Fred's post on high draft pick injuries mentioned Odell Thurman. It got me wondering where he ended up. I ran across this 2019 very in-depth interview with him and those who know him. It is the story of his journey into and thankfully out of life-threatening alcohol and drug abuse.
He has finished his college degree, has a job, and works with Univ of Georgia athletics. It took a year in in-patient rehab to get clean and sober but he has apparently made it through to the other side.

I was afraid I would find an article about him being dead or in jail. I'm glad to see he is finally healthy and well.

The interview is well worth the 30 minutes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMzvhhTqfsE

Crazy the talent he had. If he stayed clean and stayed healthy we'd be talking Hall of Fame right now. With all that there was a reason he slid to the 2nd rd and we quickly figured out why. He played some in the UFL was the last I heard anything on him.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cincyjungle.com/platform/amp/2009/8/13/988348/odell-thurman-with-the-ufls

As many of you know I am the type of guy who is willing to give a second chance to a guy who does something stupid in college. But I draw a clear line between the guys who did one stupid thing and the guys who have a pattern of doing stupid things.

Odell messed up so many times at Georgia that he got kicked off the team for an entire season. Then when thye let him back on the team he got kicked off again. I pretty much knew he would not make it in the NFL.

(06-05-2020, 10:16 AM)fredtoast Wrote: As many of you know I am the type of guy who is willing to give a second chance to a guy who does something stupid in college.  But I draw a clear line between the guys who did one stupid thing and the guys who have a pattern of doing stupid things.

Odell messed up so many times at Georgia that he got kicked off the team for an entire season.  Then when thye let him back on the team he got kicked off again.  I pretty much knew he would not make it in the NFL.

and he STILL was runner up for Rookie of the year!!!  God I wish he would have stayed normal. Him and Pollack!

(06-05-2020, 02:16 PM)RASCAL Wrote: and he STILL was runner up for Rookie of the year!!!  God I wish he would have stayed normal. Him and Pollack!

O'Dell was out of position a lot as a rookie, but he still had over 100 tackles and multiple big plays (5 interceptions, 5 forced fumbles).  He would have been a lot better once he got his game under control.

Pollack was just learning how to play in the NFL by the end of the '05 season.  His numbers for the entire season were not that impressive, but over his final six games (including the playoff loss) he had 4 sacks and 7 tackles for loss.

They may not have turned into huge stars, but they would have both been key players to help build a defense.

It's such a shame for him. I'm not going to call him a HOFer or nothing but there's little doubt he would have been a real good one if... Happy to hear he's got it together.

There was an inmate in the prison I worked at can't remember his name right off I'll try and look it up. Early/ mid 80's range I believe ? He was talked about on national level in Basketball, would have been a very high draft pick. But he got mixed up in the wrong crowd and ended up in prison. Even in his mid 30's or whatever you could easily see how good he was when playing B ball during rec.

Such a shame.

Odell had natural instinct for the ball.
Some guys just know how to be around the ball.
And you didn't see him get fooled much
Unlike stiffs like Nick Vigil of late
And Odell's attitude rubbed off on the rest of the
Defense. He just loved the game.
Make no mistake he was in the Steelers head too.

That 2005 draft makes me so sad Pollack, Thurman, Henry, Perry, and Fanene were all good players. All those guys suffered through injures or off field problems.

(06-05-2020, 05:36 PM)J24 Wrote: That 2005 draft makes me so sad Pollack, Thurman, Henry, Perry, and Fanene were all good players. All those guys suffered through injures or off field problems.

We didn't draft him, but we also ended up with another 2005 draftee... Pacman Jones.

When we got Thurman, I finally thought we would have, for once, a defense that would be dominant for a couple of years, and have our D years like the squeelers and ratbirds.. to be a bengals fan is a test of never ending perseverance.

Odell was gonna be a star, unfortunately Marvin was way too willing to boot him from the team.

Pollack, just a freak injury

(06-06-2020, 01:49 AM)Kingslayer Wrote: unfortunately Marvin was way too willing to boot him from the team.  

Marvin had to cut him, and every team in the league agreed he was not worth signing.

(06-06-2020, 01:49 AM)Kingslayer Wrote: Odell was gonna be a star, unfortunately Marvin was way too willing to boot him from the team.  

Pollack, just a freak injury

I think the reason Odell Thurman got cut was Odell Thurman.

(06-05-2020, 08:05 AM)pally Wrote: Fred's post on high draft pick injuries mentioned Odell Thurman.  It got me wondering where he ended up.  I ran across this 2019 very in-depth interview with him and those who know him.  It is the story of his journey into and thankfully out of life-threatening alcohol and drug abuse.
He has finished his college degree, has a job, and works with Univ of Georgia athletics.  It took a year in in-patient rehab to get clean and sober but he has apparently made it through to the other side.

I was afraid I would find an article about him being dead or in jail.  I'm glad to see he is finally healthy and well.

The interview is well worth the 30 minutes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMzvhhTqfsE

Thanks, love this stuff. Makes me feel good, Odell was one heck of a LB for us and was sad he couldn't stick around longer.

Glad he has his life in order.

(06-06-2020, 05:15 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Thanks, love this stuff. Makes me feel good, Odell was one heck of a LB for us and was sad he couldn't stick around longer.

Glad he has his life in order.

After I ripped Odell earlier I need to add that I am also thrilled that he finally turned his life around.  He honestly looked like another Lawrence Phillips back in '06.

Did the Bengals organization have any program
In place at that time to help guys like
Odell who had substance abuse issues ,

(06-05-2020, 02:30 PM)fredtoast Wrote: O'Dell was out of position a lot as a rookie, but he still had over 100 tackles and multiple big plays (5 interceptions, 5 forced fumbles).  He would have been a lot better once he got his game under control.

Pollack was just learning how to play in the NFL by the end of the '05 season.  His numbers for the entire season were not that impressive, but over his final six games (including the playoff loss) he had 4 sacks and 7 tackles for loss.

They may not have turned into huge stars, but they would have both been key players to help build a defense.

That's an assumption, not a guarantee.

The fact he couldn't stay clean is what took him out of the league, but it is also possible that the substance abuse led to him being successful on the field.  That reckless abandon was what allowed him to succeed, and that could have been fueled by the disconnect caused by the substances.  Look at LT, he was a crackhead and a game wrecker at the same time.  Clean him up and it is possible he was just an average player. 

(06-05-2020, 10:16 AM)fredtoast Wrote: As many of you know I am the type of guy who is willing to give a second chance to a guy who does something stupid in college.  But I draw a clear line between the guys who did one stupid thing and the guys who have a pattern of doing stupid things.

Odell messed up so many times at Georgia that he got kicked off the team for an entire season.  Then when thye let him back on the team he got kicked off again.  I pretty much knew he would not make it in the NFL.

I didn't know any of that. I traveled around the country so much back in those days I didn't really pay a whole lot of attention. I do wish someone on here could produce that picture of Odell way up in the air like a hanging there Jesus that had me committed to him right there. I do disagree with you on him being great in the NFL. But after what you said about him at Georgia, makes me wonder!.

(06-07-2020, 09:47 AM)jfkbengals Wrote: That's an assumption, not a guarantee.

The fact he couldn't stay clean is what took him out of the league, but it is also possible that the substance abuse led to him being successful on the field.  That reckless abandon was what allowed him to succeed, and that could have been fueled by the disconnect caused by the substances.  Look at LT, he was a crackhead and a game wrecker at the same time.  Clean him up and it is possible he was just an average player. 

you mean like Bill Romanowski?

(06-07-2020, 05:47 PM)RASCAL Wrote: you mean like Bill Romanowski?

What was Bill's problem again? Don't remember?