Whats the deal with Odell?

[Pandre]

I was reading PFT's All-Turd Teams just for a laugh and I came upon this.

Odell Thurman, LB, Bengals: The troubles of Chris Henry, Frostee Rucker, and A.J. Nicholson have been a nice diversion for a guy who some league observers think is in hotter water than any of them.

This on top of those rumors that he was suspended for the year. Why do I not hear about Thurman's activities. Can someone shine some light on this deal?

[bengalboomer7]

You're as much in the dark as the rest of us. Right now there just rumors, and let's hope htey die soon

[The_Next_Big_Thing]

PFT is full of crap. The reason you hear nothing about Thurman'sactivities is because there seem to be no activities of interest. THe guy from PFT is a rabid dick of a Steelers' fan who will say whatever he wants to make any Bengal look bad.

If you were to say on a flame board that Carson Palmer was diagnosed with aids, he'd print it. He does no research whatsoever.

Hell, he called Marvin Lewis a turd. Doesn't that say enough about his knowledge and character?

[TJJackson]

Since this thread title was not prefixed with [PFT] or [bULL$HIT], I think the thread originator's accoutn should be locked out for a month

But thats just me

[Pandre]

Yeah I saw that he said that ML would be the coach of the all turd team that is disappointing. Am I the only one who believes that what these guys do off the field does not really reflect on the team or the coaching staffing.

Don't get me wrong I am not supporting drunk driving or the beating of women. But as long as they are the field winning then their legal concerns are their own.

[Spor_tees]

Someone mentioned that on SportsCenter they said the Bengals were one of the teams expressing interest in Junior Seau. I think more than anything, that this shows that there is something to the Odell rumors. Another thing was that they had AJ practice at Middle LB during the rookie camps when he hadn't played MLB since high school. Maybe I am reading into this too much, but there has to be something to it.

[cincy9275]

i think if it was drug or criminal related, the media would be all over it . i think he has pissed marvin off and got his self suspended for being out of shape or not doing what the coaching staff asked him to do in the off season .

[Defender]

All are very valid points, but don't forget (what seems to me anyway) the most glaring point: Marvin may be looking at adding depth by finding someone who can play middle LB. I think Nate Webster was the only natural MLB on the roster when O'Dell got here. If something happens to O'Dell (knock on wood), we'd be pretty screwed. Every other position on the roster seems to have good depth besides MLB... Speak up if I'm wrong...

[The_Next_Big_Thing]

All are very valid points, but don't forget (what seems to me anyway) the most glaring point: Marvin may be looking at adding depth by finding someone who can play middle LB. I think Nate Webster was the only natural MLB on the roster when O'Dell got here. If something happens to O'Dell (knock on wood), we'd be pretty screwed. Every other position on the roster seems to have good depth besides MLB... Speak up if I'm wrong...

Landon is a heck of a backup to Odell dude.

[HoosierCat]

Maybe Odell was the snitch...?

[Wraith]

Kitna was the snitch that has been confirmed by a number of sources including Dave Lapham and was the reason for the Bengals pulling their contract offer off the table.

[HoosierCat]

Kitna was the snitch

Just a cover story...

[The_Next_Big_Thing]

Kitna was the snitch that has been confirmed by a number of sources including Dave Lapham and was the reason for the Bengals pulling their contract offer off the table.

Yeah, whatever dude. It was never confirmed, and frankly, I just don't buy it at all.

[tom_bengals]

Kitna was the snitch that has been confirmed by a number of sources including Dave Lapham and was the reason for the Bengals pulling their contract offer off the table.

Yeah, whatever dude. It was never confirmed, and frankly, I just don't buy it at all.

I find it hard to believe there is any truth to the O'Dell rumors. ML from past experience has kept tight lipped on most disciplinary problems, but to suspend someone for the season would be difficult to keep in. As for Kitna, all he wanted to do was have the opportunity to become a starter. I don't think he was the snitch, especially since he did not have a contract offer from another team. Maybe I am a little naive but Kitna is a seasoned vet who should know the importance of what is said in the locker room, stays in the locker room.

[Spor_tees]

I wrote an email to Hobson on the dot-com...

Ok I just have to ask. This is the question that is on almost every Bengal fan's mind right now, and I am guessing you probably don't have, or "can't" answer it. What is the deal with Odell? He wasn't around for the mandatory mini-camps and Marvin said it was for "personal reasons." Now PFT is saying that rumors are, he is in more trouble than AJ and Henry could ever dream of. Add to this the rumors that the Bengals are eyeing Junior Seau, and that they tested Nicholson at MLB during rookie camp, and trouble is brewing. Shedding some light on this could ease a lot of tension on some of us Bengal fans!

and here is the response I got back-

First of all, I take offense to you saying I can't - If get a

confirmation, I'll go with the story - if someone else reports a story

that is CONFIRMED AND NOT A RUMOR, I'll write it. But we won't print

rumors. I'm sorry I can't alleviate the tension, but I guess no one is

talking to everybody. Thanks for the note.

I take it that several people have made the assumption that his articles and writing are "monitored" by the team. Eventhough he takes offense to it, I can't see a team letting a person that basically works for them, write something that uncovers some NEW negative info. So I assume he means, whenever someone from a different source writes an article, and all the details are out there, he then can write an article. That's pretty weird since you would think the guy that writes everything for the team would be the first to know about situations.

[kentjett]

I believe that his mother is severely ill and it might cause him to sit out a year in order to be w/ her. I'm just speculating but it seems to be the case considering that there are no police reports or anything else that would point towards him getting in trouble. People are jumping to the worst case scenarios just because he isn't in camp. Marvin gave him personal leave w/out mentioning anything bad occuring. Some type of information would have slipped by now if he was being investigated for a serious crime.

[Stripes]

A lot of valid points are being made here, but I just can't bring myself to worry about it. I have no respect for the source, and there has been absolutely nothing else written regarding this possible disaster.

[The_Next_Big_Thing]

I think Odell developed a mutation, and will be fighting crime in Metropolis this year. He was suspended for the entire year because they suspected steroid use when he developed his super strength and heat ray vision.

[HoosierCat]

I think Odell developed a mutation, and will be fighting crime in Metropolis this year.

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's SuperThurMan!

Remember the ""flying Odell" pic from early last year? Yeah, yeah, NBT, it all fits!

[Kazkal]

I believe that his mother is severely ill and it might cause him to sit out a year in order to be w/ her. I'm just speculating but it seems to be the case considering that there are no police reports or anything else that would point towards him getting in trouble. People are jumping to the worst case scenarios just because he isn't in camp. Marvin gave him personal leave w/out mentioning anything bad occuring. Some type of information would have slipped by now if he was being investigated for a serious crime.

momma thurman wants him to play..... hopfully she does o_O that way he earns the money to take care of her

[HoosierCat]

I take it that several people have made the assumption that his articles and writing are "monitored" by the team. Eventhough he takes offense to it, I can't see a team letting a person that basically works for them, write something that uncovers some NEW negative info. So I assume he means, whenever someone from a different source writes an article, and all the details are out there, he then can write an article. That's pretty weird since you would think the guy that writes everything for the team would be the first to know about situations.

Looks like Geoff is still a little touchy about his journalistic manhood this year. He, perhaps unwisely, got into a short and nasty public spat with Ralph, who posts on he huddles board, on the subject earlier this year. Ever since, I've noticed -- how to put this? -- fuller reporting by Geoff. Prior to the Ralph incident, he had a regular bias toward omitting relevant details that might not shine the best light on the club. This was most obvious in his reporting on salary cap space, where he would report way lower numbers than other sources, because he was applying "Bengals accounting" to the numbers, which removes monies for needs and possible needs far down the road. Post-Ralph, he at least began regularly explaining what was being taken out, which IMHO provided a far more complete and accurate picture.

Since then, he has also been a bit more ornery, especially in his column. And certainly he hasn't been shy about passing along negative reports once they hit the "real" media. I think that if he really had a "negative" piece he would go with it, but I'm not quite sure what would qualify as "negative." I don't think the basic facts on, say, a player's drug problems, would qualify as "negative," at least not necessarily. I do think you'll never see him write a scathing attack on the front office, but I wouldn't expect that anyhow.

[BengalByTheBay]

Someone mentioned that on SportsCenter they said the Bengals were one of the teams expressing interest in Junior Seau. I think more than anything, that this shows that there is something to the Odell rumors. Another thing was that they had AJ practice at Middle LB during the rookie camps when he hadn't played MLB since high school. Maybe I am reading into this too much, but there has to be something to it.

I saw from several sources immediately after the draft and since then that AJ Nicholson was projected at MLB by the Bengals. This would make sense because, I assume, they would prefer to keep Landon outside. Landon can, however, b/u middle very competently as well. As far as Jr., I'm not giving that any more than the average interest in a former pro bowler who would be brought in for veteran guidance more than anything else. He's well past his prime and would not be a "replacement" for a missing Odell. IMO, if there was a real problem with Odell playing this season, they would need a lot more than Jr.

All that said, with the way the offseason has gone so far I don't think any of us would be completely shocked if there was something going on with Odell. The fact that there has been no statement suggests to me that they team thinks they can get it done with and then make an ex post facto announcement about what the problem was. At least I hope that's the case because I gotta think there's something to it with him missing mini camp. I guess we should know for sure in about 30 days.

[jditty47]

Looks like Geoff is still a little touchy about his journalistic manhood this year. He, perhaps unwisely, got into a short and nasty public spat with Ralph, who posts on he huddles board, on the subject earlier this year. Ever since, I've noticed -- how to put this? -- fuller reporting by Geoff. Prior to the Ralph incident, he had a regular bias toward omitting relevant details that might not shine the best light on the club. This was most obvious in his reporting on salary cap space, where he would report way lower numbers than other sources, because he was applying "Bengals accounting" to the numbers, which removes monies for needs and possible needs far down the road. Post-Ralph, he at least began regularly explaining what was being taken out, which IMHO provided a far more complete and accurate picture.

i didnt find this that big of a deal...i actually liked how he broke it down because he took out all of the money that has already been regulated that only insiders to the organization would know. his numbers were never off from what actually could be used in the market.

i like geoff...hes one of the best homer team website design/writers that there is....if u dont believe me, go look at other teams pages and see if there are as many articles as on bengals.com or as thorough. ya other sites might look better...but thats it. content is everything ppl.

seriously stop complaining about bengals.com...do u remember it just a year or 2 ago? look how much better it is now. i do agree with joisey in the fact that hes doing fuller reports...which is good.

what more could he seriously write about ppl???? every time something comes up in the bengals news or about someone he writes about it right away within a couple of days at the least, and if he doesnt write an article about it, its usually answered in an email.

[GregCook]

Slow news day fellas? Can't get exercised about the NBA draft? No, not the World Cup?

Odell today. Ok, here goes, I'm about ready to call it a day anyway. Marvin values the mini camps like fiances value her man's attendance at her families out-ings. So Odell has a real good reason to be gone. If it was criminal we'd have heard it. If it was drug related, we'd have heard of it cuz someone in the NFL office would leak it. So I tend to give the man a break and not rank him with Homer Henry.

Hey I like Geof's work, for a Bengal employee, which he surely is, I don't expect him to be the next coming of H. L. Menken. After all if he gets it wrong and it embarasses his bosses, he gets fired. No freedom of speech for him. So I give him slack and read him fairly regularly.

[MacD BengalFan]

With the way the media is circulating around the Bengals camp like vultures looking for a player to step on the wrong side of the law, it would have been exposed by now if Odell was in serious trouble . I do not believe any of the rumors and for us to even continue to talk about it satisfies PFT's eagerness to discredit the team . I believe there is nothing until something more substantive comes out and not what PFT is releasing.