What? No Way. . .

Apparently, Roger Goodell doesn't like the idea of Rush Limbaugh owning an NFL franchise either:

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/10/13/goodell-limbaug/

The story links to a NY Times article, but regardless, this should come as no surprise.  Nor was it surprising when Rush got canned from ESPN.  Here's a brief factoid for you - a lot of NFL players are African American.  Now, is Rush a racist?  To be honest, I don't know.  I do know that he has said a fair number of things that lead me to believe he is.  And he is comfortable with racist humor.  But you never really know about these things one way or another. 

But, and I think this is important, Rush is perceived by players in the NFL (and other sports) as racist.  That's why ESPN canned him - it depends on the cooperation and participation of African American athletes.  Having Rush was too big of a risk.  So too is having Rush as an owner.  I could very well see a rookie refusing to go to the Rams because of Rush's ownership.  Forget about free agent signings.  No, having Rush as an owner would have been a disaster.

On a slightly different note, here is what I think the Pads should do in preparation for next year:

1) Trade Kouzmanoff - His defense is okay (what balls he gets to, he catches), but his batting average is low - .250ish - his OBP is only around 300, and he leads the league in double plays.  He does have some power, which should improve outside of Petco.  Meanwhile, Headley is about the same defensively, has a little bit less power (he hits doubles, not home runs), and hits for a higher average and OBP.    Plus, Headley hits better when he plays third and doesn't have to worry about playing the outfield (where he's not good).

2) Trade Heath Bell - Okay, I like Bell, and I think he's a top closer.  At the same time, he's older (around 30), and makes a decent amount of money.  I think Gregerson could be an effective closer, at a tenth the price.  Plus, Bell's value is probably as high as its going to get right now.  Considering that the Cardinals, Rockies, and Red Sox all had their closers blow saves in the playoffs, I think we could get a lot for him.

3) Keep Gonzo - Adrian is the face of the franchise, a local boy, and a hell of a player.  Yes, his value is high, but keeping him for at least another year (Adrian's contract runs through 2011) is a good call.  At the same time, if someone offers the moon. . .

With these manuevers, the Pads have an infield of Gonzo, Eckstein, Cabrera, and Headley, an outfield of Veneble, Gywnn, Blanks, with Hundley behind the plate.  That's a pretty good lineup, and its cheap.