The additional people tuned in basically to see what Rush was gonna say. No one denies that. No one besides you, however, asserts that they were seeking football advice from Rush. Let's be realistic here: do you think Parcells is a better source of football knowledge than Rush?
Of course, you'd be an idiot if you assumed otherwise.
So how do you maintain that they're watching for his added knowledge about football? The only reason they hired him -- and the only reason why ratings went up -- is because the moron was bound to say something fucking stupid. And he did. And he's gone.
Who cares?