Limbaugh, Checketts 'continuing the process' in bid for Rams
Associated Press
ST. LOUIS -- Green Bay Packers fans are known as cheeseheads. Could fans of the St. Louis Rams soon be dittoheads?
Conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh said Tuesday he is teaming up with St. Louis Blues owner Dave Checketts in a bid to buy the Rams, owners of the NFL's longest losing streak at 14 and just 5-31 since 2007.
In a statement, Limbaugh declined to discuss details, citing a confidentiality agreement with Goldman Sachs, the investment firm hired by the family of former Rams owner Georgia Frontiere to review assets of her estate, including the NFL team.
Limbaugh also declined to discuss other partners that might be involved in the bid, but said he and Checketts would operate the team.
"Dave Checketts and I have made a bid to buy the Rams and we are continuing the process," Limbaugh said.
Forbes magazine has estimated the Rams franchise has a value of $929 million.
Frontiere's children, Chip Rosenbloom and Lucia Rodriguez, inherited 60 percent of the Rams when their mother died in January 2008. Columbia, Mo., billionaire Stan Kroenke owns the remaining 40 percent. It wasn't clear if the Limbaugh/Checketts bid was for 100 percent of the Rams or just the share owned by Rosenbloom and Rodriguez.
"Our strategic review of our ownership of the Rams continues," Rosenbloom said in a statement released late Monday. "We will make an announcement upon the completion of the process."
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello declined comment. Spokesmen for Checketts and the Blues declined comment.
Limbaugh is a native of Cape Girardeau, Mo., about 100 miles south of St. Louis. He's so popular among conservatives -- fans of his show call themselves "dittoheads" -- that he has been called by some the voice of the Republican Party.
Limbaugh, who lives and works in Palm Beach, Fla., once worked for the Kansas City Royals and is an avid sports fan.
In 2003, Limbaugh worked briefly on ESPN's NFL pregame show, but resigned after saying Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was overrated because the media wanted to see a black quarterback succeed.
Checketts, 53, and his Sports Capital Partners and Towerbrook Capital Partners purchased the Blues in 2006 from Bill and Nancy Laurie. The Blues have gradually rebuilt under his leadership and made the playoffs last season for the first time since 2004.
Checketts first approached Rosenbloom in early 2009 about possibly buying the Rams. Eric Gelfand, a spokesman for Checketts, said in June that Checketts had put together a group consisting of local and outside investors.
An NFL rule allows ownership of NFL teams and teams in other sports, but only if they are in the same market. That would be a problem if Kroenke wanted to become majority owner of the Rams because he owns the NBA's Denver Nuggets and the NHL's Colorado Avalanche.
Checketts' company owns Utah's Real Salt Lake Major League Soccer team. But an NFL spokesman has said the cross-ownership rule does not apply to the MLS.
The potential sale of the Rams has been rumored since Frontiere's death. Her children are both involved in other interests and neither has ties to St. Louis.
The sale has raised concerns in St. Louis, which lost the Cardinals franchise after the 1987 season when Bill Bidwill moved the team to Arizona.
The NFL passed over St. Louis for the smaller Jacksonville, Fla., market when it awarded an expansion team in 1993. Two years later, civic leaders convinced Frontiere, a St. Louis native, to move the team from Los Angeles, the nation's second-largest market, back to her hometown.
Los Angeles is still without a team, and a loophole in the Rams' lease allows them to move as early as 2014 if the Edward Jones Dome is not deemed among the top quarter of all NFL stadiums. Though just 14 years old, the dome is fast becoming one of the league's older venues, and getting it into the top quarter seems unlikely.
Checketts became the youngest person ever to run an NBA team at age 28 when he became president and general manager of the Utah Jazz in 1984. He later ran the New York Knicks and Madison Square Garden.
Evelyn
This message has been edited by evelyn-glover on Oct 6, 2009 7:58 PM
This may be something he will be doing after he leaves radio which I hope won't be anytime soon. If he and the other guy are going to run it, I can't see how that will leave much time for radio.
***********************
As Thomas Jefferson said, "the price of liberty is eternal vigilance," and the most important vigilance is over our personal reactivity and propensity towards mindless obedience and hate in order to "fit in," be special, or avoid ostracism.
I've learned that the people you care most about in life are taken from you too soon and
all the less important ones just never go away.
And the real pains in the ass are permanent.
Exactly Ron, and Web knows it. I don't have a racial bone in my body....
Wasn't it over a black football player that Limbaugh quit a job once in the sports field?
***********************************
I've learned that the people you care most about in life are taken from you too soon and
all the less important ones just never go away.
And the real pains in the ass are permanent.
And if Maw is correct, Limbaugh will have an all white team. that will definitely prove he is a racist. so will you shut up and admit you are wrong when the Rams have Blacks on the team?
Well, his first statement is from an economic perspective. And real capitalist invest in the investments for their money. Limbaugh said slaves built the South and they were simply economic investments.
Hey, you liberals always complain about your employers not paying you a fair wage. does that make them racist?
Gee, you do stretch the hell out of innocuous statements. That's because you are filled with hate and cannot reason using facts.
=================================
Glenn Beck hates 9/11 survivors. Shocking as Glenn Beck claimed that he hates 9/11 survivors. The Fox news personality and media clown has always been an outrageous demagogue, a pied piper to the illiterate, unwashed masses that make up the Fox news audience. Michael Stone,Examiner.com
We are not playing a race card. We are stating a fact. Something you neocons hate.
***********************************
I've learned that the people you care most about in life are taken from you too soon and
all the less important ones just never go away.
And the real pains in the ass are permanent.
He can be racist and have blacks on the team. I would love it if he gave up his talk show to concentrate on football. Maybe the party leaders are pushing him in that direction.
And the reason for that remark is what....leftist petty hate? He mentioned while working with ESPN about how the coverage for McNabb was what it was due to him being black...and once again it showed the double standard we live with in this country when anything pertains to a black. He was canned from the program....but yet he said nothing racist or nothing that was a lie....showing again the double standard when pertaining to blacks....just like what happened to Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder and any other white person that dares to mention a factual statement that does not show a black in a positive light....ala---> Anyone that questions Obama's policy is obviously a racist....or so Jimma Carter said and then the media beat his statements to pudding leaving more whites afraid to speak out or question Obama even as they are being taken to the "Re-education Camps"! Damn!
The language of priorities is the religion of Socialism.....Aneurin Bevan
And you jofux are an asshole. Always have been, always will be.
***********************************
I've learned that the people you care most about in life are taken from you too soon and
all the less important ones just never go away.
And the real pains in the ass are permanent.
Guest:
(Login JoFox) Re: Look whose bidding on the Rams October 8 2009, 3:22 AM
We are not playing a race card. We are stating a fact. Something you neocons hate.
Except that it's not a fact....which means you're not only playing the race card but a LIAR to boot.
JoFox that's a 'ditto' for me. Lying comes very easily for these people. I guess they follow their leader, Obama......he's pretty good at it too. There is a consequence for breaking the commandment, "Thou shalt not lie."
I've learned that the people you care most about in life are taken from you too soon and
all the less important ones just never go away.
And the real pains in the ass are permanent.
It's what Rush does to Liberals, and it's hilarious. I suppose his interest in the Rams might be of some newsworthyness to some, hence the post. Then maw just can't stand it, and kicks off a here-we-go thread that's so typical. Look at maw's other post, hoping he gets the flu. That's a beauty, because so many other of the lynch mob joined in! And what's so funny, is that *none* of these people need ever be exposed to Limbaugh at all! He isn't that difficult to avoid!
Evelyn and jofox, are you disputing Ron's post? I believe these things are well documented but if believe they are lies please post your refutation of said post. thank you.
Rush has proved over and over he is a racist. sure he knows a black guy. Whoopie. That doesn't make them best friends.
Thanks for the added comment Cj. But they don't believe it.
***********************************
I've learned that the people you care most about in life are taken from you too soon and
all the less important ones just never go away.
And the real pains in the ass are permanent.
And I did not say I hope rush gets the flu. See how you twist things? I said I could care less....
***********************************
I've learned that the people you care most about in life are taken from you too soon and
all the less important ones just never go away.
And the real pains in the ass are permanent.
And I did not say I hope rush gets the flu. See how you twist things? I said I could care less....
Then why did you *start* an entire thread about it? Why did you say what you did in *this* thread, and start all this stink? Why do you care at all about what Limbaugh does one way or another?
I do agree with one thing on this thread, "Why should anyone care about this?".
And Gus does have a good answer, I have not heard Rush for years. Nor have I seen more then twenty minutes of Micheal Moores movies. So one could say that I have not heard much from either side.
Add to that I am one of the rare males who does not have the sports gene.
Then why did you *start* an entire thread about it? Why did you say what you did in *this* thread, and start all this stink? Why do you care at all about what Limbaugh does one way or another?
gus.
In her other thread, I believe maw was pointing out that he lied to his followers/listeners as to what Ms. Sibelius (sp) said. Just pointing out the fact that there are those on the right still using fear and lies to further their own agenda.
In this thread she was stating her feelings about Limbaugh, he is who this thread is about.
This message has been edited by cjgrill on Oct 8, 2009 11:10 PM
Then why did you *start* an entire thread about it? Why did you say what you did in *this* thread, and start all this stink? Why do you care at all about what Limbaugh does one way or another?
gus.
In her other thread, I believe maw was pointing out that he lied to his followers/listeners as to what Ms. Sibelius (sp) said. Just pointing out the fact that there are those on the right still using fear and lies to further their own agenda.
In this thread she was stating her feelings about Limbaugh, he is who this thread is about.
So, maw has a spokesperson now? Don't con me. Maw has a *singular* reason for *ever* mentioning Limbaugh's name. That is to be mean, because mean is *cool* when it's the approved list, and maw *lives* for cool. She is also a bigot, for much the same reasons, and she's quite well off, from what she posts. That makes her a rich mean cool bigot, the *perfect* Liberal.
Gussie. You are a riot. You got me alllllll wrong. Don't you just hate that?
LOLOLOL
***********************************
I've learned that the people you care most about in life are taken from you too soon and
all the less important ones just never go away.
And the real pains in the ass are permanent.
If he's going to buy the Rams and bring them back to Los Angeles then I'm really interested and enthusiastic and I will build a little shrine with candles in my house for Rush.
But if he's taking them to Flori-duh or leaving them in Saint Looey, then frick him. I'm not interested.
*****
To no one will we sell, to no one will we refuse or delay, right or justice.
-- Magna Carta
I've learned that the people you care most about in life are taken from you too soon and
all the less important ones just never go away.
And the real pains in the ass are permanent.
I don't care where they are located, the Rams will always belong to Los Angeles, and the Cardinals will always belong to St. Louis. Just had to be said....lol.
Poor St. Louis, though, if Limpballs buys their football team. He's already insufferable and a blatant racist. I wonder how many of the good Black team members will want free agency if the Clown King gets his way?
Rush has proved over and over he is a racist. sure he knows a black guy. Whoopie. That doesn't make them best friends.
Except that they are best friends...have been for years. When he first heard about Rush's addiction he immediately quit a lucrative job and rushed to Rush's side. That's real friendship, something I suspect you know nothing about.
Now maw I'm sure you, Janie, and your ilk will continue to lie about Rush being a racist but that will never make it true no matter how often you tell it or just how many people you'll be able to convince your lie is true. Remember the day will come when it'll come back and bite you in the butt.
********************************************
"Coincidence is a God scheduled opportunity."
Scott Hamilton
"Better to do something imperfectly than to do nothing flawlessly." --Robert Schuller
I've learned that the people you care most about in life are taken from you too soon and
all the less important ones just never go away.
And the real pains in the ass are permanent.
NFL Players executive director DeMaurice Smith on Saturday made a move to solidify the union against a bid by conservative talk show radio host Rush Limbaugh as part of a group that aims to purchase the St. Louis Rams.
I've spoken to the Commissioner [Roger Goodell] and I understand that this ownership consideration is in the early stages. But sport in America is at its best when it unifies, gives all of us reason to cheer, and when it transcends. Our sport does exactly that when it overcomes division and rejects discrimination and hatred.
-- DeMaurice Smith, in e-mail to union's executive committee
In an e-mail to the union's executive committee on Saturday specifically addressing Limbaugh's bid, Smith said, "I've spoken to the Commissioner [Roger Goodell] and I understand that this ownership consideration is in the early stages. But sport in America is at its best when it unifies, gives all of us reason to cheer, and when it transcends. Our sport does exactly that when it overcomes division and rejects discrimination and hatred."
Limbaugh and St. Louis Blues owner Dave Checketts are among six potential ownership groups that have discussed buying the Rams. League sources say the current sale price has ranged from $700-to-$750 million but that there did not appear to be an imminent transaction.
On Sunday, Smith briefly elaborated, "This communication is more about what we stand for than the reality of our role in any franchise sale. While it's true the subject matter was related [to Limbaugh's bid], I do understand that the NFL does not present ownership bids to me or the NFLPA. I encourage our players to express their views."
At least seven NFL players have publicly opposed Limbaugh's interest in purchasing the Rams with Checketts. In Smith's communication Saturday with his executive committee, the union leader encouraged players to speak their mind on all matters, including Limbaugh's bid.
"I have asked our players to embrace their roles not only in the game of football but also as players and partners in the business of the NFL," said Smith in the e-mail. "They risk everything to play this game, they understand that risk and they live with that risk and its consequences for the rest of their life. We also know that there is an ugly part of history and we will not risk going backwards, giving up, giving in or lying down to it.
"Our men are strong and proud sons, fathers, spouses and I am proud when they stand up, understand this is their profession and speak with candor and blunt honesty about how they feel."
Limbaugh has expressed a number of controversial racial ideas in the past. For example, he suggested that Gen. Colin Powell supported Barack Obama's presidential candidacy simply because he was black, and he also stated that the media wants black quarterbacks to do well and that Donovan McNabb doesn't deserve much of the credit he has received for the Eagles' success.
Among the half-dozen interested buyers of the Rams, there are strong African-American ownership groups interested in buying the Rams, including businessmen Donald Watkins and Dave Steward.
The league has maintained it does not publicly address potential franchise sales. All transactions, when formally presented after a thorough background check, are decided by the 32 owners by vote.
Chris Mortensen is ESPN's senior NFL analyst.
***********************************
I've learned that the people you care most about in life are taken from you too soon and
all the less important ones just never go away.
And the real pains in the ass are permanent.
Los Angeles, please, haven't they stolen enough franchises?
Dodgers from NY
Lakers from Minneapolis
Clippers from San Diego
Rams from Cleveland
Raiders from Oakland
Take your beach balls to the beach.
The Rams would more likely move back to LA with the current owners, which I think they might do after the 2013 season (I think thats when they can break the lease because the Dome isn't one of the top 8 facilities in the NFL).
Oh Janie, the Cardinals came down from Chicago.
This message has been edited by BaconGrease on Oct 12, 2009 4:47 PM
![[linked image]](http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a313/Mawahka/laughter9.gif)
