Carson Palmer: OSU vs USC

Okay, I admit that I am not a Bengals fan but I do follow them because they are an OHIO team.

I also find myself rooting for their quarterback, Carson Palmer. I applaud the way Carson Palmer handles himself on and off the field. He was the one player on the team that was going to make the news because of a good deed, not like many of his teammates and their off the field antics.

He's a good guy.

He is a good guy who really put his foot in his mouth this week. While on a local station in the LA area, Carson (a USC graduate) thought it would be beneficial to talk trash about The Ohio State football team. Not only talk trash, but I believe their was truly hatred in his words and voice. Okay, freedom of speech, he can say what he wants, he is an adult...blah, blah, blah...

But he plays football in the State of OHIO. Ohio: where Ohio State football is probably more followed than both the Bengals and the Browns. Really. No joke.

I really didn't think much about the story when I first heard it except that I did wonder what that would do to his credibility when he says he loves playing in Ohio. Yep, he can have an opinion, like I have concerning this story, but I think Carson really needed to realize that his audience was going to be "Joe College fan" that has access to the Internet, and the story would hit Columbus.

The reaction here has been from "who cares?" to a local radio guy burning his kids "Build-A-Bear" dressed in a Bengals uniform and named Palmer.

I think I am just disappointed. Carson Palmer doesn't need to be drinking the "Ohio State Kool-aid" but I just would expect him to remember that a significant amount of his fan base are OSU fans first.

Of course Carson came out today with a statement apologizing for his words but defended his "rant" as supporting his team. I agree that he was supporting his team but when you make your money by playing for a team in Ohio, it is bound to bite ya...

I'm still rooting for you Carson...hang in there!