me if I am missing someone.  To my knowledge, there are no black Governors at present.

at, but I dont fault the Republican party. The African-American community hanging with the Dems like a hair in a biscuit.

They are currently waking up to the fact that the Dems are just "players" who have kept them in check while the Republicans offer opportunity.

Let's face the real racist facts.

Black people don't like the cold... Why? I don't know... it could be racism. BUT MAYBE it's because THEY DON'T LIKE BEING COLD! (shouldn't they be applauded for making this sensible choice?).

Maybe it's because 'White Nations' everywhere exclude Blacks from enjoying the super-secret pleasure of Curling & Cross Country skiing. We've fooled them into playing Basketball and Soccer just to keep them away from our 'hidden sport'.

Or maybe because the nearest Black skinned nation near to one of the Polar Ice Caps is in South Africa? Can you say Winter Olympic Apartheid anyone? BUT MAYBE the only Snow that exists in a Black Nation is Kenya/Sudan... anyone up for snowboarding on Mt. Kilamanjaro?

Stay tuned for the Summer Olympics where we will toast Racism again because there aren't any Olympic Swimmers. It will be due to racism... not because higher bone and muscle density makes Blacks sink like rocks. Maybe with ACLU help we can finally get the proper number of Black lifeguards hired in Racist America!

as a gas station attendant.  Does HBO have a policy of hiring arrogant failures?  The guy used to stay up all night rehearsing questions and anticipating answers and even more than the other semi-illiterates in his pseudo profession thought himself a genius.  Short of the Gumbel family and all the little Gumbels no one watched his comeback morning program which should have penetrated that concrete block between his ears.  But like a bad case of hemorrhoids he keeps surfacing in all the wrong places.  Will someone close to him tell him he's a fool and gives pomposity a bad name.

Just so long as Gumbel also laments the paucity of whites in the NBA and NFL.

Funny...no one, white or black, seems to complain about how blacks are WAY overrepresented in basketball and football.  Surely we can all agree that these sports do not reflect the "face" of America in all its diversity.  American basketball teams do not "look" like America.

While we're at it, let's add some Asian ball players too.  Don't see too many of those.

Wait...I got an easier solution.  Why don't we try a method where the BEST players are on the teams?  You simply try out for the job and if your ability suits the team, then you're on it.  A novel idea...

When you think of that, then a basketball team DOES look like America, because it represents the BEST.  It represents the fact that ability matters more than skin color.  (Surely even racists want their ball teams to win first and foremost too!)  God Bless this country so long as what you do is more important than what you are or where you came from.  

God Bless all-black ball teams so long as they got those jobs because they're the best players.  

In that regard, God Bless those pale nordic white-boys on the half-pipe too.  Go out there and win for ALL of us.

Did anyone else kinda feel like Ol'Bry is a bit racist against Asians?  I mean, there are plenty of Asian Nations and Asian Americans in the Winter Olympics.  I blathered abaout this earlier.

I never heard that he got in trouble for a "racist" type remark.

Zoeller skated through it, but I always thought the way Jimmy the Greek was treated was an real travesty. He was an old man who made an ignorant but not hateful remark, he should have had topublicly acknowledged that it was an ignorant and insensitve thing to say, but it shouldn't have cost him his job.

Need to tamp down on the paranoia, folks. I actually really didn't know. Wasn't trying to bait anyone. So thanks for clarifying.

I knew, or was 90% sure, that there weren't any african americans in the GOP Senate. There's only 50+ GOP Senators so it was pretty easy to figure out.

But with the House of Representatives, I wasn't so sure. I recall JC Watts (and am a fan of his) from his House days, but didn't know if there were any other african americans in the GOP House since Watt's departure.

I actually assumed there were.

I apologize for seeming paranoid, if you say you genuinely didn't know I belive you.  Something about the placement of your question triggered my snide sensors.

While '06 seems to be "the year of the black republican" so to speak, with two candidates for governor and one for senate, I don't know of any black republicans seeking house seats.

There is some speculation as to why JC Watts got out of politics for the most part, the one that seems most reasonable is the given explanation that his wife wanted him in the private sector where he could earn more for his something like six children.  This might be an explanation for why there are not more black candidates seeking Republican offices, that in general it seems the conservative ethos is more likely to point people of any race to the business world before politics.

anything to do with it, we're going to get Blackwell that governorship in Ohio. He is just an excellent individual and proven conservative.

His comments about why black athletes are the way they are was just very crude and probably quite offensive to blacks, but wasn't racist in the true definition.  He was espousing his explanation on why blacks are superior for sports if I recall.

Creating and maintaining an environment where guys like Jimmy the Greek get immediately canned is nearly as bad as Europe caving into the Muslims for those cartoons.  You can hate what people say but you have to generally defend their right to say it.  I would defend Jimmy's comments but wouldn't be so low class as to repeat them.  Private institutions have their rights too, and CBS had their right to sack him.

and if the universities have a shortage of blacks enrolling, they can look at the NEA and sup ct PC controlled grammar and secondary schools or maybe they are racists.

Because, Incredibly, most blacks live in the South and seem to be getting more opportunities to succeed in the south.

stay tuned for summer olympics gumbel

I recall Bryant Gumbel from when he left his slot on MSM morning programs for a certain broadcast company (the name escapes me now, though).  I think he was making a big stink against his former co-hosts that left me with the impression that he was a prima-donna and a bigoted (censored).  At the time it was taking place, Rush Limbaugh was practically the only conservative radio talk-show host with a national audience and he was using it to illustrate MSM hypocrisy.

With what he said recently, it doesn't surprise me that Gumbel said it in that way.  I haven't even bothered following his HBO progam because the promos alone tell me that he's still on that "(Pick Your Name of the Sport) is (Racist/Homophobic/Sexist/Corrupt/etc)" crusade.  The man is just another MSM hack with a license to kick the dead horses for whomever is willing to hold their nose and pay him.  It's no big deal anyway (and none of my money would be going to whomever gave him air time in the first place).

http://www.redstate.com/comments/2006/2/16/11415/6367/37#37

Because he's not stupid.

Gumbel is supposed to be the host of an all around sports program. One that covers the entire gamut of sports.

On that same show, they covered the story of one of the US former skiiers.

Why in the world is Gumbel dissing an entire sporting venue?

Cuz there are no blacks, or cuz he's stupid?

I choose the latter.

He just bit the hand that feeds him.

I like the show, because it gives alot of inside dope on the entire world of sports. I could care less who the host is, or what his opinions are.

The fact that it took a week for this to come to the fore, says alot about the viewership of the show.

Watch for changes to be made by HBO.

his wife and kids, hooked up with a blonde bimbo, yes a white one, then had the nerve to ask her if they could move back into his spacious Mid-Town apartment.

Of course wifey said "no way". He was making 5 mil a year at NBC and before the divorce, voluntarily paying is wife a whooping 450 a month!

He was slime and still is.

picked this up tonight (thur 2/16). Even Juan Williams, Mister Look-at-Everything-Thru-A-Lens-of-Color did not defend it. I did not realize this had been sitting out there a week. I guess everything had to take a back seat to FuddGate®.

and raise you one lunatic Lampley.

Funny how the MSM complains about "no blacks at GOP conventions", but at convention time points out how sooooooo many blacks are there so it must be window dressing.  The hypocricy is stunning.

Some more notworthy thoughts for Gumbel:

Highest office held by African American - Sec of State (twice GOP: Collin now Condi).

Currently the SCOTUS has one black - Justice Thomas (GOP appointment).  An entire branch of federal govt.

Only party to have a black person capable of winning the presidency at present (and a woman to boot) - GOP (Condi).

By the way, Condi is not only fluent in multiple languages, is not only this nation's Sec State and former Nat Sec Advisor, was not only a former champion calibre pianist, but (get ready)...

An accomplished amatuer figure skater who once considered the olympics.  Take that GUMBALL

(We won't even go into the roots of the Civil Rights Act, Affirmative Action before it was quotas, Eisenhower sending the army to protect black students, or the Civil War to free slaves, all brought to you by the GOP).  

...also mention that the first black governor was from Miss (and, of course, republican).

http://www.ipoaa.com/1st_black_congressmen.htm

All the early Black congressmen (and senators) were members of the Republican party. This is because the Republicans, exemplified by President Abraham Lincoln, were the party in office during the Civil War and many abolitionists belonged to the Republican Party. The Democrats were opposed to all attempts to banish slavery.

Thirteen of the twenty-two Blacks elected to Congress during Reconstruction were ex-slaves and all were self taught or family trained. There were seven lawyers, three ministers, one banker, one publisher, two school teachers, and three college presidents. Eight had experience in state assemblies and senates. There were problems, however, as five of the first twenty Blacks elected to the House were denied their seats and ten others had their terms interrupted or delayed. Claims of vote fraud were the most common ploy used by Whites to deny an elected Black person his seat.

In 1869 James Lewis, John Willis Menard, and Pinckney B.S. Pinchback -- all of Louisiana -- were elected and never seated. In 1870 Joseph H. Rainey of South Carolina was the first Black to be seated in the House. He ran for reelection in 1872, won, and in 1874 his reelection was challenged. He was seated after the House, after several months, voted to seat him. He won again in 1876, and was again challenged. He was seated and after eighteen months the investigating committee recommended his seat be declared vacant. The full House, however, did not vote on the matter and referred it back to committee.

Other Blacks who were elected to the House and seated often had very rocky tenures. Only a few did not have to face hostile, organized opposition within Congress.

This might be an explanation for why there are not more black candidates seeking Republican offices, that in general it seems the conservative ethos is more likely to point people of any race to the business world before politics.

This might also why explain why some many supposedly conservative Republicans don't do the right thing when it comes down to it, and why several of them trend way too liberal. Or are "mavericks". Because most serious conservatives don't want to spend all their money trying to get a job where the press is going to conduct organized attacks agains them all day, when there's some fat paycheck or new business opportunity wait for them in the free market.

However, if a conservative or white person had made a similar comment in reverse, the MSM and the left would have attacked him as self-evidently racist, even though the comment might have simply been political and/or stupid, rather than racist. Because while Gumbel make get to say something stupid and have most people yawn and say, "Well, that was dumb," caucasians don't enjoy them same freedom of speech.

The racism is less in the comment than in the double standard in the media, and on the left.

hot summer day, fly ball to center...player (hispanic) misjudges fly ball, drops it.  

Harry says, "Steve, how does a Mexican drop the ball in the sun?"

he took some heat, but not like Fuzzy and Jimmy

represents a district in Memphis that is 90% black. He won election when his father retired from the position. He is also a member of the highly controversial Ford political family.

He is very articulate, Ivy league educated, and tries to cross racial lines by speaking conservatively on some issues - he is a member of the "Blue Dog Coalition".  He has high ambition and will seek the TN senate seat being vacated by Sen. Frist.

However, he will never win a statewide election for 2 reasons, neither race related. One is the state Republican party is much more united than the state Democratic party.  Two is his family background.

conservative since Reagan of any hue that I have heard. He is really great and could be on a national ticket in the not too distant future.

Heck, Air Force football coach Fisher DeBerry was forced to apologize for saying that blacks are better athletes. The outcry over that "racist" comment was deafening.   Apparently I'm still deafened, because I have not heard any outcry over Gumbel's idiotic comment (except here, of course).

http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=63192

ok, its the sporting news...but it's not a blog.

This guy wants Gumbel gone...

But as I noted, he didnt watch the show...bad news for hbo and Gumbel.

and not the PC police regular msm outlets. How come Im not surprised.

Moreover, the false analogy to RUSH is ironic, since Rush's comment was about how many reporters, esp in Philly, had blown up McNabbs abilities and impact and out much pressure on him because of their understandable hope for a black QB to do well.

Rush never disparaged McNabbs ability, and, of course , as anyone that is familiar with Rush, never made any disparaging racist remarks. To the contray, Rush said NcNabb was good and would like to have him on his team. Rushs remarks were solely directed at the media and Michael Irvin agreed with him. It was not a story for 3 days and then only when a Pennsylvania reporter got mad!

In fact last year, the Penn NAACP called for McNabb to be fired due to lack of ability and the president was asked about Rush's remarks and the NAACP pres said that Rush had not agreed with him  but had only commented on the media!!

Gumble kind of proves the case! Gumble is a liberal. And not just that, he's a black liberal, and a black liberal can say or do anything and not get called on it. see belafonte, et al

Rush is a conservative.

nuff said

I did not agree with the Rush firing. I don't believe that you hire someone to be controversial, then fire him/her when they are.

Here is how the conversation went...please excuse the fact that I no longer can find the exact quotes:

Steve Young had made a comment that he did not feel McNabb could really run the Philly offense and the Ty Detmer was more suited to the job...

Then Rush comes in:

  "I think the sum of what you're all saying is that Donavan McNabb is regressing, he's going backward,"  "Sorry to say this, I don't think he's been that good from the get-go."

Had he stopped there, it would have been another boring commentary on an NFL player's skills, so Rush had to continue with the political commentary:

 "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."

Is this a racist comment? Nope...

But it is rather stupid, allowing for the fact that McNabb was not the only black qb in the NFL, and that another (Steve Mcnair) had already led his team to the Super Bowl. And he never explained why it behooved the sports media (especially the philly media which tears down bad athletes at the drop of a hat, whether they be white, black, brown or purple), to pump up McNabb or even a black coach. The sports media doesn't get paid based on the amount of black qbs in the NFL.  

The NAACP did come out after the brouhaha and decried the comments.

But you can't have it both ways. If what Rush said was not racist, than neither was what Gumbel said.

Both stupid...but not racist.

And yes, it appears that Gumbel is anti-republican.

Oh, and why would Rush be pillaried and not Gumbel?

Could it be that Rush has a larger audience?

So yes, the comparison is valid.

Oh, and Rush is known to use the race card on frequent occasions in order to be controversial. Most recently while discussing Paul Hackett dropping out of the race, he mistakenly identified Sherrod Brown as being black.

He did so while criticizing the NY Times for not pointing out the racial basis of why Hackett was force out...because Brown is black.

Rush was immediatly notified that Brown is white...to which he tried to explain away that he must be thinking of another dem congressman, possibly in NY. Problem is, there isnt any congressman in the entire house with a name even close to Sherrod Brown.

I can't say why Rush assumed he was black, but there is a good example of Rush using race to be controversial.

I still think espn should rehire him...the nfl is boring...and its gonna be worse next year when monday nite moves to espn.    

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4720520.stm

And he's not the only one...seems alot of football players (and fans) in europe have started to return to their old fascist beliefs.

Ahhhhh.....liberal europe.

...in talk radio, on our blogs, etc.

I personally don't think much of Bryant Gumbel, but I think even less of people who pull out the "racism" card in situations like this. And I don't  mean Gumbel.

As I write, 111 medals have been awarded in the Turin Winter Olympics. Of those, 101 have been awarded to the combination of Europe, the US and Canada. (The other ten have gone to China, South Korea and Australia.) The leading country in terms of medals is Norway. Only fifteen countries have won a gold medal, and only 22 have won any medal at all. If the Soviet Union still existed, we'd only have 18 countries with medals.

Just about all of these countries and competitors are caucasian.

This is not to say that the games themselves are  inherently racist; there is no systematic effort to exclude black people from, say, the Norwegian team. They don't have any black people in Norway.

What Gumbel is suggesting instead, I think, is that here in the U.S., we have a massive, discretionary promotional apparatus consisting of corporate advertisers, NBC and the nation's newspapers selling these games. They're selling something that doesn't include any black people or nations, doesn't involve hardly any of the world's best athletes and doesn't involve games and sports that anyone cares about if they're left to their own devices. That is to say, this is not an event that sells itself. You have to work at it. (NBC appears to be working at it hard. And badly.)

Gumbel is a black reporter in a country that both invented electronic reporting and perfected it without involving black people in any meaningful way. It is completely reasonable for him to wonder aloud why people in this country are paying attention to this particular, utterly non-black event, and who the the promotional apparatus is aiming at and why. It is not a racist question, and it has a history that resonates.

(And please: no ridiculous, straw man arguments that Gumbel is saying that everything on TV has to have some black people in it.)

Further, Gumbel's comparison to the GOP convention is apt and accurate. (Forget Powell and Rice for a minute; no reasonable person looking at the floor of the GOP convention could argue with Gumbel's basic point. People can and should argue over why the floor of the convention is a sea of white people, but not about whether it is.)

Any Republican political consultant worth his or her salt will cringe and tell you both that Gumbel is right and has fingered a real weak spot in the party, one of the key ones that keeps us from utterly destroying the Democratic party. Our party doesn't involve black people, doesn't involve nearly enough Latinos, actively discriminates against gay people and hasn't even reached out much to Asian-Americans.

commented on the media. I am posting the whole thing on my next post to show lack of any allegation of racism or stupidity AGAINST RUSH by the black and white and sports stars there on the set. In fact Michael Irvin agreed with Rush.

IN CONTRAST Gumble's comment scoffed at the notion that the Olympics could possibly have the best athletes in the world when most of them were white. Purely racist.

BACK TO RUSH, and his defense opf McNabb after

1=The NAACP went after McNabb! see below

a-

http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/sportsnation/polling?event_id=1924

b-

http://www.philasun.com/back_issues/2005/11-27-05/cover.html

3-Rush defends McNabb after attack by NAACOP and Philly media

"Here is McNabb playing hurt, putting up with all this abuse from Terrell Owens from training camp on, he's playing hurt, and he's doing his best to keep the Eagles in contention while they're having all of these problems. He's giving his all.

 He's trying as hard as he can even with this sports hernia injury that has limited his ability to run, scramble out of trouble, even limited his ability to throw, and yet he's still out there playing, and these people are dumping on him, and they're dumping on him as though he's worthless and they're dumping on him, talking about how his reputation is ruined, and I was stunned, because -- well, actually I wasn't stunned, because it makes the point that I have tried to make on this program for the longest time. The sports media takes these people up, takes these people, builds them up, makes them larger than life, then these young sports guys believe all this stuff, because everybody likes getting favorable press, and when you get it you want to keep doing what you're doing to get it, and then after awhile, one little season like this, an injury-plagued season, a T.O. problem and it's time to take McNabb off the pedestal and start dumping, everybody in Philadelphia is dumping on McNabb -- and I actually think that this is one of those seasons where McNabb deserves all kinds of credit for courage and trying to make a go of it, despite the T.O. obstacle and all of that and despite the sports hernia. If I were McNabb, I would stop talking to them. I'd just wouldn't. He's gone out of his way to accommodate. He's gone out of his way to be nice.  

He's gone out of his way to keep the team going and exude the leadership qualities that he has. But the media from the get-go has been unfair in their expectations. They touted McNabb as the great savior even after he was booed during draft day, and despite what they say, they constantly view him as a black athlete. They constantly view him as a black quarterback. They constantly look at him -- and this little column yesterday that ran in Philadelphia that apparently that has the black audience, is an indication he's looked at as a black quarterback. The media can deny that all they want but he is looked at as a black quarterback. And it's gotten to the point now that those expectations that they piled on him, he's now playing their game. He's now out there saying, "Well, I had to have the surgery now because, you know, the fans want to see a black quarterback be able to scramble," thereby fulfilling the stereotype. Now they're going to do a 180 and turn on him and all that, and I think all he's trying to do is fulfill the expectations that they have ladled onto him. The degree of criticism that McNabb is getting in Philadelphia this year, talk about unjust, talk about mean-spirited, talk about just absolutely pointless. This is a classic example of it -- and I probably am not doing him any favors today by supporting him, because it's only going to make the media even angrier at him. Sorry, Donovan, but I gotta be honest about it. I think you're getting the short end of the stick on this one big time."

NEXT POST IS WHOLE RUSH TRANSCRIPT ON ESPN

FOLLOWED BY OTHER MEDIA DEFENSES AND CONFIRMATIOPN OF RUSH'S ORIGINAL POINT RE MEDIA!

RUSH: I've been listening to all of you guys, actually, and I think the sum total of what you're all saying is that Donovan McNabb is regressing, he is going backwards --

 TOM JACKSON: Mmm-hmm. (Nodding)

RUSH: -- and my... I'm sorry to say this, 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 on 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.

TOM JACKSON: Mmm-hmm. (Nodding)

MICHAEL IRVIN: (Nodding)

RUSH: I think there is a lot of hope invested in McNabb, and he got a lot of credit for the performance of this team that he didn't really deserve. The defense carried this team, I think.

TOM JACKSON: But Rush -- But Rush, somebody went to those championship games.

RUSH: Oh, they "went."  

TOM JACKSON: Somebody went to those pro bowls. Somebody made those plays that I saw running down the field, doing it with his legs, doing it with his arm. He has been a very effective quarterback for this football team over the last two or three years -

RUSH: Yeah, but you take -

TOM JACKSON: -- and they didn't have any more talent then than they do now.

RUSH: Oh yes they did: on defense. On defense, they did.

MICHAEL IRVIN: (Nodding)

TOM JACKSON: (Nodding) Oh, on defense they did. I'm talking on the offense side of the ball.

RUSH: Well, that's what I'm saying. I think he got a lot of credit for the defensive side of the ball winning games for this team.

STEVE YOUNG: But I'll tell you what. I'll say it even more strongly, Tom. When they're winning, nobody makes more plays --

TOM JACKSON: Right.

STEVE YOUNG: -- than Donnvan McNabb. That guy is really one of the best in the league at making plays, but making plays does not win championships. Running the offense does. So at some point --

TOM JACKSON: Gotta run the offense.  

STEVE YOUNG: -- I think that Koy Detmer looks like a better option because he'll go in there, drop back, and throw the ball correctly.

 CHRIS BERMAN: Isn't it odd that last year with the broken leg - I know it was Arizona - but the one game he was in the pocket he looked great.

STEVE YOUNG: He had to run that offense.

TOM JACKSON: So Rush, once you make that investment though - once you make that investment in him, that's a done deal.

RUSH: I'm saying it's a good investment. Don't misunderstand. I just don't think he's as good as everybody says he has been.

MICHAEL IRVIN: Rush has a point.

Well, let's jump forward from 2003 to yesterday on this ESPN show called Around the Horn. The host is Tony Reali. He's talking with ESPN.com's Michael Smith who interviewed McNabb on TV earlier this week, and Reali says, "You know, I don't understand why this had to be about race just at the mention of a white quarterback. Brett Favre is the gold standard of all NFL quarterbacks. Wasn't he just speaking of the best quarterback in the game, Michael Smith?" Listen to this and keep in mind what I said: "I think the media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well. There's social concern in the NFL. We're interested in black coaches, black quarterbacks doing well, I think there's a little hope invested in McNabb, and the media has been propping him up." Here's Michael Smith's answer.

SMITH: It's not that he was picking out Brett Favre, it's the fact that African-American quarterbacks need more support than criticism. Donovan McNabb has enough criticism to deal with. He didn't need you picking out the gold standard of a white quarterback when everybody else is trying to take Donovan McNabb down as it is.

REALI: Well said, Michael.

RUSH: "Well said, Michael." So what we just heard was Michael Smith say that it's the fact that African-American quarterbacks need more support than criticism. Well, thank you, Michael Smith, who I think still does -- no, I think he used to write for the Boston Globe. Thank you Michael Smith. That's all I ever said, that there was a bias in favor of McNabb because they have a desire that black quarterbacks do well, so they're not going to be as stridently criticized, pure and simple -- and it has now been admitted to, even though this reporter may not realize he did that, on the very network where the original observation by me -- a brilliant one, by the way -- was made.

BREAK TRANSCRIPT

RUSH: You know what? What stands out, Mr. Snerdley, as you heard the ESPN segment involving me from September 2003? What stood out about that to you, that whole segment? When you listen to this? The fact is that nobody on that show responded to me in any way other than what I intended. We were discussing McNabb's talent. Nobody on that show said, "Hey, Rush, that's an uncalled for racial comment!" Nobody. Tom Jackson said, "Hey, wait a minute. You're saying he's not as good as everything thinks he is. Who scored all these touchdowns? Who ran all these plays? Who won all these pro bowls?" blah, blah, blah, blah, but not one reaction. Not one person on the show thought it was a racial comment, because it wasn't, and ESPN shows later that night and on Monday night never even talked about that segment. It wasn't until the Philadelphia print media blew it up on Tuesday that it skyrocketed and became what it was. It was an obvious campaign to... (interruption) I haven't read the print media in Philadelphia today. Snerdley wants to know how they're handling the latest round. Yesterday they were saying, "Quit griping, McNabb!" Stop playing the victim, was the theme yesterday. Quit griping. Stop playing the victim. Just go out and rebuild your reputation.

END TRANSCRIPT

I have heard all the bs about Rush since the "incident" happened, and few people know what really went down.

I saw it when it was broadcasted.  Rush made the comment (not at all racist) and the other hosts went on without making any deal out of it.  It was a fair statement.

The next week I tuned in and there were the hosts, just outraged at such talk!  Once I saw the political correctness (and faux timing of the outrage) I never went back to ESPN (except online).

I have been a regular, most everyday Rush listener since the early 90s and loved his show even though I was dem until 2000.

I never thought he was a racist at all, even though he got accused of it all the time by my dem friends and libs in ther media. I finally started to see who the real racists were and are and that the libs think only they dare talk about race because they deem themselves morally superior due to their advocacy that people be taxed to take care of the poor disabled souls. Their condescension and parochial caretaker attitude came to disgust me.

Rush looked at people as people and treated them that way. And he is basically a very happy person that enjoys humour. He makes fun of everyone, black and white, incl himself.

Another eye opener was when I met Bo Snerdley at a SC radio station, where I was an occasional lib foil for Mike Gallagher (I was dem party chair in my county at the time, but we SC dems were pretty conservative and, in any event, Mike Gallagher and I got along well, In fact one of the things I loved about Mike was his hatred of racism!!.)

Bo Snerdly is the "program observer" that Rush talks to opn his show but who rarely if ever is heard. Throughout the years, Rush would often refer to and answer false charges of racism on the show, and would comment on Snerdley's outrages at the allegations. Never did Rush mention that his best freind and business partner, WAS BLACK, not once!!!

Needless to say, when I met Bo Snerdley, who is way farther to the right than Rush, my respect for Rush went sky high, as he always argued his case on the merits and never used Bo's race as an extra credit !

I hate racism. Real racism, that I saw in spades in the south in the 70s. And I saw it wane and saw former racists change. And I hate false charges of racism more than anything. And one of the big disappointments of my life was to see the lib dems I was part of for so long turn into what I loathe.

Rush

a man

a ledgend

a way of life!

megadittos

1.  "...in a country that both invented electronic reporting and perfected it without involving black people in any meaningful way."

In this country people are expected to "involve" themselves, not to be "involved" by, nor invited to or to get a position by quota.  Blacks may get "involved" in electronic reporting just as well as anyone else if they so choose.  We call it merit.

2.  "They don't have any black people in Norway."  

Odd, but a friend of mine just returned from Norway and his family stayed with a black norwegian family.  There are very few I'm sure, but I assume your statement was just a broad brush oversight?  (The family he stayed with, I'm told, were relatives of an old army buddy).

3.  "Further, Gumbel's comparison to the GOP convention is apt and accurate. (Forget Powell and Rice for a minute; no reasonable person looking at the floor of the GOP convention could argue with Gumbel's basic point..."  

Well I won't start out by forgetting Rice and Powell as much as you would like for me to.  That would be ridiculous.  And, as I recall the commentary of the press wasn't limited to speakers but to the many black delegates that one idiot reporter surmised were "brought in as window dressing".

4.  "What Gumbel is suggesting instead, I think, is that here in the U.S., we have a massive, discretionary promotional apparatus consisting of corporate advertisers, NBC and the nation's newspapers selling these games. They're selling something that doesn't include any black people or nations, doesn't involve hardly any of the world's best athletes and doesn't involve games and sports that anyone cares about if they're left to their own devices. That is to say, this is not an event that sells itself. You have to work at it. (NBC appears to be working at it hard. And badly.)"

So only black dominated sports should appeal to Americans?  Only "professional" sports should appeal to Americans?  The olympics experienced a decline from former ratings status for three reasons:

A - Going from a four year to an every two year format (staggering winter and summer) removed some of the allure of an infrequent, special event.

B - The media changed from emphasizing the sport element to enhancing the personal side of athletes (reality show influence).

C - The olympics foolishly took your advice and introduced some professional athletes, thus watering down the uniqueness of the sports.

And despite all of that, sponsors and advertisers continue to line up.  None of it has to do with the fact that the winter games have teams from winter countries that are predominantly white, while many summer games (from track and field events to basketball) feature more black athletes.

Bringing up the GOP conventions was simply a way of interjecting Gumbel's politics into a sporting event.  Whether you share his views or not the olympics are not the appropriate place to discuss American party politics.

US team product of Northern Liberal Universities  

and if the universities have a shortage of blacks enrolling, they can look at the NEA and sup ct PC controlled grammar and secondary schools or maybe they are racists.

Because, Incredibly, most blacks live in the South and seem to be getting more opportunities to succeed in the south.

stay tuned for summer olympics gumbel

Congradulations to Shani Davis, the first black American to win an individual gold medal in the Winter Olympics.

And shame on Gumbel for his earlier comments...

Winter olympians tend to come from areas where there is snow, mountains, and/or ice rinks.

Most black people don't live in any of these areas. In the United States, many black people live in the South and in large cities. Neither of these areas produces large numbers of winter olympians.

Also, in the US, basketball is a winter sport, and a very popular one for black people. So where are our black winter athletes? On the "Dream Team".

It should be no more surprising that there are relatively few black people at the winter games than that there are a large number of Canadians and Norwegians at the winter game. Gumbel is a moron.

http://www.redstate.com/comments/2006/2/16/11415/6367/37#37

But I wonder why the usoc has not used him to recruit more african americans into sports like speed skating?

"When you think of that, then a basketball team DOES look like America, because it represents the BEST.  It represents the fact that ability matters more than skin color."

That was an idea I hadn't heard expressed before.  You said it well.

While the GOP seems not to elect Blacks to Congress, This Administration has appointed more to high level positions than any other in History.  (I am certain someone will correct me if I don't have this right.)

Surely this athlete must be a token black athlete in the Winter Games, since Brian Gumbel says there are so few black athletes competing.  The USOC probably begged this guy to get on their team so they wouldn't take so much flak.

The only problem is that this guy won a Gold Medal for us.  Tokens don't by definition perform, let alone be the best.  I guess he got that opportunity because he was da*n good.  Congrats to you, Shani Davis!  I'm proud.  Look forward to you doing great things!

But you can't have it both ways. If what Rush said was not racist, than(sic) neither was what Gumbel said.

Exactly.

Yet you confirm that the NAACP (along with many others) did come out after the brouhaha and decry Rush's comments as racist.

Where are those same groups/people with regard to Gumbel's comments? Why do they always get to have it both ways?

only about black people.

There are a large variety of other than caucasion Olympians.  They are still a smaller percentage.

But the problem isn't so much race as it is what people are passionate about.  Norway is passionate about cross country skiing, they usually rock in collecting medals in that area, while the sport isn't so well liked or supported in the US (which is why we don't usually medal in those events, a top ten finish is considered good for a US skiier).

South Korea is all about short track speed skating, Ohno still can't go to South Korea without body guards.  They have collected a large number of medals in that sport.

The US seems to be mostly about figure skating, hockey, and the Alpine events, one reason the US seems to do so well in snow boarding is because the sport started here.  

Nope, the winter games isn't really so much about racism, as it is about what sports a nation is passionate about, and what sports people in those nations are drawn to.  And I saw an interview with Davis (the African American gold medalist) where he talked about being made fun of, because he was a speed skater-peers have a lot to do with the sport you go into, and to his peers, skates, a lycra suit and ice weren't cool-Davis luckily for him, kept his focus on his passion and now has a gold medal to show for it.

And I think the same could be said about any smart and decent potential political candidate. I'm sure quite a few of them stay in the private sector for those reasons.

On that fact Gumbel is correct.

It's the way he said it that has gotten everyone upset.

Gumbel - "So try not to laugh when someone says these are the world's greatest athletes, despite a paucity of blacks..."

Pure, classic racism. Whites, non-blacks are inferior to Blacks.

Gumbel still has his job and there is no 24-7 tv uprpoar.

This is akin to the Campanis statement that Blacks didnt have the necessities to be a MLB manager. he was fired

Its worse than Jimmy the Greek, a white man who, praised the excellence of Blacks, while saying it was partly due to selective breeding by slave owners. he was fired

Rush said nothing about the relative skills of the races. He merely observed that some in the media had hyped Mcnabb out of hope for a black QB to do well, given the relatively few in number that have over the decades. Black reporters have confirmed this by citing articles esp in the Philly media. yet, Rush was fired

What if a white man scoffed at Boxing or the NBA as frauds due to the paucity of whites? its obvious

Gumbel's comment amused me, but I can understand why you guys are in a tizzy.  You really have to torture the quote to come to the conclusion Gumbel meant whites are inferior to blacks.  You can't claim to have the world's greatest athletes when only certain portions of the world are represented, that's all.  It is not like Campanis or Jimmy the Greek whatsoever.  Another tempest in the teapot, alas.

I do share Gumbel's opinion that I could give a fig about the olympics.  Bring on March Madness (although UK not looking so hot this year...)

about the only option I will have is to root against Duke.

Although I suspect Tubby is going to be gone, if UK doesn't get in the NCAA tournament this year.

They just better hope for an on fire SEC tournament showing, and win their way in (which is always possible with UK, they seem to be at their best during tournament time, but I won't hold my breath for this year).

That said, I enjoy the winter games, and probably like them more than the summer games.  Track and Field doesn't thrill me very much, and about the only thing I like are gymnastics, basketball, and soccer (softball would be included, but the Olympic committee ditched that one, and I am not happy, I love watching softball, probably more than baseball).

just because at the moment the majority of winter athletes are white, that doesn't mean they aren't the best in their sports.

It would be nice to see more African Americans interested in winter sports, but that doesn't mean he should declare them lacking, because there aren't blacks there.

Blacks aren't there because of racism-overt or covert, they aren't there, because they passion in sports lies elsewhere.  They would, at the moment, rather shoot hoops and play football, than put on a lycra suit and skate or ski.  But having a Shani Davis winning the gold, may pique the interest of some young black youth in the US to give it a try.

Gumbel's words didn't do much to inspire anyone.

Hey man, I'll let Gumbel knock the chip off your shoulder.  If you want his quote to mean he said whites are inferior to blacks, I'm certainly not able to stop you.

Tubby isn't going anywhere, and barring losing the rest of the games we play, UK will make it into the tournament as a very low seed.  RPI is 42 and going up, strength of schedule going up with the stretch run.  Beat Ole Miss at home, win 1 of at LSU, at UT, or Florida at home, win a game or two in the conference, there will be no problem.  But they won't go deep this year, for sure.  That was a big win over South Carolina....

I am hoping you are right.

But I still think UK not making it into the tournament will result in Tubby heading out (although I like Tubby, and character wise I like him much better than Pitino or Sutton)-one thing I remember about KY is KY fans don't like bad results.

But I may be overly pessimistic at the moment-and UK is usually a tournament time peaker, even when the team isn't a super strong one.

http://www.av1611.org/kjv/reagan.html