"I was going to talk to him through you," Mike Brown told reporters. "He may not know my dad coached at Ohio State and beat USC two years in a row. 33-0 and (28)-12, and if he wants to make something over that, he knows where he can find me."

Paul E. Brown, Bengals founder, coached Ohio State 1941-43. Last week, Palmer was asked in an interview with a Los Angeles radio station if he had to tread lightly in comments about Ohio State because he lives in Ohio part of the year.

"I don't watch what I say. ... I cannot stand the Buckeyes, and having to live in Ohio and hear those people talk about their team, it drives me absolutely nuts," Palmer said on the radio. "It's amazing to hear what those guys think about that university and that football program and (coach Jim) Tressel and all the crap I've got to put up with being back there."

Ohio State plays Sept. 13 at Southern Cal. The rematch is the following September in Columbus.

On the following Monday, Palmer retreated a bit from his previous comments. The Bengals public relations staff sent out this comment: "I'm a Trojan all the way, and I was talking to a Trojan audience in California. I guess I got a little fired up, as all good fans will do.

"But I really do respect the Buckeyes, and I know their fans are passionate, too. I hope they all understand I'm just looking forward to a big game for my school against a very tough opponent, and that it's all in the good fun of a rivalry. You don't have a real rivalry unless both sides are great teams."

Brown said he knew Palmer's comments were in fun and went on to praise the team's sixth-year quarterback.

-- The Bengals will have seven practices in five days, beginning Monday, before holding their annual intra-squad scrimmage Friday night, Aug. 1.

-- Wide receiver Jerome Simpson signed a four-year contract Sunday after telling his agent he would not miss a single practice. Simpson is, after all, on a mission to prove wrong all who criticized the Bengals for drafting him in the second round.

"No, no it won't," Simpson said when asked if the talk has gone away. "I'm still angry that people think they drafted me too early. I'm going out here to prove them wrong. I still have that chip on my shoulder."

The Bengals waived wide receiver Chris Henry in April, three weeks before drafting Simpson and Florida's Andre Caldwell a round later.

"My receivers coach (Mike Sheppard) told me he's got confidence on me and he went up on that board to get me for a reason, because they believe in me and I believe in myself too," Simpson said. "I know what I can do on this field. I'm just going out here to go to work every day."

QUOTE TO NOTE: "He's our lead dog, isn't he? We go as he goes. He's a splendid player. And we are lucky to have him. I have great confidence in him." -- Bengals president Mike Brown, when discussing quarterback Carson Palmer.

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