Conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh has been removed from the group of possible buyers for the St. Louis Rams.

Limbaugh was initially included as a minority stake holder in a group headed by current St. Louis Blues owner David Checketts who is interested in putting in a bid for the National Football League franchise in St. Louis.

The media frenzy that ensued from the leak of Limbaugh’s involvement in the bid was no surprise. No matter what anyone may think of his often controversial politics and comments, you do have an opinion.

Players, coaches, NFL executives and even the commissioner of the league, Roger Goodell, shared their opinions regarding Limbaugh and his comments.

“Those are polarizing comments that we don’t think reflect accurately on the NFL or our players,” Goodell said. “I think divisive comments are not what the NFL is all about. I would not want to see those kind of comments from people who are in a responsible position within the NFL. No. Absolutely not.”

About one week after the initial leak, Checketts asked Limbaugh to bow out. He refused, and Checketts was forced to remove him from the bid. Rather than turning this into an issue about race or politics, this was a business decision.

However, there are a few points that need to be clarified. Limbaugh may report news on his show, but once he gives his opinion or puts his spin on it, his show no longer remains a news program. Limbaugh is an entertainer, and he is very good at what he does. He has one of the highest rated radio shows in America. His big personality and his often controversial comments promote his show very effectively.

This talent and skill should be welcomed by a league that embraces big personalities like Chad Ochocino, Terrell Owens and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

Unfortunately, some of Limbaugh’s previous comments have been said too publicly and are too offensive to ignore. Is Limbaugh a racist? I have no idea. Has he made racial and insensitive comments in the past? There is no debate that he has.

“The NFL all too often looks like a game between the Bloods and the Crips without any weapons,” Limbaugh said on his radio show in 2007.

He made other racially insensitive comments, and yes, they can be attributed to him as much as Limbaugh says they can’t. He would have been an incredible promoter for the Rams if he could keep his mouth under control. Unfortunately, it does not appear that is a possibility for him.

Limbaugh lashed out at his removal from the bid in an Op-Ed to the Wall Street Journal, as well as on his radio show.

“This is not about the NFL, it’s not about the St. Louis Rams, it’s not about me,” Limbaugh said. “This is about the ongoing effort by the left in this country, wherever you find them, in the media, the Democrat Party, or wherever, to destroy conservatism, to prevent the mainstreaming of anyone who is prominent as a conservative.”

Limbaugh is doing what he does best, creating entertaining sound bites. However, removing Limbaugh from the group of possible buyers is not about a power play by the players union, a democratic conspiracy or anything like that. It is about the NFL and those involved exercising their right to make business decisions freely. They are making these decisions because Limbaugh exercised his right to free speech.

Spinning this decision any other way makes it into something it is not. It is a business decision to exclude him because of the inappropriate statements he made about the NFL and its players. 

The Hilltop Views’ column, ‘Bench Warming,’ appears every other week in the sports section and is written by Co-Editor-In-Chief Bryce Bencivengo.