Iron Mike Ditka Pays the Price for Being Conservative

by Brent Smith | March 12, 2016 12:02 am

Sheeesh! This is second time this week I’ve written about Rush Limbaugh. It does have to do with politics, but thankfully it doesn’t concern the presidential election or the never-ending primary season. I know it’s of vital importance, but frankly the never ending daily doses of it are getting a bit old.

[1]

So let’s instead turn our attention to something sports related – sports as it relates to politics.

Some of you may remember that Rush Limbaugh did a short stint as a commentator on the sports network ESPN. If you don’t, that’s okay. It was after all 13 years ago. In 2000 Limbaugh was passed over for a seat on the ABC Monday Night Football crew. They instead went with Dennis Miller. That worked out well – NOT.

Three years later he was offered a position on ESPN’s flagship broadcast, “NFL Sunday Night Countdown,” joining Chris Berman, Tom Jackson, Steve Young and Michael Irvin. I recall Rush telling his radio audience that they told him he could speak about anything – that there would be virtually no filter. And he believed them – silly guy.

The reason I say “silly guy,” is that for years Rush has been telling his listeners that the national sports media is even more rabidly liberal than their political brethren. And this he found out early on, when he spoke ill of the sports media regarding how they propped up good but not great Eagles Quarterback Donovan McNabb because of their desperate need to promote a black QB.

During the ESPN broadcast Rush said: McNabb is “overrated … what we have here is a little social concern in the NFL. The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback can do well—black coaches and black quarterbacks doing well. There’s a little hope invested in McNabb, and he got a lot of credit for the performance of his team that he didn’t deserve. The defense carried this team.” This got him fired. I believe I recall reports that black announcer and former Denver Broncos linebacker, Tom Jackson, said he couldn’t work with Limbaugh.

Now fast forward to present day and we find the same thing happening to former NFL great, Super Bowl winning head coach, first tight end to be selected to the Hall of Fame and all around tough guy, “Iron” Mike Ditka. He didn’t besmirch a black player, which Rush did not do. He didn’t cast aspersions upon the lib sports media. No, he did something far worse. Ditka sullied the name of our great black president, Barack Obama. Not because he’s black, but because he’s a poor leader. Hush your mouth Mike!

Iron Mike said he thinks Obama is, “A fine man. He would be great to play golf with. He’s not a leader. This country needs leadership. It needs direction. It needs somebody that steps up front. We need somebody like Ronald Reagan. Everyone once in a while you’re gonna get punched in the chops but you keep going forward. There’s all there is to it.” I assume he was referring to Obama’s “lead from behind” strategy.

Politically correct, in-the-tank, liberal ESPN could not stand for this, so they punched Ditka in the chops – figuratively. As old as he is, he’s still tougher than any one at ESPN.

Ditka also recalled a few years ago that he almost ran against Obama for Senate in 2004. He said it was “the biggest mistake” he ever made – besides spending every draft pick from here to eternity on Ricky Williams in New Orleans. I added the Ricky Williams comment. He said he could have won in 2004, thus preventing The One from becoming president. If only Mike.

Sources say Ditka is not leaving ESPN but will have an “emeritus-type” NFL role going forward with the network. Who knows what that means. He’ll be replaced by long time NFL Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, who’s retiring from his position as the Colts back up QB.

Got through a whole article without once mentioning the “T” word(Trump – who Ditka is supporting).

Also see,

Conservative Talkers Mislabel Trump as an Insurgent