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Carson Palmer bites the big one

Apparently Carson Palmer thought the September 13 showdown in Los Angeles between Ohio State and USC needed a kick start to get the fans interested. Why else would he go on a radio station in L.A. and profess his dislike for the Buckeyes, their fans, the state of Ohio, and apparently Jim Tressel as well? Did he somehow forget that he quarterbacks a team in Ohio, even if it is from a part of the state that associates itself more with Kentucky than Columbus, or did he just not care?

Whatever the reason, and despite his attempt to mollify his comments (and he actually tried to act surprised that anyone in Ohio found out about it), Palmer has done us all a favor by providing some easy kindling to fan the flames of what is sure to be one of the most hyped and anticipated two game series in the history of college football. By the time September 13 rolls around, Palmer's recent smack talk will sound like something from the mouth of Miss Manners compared to the vitriol sure to be unleashed by the legions of USC and Buckeye supporters.

"I cannot stand the Buckeyes, and having to live in Ohio and hear those people talk about their team, it drives me absolutely nuts." - Carson Palmer

An unintended side effect of Carson's comments is that it will serve to further the gap between that tiny portion of southwest Ohio and the rest of the state (the Cincinnati area would gladly secede from the state if they could), as well as give Browns fans, especially those in central Ohio, a strong reason to unleash further fury in their rivalry with the Bengals.

About the only thing Buckeye fans will get more upset about is if Rich Rodriguez puts Jim Tressel's picture on all the tackling dummies at Michigan this year. Come to think of it, that's not such a bad idea either, since Michigan needs to do something to get back in the rivalry, and they can't do it on the field.

So thank you Carson Palmer, you've made the summer a little more interesting, and you've succeeded in getting yourself in the same line of fire as the detested head coach of Michigan. What's next, an appearance on a Cincinnati radio station reminding all Cincinnatians that they don't live in Cleveland?

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Tags: carson palmer, cincinnati bengals, cleveland browns, ohio state football