RUSH: Jeff in Zanesville, Ohio. Great to have you. Open Line Friday. Welcome.
CALLER: How are you, sir?
RUSH: Very good.
CALLER: Excellent. Hey, what’s your take on the NFL, the players union, and the debacle that continually persists?
RUSH: Which debacle? You mean the ongoing disagreement over collective bargaining agreement?
CALLER: Well, not only that, but the 18-game schedule and the like.
RUSH: I think I’m all for the 18-game schedule.
CALLER: Why do you think the players are against it?
RUSH: Well, the dirty little secret is it’s a done deal, it’s going to happen. The 18-game schedule is already in the current Collective Bargaining Agreement. It’s already in there. Now, the CBA currently expires on March 1st, but they’ve already agreed to it, it’s already in. The provision to go to 18 games in the regular schedule is already there. And it’s going to happen. The dirty little secret here, Jeff — you know, I am a powerful, influential member of the media. I know countless big people in the NFL. It’s been a fait accompli for three years now. Don’t doubt me. All this is just PR hype being drummed up here right now. You take a look here, the Oakland Raiders are going to have their ninth straight blackout, Tampa Bay is going to be blacked out, couple other teams, the Chargers are gonna be blacked out. The economy is taking its toll at stadiums in the NFL, taking its toll at NFL properties. Eighteen games? Damn right it’s going to happen.
CALLER: Well, I just wish that the NFL players would be like a Jack Lambert, you know, I just wish they would be —
RUSH: Well, I know —
CALLER: — complete onslaught from the early seventies football like Jack —
RUSH: Look, chickification’s happened in the NFL and throughout the rest of society. There aren’t any Jack Lamberts. Maybe Ray Lewis, James Harrison of the Steelers, [Curt] Farrier. But there aren’t that many. I wish I had more time here, but I really don’t.