Marvin: Come Home, Odell!

[HoosierCat]

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art.../305140047/1066

In a radio inteview Monday night, Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said there would be an “opportunity” for linebacker Odell Thurman to return to the Bengals next season, if Thurman is reinstated by the NFL.

Thurman was suspended for the 2006 season because of violations of the NFL substance abuse policy. He led the team in tackles as a rookie in 2005.

Thurman can apply for reinstatement on June 11.

“I have been in contact with Odell and he has an opportunity to be reinstated," Lewis said on air. "He’ll have had to have really followed the very strict NFL guidelines in order to get to that point, and then obviously if he is reinstated to go forward. And if that happens, he’ll have an opportunity. We’re still probably a couple of months away from that, and we’ll see what happens toward the middle of July.”

Lewis added that Thurman is doing well.

“He’s doing very well … he’s learned quite a bit about life I’d say.”

Lewis made the comments to Paul Daugherty, an Enquirer columnist who is also the host of “SportsTalk” on WLW-AM 700. Lewis typically has said little about Thurman during the suspension, other than to say the linebacker is not currently part of the team.

When contacted later Monday night by The Enquirer, Lewis declined further comment.

Thurman did not return a message left on his mobile phone.

[bengalsfansince68]

Hey, a present for all the short-sighted individuals who banged their drums to cut him!!!

[HoosierCat]

Hey, a present for all the short-sighted individuals who banged their drums to cut him!!!

Well, at least we can talk about him now. Right derek...right?

back at ya!

[ShulaSteakhouse]

“He’s doing very well … he’s learned quite a bit about life I’d say.”

This is really what you want to hear. And that perks my hopes up quite a bit that he'll at least be back and hopefully re-dedicated. Will obviously be the story of camp/preseason, if he is reinstated and is sober and focused.

[turnip]

YES!!!!!

[cincy9275]

i have been saying that if he keeps his nose clean he will be back. he is a play maker and has way to much talent to just cut lose. i mean come on henry is still on the team and he has done a lot more than odell has. if henry would have been cut then i would have questioned odell's return.

[oldschooler]

Lewis: Thurman can if he can

By GEOFF HOBSON

May 14, 2007

If middle linebacker Odell Thurman is reinstated next month by the NFL, he’ll get a chance to win a roster spot at Georgetown College during Bengals training camp.

So says Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis, who blew off every imaginable question about Thurman since October. Until he decided to give it up to WLW-AM Sports Talk host Paul Daugherty Monday night.

Reached after the show, Daugherty paraphrased what Lewis told him and said that if Thurman got reinstated Lewis would let him come to training camp.

Thurman, suspended a year for repeated violations of the NFL’s substance abuse policy, is eligible to return to the club July 11.

Word is that Thurman has already applied for reinstatement and that he has been recommended for reinstatement by those in charge of the NFL’s rehab program, but he must remain clean until July 11.

Although Lewis invoked a Thurman public blackout, he and some members of his coaching staff have apparently visited him during his rehab to offer encouragement behind the scenes.

Now maybe Bengals fans can start dreaming about a linebacker corps with both Thurman, a leading Rookie of the Year candidate in 2005, and Ahmad Brooks, a player who would have been selected in the first round last month if he hadn’t come out early and been taken in the third round of last July’s supplemental draft.

In fact, the drafting of Brooks came the same day that Thurman’s four-game suspension became public. It went to a year when Thurman was arrested for DUI Sept. 25, and Lewis ordered his locker cleared out the next day even before the NFL made it official.

Since that day Lewis has refused to answer any questions about Thurman’s 2007 status until Daugherty uttered the magic words in his appearance Monday night.

http://www.bengals.com/news/news.asp?story_id=6049

[hrod382]

Things sure are looking a whole lot better. I remember Marvin came off like he flat out disliked Odell this time last year but now he's really coming around.

Sure would be sweet if when Hartwell inevitably gets hurt if Odell could try to slide into WLB later into the season. He's set up for MLB but if Ahmad is there from the beginning then he should stay there, it would be hard for Odell to not find the field if he kept his nose clean and worked hard.

That coaches and players realize how much our defense missed him last year.

[bengalspride1219]

YESSSSSSS

[Stripes]

My turn.

I'm not surprised a bit.

[ArmyBengal]

Well, like I've said, I've always hoped for good things for Odell and this is apparently as good as any of us could have hoped for. I can only hope for Odell that his alcohol problem is under control as well as for the team, because one more will be his end with the Bengals and yet again dash our hopes for a better than average defense... That being said, I would drool over the thought of having Thurman, Brooks, and Hartwell starting if Odell can realize his potential. Having Miller and LJ, not to mention Jeanty, makes our LB's more than solid !!!

WHODEY !!!

[ChadJohnson-85]

Hartwell at WSLB, Thurman at MLB and Brooks at SSLB.

[walshfan]

Hartwell at WSLB, Thurman at MLB and Brooks at SSLB.

Ahmad Brooks is going to me the Middle Linebacker on this team this year and years to come..

IF Thurman comes back ( and thats a BIG IF ) he'll be the will backer with Hartwell at the sam.

In all reality I think the corps of Hartwell, Brooks and Jeanty will be the players on the field this year.

I just dont think Odell will play for the Bengals again....

[Kazkal]

To all the haters

HA ha Ha ha The Human missile returns!

Who really doubted this though

[walshfan]

To all the haters

HA ha Ha ha The Human missile returns!

Who really doubted this though

He hasnt returned.... Lewis is saying he wont rule out the possibilty of giving him a chance.

Id say his chances are slim to none...

[Kazkal]

Hartwell at WSLB, Thurman at MLB and Brooks at SSLB.

Ahmad Brooks is going to me the Middle Linebacker on this team this year and years to come..

IF Thurman comes back ( and thats a BIG IF ) he'll be the will backer with Hartwell at the sam.

In all reality I think the corps of Hartwell, Brooks and Jeanty will be the players on the field this year.

I just dont think Odell will play for the Bengals again....

Odell is best suited for the middle of a 4-3...Brooks would be the perfect replacement for pollack.

[Stripes]

Id say his chances are slim to none...

What makes you think so?

[Bengal1971]

Do not get your hopes too high. Cincy sports has a way of buildng your hopes and then BAM!!!. I hope for Odell's sake he gets it together. Henry also.

They both have 2 strikes against them. Hope they don't strike out like Adam Dunn.

[Kazkal]

"laughs at all the people who got rid of or did something to their odell jerseys"

now they have to buy new ones >_< I knew I should picked one up when they were 50% off lol.

[derekshank]

Well, at least we can talk about him now. Right derek...right?

Well I've certainly done my share of talking about him. Marvin's words caught me a bit by surprise since he's made such an effort to say nothing about it to this point... but I think the optimism is still a bit premature. Let's see if he gets reinstated. If so, lets see if he's in football shape. If so, lets see if he can beat out any of the current LB's, and if Marvin really does trust him enough to do so.

And just for the record (one more time) I've never said I wouldn't welcome him back... just the opposite actually. I just said I doubt he'd come back. There's a pretty significant difference there... and a few words from a Marvin Lewis interview in early May doesn't immediately reverse my skepticism regarding his return.

[DC_Bengals_Fan]

Hey, a present for all the short-sighted individuals who banged their drums to cut him!!!

Sorry, have you seen him on the field yet? I'll eat my crow when he plays 16 more games for the Bengals, not until then.

[membengal]

To all the haters

HA ha Ha ha The Human missile returns!

Who really doubted this though

Oh fer chrissake.

1. He has to get past Goodell

2. He has to stay clean

3. He has to be somewhere near football shape despite not having played in two years and having spent a part of that time in meth houses, from all accounts.

What part of any of that seems likely? Seriously, what part? I don't understand the infatuation. At some point, reality has to be accounted for. And, understand, I own a Thurman jersey, my one and only Bengals jersey (I really know how to pick 'em, huh).

All I am saying is stop reacting, people, like he will be here and mean anything to this team. He has earned one thing and one thing only from me and most other fans who don't have our heads up our asses...extreme skepticism. When he actually gets to camp, can practice without getting hurt, can get through his evenings without drunkenly driving knucklehead teammates around town, and can actually get on the field and execute a play as its designed, actually being where he is supposed to be, then and only then will I allow some excitement to creep back in for him from me.

[bengalskyspy]

To all the haters

HA ha Ha ha The Human missile returns!

Who really doubted this though

Oh fer chrissake.

1. He has to get past Goodell

2. He has to stay clearn

3. He has to be somewhere near football shape despite not having played in two years and having spent a part of that time in meth houses, from all accounts.

What part of any of that seems likely? Seriously, what part? I don't understand the infatuation. At some point, reality has to be accounted for. And, understand, I own a Thurman jersey, my one and only Bengals jersey (I really know how to pick 'em, huh).

All I am saying is stop reacting, people, like he will be here and mean anything to this team. He has earned one thing and one thing only from me and most other fans who don't have our heads up our asses...extreme skepticism. When he actually gets to camp, can practice without getting hurt, can get through his evenings with drunkenly driving knucklehead teammates around town, and can actually get on the field and execute a play as its designed, actually being where he is supposed to be, then and only then will I allow some excitement to creep back in for him from me.

I suggest therapy. You were obviously traumitized by Odell's fall from grace. That can happen with idol worship. Breath in, and then breath out all of the hurt, and anger, and dissappointment. Ahh, now doesn't that feel better.

[HoosierCat]

All I am saying is stop reacting, people, like he will be here and mean anything to this team.

My plan:

1. Change screename to "OdellCat".

2. Change avatar to picture of Odell.

3. Load up flying Odell pic as sig.

4. Begin using "Odell" as a random replacement for other words in sentences, a la the Smurfs. So: "What an Odelly day!" "Tha's an Odell of an idea!" "You're an Odelling genius!" etc.

All while wearing my Odell jersey, of course!

[membengal]

bengalsskyspy, (epithet deleted)

I'm 35 years old, have two kids, and have had no "idol" since I was 11 and wanted to be Indiana Jones. I bought the Odell jersey in his rookie year at the one game I could attend because it was different. Wow, some hero worship there. (epithet deleted again)

The above post captured reality. Or, you can close your eyes tight, hope that the reality of a meth addiction (not to mention the alcohol issues) is less bad than we all have heard, and that bringing an oozing personal crisis machine onto a team already full-up with such personalities won't bite the team square in the ass again.