Thurman on his suspension: 'I made a mistake'
Cincinnati Bengals09/01/2006 8:30 AM The Dayton Daily News reports Bengals middle LB Odell Thurman broke his silence this week, telling ESPN The Magazine he's not a drug addict and he takes "full responsibility" for the mistakes that led to a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy. Thurman said that skipping drug tests while out of town this summer, as well as missing appointments with his NFL-mandated counselor, are what caused the violation. The NFL considers a missed test or missed counseling session the same as a positive result on a drug test. Thurman's next violation will result in a yearlong suspension. "I got one foot over the edge," he told the magazine. "I got one whole leg over the edge. A one-year (suspension) for me, if I were to make that mistake, it would be like committing suicide. "I just want people to know I wasn't out there using all types of drugs. Basically, it was me missing a test. It was my first NFL offseason and I was out doing too much during the summertime, being irresponsible and not taking it real serious. I made a mistake. And I'm living with that mistake. And now I'm refocusing." Read more