Palmer returns the favor

[Stripes]

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art...120395/1066/SPT

Carson Palmer tried to reach Chiefs quarterback Trent Green by phone Monday.

Palmer remembers how Green called him unexpectedly in January and offered support after Palmer underwent reconstructive knee surgery. Green had suffered a similar injury in 1999.

Green was knocked out during the Bengals-Chiefs game Sunday on a hard hit by Bengals defensive end Robert Geathers.

Green remained hospitalized in Kansas City and was expected to stay there overnight before going home today, Chiefs president Carl Peterson said Monday. Green has no apparent problems with his limbs and is not expected to play Sunday.

"Everything I've heard is good," Palmer said of Green's condition. "I heard he regained consciousness in the locker room and he's going to be OK."

Palmer said Lewis talked Monday to Chiefs coach Herm Edwards on the phone and that Edwards said the team is expecting Green to be able to play in a few weeks.

Palmer defended Geathers' role in the hit. Geathers turned his shoulder to avoid hitting Green with his helmet as they both fell to the ground on the play.

"Media-wise there has been a lot of blame on Robert, but football is a vicious, dangerous sport," Palmer said. "And knowing Robert, he's not a guy who likes to take cheap shots or really ever does take cheap shots.

"He was going after (the play), trying to make a tackle. He got kind of hit low, almost like he fell into him. And when you're 280 pounds and you're falling into a quarterback, something bad is going to happen and something bad did happen.

"There is nothing you can do in that situation, and hopefully Trent will be all right."

The Chiefs are upset with the hit, which did not draw a penalty flag.

"In my opinion, I think it was a late hit. I think it was obviously a very vicious hit," Peterson said at a news conference, "one that unfortunately Trent Green and the Kansas City Chiefs are paying a price for."

Peterson said he had reviewed film of the play Monday with league officials.

Palmer, for his part, said former Steelers defensive Kimo von Oelhoffen did not take a cheap shot at him in the playoff game. Palmer exonerated von Oelhoffen.

I hate to see the media make these pointless connections to the Kimo hit, but otherwise I thought it was a good read.

[DC_Bengals_Fan]

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art...120395/1066/SPT

Carson Palmer tried to reach Chiefs quarterback Trent Green by phone Monday.

Palmer remembers how Green called him unexpectedly in January and offered support after Palmer underwent reconstructive knee surgery. Green had suffered a similar injury in 1999.

Green was knocked out during the Bengals-Chiefs game Sunday on a hard hit by Bengals defensive end Robert Geathers.

Green remained hospitalized in Kansas City and was expected to stay there overnight before going home today, Chiefs president Carl Peterson said Monday. Green has no apparent problems with his limbs and is not expected to play Sunday.

"Everything I've heard is good," Palmer said of Green's condition. "I heard he regained consciousness in the locker room and he's going to be OK."

Palmer said Lewis talked Monday to Chiefs coach Herm Edwards on the phone and that Edwards said the team is expecting Green to be able to play in a few weeks.

Palmer defended Geathers' role in the hit. Geathers turned his shoulder to avoid hitting Green with his helmet as they both fell to the ground on the play.

"Media-wise there has been a lot of blame on Robert, but football is a vicious, dangerous sport," Palmer said. "And knowing Robert, he's not a guy who likes to take cheap shots or really ever does take cheap shots.

"He was going after (the play), trying to make a tackle. He got kind of hit low, almost like he fell into him. And when you're 280 pounds and you're falling into a quarterback, something bad is going to happen and something bad did happen.

"There is nothing you can do in that situation, and hopefully Trent will be all right."

The Chiefs are upset with the hit, which did not draw a penalty flag.

"In my opinion, I think it was a late hit. I think it was obviously a very vicious hit," Peterson said at a news conference, "one that unfortunately Trent Green and the Kansas City Chiefs are paying a price for."

Peterson said he had reviewed film of the play Monday with league officials.

Palmer, for his part, said former Steelers defensive Kimo von Oelhoffen did not take a cheap shot at him in the playoff game. Palmer exonerated von Oelhoffen.

I hate to see the media make these pointless connections to the Kimo hit, but otherwise I thought it was a good read.

There was kind of a point here. Palmer is defending Geathers as not being a cheap shot guy. Palmer's credibility would, in the minds of some, be at question if he called the Kimo hit a cheap shot. So that's relevant, because it shows that Carson's not just sticking up for his guy.

[Edogger]

This is very good PR for Carson and the Bengals.

I wish he would have left out his opinion or toned it down a bit, I think that was uncalled for and very unprofessional the way he just blurted it out at the end of the article.

But that is my opinion...

[aaronburr]

This is very good PR for Carson and the Bengals.

I wish he would have left out his opinion or toned it down a bit, I think that was uncalled for and very unprofessional the way he just blurted it out at the end of the article.

But that is my opinion...

In this context, I think it's fair to bring up the Kimo hit.

And I strongly disagree that the article was written unprofessionally. A good journalist will cover all his bases and put them in order of importance for a Cincinnati-area reader: (a) Carson's support of Green, ( b ) Green's current condition, ( c ) Carson's support for Geathers, and (d) the clarifying context (no penalty, reviewed by league, how Carson responded in a similar situation). You always put the least important stuff last.

An unprofessional journalist would open the story by saying that Carson defends his teammate, even though Green was such a nice guy who offered him support when he was down. An unprofessional article wouldn't mention his generous assessment of Kimo's hit and would have ended with "Palmer claims to have tried to call Green at the hospital". Maybe even alluding to the fact that Green was phyically unable to take phone calls.

Given the alternative possibilities, I don't see how you could say that the writer's opinion is even noticable.