RUSH: Ladies and gentlemen, the attacks on me continue, but remember these are attacks on all of you. This whole business is an attack on all of conservatism. They are still talking about this at ESPN, show called First Take. They have a former player who is an analyst on the network now, Marcellus Wiley, who I’ve never met and I’ve never spoken to, and he was asked this morning for his reaction to my being removed from the potential ownership group of the Rams.
WILEY: The NFL called an audible. We’re going to pass, Limbaugh, on you and your racist comments, your divisive comments, comments that isolate players, 70% of this league is African-American. This is racist radio that doesn’t need any more attention. This doesn’t need to be on primetime, on TV, in the owners’ box like he wants it.
RUSH: Marcellus Wiley at ESPN2, you are all racists. See, we’re all racists, racist radio. Marcellus Wiley, I don’t even remember him and I’m a football fan. Some of the fans that pay his salary are racist. I’m sure a lot of people that listen to this radio show watch ESPN2, a bunch of racists are watching ESPN2, according to Marcellus Wiley. So it’s an attack on the audience, ladies and gentlemen.
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RUSH: Flagler Beach, Florida. This is Marie. Great to have you on the EIB Network. Hi.
CALLER: Hi, Rush. I was just listening and it’s funny that you should mention the NFL Ticket because I’ve had it like since the first year it was offered, I guess about 16, 17 years ago. Well, yesterday I e-mailed the NFL when I heard how they were treating you and I said, ‘This is it. I will not subscribe to the NFL Ticket anymore. I’m 61, I’ve been a fan of football forever.’
RUSH: You know, this brings up an interesting point. This Marcellus Wiley fool and all of these other race-baiters that are discussing this keep talking about how 70% of the league is African-American. And as such, somebody like me cannot possibly in any way, shape, manner, or form be involved when 70% of the league is African-American. Three things about this. A, I know that. B, the 70% African-Americans make big bucks. If I’m a racist I want to get into that game? Doesn’t make sense. The second thing is, who do these 70% African-American players think is paying their salaries? Is every white person that attends a National Football League game or buys the NFL Sunday Ticket like you do a racist? What does it have to do with the fact that 70% of the league is African-American? That’s another one of these little statistics that they throw up there to make it look like no conservative can get anywhere near this league because 70% of the players are African-American, and that means 70% of the players are liberal. I happen to personally know that that is not true, but these people are just fools. They keep saying, ‘Tell me, tell me what percentage of the fans buy this racist crap?’
CALLER: None that I know of. You don’t even think about the color of their skin when you’re watching the game if you love the game, and that’s it, I love the game.
RUSH: Exactly. Precisely right. It’s these guys that have that on their mind.
CALLER: Yeah, I’ve been a Bills fan so you know I must love football. I’m still a fan.
RUSH: Well, that’s why you have to have the NFL Sunday Ticket.
CALLER: I moved away 40 years ago, I had to have the Ticket, it was the best thing but it’s over now.
RUSH: Well, do you have the high definition version of it?
CALLER: Yes.
RUSH: Yeah. It is great.
CALLER: Oh, yeah.
RUSH: I gotta tell you.
CALLER: The red zone, I love —
RUSH: Well, that’s going to be tough for you to not subscribe anymore.
CALLER: I know, but I’m not doing it, I’m not doing it, that’s it, I’ve had it. You know, it’s funny, the other day, actually it was a couple weeks ago, my husband and I were talking and we’re going, ‘Something’s wrong with the NFL, it’s just not the same, not the same,’ because we’re getting more into college football. I thought, you know, ‘You’re right, there’s something’s weird.’ Sunday nights I have to hold my nose to watch NBC football with those guys. But anyway —
RUSH: Wait a minute, wait a minute. What guys?
CALLER: Bob Costas and —
RUSH: Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Yeah.
CALLER: You know, give me a break. But anyway —
RUSH: Bob Costas is a very unhappy little diva.
CALLER: (laughing) I guess that’s one way to put it.
RUSH: He doesn’t understand why everybody doesn’t love him and respect him like they love and respect Obama.
CALLER: I think you got that, Rush. Well, we could give him an earful but we won’t. (laughing)
RUSH: Look, I appreciate the call, Marie, thanks much.
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RUSH: All right, I had a staffer look it up for me, and as best as we can tell, the percentage of the audience that attends NFL games that’s black is 12. Now, I want to hold that number in reserve because I don’t know if that is just in-stadium or if that is the combined television and in-stadium number and I want to research it a little further, but right now that’s what we found. So the players are out there saying, Marcellus or whoever, ‘Well, the players are 70% African-American, we can’t have a guy like Limbaugh, racist radio.’ He doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Nobody cares. The only people throwing that number around are people like Marcellus and the race-baiters. So maybe we ought to ask old Marcellus, buddy, what percentage of the fans of the NFL are white, since you’re into this.
Since racial makeup is what all of you people are obsessed with in this, why don’t you go and find out what percentage of the NFL audience is white and what percentage is black. And when you spout this 70% number, Marcellus, of the players being African-American, are you saying that conservatives, or more broadly, are you saying that those who don’t share your race-baiting views can only pay the salaries of the players but you won’t allow them to go any further, is that what it is, pal? You’ll allow race-baiters, you’ll allow these white racists to go to the games and buy tickets, buy the licensed merchandise, buy the NFL Sunday Ticket, all that sort of stuff and pay your salary, but you’re not going to let ’em in the league?
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RUSH: Okay. Here’s the best we have on the audience for the NFL that is black. It’s from 2004. It’s Nielsen ratings. Nielsen ratings October-November 2004 say that blacks are 13 to 16% of the television audience of the NFL. Monday Night Football is getting the higher 16%. The range is 13% on Sunday to 16% of the audience on Monday night.