Why Bengals cut Thurman
Posted: Tuesday May 20, 2008 08:10AM ET
After sticking with Odell Thurman through what amounted to a two-year NFL suspension, the Bengals cut ties with the linebacker Monday. The club waived the second-year linebacker from Georgia, their second-round draft pick in 2005. In a statement, Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis said the team has "not seen the right steps taken by (Thurman). With our offseason work in progress and new talent added at our linebacker position, we've determined it's best to keep moving in a direction that does not include Odell." The last straw came last week. Thurman was in his native Monticello, Ga., to attend his grandmother's funeral Monday and tend to family matters, Lawson said. Betty Thurman, 80, brought up Odell since his mother had died when he was 10. "He was overcome by grief once he was down there," Lawson said. "The kid had a lot to deal with. She was the only family he had left." Thurman was expected back in time to participate in the first offseason practice Tuesday, May 13. He didn't make it. He missed all three practices - known as organized team activity (OTA) days - last week. Those practices and all offseason workouts, minus the full-squad minicamp June 12-14, are voluntary.
Odell Thurman , Andy Lyons/Getty Images
Comments (71)
WHY BENGALS CUT THURMAN!!>? IS THIS THE HEADLINE ARE YOU FOR REAL FALSE&GOSSIP -- I MEAN TRUTH &RUMOR....
I GUESS YOU HAVE NOTHING TO DO TO POST THIS CRAP
I is the man | 05/20/08, 08:16 AM
Report Offensive Commentcause he is a loser?
is this a trick topic??
Oh yeah, Baby! | 05/20/08, 08:31 AM
Report Offensive CommentThere's got to be more to this....first, the guy misses a drug test which the league CONSIDERS the same as a fail, but it doesn't neccessarily mean he would have failed. Then, he gets a DUI....alot of people do....and he was punished more severely than pacman or any of the other bengals....Then, when he is finally allowed to play again, his only caretaker as a child dies and the bengals cut him cause he went to the funeral instead of voluntary practice?...what the hell? some team is gonna get a killer deal on this guy. Ultimately, everything is a result of missing a drug test. He doesn't exactly fit the profile of a problem player.
-Loki- | 05/20/08, 08:32 AM
Report Offensive Commentgrr. this is one of those brown wants to save a buck moves.
Cut a guy because he attends grandmother's funeral, who raised Odell since he was 10.
can't defend the move. mike brown blows. he is so not his father.
pw | 05/20/08, 08:39 AM
Report Offensive CommentIf he missed "voluntary workouts" and was cut, that's sad. But maybe it's better if both parties start fresh. Someone will sign him and give him a chance.
jj730 | 05/20/08, 08:39 AM
Report Offensive Commentteam probation officer was all ready at their quota for the year.
vaughn9 | 05/20/08, 08:45 AM
Report Offensive Commentvaughn9, wow thats original. and creative. would be happy to post arrest records from past year on your team, but alas you have set your profile to private.
pw | 05/20/08, 08:51 AM
Report Offensive CommentI don't see how the Bengals can come out of this without looking like a bunch of ****....cut a guy for going to his grandmother's funeral....
-Loki- | 05/20/08, 08:54 AM
Report Offensive Commentthse guys are dumb for getting into the trouble they do. like it or not they are under a microscope and would have been fired by any company in the real world who mandates drug testing and he does not show. as for my team, the cowboys we have had our share of problems and law breakers, and look what it did to us. with the excpetion of pacman the ones aquired recently have kept their nose clean, but 2 year suspension.....you really got to mess it up. For B-Ball the spurs. no arrest records there.
vaughn9 | 05/20/08, 09:02 AM
Report Offensive Commentthse guys are dumb for getting into the trouble they do. like it or not they are under a microscope and would have been fired by any company in the real world who mandates drug testing and he does not show. as for my team, the cowboys we have had our share of problems and law breakers, and look what it did to us. with the excpetion of pacman the ones aquired recently have kept their nose clean, but 2 year suspension.....you really got to mess it up. For B-Ball the spurs. no arrest records there.
vaughn9 | 05/20/08, 09:02 AM
to make the comparison a little more equal, even the bengals have 10 players that have no arrest records just like the spurs have 10 players without records....
-Loki- | 05/20/08, 09:05 AM
Report Offensive CommentOdell Thurman is now an unemployed orphan.
Lady's Coach Belicat | 05/20/08, 09:06 AM
Report Offensive Commentthat was funny
vaughn9 | 05/20/08, 09:07 AM
Report Offensive Commentwonder if the bengals got their uniforn ideas from county lock up? you know dress in something you feel comefortable in.
vaughn9 | 05/20/08, 09:08 AM
Report Offensive CommentHa ha ha - Je je je!! That was funny!
I is the man | 05/20/08, 09:09 AM
Report Offensive CommentLet's be honest here folks. The untimely and sad passing of Odell's grandmother, coupled with Odell's absence from training, provided the Bengels with the excuse they needed to rid themselves of another unnecessary distraction from the team's efforts to improve. Odell is nothing more than a member of a select few NFL players who believes the world of football revolves around them and will put up with their crap. The NFL just sent a message and you gotta wonder if this group of guys is getting the message.
Shynloco | 05/20/08, 09:10 AM
Report Offensive Commentwonder if the bengals got their uniforn ideas from county lock up? you know dress in something you feel comefortable in.
vaughn9 | 05/20/08, 09:08 AM
They combined the current orange prison jumpsuit with the retro stripes prison uniform....They should be glad they picked their colors before prisons started dressing inmates in pink
-Loki- | 05/20/08, 09:10 AM
Report Offensive CommentIf they wanted to cut him, fine. It's their team, they decide who they want to put on their uniform. But to cut him for missing a voluntary workout, because he was with family after a funeral is wrong. They could have cut him as soon as he was reinstated if they wanted to. The timing is what I have an issue with.
jj730 | 05/20/08, 09:12 AM
Report Offensive CommentLet's be honest here folks. The untimely and sad passing of Odell's grandmother, coupled with Odell's absence from training, provided the Bengels with the excuse they needed to rid themselves of another unnecessary distraction from the team's efforts to improve. Odell is nothing more than a member of a select few NFL players who believes the world of football revolves around them and will put up with their crap. The NFL just sent a message and you gotta wonder if this group of guys is getting the message.
Shynloco | 05/20/08, 09:10 AM
he didn't DO anything though....the NFL may see a missed test to be the same as a fail but he didn't actually fail...and a DUI should not be grounds for extending a 4 game suspension to 2 years....they are just to normal and common....some 30% of the general population has been charged with DUI and that obviously doesn't even count those that haven't been caught.
-Loki- | 05/20/08, 09:13 AM
Report Offensive Commenta dui should get you banned ask the family of the victim of leonard little. bet vin baker had a few as well. point is he had to be messing up in area's that are not in the press. like telling the coach to f@#k off or something. i'm sure with the image problems of the bengals they would just not cut him for the funeral thing. they are trying to clean up their company. every one has rules to follow. if you get canned for not following them then that's your choice. with all that fame and money comes sacrifices you have to make. that's the deal with the devil.
vaughn9 | 05/20/08, 09:20 AM
Report Offensive CommentIf a dui should get you banned, then why did Jared Allen get 2 and only serve a 2 game suspension? The rules aren't balanced when it comes to Judge Goodell..
jj730 | 05/20/08, 09:24 AM
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