Carson Palmer wants a trade

It's being reported that Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer wants a trade. He's under contract through 2014. He says if he's not traded he will retire. Quit in your prime rather than play for the worst professional sports franchise on the planet. So, what does that say about the Cincinnati Bengals when the leader of your team wants out? Couple that with an Cincinnati Enquirer story that many season ticket holders are jumping ship, you would think owner Mike Brown would finally hear the calls for change.

But this is Mike Brown. This is guy who beat the IRS. When Chad Occocinco tried this in 2008, he got nowhere. Yes, it's different with Palmer who is the de facto leader of your team. That's the job of the quarterback. But if Brown can beat the IRS, do you really think Palmer's threat will force him to trade him? And you can't set a precedent when a player does something this or everyone on the team will do the same thing. Believe it or not, Mike Brown wants to win. You can't win if your players are thinking about leaving once they get here. So you can forget the trade idea.

I find it funny though that player in his prime with about 50 million dollars left on his contract would rather quit than play for the Cincinnati Bengals. Palmer may be upset that fans booed him this year. Carson ought to realize that this town idolizes him. With the year he just had, if he were in Philadelphia or Chicago, he would be hanged in effigy. And by the way, Bengals analyst David Lapham and former Bengal Bob Trumpy have defended Palmer by saying receivers have cut off their routes. And watching games, I heard the same thing from the color men on broadcasts. Now it's not all receivers fault. And Carson did want prima donna Terrel Owens. But the Bengals are so bad that Palmer would rather quit than put up with this mess anymore.

Maybe by demanding a trade, he's sending a message to ownership to change. Perhaps that makes Carson Palmer the greatest Bengal of all time. Are the Bengals listening? Maybe. Was that why head coach Marvin Lewis had dinner with Brad Childress? New offensive coordinator? And if things do change then Palmer has done his job. He has lead the team, hopefully out of the abyss.