Rush to Judge

Rush Limbaugh should not be surprised. As someone who stokes controversy -- often via personal ridicule -- surely he expected the reaction to reports he belonged to a group interested in buying football's St. Louis Rams. He should not be surprised by the outcome, either. The affair qualified as farce from the get-go. Given the cast of characters, how could it not? Limbaugh probably will receive a ratings boost.

Limbaugh provokes and makes a lot of money in the noisome process. Football ownership would establish him among the company of Dan Snyder, Jerry Jones, Al Davis, and other worthies as esteemed as the Knights Hospitallers.

Various serious players, as well as assorted blabbering malcontents, objected to the prospect. During his aborted stint in the broadcast booth, Limbaugh alleged sportswriters and other cheerleaders boosted Donovan McNabb because they joined the league in wanting an African-American quarterback to succeed. He cited no compelling evidence to back up his fanciful assertion. Black QBs had flourished before McNabb joined the Philadelphia Eagles. In any case, McNabb rates as one of the premier players of his era, and slanted coverage has had nothing to do with it.

The National Football League takes itself very seriously. One of these days it indeed may win the Nobel Peace Prize. Its secretary general -- oops, commissioner -- expressed his reservations regarding Limbaugh's rhetorical propensities. A scion of the family that stabbed Baltimore in the back by moving the Colts to Indianapolis under the cover of surly night vowed to vote against Limbaugh. Al Sharpton volunteered his views.

Fellow fans, it does not get any better than this.