Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Speaking of Carson Palmer...


After making 'inflammatory' remarks about Ohio State fans the other day on an LA radio show, Palmer is now backing off saying he actually respects Buckeye fans and only said what he did in the spirit of a good rivalry.

Really? What rivalry? When do USC and Ohio State ever play these days? The last time they played each other in the Rose Bowl was 1985. I can't remember the last time they played in the regular season, but it was long before Carson Palmer was playing at SC.

I hate when athletes (though this applies to coaches, politicians, etc) make a statement and then the next day retract it as if that will make it go away. If Ohioans are actually offended by Palmer's comments, a next-day retraction is not going to make them forget.

What's really sad here is that what he said wasn't actually anything bad at all. All Palmer said was that he can't stand Ohio State fans and that he can't wait to beat them down in Columbus next season. Is there anyone out there that isn't also really annoyed by how ridiculous, pathetic and overwhelmingly loud Ohio State fans are? They're the worst. So his saying this should come as no surprise.

Palmer's only real problem here is that he's got no guts. He was tough enough to say it on an LA radio show but too dumb to realize that he plays professionally for a team in Ohio. He should stand by his comments, and if he needs a crutch, just say that his alma mater matters more to him than his professional allegiances. People can relate to that, especially in Ohio. But don't say nevermind and that you actually respect Ohio State. If you did, you never would've gone after them in the first place. It's ok for people in the public sphere to have opinions. They don't all have to be total blanks like Michael Jordan. But if you actually have one, don't be afraid to stand behind it.

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