Odell Thurman

[kentjett]

We should hear some news real soon and I'm prettty sure he will be reinstated. I think he can be a special teams standout and he can eventually works his way into the rotation by midseason.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3214932

After reading the article I made the following comment below. I think he was treated unfairly to a certain extent. I do believe that he acted like an idiot after he had a succesful year but not enough to warrant a two year suspension.

It is a little extreme for a player to be suspended for 2 years for 2 alcohol offenses. Alcohol is a society promoted substance that the majority of society takes part in. Steroids should be looked at a lot more severely than alcohol. Steroids give players an unfair advantage and could eventually effect other players on the field and it is illegal. Alcohol is the NFL's biggest sponsor and they promote it at every game. Imagine if some of these rules would have been in place when LT played, he would have never hit the field. We would have never been able to witness one of the greatest players of all time. I think a year was long but warranted but 2 years is extreme and something should be done about it. I think it is a case of the commissioner abusing his powers, he must have had something tragic happen in his life involving alcohol.

[HoosierCat]

I think he's done more than his time.

[BengalszoneBilly]

I think he's done more than his time.

No s**t. We're talking non-violent stuff here. Nothing like Pacman Jones. Somebody get me some pliers so I can help get him off this damn cross Goddell has hung him on.

[Pidge]

Odell has been grossly mistreated. GODell is major cockcmuffin and he will continue to be a grade A prick throughout his tenure as commish. I hope the jerk contracts herpes.

[cincyhokie]

I think something happened that we don't know about. I do think he got shafted but he did it to himself in reality. No matter, I can imagine that Thurman has something to prove on the field this year. That's good news for us.

[BengalszoneBilly]

I do think he got shafted but he did it to himself in reality. No matter, I can imagine that Thurman has something to prove on the field this year. That's good news for us.

True, Thurman did put himself into that position, but like the article below states, the punishment is inconsistent:

Bengals LB Thurman expects to learn soon whether he's reinstated

By JOE KAY, AP Sports Writer

January 25, 2008

CINCINNATI (AP) -- Suspended Bengals linebacker Odell Thurman expects to learn in a few weeks whether the NFL will reinstate him for next season, ending his two-year banishment.

Thurman has applied for reinstatement and should know in mid-February whether commissioner Roger Goodell will allow him back in the game, agent Safarrah Lawson said.

While Goodell weighs his case, Thurman is pursuing a federal employment complaint against the league, claiming he was given an unusually long suspension because he is an alcoholic.

"Odell is doing well," Lawson said. "He's working out, trying to get ready mentally and physically for the season."

Thurman, a second-round draft pick in 2005, showed immense promise as a rookie. He started 15 games at middle linebacker, led the team in tackles and tied the team rookie record with five interceptions.

He was suspended for the first four games of the 2006 season after skipping a drug test. The suspension was extended to the full season after he was arrested for drunken driving. He pleaded no contest and was sentenced to six days in a treatment center.

Two men in Monticello, Ga., filed a complaint alleging Thurman kicked and hit them at a party two days after he settled his drunken driving case in Cincinnati. The men later dropped their complaint, and no charges were filed.

Thurman expected to be reinstated for the 2007 season, but Goodell turned down his request shortly before the start of training camp. Goodell, who has taken a hard line on player misconduct, said Thurman could apply for reinstatement after sitting out a second straight season.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league had no comment on Thurman's case.

Thurman is pursuing a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, alleging that the league violated The Americans with Disabilities Act by giving him such a lengthy punishment.

Federal law prohibits discrimination against anyone who has an impairment, including a drug or alcohol addiction. Lou Michels, the lawyer who is handling Thurman's complaint, said the league went too far when it refused to reinstate him for last season.

"It was his conduct that got him into the situation. He understands that," Michels said. "But he paid the price. He did his year away from football and the Bengals. The league decided to ramp up again and take another year away. It's inconsistent with how they've treated other people with similar or worse problems."

The law doesn't protect an employee who is drinking or using drugs, but says an employer can't discriminate against someone on the basis that they have an addiction.

"If you're abusing alcohol or drugs and you do something dumb, the law doesn't excuse that," Michels said. "That's not the issue. What happens when an employer takes action against you not because of what you've done, but because of what you are?"

The commission assigns an investigator to look into each complaint and decide if it has merit. If the commission thinks the law has been violated, it can file a lawsuit in U.S. District Court. The case could take years to resolve.

[Horsemen]

If true what're the odds Goodell suspends him another season for filing a complaint?

[kingwilly]

All specualtion aside, Odell, and the Bengals by extension, have been F'd by his royal highness.

He has been out of football for 2 full seasons and by the time 08 begins, it will have been almost 33 months since he has played a live down.

If he can get back and slowly progress into a fully contributing team member and more importantly, get control of his life, more power to him.

[HairOnFire]

If true what're the odds Goodell suspends him another season for filing a complaint?

Not sure if you were joking or not, but I'm pretty sure any further suspension would be another 6 months, not a year.....pushing the next possible return date to mid-August.

[oldschooler]

THURMAN GETTING BACK IN?

Posted by Mike Florio on January 26, 2008, 11:00 a.m.

A couple of readers asked us on Friday about rumors that Bengals linebacker Odell Thurman is back in the building, working out at the team’s facility.

Though such rumors are not accurate, we’ve learned in the process of getting the answer that Thurman will be conditionally reinstated on March 1. He’ll be able to participate in the offseason conditioning and workout program. If he stays on the right side of the substance-abuse policy, he’ll eventually be able to play football in 2008.

Thurman was suspended for a year in 2006, and his first effort at reinstatement was unsuccessful.

It’s very good news for the Bengals, who are in dire need of linebackers. Within the next few weeks, they should also find out whether David Pollack, the team’s first-round pick in 2005. Thurman was a second-round pick that same year.

http://beta.profootballtalk.com/2008/01/26...etting-back-in/

[oldschooler]

Thurman cleared for workouts

January 26, 2008

Linebacker Odell Thurman has been cleared by the NFL to train and work out at the Bengals' Paul Brown Stadium facilities while he pursues possible reinstatement from an NFL suspension.

Thurman was not on the Bengals roster in 2006 or 2007, due to a suspension for violations of the league's Substance Abuse Policy.

"Odell remains on the league's suspended list, and it remains to be seen whether he will be able to meet the conditions for reinstatement," said Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis. "If he is reinstated, he will then have to earn the confidence of our management and coaching staff that he is ready to compete for a roster spot as an active member of our team. In the meantime, he is allowed to work out with our strength and conditioning and our training staffs."

Thurman reported to Paul Brown Stadium late this past week to check in with Bengals staff, and he will be working at the facility in days to come. Per team policy regarding players on suspension, he is not cleared to do interviews with news media.

Thurman, from the University of Georgia, was Cincinnati's second-round choice in the 2005 NFL Draft. He played in every Bengals game in 2005, starting 16 of 17 games (including postseason), and he led the team in the regular season with 148 tackles. He also led the team in forced fumbles (four), and his five interceptions led NFL rookies while tying the Bengals rookie INT record.

No timetable has been announced by the NFL regarding Thurman's possible reinstatement.

http://www.bengals.com/news/news.asp?story_id=6610

[Pidge]

Fingers crossed.

[ShulaSteakhouse]

It's up to him. Maybe the two years off put some things into perspective for him....hopefully.

If he's an alcoholic, he's going to need someone to keep him straight, and I'm not sure how or who does that, or if the Bengals' care enough to extend that sort of effort or offer to him personally.

I can't even guess what might happen with him right now, no one really can. I'm sure, if he is reinstated on the 8th, we'll just have to read/hear how he looks/does in the spring and summer camps.

I think fans also need to hold Odell accountable for his actions and stop blaming Goodell for everything. No one knows all of the details, so don't jump to conspiracy conclusions.

Surely if the players union had that strong of a case against the league for an unjustified suspension, they would've gone after it. Obviously they didn't (beyond Odell's own complaint).

Any ways, in order for him to make the team, he's going to have to do more than just show-up, he'll have to prove he's serious and work his a$$ off to earn the team's confidence back. I don't think anything's a given if he's reinstated.

Obviously having him and Pollack somehow, some way, return to form and be productive/useful, would be a huge boon for this team. Throw in Irons return and a full year of Henry, and who the hells knows, maybe they can be better than the 2005 team, if they have a good draft and actually make an effort in FA.

But they always seem to let us down one way or another, so I'm not holding my breath at this point. Guess we'll see how things pan out the next 6 months.

[HairOnFire]

Middle finger raised.

In my opinion they've hammered Thurman beyond justification, and any further punishment would only make the NFL's substance abuse policy even more of a joke than it already is.

Moving on, I do love the fact that Thurman has been cleared to workout prior to being reinstated. I've always believed that being banned from the facilites does more harm than good...as it removes the very support system that is critical to turning things around. The last thing any player needs, especially those who find themselves in trouble, is more down time.

[DC_Bengals_Fan]

Don't point to Pacman and say that Odell's not getting treated fairly...because if you think Goodell was rough on Odell, you ain't seen nothing yet. I think there's a 50/50 shot Pacman never plays again, and he has no chance for 08.

[BengalszoneBilly]

Don't point to Pacman and say that Odell's not getting treated fairly...because if you think Goodell was rough on Odell, you ain't seen nothing yet. I think there's a 50/50 shot Pacman never plays again, and he has no chance for 08.

I'm only going on the facts as they stand.

[CarsonDaMan]

I'm not going to sit here and say other people havent done worse things and served far less time than Odell... but that is really besides the point with him. He knew the rules and the terms of his suspension and he obviously broke those rules. Why blame the people levying out the fines when it's the individual constantly breaking the rules?

As also mentioned above i'm willing to bet there was more to it than we actually know about. They're not going to give him another year just for the fun of it. He really had to violate the stipulation of his suspension and do it in a major way.

As far as I'm concerned i'd have no problem if the Bengals cut him in training camp. This team needs dependable and professional players. The thugs and problem childs should quickly be shown the exit. I'd rather have a guy who spends his nights studying film than boozing in a bar somewhere.

[BengalszoneBilly]

The thugs and problem childs should quickly be shown the exit.

I'm sorry, but IMO that's just not the nature of most true NFL caliber players. What you just described was a bunch of graduates from Ivy League schools who will never sniff the pro football gridiron. You can have 'em. Odell proved his worth in his rookie season, and for lack of a better term, could just be the enema this defenses needs to establish an identity the Bengals haven't had since the days since the days of David Fulcher.

[CarsonDaMan]

The thugs and problem childs should quickly be shown the exit.

I'm sorry, but IMO that's just not the nature of most true NFL caliber players. What you just described was a bunch of graduates from Ivy League schools who will never sniff the pro football gridiron. You can have 'em. Odell proved his worth in his rookie season, and for lack of a better term, could just be the enema this defenses needs to establish an identity the Bengals haven't had since the days since the days of David Fulcher.

Oh really?? I mustve missed where the whole pro bowl this roster this year has had multiple suspensions due to personal problems.

Nobody here says you have to get get choir boys to play football. If you grade personal character and football character from A-F... then I would have no problem taking a CC player. With Odell you get a CF. If you want him you can have him.

David Pollack would have been the enema this defense needed but he got hurt. True character and talent combined. In short a dependable and winning combination.

I'll take the DeMarcus Ware, Lofa Tatupu, Patrick Willis, and DeMeco Ryans type players. You can have the hoodrats.

[James_Brooks21]

In a step that could lead to his reinstatement to the league following a two-year suspension, Cincinnati Bengals middle linebacker Odell Thurman was cleared by commissioner Roger Goodell on Saturday to begin training and working out again at the team's practice facility.

Thurman, who missed the entire 2006 and 2007 seasons because of repeat violations of the NFL substance abuse policy, filed the paperwork to petition for his reinstatement several weeks ago.

Thurman

The move by the league on Saturday, while a positive sign, does not guarantee Thurman will be cleared to play again.

"Odell remains on the league's suspended list, and it remains to be seen whether he will be able to meet the conditions for reinstatement," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said in a statement released by the team. "If he is reinstated, he will then have to earn the confidence of our management and coaching staff that he is ready to compete for a roster spot as an active member of our team. In the meantime, he is allowed to work out with our strength and conditioning and our training staffs."

While no timetable has been announced by the league regarding Thurman's possible reinstatement, it is believed that Goodell will consider his case sometime next month, likely after the Pro Bowl game. It is expected that Thurman will meet with Goodell before a ruling is made on whether he can resume his career.

"We see it as a positive," Thurman's agent Safarrah Lawson said Saturday in a phone interview with The Associated Press. "It's an opportunity to get reacclimated with the team, to work with the strength and conditioning staff in preparation, hopefully, for minicamp and training camp."

Lawson said Thurman has to continue meeting guidelines from the league to get reinstated. He thinks that working out with the Bengals staff will help Thurman, who previously wasn't allowed to be with the team.

"It will mean a lot to him to be in an environment with teammates and the supervision of the coaches," Lawson said. "It will give him more structure. It helps with his recovery."

Thurman was at Paul Brown Stadium late last week to check in with the Bengals' staff. According to the late Saturday afternoon release by the Bengals, Thurman will be working out at the facility in the coming days.

In recent months, Thurman has been working out near his home in Monticello, Ga., and also at the University of Georgia in nearby Athens. It remains to be seen if he can work through the rust of two years of inactivity and return to his previous form.

Because of injuries and Thurman's suspension, linebacker has been a star-crossed position for the Bengals the past two seasons. At one point in 2007, the team was forced to switch defensive end Robert Geathers to outside linebacker because of the shortage of bodies.

Cincinnati coaches, including new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, have discussed the possibility of converting to a 3-4 front in 2008, and that could create an opening for Thurman at inside linebacker.

Lewis had suggested last spring, when it appeared that Thurman would be permitted to return after having missed the 2006 season, that the linebacker would have a chance to win back a spot on the roster, and that the Bengals had not given up on him.

But in July, just weeks after Lawson strongly implied his client was in compliance with his treatment program and would return for camp, the league denied Thurman's application for reinstatement.

"I'm disappointed for Odell, but it is part of life," Lewis said at the time.

A Bengals' starter in 2005, when he led them in tackles as a rookie, was initially suspended for four games in 2006 when he missed a scheduled drug screening. The sanction was subsequently increased to a year after Thurman was arrested on DUI charges Sept. 25, 2006.

Citing confidentiality guidelines, league and team officials declined to say last July why Thurman was not cleared then for reinstatement.

Two men in Monticello, Ga., filed a complaint last spring, alleging Thurman kicked and hit them at a party two days after he settled his drunken driving case in Cincinnati. The men later dropped their complaint, and no charges were filed.

While Goodell weighs his case, Thurman is pursuing a federal employment complaint against the league, claiming he was given an unusually long suspension because he is an alcoholic.

"Odell is doing well," Lawson said. "He's working out, trying to get ready mentally and physically for the season."

Despite missing much of his rookie training camp because of a protracted contract impasse, the 25-year-old Thurman appeared in 15 games in 2005, all as a starter, and registered 148 tackles, one sack, five interceptions, nine passes defensed and four forced fumbles. The former Georgia star, a second-round draft pick in 2005, was a candidate for defensive rookie of the year honors.

Thurman has two years left on his original rookie contract with the Bengals. The deal would pay him $520,000 in 2008 and $615,000 next year. He lost $785,000 in salary during his two-year suspension.

Good for Cincy now they have another linebacker in the mix, I hope he still has the fire inside of him to make people remember him. This basically says that he will be reinstated, maybe that extra year has made him a better person.

[Pidge]

Willis is a hell of a player. Very respectful in interviews too.

[agreen_112]

Thurman cleared for workouts

January 26, 2008

Linebacker Odell Thurman has been cleared by the NFL to train and work out at the Bengals' Paul Brown Stadium facilities while he pursues possible reinstatement from an NFL suspension.

Thurman was not on the Bengals roster in 2006 or 2007, due to a suspension for violations of the league's Substance Abuse Policy.

"Odell remains on the league's suspended list, and it remains to be seen whether he will be able to meet the conditions for reinstatement," said Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis. "If he is reinstated, he will then have to earn the confidence of our management and coaching staff that he is ready to compete for a roster spot as an active member of our team. In the meantime, he is allowed to work out with our strength and conditioning and our training staffs."

Thurman reported to Paul Brown Stadium late this past week to check in with Bengals staff, and he will be working at the facility in days to come. Per team policy regarding players on suspension, he is not cleared to do interviews with news media.

Thurman, from the University of Georgia, was Cincinnati's second-round choice in the 2005 NFL Draft. He played in every Bengals game in 2005, starting 16 of 17 games (including postseason), and he led the team in the regular season with 148 tackles. He also led the team in forced fumbles (four), and his five interceptions led NFL rookies while tying the Bengals rookie INT record.

No timetable has been announced by the NFL regarding Thurman's possible reinstatement.

http://www.bengals.com/news/news.asp?story_id=6610

HAHA I told ya'll he'd be back. This is wonderful news... There's no way the Bengals will pass up on Odell for $520,000 this season. Comeback player of the year, '08!

[agreen_112]

The thugs and problem childs should quickly be shown the exit.

I'm sorry, but IMO that's just not the nature of most true NFL caliber players. What you just described was a bunch of graduates from Ivy League schools who will never sniff the pro football gridiron. You can have 'em. Odell proved his worth in his rookie season, and for lack of a better term, could just be the enema this defenses needs to establish an identity the Bengals haven't had since the days since the days of David Fulcher.

Oh really?? I mustve missed where the whole pro bowl this roster this year has had multiple suspensions due to personal problems.

Nobody here says you have to get get choir boys to play football. If you grade personal character and football character from A-F... then I would have no problem taking a CC player. With Odell you get a CF. If you want him you can have him.

David Pollack would have been the enema this defense needed but he got hurt. True character and talent combined. In short a dependable and winning combination.

I'll take the DeMarcus Ware, Lofa Tatupu, Patrick Willis, and DeMeco Ryans type players. You can have the hoodrats.

David Pollack didn't prove crap! I'd take Odell over Pollack anyday.

[bengalsfansince68]

David Pollack didn't prove crap! I'd take Odell over Pollack anyday.

Yo Green,

Why the disrespect for David? I'd say if he proved nothing to you, you missed quite a bit.

If you don't believe me, ask your buddy Odell what he thinks of #99.

[Kazkal]

Both are suberb players odell made some mistakes but it's still no where near what Cheech did,he's as bad as jared allen who got a whole 2 games.

PS,Which is kinda funny because I bate same people who hate on odell would take allen in a second.