Palmer makes case for new-look Bengals
Carson Palmer(notes) has one of football's most potent arms, but his powers of persuasion might be even stronger. When the Cincinnati Bengals' ultra-convincing quarterback gets that tone of abject certainty in his voice, it's extremely difficult not to buy in, no matter how illogical his statements might sound.
This was a lesson I learned three years ago, when Palmer, attempting to return from a horrific knee injury after a mere eight months, looked me in the eye and insisted he'd be fully functional. Sure enough, Palmer started the season opener, and each of the 15 games that followed, and ended his comeback campaign as the Pro Bowl MVP.
Palmer only played once more last year after the loss to the Giants.
(Rich Kane/US Presswire)
Now, coming off another injury that some doctors feared could be career-threatening, Palmer is predicting big things again – not just for himself, but for his team. Given that the Bengals, who went 4-11-1 in '08, have had just one winning season since 1990, he's well aware that the natural reaction to such a proclamation lies somewhere between an eye roll and outright laughter.
Clearly, he's not letting that stop him.
"We're gonna be really good, I guarantee it," Palmer said during a recent phone conversation. There was a long silence before he continued:
"We've got a great thing going this offseason. We've got such a good locker room. There's so much more competitiveness this year. I really think we're gonna surprise people.
"They'll be saying, 'Wow, the Bengals are 6-0 … Wow, the Bengals are 10-2. Where did this come from?' We're set up perfectly. We're kind of under the radar. We have no prime-time games. There's absolutely no hype. And for a young team trying to find itself, that's perfect."
Wait, did Carson Palmer just become the first person on earth to climb aboard the 2009 Bengal bandwagon?
I believe he did, and weirdly enough, I'm not ruling out the possibility of joining him.
That's because he swears he's fully recovered from the frayed elbow ligament in his throwing arm that limited him to four games in 2008. Going against the advice of numerous doctors who recommended Tommy John surgery, or ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, Palmer instead let nature do the job and has been wildly pleased with the results.
Palmer injured the elbow in the Bengals' Week 3 loss to the Giants when a blitzing defensive back pulled his wrist back as he was throwing a pass. The following week, when Palmer tried to practice, the velocity and accuracy of his throws had appreciably declined. He sat out two of the next three games and remained in New York following Cincy's Oct. 12 defeat to the Jets to consult with one of the New York Mets' team physicians.
Expecting to be told to rest the arm for two weeks, Palmer was stunned to hear, "You're going to need surgery." The physician pulled out an MRI that showed a tear in his ulnar collateral ligament and told the quarterback he could clear his schedule and operate first thing the next morning.
Recalls Palmer: "I said, 'What? Slow down!' I literally had to say, 'Time out' and call my wife and agent."
Palmer visited four other doctors, each of whom concurred that reconstructive surgery was the best option. Finally, Dr. Arthur Rettig, one of the Colts' team physicians, agreed with an earlier diagnosis by the Bengals' team orthopedist, Dr. Angelo Colosimo, that rest would heal the injury.
According to Palmer, surgery "was the best decision I never made. My arm's 100 percent. I've been throwing and working out and there are no limitations. Allowing the ligament to heal on its own was a great thing. It proved a lot of people wrong."
If what he says is true – if Palmer can once again throw like Palmer can throw – Cincinnati can dare to dream.
Will the promise Marvin Lewis' team showed in 2005, when the Bengals went 11-5 to win the AFC North and hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers in a wild-card playoff game, only to lose Palmer to a blown-out knee on their second play from scrimmage, finally be fulfilled? After three frustrating seasons marred by off-the-field issues and internal drama – most notably the conspicuous attempts by star receiver Chad Ochocinco (yes, that's his real name now) to force a trade – Palmer is finally convinced that he's got the guys to do it.
Never mind that many of them are guys you haven't heard of; to Palmer, that just makes the whole situation even cooler.
Ask Palmer about the departure of leading receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh(notes), who signed a free-agent deal with the Seattle Seahawks, and he raves about the work ethic of Houshmandzadeh's replacement, former New York Jets starter Laveranues Coles(notes).
Solicit his opinion about Ochocinco, the tempestuous wideout formerly known as Johnson who has stayed away from the team's voluntary offseason workouts for the second consecutive year, and the quarterback not known as Nueve can barely conceal his disdain.
"To be honest with you, I have no clue what's going on with Chad," Palmer says. "There are a lot of guys who want to take his position, I'll tell you that. Chad's got more skins on the wall and is obviously still an unbelievable talent. But these guys aren't scared. They want his spot, and they're going to compete every day of the offseason.
"We've got guys who want [Ochocinco and Houshmandzadeh's] jobs so bad, it's crazy. They'll do anything. Guys like Andre Caldwell(notes), who's a hungry young receiver, and Jerome Simpson(notes), a second-year guy from Coastal Carolina. They're ready to do whatever I ask them, and whatever coach asks of them. The team chemistry overall is awesome."
Palmer concedes that this isn't the most talented team the Bengals have had since he arrived as the first overall pick in the 2003 draft. Talent, he says, is overrated.
"We've had a very talented team, but we struggled," Palmer says, presumably speaking of the 2006 group that slipped to 8-8 after the playoff season or the '07 squad that went 7-9. "We had a bunch of individuals on our roster, and we never came together.
"I'm convinced it's not about talent; it's guys that understand what their role is, and guys who'll compete week in and week out and who love being here. You can't say that Indy's Super Bowl team [from the '06 season] had more talent than anybody. They were a unit; they were a team."
Quietly, Palmer has noticed the way some of his less-heralded teammates have grown into leaders. "I see guys like [guard] Andrew Whitworth(notes), [safety] Chris Crocker(notes), [cornerback] Leon Hall(notes) and so many others who are realizing that now is the time," he says. "Guys aren't afraid to put their necks on the line if someone's not doing something right."
Palmer, too, has been more vocal about holding his peers to a higher standard of commitment. Put it this way: If the Bengals end up doing what he thinks they will in '09 and beyond, their theme song should be the Beatles' "Revolution No. 9."
"You feel it," Palmer said toward the end of our conversation. "You feel the opportunity. This is a different group. Trust me."
It's impossible to see an eye roll over the phone, but Palmer definitely sensed my skepticism.
"Mike," he said, "we're gonna be good."
Against my better judgment, perhaps even involuntarily, I started nodding my head in agreement.
TAKE IT TO THE ATM
It'll be Ladies Night at Pimlico on Saturday after Rachel Alexandra romps in the Preakness. … Even when hit over the head with overwhelming evidence of lack of institutional control, the NCAA will hand down a relatively light penalty to USC because it's just plain bad for business. … By the time Cincinnati Bengals rookie Andre Smith(notes) gets his representation situation in order, he'll be taking advice from this Highgate homeowner.
LIES, LIES, LIES
1. In the wake of his hissy fit toward former Florida players who dare to say anything negative about his program, Gators coach Urban Meyer went home and exploded at his wife, Shelley, for telling him his tie was crooked.
2. After getting a serious case of the giggles while reporting on the one-year prison sentence of former NBA player Corie Blount, "SportsCenter" anchor Chris McKendry took a leave of absence from ESPN to go on tour with these guys.
3. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban will escalate his ongoing feud with Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin by getting a tattoo of Martin's mother's lips on his neck.
OXYGEN-DEPRIVED THOUGHT FROM ABOVE
When I ranked the Indianapolis Colts 16th in my pre-draft edition of 32 Questions, many of the team's loyalists reacted as though I'd just rated the Indy 500 a middle-of-the-pack auto race. The typical reaction was, in so many words, "How dare you?" Well, here's how: The Colts, in the wake of Tony Dungy's departure, are undergoing a period of tumultuous change. Dungy's successor, Jim Caldwell, ran off defensive coordinator Ron Meeks and special teams coordinator Russ Purnell shortly after taking charge. Now comes Thursday's confirmation that two longtime assistants, offensive coordinator Tom Moore and offensive line coach Howard Mudd, have filed their retirement papers because of their concerns about the new policy allowing teams to opt out of the NFL's pension plan. I know Peyton Manning(notes) is Peyton Manning, and I know the Colts have plenty of talent. But I also believe that, after a shaky start in '08, Dungy's cool, steady leadership was the primary force that kept things together – and that without it the situation could've turned very ugly. Throw in the fact that my final impression of the '08 Colts was not a very positive one, and you should be able to understand why I'm a bit dubious. And, as always, if it turns out the Colts prove me wrong, feel free to inform me that I know absolutely nothing about football. Thank you.
LET'S DO SOME GRENADINE SHOTS FOR …
My favorite farm-division little league team, the Padres, who continued their impressive season last Saturday by pulling off a dramatic, last-inning rally to stun a previously undefeated opponent, shelling the pitching machine for five clutch runs. Congratulations to coaches David and Brendan and little sluggers Antonio, Ben, Cody, Cole, Conor, Ian, Joey, Robbie, Sean, Taehyuan and Zachary.
THIS WEEK'S PROOF THAT CAL IS THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE
The postseason has arrived for the Cal softball team, which begins its 24th consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament in the usual manner – on the road, with a dubious draw, and totally unfazed by circumstances. The 14th-ranked Bears, who failed to secure one of the tourney's 16 seeds, face Mississippi State at 2 p.m. PT Friday in a double-elimination regional that also includes host (and 16th national seed) Florida State and Oklahoma State. Logic would suggest that the fast, fresh-faced Bears, led by All-Pac-10 sophomore outfielder/pitcher Val Arioto, are a year away from legitimate national title contention, but don't put anything past Diane Ninemire's crew come tournament time. (For updates on other Cal teams with championship aspirations – and a rant on the inane Director's Cup – check out the latest edition of Pure Silver on Rivals.com's Cal page. And if you're curious as to who the world's greatest university's top graduating senior is, and what her values are, I bring you Emma Shaw Crane.
YAHOO! SEARCH WORDS OF THE WEEK
ROLLIN' WITH THE ROYALS
OK, so that was pretty much a disaster. A promotion drive that showed so much promise in November and December, when the Reading Football Club had eight victories, three draws and a single defeat over a 12-game stretch, completed its crash-and-burn at Madejski Stadium Tuesday. The Royals suffered a 2-0 defeat to Burnley and were eliminated from the Football League Championship's four-team playoff for the third and final berth in the English Premier League. Adding to the nightmare, Steve Coppell, arguably the club's finest manager in its 138-year history, announced hours after the game that he was resigning after 5½ seasons at the helm. Other than that, it was a fantastic day for Reading, which blew yet another opportunity to return to the upper echelon of the sport and gave me a second consecutive season of disappointment as my adoptive English football side. Keep in mind that the Royals failed to win any of their final nine home games (they lost six and tied three), including a regular-season-ending May 3 clash against Birmingham City with second place and automatic promotion on the line.
In the home-and-home playoff semifinal against Burnsley, the Royals went on the road and lost Saturday's opener 1-0 on a late penalty kick by Graham Alexander after Andre Bikey was called for pulling the shirt of striker Steven Thompson at the edge of the box. Reading needed to secure at least a one-goal advantage in Tuesday's second leg at Madejski to keep its promotion hopes alive, and the Royals were the better side in a spirited first half. But Burnley scored a pair of deft goals in the first 13 minutes after intermission, on a 25-yard blast by wing Martin Paterson and a dipping left-footed volley by Thompson off a free kick, and ugliness ensued. I'm hoping that a palpable replacement for Coppell can be found.
"Steve no doubt is the most successful manager Reading have ever enjoyed," the club's chairman, Sir John Madejski, told Reading's website. "His time here has been remarkable, and it's so disappointing that sadly we couldn't make the Premiership when we had it in our grasp. … We'll be looking for a manager to take us on to the promised land." Said the ever-eloquent Coppell in his farewell press conference Thursday morning: "It's time for a fresh manager to come in, reappraise and give a new lick of paint to the place." I'll leave you with a final quote from colleague Martin Rogers, who helped get me into this mess during my trip to London in October 2007: "Welcome to life as a fan of a [expletive] club, I've had 25 years of it with Leicester …" And I, of course, have had a lifetime without a Rose Bowl. …
LYRIC-ALTERED SONG DEDICATION OF THE WEEK
Last year, after Bill Parcells arrived in Miami to run the Dolphins and star pass rusher Jason Taylor(notes) danced off to Hollywood to perform in a high-profile reality show, I turned to the Boss for inspiration about how to repair their frayed relationship. Now, less than 10 months after trading Taylor to the Redskins, Parcells is welcoming back the 34-year-old defensive end with open arms, albeit at a sweet discount. Like me, I'm sure you're touched that Tuna and JT have been "Reunited". In that spirit, I present you with the Dino Fekaris/Freddie Perren composition that topped the charts in 1978, starring Parcells and Taylor. (I'll let you figure out which one's Peaches and who's Herb.)
[JT:]
I was a fool to ever leave your side,
Me minus you is such a lonely ride
The Dolphins were bad and it was making me sad
Then you shipped me to D.C. and you picked up Chad
Hey, hey
[Tuna:]
I still watch all your Tango videos
Regret the moment that I let you go
Our quarrel was such a way of learnin' so much,
We're a pair like Tubbs and Crockett, Starsky and Hutch
Hey hey
[Both:]
Reunited and it feels so good
Reunited 'cause we understood
There's one perfect fit,
Like smokers who just can't quit
We both are so excited 'cause we're reunited
Hey, hey
[Tuna:]
Didn't acknowledge you in the film room
Then you reacted like a jilted groom
I was immature, didn't think your heart was pure
It took me a whole season to grasp your allure
Hey, hey
[JT:]
I told Dan Snyder, 'Mister, I can't stay'
I gave up millions for 25 days
I'll do OTAs only in the MIA
It's a good thing I'm married or they'd call us gay,
Hey, hey
[Both:]
Reunited and it feels so good
Reunited 'cause we understood
There's one perfect fit,
Like smokers who just can't quit
We both are so excited 'cause we're reunited
Hey, hey
[JT:] Yeah, yeah, yeah
[Tuna:] Ba-a-a-by
[JT:] Tuna, Tuna, you're a brainy dude
[Tuna:] I really love your fresh new attitude
[JT:] All through the spring,
[Tuna:] And all through the fall,
[Both:] Go gaga for the Dolphins cause
We're gonna ball
Hey, hey
Reunited and it feels so good
Reunited 'cause we understood
There's one perfect fit,
Like smokers who just can't quit
We both are so excited 'cause we're reunited …
