It took ESPN a lot less time to blow off the bloviator -- and alleged oxycontin addict -- than I expected. His statement, in which he mentions "the crew" being uncomfortable, is telling. My guess is that there was a huge outcry in Bristol, CT, the home of ESPN, that forced the issue. I would hazard a guess that management's decision to hire the jerk in the first place was a deeply unpopular move to the employees of the network.

But the normally astute Allan Barra is wrong. Or, at least, confused on this one. Limbaugh's point wasn't merely that McNabb was a mediocre QB. For all I know he was. Limbaugh's point -- in fact his only point regardless of the subject -- was that McNabb was being kept in the starter's role because the liberal agenda of the press demanded it. Of course. Everyone knows that sportswriters across the land are conspiring to force their liberal agenda on the innocent fat guys sitting on their sofas watching football all Sunday. Hogwash. As King Kaufman rightly notes.

The good news, I think, is this: Limbaugh can safely spout his bullshit all day long on the radio. His aptly named "dittoheads" eat up his bile, and no dissenting callers are allowed on. But when the creep raises his fat head above the bottom feeding talk radio universe, the civilized world (if such a term can be used to describe a football game) is immediately repulsed. What these network honchos are thinking when they hire these wingnuts, I'm not sure. But I'm glad that the audience reaction is so clear.

Then again, Rushie -- once his head clears from the narcotic haze -- could always take a few tips from his fellow Republicans and their strategy to "slime and defend." [Ed., You're awfully certain about those drug charges. Aren't they just "alleged?" Yes, but alleged by The National Enquirer, so they must be true.]

Yep, those Republicans. Class acts.

*****

We can breathe again. It was a long night, though. When the Yanks failed to score more than one run after loading the bases with no one out in the first, there was a sense of "here we go again" in the stadium. Pettite was fantastic. As was Mr. Rivera. I think he broke six bats last night with the cutter.

It's going to be an interesting weekend in the hideous Metrodome. The Yankees need a big start from Mr. Clemens.

But our friends in Boston are biting their nails off.

I will say this about the Boston/A's series. Boston is one of the finest franchises in baseball history, the first game of that series, with one of the best pitchers of the past few years facing the best pitcher of his generation. Red Sox nation is vast and rabid. So, of course, the brilliant minds running Major League Baseball schedule the game for 7 o'clock Pacific Time. The game didn't end until 2:45 AM Eastern. Red Sox fans must have felt that yet another indignity had been foisted on them. Imagine you're a Boston fan (I know that's difficult to do if you're a Yankee fan), you're trying to stay awake only to see Pedro get drubbed in the third for 3 runs. Just as you're begging to nod, Hudson's hand cramps up in the seventh; Rincon promptly gives up a 2 run homer to Walker. Now you're awake. And feeling pretty good about things. Then...the ninth...and Yum, Yum, I mean Byung Hyun Kim -- in his first post-season game since the Yankees hit ninth inning homers in back-to-back World Series games in 2001 -- goes ahead and plunks one batter and walks the next. So much for the Red Sox closer. Score tied 4-4. You're angry, now, ranting at the screen. There's the 10th, the 11th innings and your head is resting on your chest, waking up just in time to see the replays of the A's bunting in the winning run in the 12th. It must be a nightmare you think. Then you remember. No, it's the Red Sox. You're also thinking, Tod Walker reminds you of Bill Bruckner, and you howl at the cruelty of it all.