ESPN SUCKS TOO

[soupkitchen]

They knew exactly what they were hiring when they hired Rush.
And they were hoping they could get away with it.
Cut those black athletes down to size; cut their bargaining power at the contract table. Reduce the cost of sports to the broadcaster, reduce the costs to ESPN. Like the Pro Football drama now on TV does a service to the black athlete in America.
The owner of ESPN figured they owned the sports plantation so why not get an overseer like Rush to keep everybody in line.
Fuck Rush and Fuck ESPN.

[revcarol]

1. Never watch it,

but I HATE their ads!!

[rwork]

2. I will always

associate ESPN with rush limbaugh.

[SaveElmer]

3. Calm Down

Stupid as it was, their move to hire Blimpy was a ham-handed attempt at grabbing some ratings points. I think they have learned their lesson and will not be making that mistake again. If they stick to what they are good at - sports coverage - they will learn that is good enough. Mixing politics and sports in such a partisan way is always a mistake as they have now learned.

[vi5]

4. Anyone who stopped watching and goes back....

Is....well, I don't like to call names so I'll refrain.

But you are 100% right. They hired him with their eyes on the bottom line prize, even though it spit in the face of a large chunk of the american public, and by default their audience.

Just because he's gone doesn't mean they didn't make the horrible decision in the first place.

[SaveElmer]

5. That is true

And they are now paying the price for it. Hopefully they have learned their lesson and won't repeat that mistake. I think the bad publicity they have gotten is punishment enough for now, so I don't think boycotting their programming is the way to go. They did what we wanted, they got rid of His Plumpitude, so I say that ends the matter.

[vi5]

6. They didn't get rid of him....he resigned.....

If someone didn't boycott them in the firt place then fine and dandy. But anyone who did stop watching them but then thinks that his firing somehow negates their hiring him in the first place....well they clearly differ from my own opinion...let's just leave it at that.

[jobycom]

8. Did you hear the NFL's reaction?

They stated that ESPN knew what it was doing by hiring Rush, that the NFL was in know way responsible, and they expressed their disapproval towards ESPN. They also called McNabb and expressed support, and praised him for how he had handled the situation (Which was stellar, btw).

They got Rush fired, I think. They snapped their whip, and ESPN suddenly underwent a vision refocus.

[SaveElmer]

9. Yeah he "resigned"

I'm sure there was no pressure from ESPN to do so (sarcasm). Blimpy wouldn't have resigned had ESPN asked him not to. They showed him the door and allowed him to resign to save face.

[SaveElmer]

11. What's the point of a boycott then

The purpose of a boycott is to get an entity (corporation, group etc), to do something you think is important. The boycott needs to end once that action has taken place. If someone is boycotting ESPN because they want Rush Limp Paws to be takn off the air, the boycott must end once that has happened. Boycotts will lose their effectiveness if these entities believe they are going to continue to be punished even if they comply.

[VermontDem2004]

14. I am sure they would of fired him

If he didn't resign, he was getting alot of negative reaction from athletes in the NFL, some athletes would likely not do any of their special segments because of Rush. Networks don't like contraversy and I am sure they would of fired him if he didn't resign. Plus I am watching ESPN as of right now.

[RummyTheDummy]

10. Oh, like I'm not goint to watch Sunday night games or NFL Primetime

Puh-leeze.

[DrGonzoLives]

16. And what might that name be, Mr. Jerk

Fuck you. I said I would boycott until Rush was gone, now he's gone. Am I not a REAL liberal now, asshole?

[jobycom]

7. Nah

They hired him for the audience he could bring, and no doubt expected him to be a little edgy, but the idea that this was a grand attempt to start a race war to drive down sports wages is way out there. I don't believe that for a minute.

Limbaugh had worked in sports before, was a big sports fan, devotes part of his regular show to sports each week, especially football, and is a large force in the entertainment world. I can see how it seemed like a good move, especially if Rush agreed to lay off the politics. Hiring Dennis Miller was a dumb move, hiring Limbaugh was a dumb move, but both were just attempts to broaden their audience, and maybe create a little controversy.

Not saying ESPN isn't guilty of trying to offend a few people to boost their ratings. It's a black eye. But to see them as trying to undermine civil rights is a bit extreme. And frankly, they could undermine the bargaining power of atheletes and teams without resorting to race. Step up negative reporting on all atheletes, for instance. Refuse to use the sponsor names for new stadiums, thus cutting the value of the sponsorships. Etc.

There new series is atrocious, though. What, all players are players, all black players use drugs and beat their wives, only white players can bail them out or show integrity? So many stereotypes in such a short show. I was at a restaurant the other night that always runs ESPN. Their soap opera was running. So while I was eating with my children, I got to watch a silent movie where large actors were wallowing in vomit, spewing into the bushes (best place to spew, if you capitalize the B), scantily clad plot-device women, and explicit drug use. I'm sure that restaurant will hesitate before running ESPN again. Wonder how long that show will go without a major reformat given ESPN's problems now.

[VermontDem2004]

15. I agree with that explanation

Especially that 2nd paragraph.

[AmandaRuth]

12. Tottally totally agree with you

posted this several times, sorry if i am getting repetative. I will never buy espn products again. No cable, newsstand, or apparel, or whatever because just the simple fact you would hire such a rabid hatemonger just shows me exactly where ESPN stands and what kind of bigots run the espn empire.

[SaveElmer]

13. That's an over-reaction

I watch ESPN all the time, they do not have a history of hiring these types of people, and their reporting generally sticks to the action on (an sometimes off) the field. I think punishing them that severely for one mistake, is counter-productive. In my opinion they have rectified the mistake by getting rid of him. It is better to reward that action than to continue punishing them.

[jmanjman]

17. People are going overboard here..

and acting as if the hiring of Rush was some politically motivated ploy. Its cut and dry...ESPN hired him (serving a very MINOR role mind you) to try and boost sagging ratings of their NFL Countdown program. End of story. It worked for the first four weeks. Rush kept his word and didn't say one thing that could be construed as "political". He stuck to discussing football. Prior to last Sundays show, I didn't hear anyone complaining about it because it wasn't an issue. Then this past Sunday, the real Rush came out and said something stupid and the fires started. All of a sudden, ESPN is being lumped in with Fox News. Give me a break. They (ESPN) didn't do anything wrong. They gambled that Rush could spend 20 minutes a week not saying something stupid and lost. Plain and simple. If there were some conspiracy, why did they pressure him to quit? If they're guilty of anything, its that they believed Rush could stick to just discussing football. Hardly a capital offense in my book.

[newyawker99]

18. Hi jmanjman!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[jmanjman]

19. Thanks

Cheers :toast:

[soupkitchen]

20. We're just using the Marxist dialectic, here.

All institutions, comprised of human beings with subconsciousness, have subconcious aspects to them.
Of course, ESPN only wanted to improve their ratings.
And the farmer that hires the fox to guard the hen house only wants his chickens to be safe.
It has nothing to due with collecting on the insurance policy he has out on the poultry.
Yeah, you hire a guy who has a firmly established track record of saying belittling things about certain races who just happen to be overly represented in the product your marketing.
And then you're surprised that within a month he embarasses your network?
I think maybe you are surprised. If he could have at least gone two months, then all those new viewers he brought over who just happen to share his perjorative prejudices might be able to dampen the outcry.
And then, hey, if the white guys in the audience like standing up to the overindulged darkies, hey, ratings are ratings.

You don't hire a pornographer to host the Miss Americas pageant without hoping to "spice up" the product and you don't hire a political blowhard like Rush Limbaugh without hoping that he blows some Politics onto your franchise.
At least, subconciously.