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.

Flashing

With the news yesterday that the NFL is planning on cracking down on players who show 'gang signs' during games, I think the Big Brother nature of professional sports has hit a new low. How exactly is the league going to determine what a particular hand gesture means? Will they use some sort of a chart to compare known signs and a guy's on-field actions?

The NFL is citing Paul Pierce's alleged gang sign throwing during the Celtics' first round playoff series against the Hawks as the reason for this new crusade against individuality. I don't know if this is really a gang sign or what, but even if it is, who does this hurt? How many people knew it might be gang related until the league told everyone it was?

Currently the NFL prohibits celebrations with teammates after touchdowns, wearing different socks than are league-sanctioned and now is forbidding the use of 'questionable' hand signals. Dennis Northcutt was quoted as saying that the thing Paul Pierce was doing could be a gang sign but it also might be a coach's signal for a different personnel group that needs to be in the game based on formation, play, whatever. That's a great point. How will the league distinguish? Will they ask every team for a detailed explanation of individual hand signals? Isn't it possible too that teams use dummy signals so that cheaters like the Patriots have a harder time breaking the code? And how does the league know a guy isn't giving a tribute to his kids? Or for his fraternity?

Is this a gang sign? Is this? Is this?

This seems like another ridiculous reactionary step by the NFL front office to completely curtail any uniqueness a player might try to exhibit. There are so few outlets for doing that now, especially since the league will even fine you for honoring a fallen teammate for longer than the league sees fit. I realize that gangs can be a real problem in a lot of places and I don't want to play that down, but is the NFL really a breeding ground for the recruitment or celebration of gangs?

Favre - Enough Already

It's not like we didn't see this coming. It's just amazing that Brett Favre can recapture the sports (and otherwise) news cycle with the briefest of comments on his intentions. I don't really want to know what itch Brett has, but I kind of like the idea given by Erik Kuselias (even though I usually find him to be a moron) on Mike and Mike yesterday wondering how annoying Favre must be at home be for his family to be pushing him back to football.

But really, come on Brett, we don't need this faux-drama again this offseason. I just don't want to be hearing news about the NFL at this point in the year. And I definitely don't want you to become another Michael Jordan, Jerry Rice or any other player who came back for just a little too long. Last year was the swan song. I understand in previous years you didn't want to leave with the Packers being so awful. But last year you were great, the team was great and an even better story. Yeah, you lost the NFC Championship game. So what? Everyone will remember how great the 2008 season was. But if you come back, people will remember you when the team isn't as good. How can it be as good as last year? It was a complete surprise, which won't happen again. Guys played out of their minds last year, which won't happen again this year. The other teams in the division weren't all that great, which won't happen again this year.

You retired at the right time. Your number is going to be hanging with Bart Starr, Ray Nitschke, and Reggie White. Leave it at that. Stop holding the mainstream media hostage with your on-again-off-again statements.

Return of the Rizz

Despite my best efforts to render the situation otherwise, I, the humble Rizz, am wholeheartedly alive. Since we last corresponded, I've done some questionable things:

• Got my first tattoo(s)
• Tried to bluff this guy out of a $350 pot
• Slept for 20 of the 24 hours between midnight Tuesday and midnight Wednesday

Clearly, the utterly summer-inspired giddiness that can only be understood by teachers has taken hold; and I, my friends, am simply holding on for the ride.

All this being said, I continue to be a rabid sports fan. I do not currently have a TV in my house--but I live in New Orleans, a glorious place in which I can walk two blocks to a bar--at 11AM!!!--to simultaneously watch 2 Euro 2008 games and the US Open.

Because I have so many thoughts swarming, here's a synopsis of my recent opinions:

1. While points 5-2 proved shaky, I'm pretty happy with my assertion that everyone would be ready to hand the Lakers the NBA title were they to be matched up with the Celtics. Boston proved its gravitas, winning the first two games at home and putting LA in a fairly big hole.
   

Despite being happy that the Celtics won, I was left with mixed feelings after the Finals:

• Kevin Garnett, after putting up an MVP-caliber regular season, disappeared in Game 5. How can a superstar miss two clutch free throws and expect not to be crucified? Were it not for superhero Paul Pierce (and, in certain instances, Jesus Shuttlesworth), the Celts were toast.
• As much as I hated the Kobe-Shaq Lakers... I can now see how they might have been endearing to some people. This Laker team, on the other hand, simply came off as soulless and selfish. Phil Jackson is hard to like, with his brooding intellectual elitism; Lamar Odom underachieves so much that you can't really root for him; and Kobe, despite his eye-popping abilities, spends more time bitching and moaning than he does smiling and embracing fans.
• One would think that an LA-Boston match-up would represent the perfect end to such an NBA season. Why, then, did the Finals leave me feeling so... unfulfilled?

2. Watch this. Watch this. Look at her. Now... look at me--with a straight face--and tell me that Tiger Woods is not the single greatest athlete in the history of sports. Period.

3. Kudos to ESPN and its family of networks for airing each contest of the European Championships. Nothing in the world of sport--nothing--brings about the kind of passion that accompanies world-class soccer on an international stage. For those who consider soccer a dull sport... watch the final 15 minutes of the Turkey-Czech Republic game. Who comes from 2 goals down to win a game in the final moments? I mean... the Italians have built their name on going up 1-0 and sitting behind the ball, playing mindnumbingly boring defense. Of all the major sports, soccer's leads are easiest to hold... which makes the Turkish comeback all the more amazing. Who cares if they're pseudo-European and pseudo-Asian? Viva la Turks!

4. Take away the miracle catch that led to the most BS Super Bowl title ever, and Boston would hold title trophies for all 3 major sports.

5. Chipper Jones, one of my favorite baseball players ever, will not hit .400 this year.

6. College football is going to be sick this year. UGA looks loaded, but they have to play at Arizona State (out of conference), at LSU, and against Florida in the WLOCP. The Gators, with Mr. Stud coming back at QB, have to play Hawaii, Miami, and at Florida State, not to mention UGA and LSU. The Tigers have a QB dilemma, as Ryan Perilloux screwed up a dream situation. Per usual, the SEC should have 3 or 4 teams in the national top 10. And again, it looks like a 1-loss season in that conference should be enough for a BCS berth.


Last of all...

Haner Jesus: Poker, Baseball, Basketball, Bowling, or Church?

Wonderlic Scores

There are those who say the Wonderlic Test doesn't matter or doesn't test for anything that counts in football. That may be. But check out the disparities in some of these scores and tell me you don't think the score tells you at least something:

Jerome Felton - Furman FB - 41
Chris Long - Virginia DE - 45
Brian Brohm - Louisville QB - 45
Gosder Cherilus - Boston College OT - 50

Keith Rivers - Southern Cal LB - 16
Ali Highsmith - LSU LB - 13
Kenny Phillips - Miami S - 16
Ryan Clady - Boise State OT - 13

Tell me who you really want on your team.

In an NFL Draft Related Note...

Go Furman!

THE NFL DRAFT IS OVER

Words cannot describe how glad I am that I did not spend one minute watching the most boring telecast on earth.

The only bad part about the draft being over is that there will immediately be 2009 NFL draft projections unleashed on the internet. Does it ever end?