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Rush Limbaugh’s intent to purchase an ownership share in the St Louis Rams has ignited a storm of controversy. Much of the kerfuffle pertains to comments Limbaugh made in 2003 concerning Donovan McNabb and the media’s desire that “a black quarterback do well”. The play of African American quarterbacks is the proverbial elephant in the room and, generally, not discussed. The manner in which Limbaugh approached the topic was, however, bizarre. Donovan McNabb is an extraordinary player, ranking with Steve McNair, Warren Moon and Randall Cunningham as one of the greatest ever black QB’s. America is uncomfortable with the topic of race and the subject must be broached with sensitivity and caution.

Let’s look at some history and put the issue in context.

The most influential player in the history of the NFL was New York Giant linebacker Lawrence Taylor. The blitzing dynamo represented an unprecedented, virtually unstoppable force upon his debut in 1981. Opposing quarterbacks came to dread and fear a game against the Giants. One of the greatest minds in the history of football, Bill Walsh, was developing his San Francisco 49ers into a great team and saw Lawrence Taylor as an impediment to his success. It was Walsh who developed an idea that would revolutionize football. He realized a large, physically agile and gifted left tackle would be needed to deal with Taylor and the inevitable wave of imitators. Taylor could not be handled by fullbacks or tight ends; his presence required a complete re-thinking of the manner in which quarterbacks were protected.

As the 1980’s began linemen were, well, linemen, interchangeable and disposable. No record was kept of quarterback sacks or pressures. That the most critical aspect of football is the time the quarterback has in the pocket was only vaguely understood.

After Taylor cut a swath through the league the position of left tackle, the man who protects the QB’s blind side, became the second most important and lucrative role on the field.

A second consequence of the marauding Taylor and his imitators was a need for mobile, “athletic” quarterbacks. Long prevented from playing behind centre, suddenly a new age developed where African Americans were, because of their perceived agility and fluidity, coveted, while the traditional “white” drop back passer was devalued. These perceptions, clearly, can be both inaccurate and stereotypical. The upshot, however, was it became fashionable to draft virtually any African American QB a team could find.  NFL history is littered with these “waves” where a particular type becomes all the rage. The result is many people receiving starting time that, from a more comprehensive and rational analysis, did not deserve to be in the league. They were the flavour of the moment.

Limbaugh’s comments were made at a time when teams were almost indiscriminately taking any QB they perceived as fitting the new mold. Not enough time was spent evaluating whether the young man could make a series of complex reads in the 2.5 seconds preferred by the scions of the modern game. There were some notable busts. Some wasted picks. For Limbaugh to use the changing sensibility of the time to skewer McNabb was wholly ludicrous and oblivious to the paradigm shift that was transforming the League.

In my mind adjustments have been made and the NFL, circa 2009, no longer makes the simplistic jump from “athletic” to “African American”. Nor are they sharply defining the requirements of the new game (where everyone, let’s face it, is playing a version of the West Coast offense) as accessible to only those with a profile similar to Michael Vick. Instead we see a player like Mark Sanchez use his courage and phenomenally quick release to stifle the pressure of oncoming marauders. Colour should never have been an issue. When I crap over Tony Romo’s inability to perform a secondary read I don’t turn around and condemn all white quarterbacks. When I write it is time to pull the plug on JaMarcus Russell it is not because he is black. These are comments made after evaluating the play of the person. It is a reflection on the individual and not an indictment of his race.

Rush Limbaugh saw a changing game where new, inordinate demands were being placed on quarterbacks. The failure rate of many to adapt to the change had nothing to do with race. But Limbaugh connected an established, veteran quarterback to the unsuccessful players by virtue of their skin colour. It was a stupid comment at the time and remains so to this very day…