Carson Palmer wants trade, but Bengals don’t

The Cincinnati Bengals aren’t willing to trade Carson Palmer, who wants to leave one of the NFL’s least successful franchises while he’s still in his prime.

Owner Mike Brown said Monday that the 31-year-old quarterback asked for a trade a little more than a week ago. Brown told Palmer the team wouldn’t trade him because he’s central to its plans.

Palmer hasn’t talked to the media since making his trade request. A text message seeking comment wasn’t returned. Agent David Dunn released a statement saying that “because of the lack of success that Carson and the Bengals have experienced together, Carson strongly feels that a separation between him and the Bengals would be in the best interest of both parties.”

Tom Brady was a unanimous choice for the Associated Press NFL All-Pro Team, the seventh straight year a player has received every vote.

Brady also was an All-Pro in 2007, when he set the league record for touchdown passes, but he shared a vote with Brett Favre, preventing him from being a unanimous choice.

USC’s spring practice will begin March 22 and end on April 23 with a scrimmage at the Coliseum, the school announced.

Coach Lane Kiffin will put his team through 15 workouts during the spring.

Among those scheduled to participate are nine new players who enrolled at USC this month, including quarterbacks Max Wittek and Cody Kessler.

USC will hold its annual pro day workouts for NFL scouts on March 30.

—Gary Klein

A trial date for the Tennessee Titans’ lawsuit against USC and Kiffin is preliminarily set for Aug. 2, the (Nashville) Tennessean website reported.

The Titans filed the suit in Tennessee last July after Kiffin hired Titans assistant Kennedy Pola as offensive coordinator and running backs coach. The Titans allege interference with contract and inducement of breach of contract.

Two judges have stepped down from the case fearing their impartiality could be questioned.

—Gary Klein

ETC.

Diamondbacks get Armando Galarraga

The Arizona Diamondbacks acquired right-hander Armando Galarraga in a trade with the Detroit Tigers for minor league pitchers Kevin Eichorn and Ryan Robowski.

Galarraga, 29, gained fame by missing a perfect game when umpire Jim Joyce acknowledged blowing a call with two out in the ninth inning against Cleveland.

A person familiar with the U.S. Fed Cup team’s plans told the Associated Press that Venus Williams will miss next week’s quarterfinal against Belgium because of a hip injury.

The person told the AP that Williams has informed U.S. captain Mary Joe Fernandez she could be sidelined for a few weeks. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because Fernandez was planning to announce her roster Tuesday.

Joseph Bramlett, the first African American golfer to gain his PGA Tour card through tour qualifying school since 1985, has been given the open exemption into the Northern Trust Open. Bramlett, a 22-year-old Stanford graduate and a rookie on the tour, is the third recipient of the exemption, which for three years has granted a spot in the field to a golfer who represents the advancement of diversity in golf. The tournament will be held Feb. 17-20 at Riviera Country Club.