Odell Thurman
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Odell Thurman | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Date of birth | July 9, 1983 (age 23) |
| Place of birth |  Monticello, Georgia |
| Position(s) | Middle linebacker |
| College | Georgia |
| NFL Draft | 2005 / Round 2/ Pick 48 |
| Statistics | |
| Team(s) | |
| 2005-present | Cincinnati Bengals |
Odell Lamar Thurman (born July 9, 1983 in Monticello, Georgia), is a linebacker with the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals. Thurman played college football at the University of Georgia and was drafted in the second round of the 2005 NFL draft, the 48th player taken overall. Football pundits are in near consensus that Odell Thurman is similar to Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis and was a legitimate first round draft pick, but questions about his character and behavioral issues made many teams shy away from drafting him in the first round.
However, many have cited Odell Thurman's tough childhood as the primary source of his troubles. Thurman's mother, Joyce Bland, died in a 1993 automobile accident, and his father, Otis Thurman, died in 2003 from liver and kidney failure. He was raised by his paternal grandmother, Betty Thurman, in a household of seventeen in rural Georgia.
His coaches on the Bengals have praised his quickness and his gladiator mentality. Indeed, Odell Thurman has the word "Gladiator" tattooed across his back. Many have mistakenly called it an allusion to the 2000 Russell Crowe/Ridley Scott film; Thurman says he actually got the tattoo before the film was released after a coach likened football to gladiatorial games.
Odell Thurman attended Monticello High School in Monticello, Georgia. While there, he was a Macon Telegraph first team All-Purpose All-State selection at both linebacker and fullback, and won Class AA honorable mention All-State honors from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and was invited to play in the 2001 Georgia-Florida all-star game. As a senior, he rushed for 1,187 yards and recorded 153 tackles. His high school football coach was Steve Patterson.
Odell Thurman played just two years and 23 games at the University of Georgia. Still, he was named an All-SEC player. Thurman was also a semi-finalist for the 2004 Dick Butkus Award. However, he entered the NFL draft after his junior season.
Although some pundits labeled him a "project player," Odell Thurman, while he made typically rookie mistakes, became a popular and productive addition to a significantly improved Bengals defensive unit. Thurman intercepted five passes and was a candidate for the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award. Ultimately, San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman won the award.
[edit] Ben Roethlisberger controversy
During the Bengals' December 4, 2005 game versus the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field, Odell Thurman collided with Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The hit resulted in a roughing the passer penalty and a minor knee injury to Roethlisberger. Roethlisberger was upset about the hit, claiming it was intentional, however, Steelers center Jeff Hartings stated that he had actually inadvertently tripped Thurman, which was confirmed by video of the play. Thurman was not fined by the NFL. [1]
[edit] Drug and alcohol problems
Odell Thurman was suspended by the National Football League for the first four games of the 2006 regular season for violating the league's substance abuse policy. According to sources, Thurman either tested positive for the drug test or failed to take the test. [2], [3]
Thurman was later arrested in the early morning hours of September 25, 2006 at a checkpoint on Kellogg Avenue in Cincinnati that was manned by Cincinnati police and state highway patrol troopers. Television station WKRC-TV Channel 12 reported that Thurman had been charged with operating a vehicle while impaired. Cincinnati police captain Dan Gerard said Thurman tested as a "high tier" or "Super OVI," meaning his blood alcohol content was in excess of .17 — more than twice the legal limit in Ohio, which is .08.
Gerard said there were two other Bengals players in the car with Thurman, but he did not name them. The car belonged to "another Bengal," not Thurman, Gerard said. [4] It was later revealed that the owner of the car was Bengals rookie quarterback/wide receiver Reggie McNeal and the anonymous passenger was receiver Chris Henry, another player with behavioral issues in his past.
On September 27, 2006, the NFL extended Thurman's suspension for the remainder of the season as a result of the arrest. [5] Thurman's locker was emptied by the Bengals organization. Coach Marvin Lewis said he didn't want to see Odell Thurman anywhere near the stadium, and he then deactivated Chris Henry for the next game for being part of the incident. Lewis has since stated that he doesn't expect Thurman to play for the Bengals in 2007.
On February 21, 2007, Thurman pleaded no contest to the driving drunk charge and said he was undergoing treatment for alcohol abuse.[6] Hamilton County municipal court judge John Burlew imposed a 90-day jail sentence but said Thurman did not have to start serving it yet. Another court hearing was set for June 5, at which the judge said he planned to reduce the sentence if Thurman continues treatment and has no other alcohol-related offenses. Burlew suspended Thurman's driver's license for a year and fined him $250 and court costs. The plea is not an admission of guilt but means the defendant will not fight the charges. Two other charges stemming from Thurman's early morning traffic stop were dropped.
