Alright, who's missing??

[MJZiggy]

Cowboys Coach Claims Rat in Salad
Oct 26th - 9:06pm

DALLAS (AP) - Dallas Cowboys assistant coach Todd Haley is suing a suburban McDonald's, claiming his wife and the family's live-in baby sitter found a dead rat in a salad they took home and began to eat.

The lawsuit filed Thursday in state district court seeks $1.7 million in damages, The Dallas Morning News reported on its Web site.

In addition to Haley, the Cowboys' passing game coordinator who got in a well-publicized shouting match with receiver Terrell Owens earlier this month, the suit was also filed on behalf of his wife Christine and the family's au pair, Kathryn Kelley.

A message left for McDonald's Corp. spokesman Walt Riker on Thursday evening was not immediately returned.

According to the lawsuit, Christine Haley and Kelley had eaten part of the salad purchased June 5 at a McDonald's in Southlake before the rat was discovered. The women became violently ill and endured long-lasting physical injuries, the lawsuit said.

Believed to be a juvenile roof rat, the rodent was about 6 inches long and was found on its back with its mouth opened, Scott Casterline, a spokesman for the family, told The Associated Press.

He said the women didn't find it until taking the salad home to eat, and that a manager from the McDonald's "didn't offer any comfort" after driving to their house to investigate. The suit was filed after the restaurant didn't follow through on promises "to make things right," he said.

"The family needs closure," said Casterline, whose family's law firm is representing the plaintiffs. "It came to a point where you have to draw a line."

Ken Lobato, owner-operator of the McDonald's in Southlake, told the Morning News that he hadn't seen the suit and couldn't respond.

"Nothing is more important to us than the safety and well-being of our customers," he said. "We maintain the strictest quality standards. We take these matters seriously and are conducting a full investigation to get all the facts.

"In my years as an owner-operator, I've never seen anything like this."

In the Cowboys' loss to Philadelphia on Oct. 8, Owens was seen screaming at Haley on the sidelines. Owens later said his relationship with Haley was ruined, but then said after his three-touchdown game against the Texans on Oct. 15 that there was mutual respect between the two.

[BallHawk]

Did they find a human toe in their fruit parfait, too? :roll:

[cheese_man]

what i dont understand is if there was a rat in the Salad why would you begain to eat it.

[K-town]

what i dont understand is if there was a rat in the Salad why would you begain to eat it.

Maybe the rat was in disguise or wearing camouflage?

I've never had the salad at McDonald's, but how large a container does it come in to where a 6" long rat is hidden from view?

Given the mystery content of McDonald's burgers, I suppose you could say that the rat in the salad was the most authentic protein served in that establishment on that day. :laugh:

[Scott Campbell]

As a longtime PackerRat, I take exception to the way the article portrays rats as undesireable.

[MJZiggy]

I'm still trying to figure out which one of us it was... :whist:

[vince]

I'm still trying to figure out which one of us it was... :whist:
:idea: Packnut's been conspicuously absent since the Packers got another win...

Not so much to complain about...

[Scott Campbell]

From PFT

RAT SALAD LAWSUIT SEEMS OVERBLOWN

Thanks to a reader, we've gotten our mitts on the rat salad lawsuit filed by Cowboys receivers coach Todd Haley and his wife, and we've studied the thing in detail.

Our opinion? It seems to be a bit much. We understand that finding a dead rat in a salad isn't the best way to spend a Monday afternoon. But we also think that some of the specific allegations made smack of overreaching by the plaintiffs, which is a dangerous exercise in an era where juries are always on the lookout for scam artists.

We're not suggesting that the rat was planted in the salad, or any other foul play. But sometimes folks who have bad things happen to them allow their eyes to light up with dollar signs, and they become incapable of objectivity.

As to Haley, we think he never, ever should have attached his name to the proceedings. And at a minimum he should have waited to file suit until after he signed his next coaching contract.

Why, you ask? Because he'll now be forever known as the rat salad lawsuit guy in coaching circles, and the typically conservative members of the NFL ownership club might not be too keen on hiring a guy who might have Jackie Chiles on retainer. Sure, Haley still might have been slapped with some of that same stigma if only his wife had pursued the matter, but it might not have been as big of a deal.

Indeed, it possibly wouldn't have even received much, if any, national attention. Suits against fast-food restaurants for stuff in the food aren't all that uncommon. The Wendy's thing with the false claim of a severed human finger in the chili got a ton of attention because, well, it involved a severed human finger in the chili.

And just as we have concerns that lawyer David Cornwell might be placing a desire to gain notoriety over and above the interests of his NFL clients faced with alleged violations of the NFL substance abuse and steroids policies, the guy representing the Haleys, Cecil Casterline of Dallas, might merely be angling for a way to enhance his visibility.

But Casterline has cobbled together an entertaining legal document. Consider these excerpts:

1. "They sue for injuries . . . suffered when a salad Chrissy [Haley] purchased on June 5, 2006 at McDonald's contained a whole, dead rodent, believed to be a juvenile roof rat. They ate some of the salad before their forks uncovered the rodent; they instantaneously gagged, heaved and vomited. They have been ill, off and on, since that sickening afternoon."

2. "Katy [the live-in au pair] opened the salad, opened the enclosed salad dressing package, squeezed the dressing into and closed the plastic container, shook the salad to disperse the salad dressing, and reopened the container. Then both women began eating from the container with their utensils. As they were eating they uncovered a rodent lying dead on its back within the salad. Face up, mouth open. The dead rodent, whole and in place, whiskers, feet, open-mouth and all, caused Chrissy and Katy to become violently ill."

3. "They telephoned McDonald's owner-operator, and he drove to their home in Southlake to view the salad and the rodent. He gave neither woman a comfort level; nor did he display any acts of human kindness. . . . He said rather wryly that a dead rat in a salad could have happened to them at Ruth's Chris Steak House in Dallas. That perverse attitude gave no comfort to Chrissy and Katy."

4. "He simply insisted that he be allowed to take the salad and the rodent. . . . They refused his request to get the rat and the salad principally because he could not tell them why he wanted the nasty salad and equally despicable dead rodent."

5. "When the ladies see food, for the most part, they re-live the rodent-in-the-McDonald's-salad horror, and their extreme nausea arises again. . . . A dead rodent in food being eaten causes a distress and trauma level not encountered elsewhere in a dining experience."

The suit claims that the two women have undergone medical treatment to determine whether they have contracted any infectious diseases from the rodent, and that they have undergone counseling.

And as we surmised on Thursday, Mr. Haley's claim is for loss of marital consortium. In other words, his marriage has been harmed via the injuries suffered by his wife.

As one reader speculated, perhaps the Haleys' love life has been impacted because Mrs. Haley is now completely avoiding any and all five-inch hairy objects.

[chewy-bacca]

I'm still trying to figure out which one of us it was... :whist:

:lol: :shtf:

[BooHoo]

I'm still trying to figure out which one of us it was... :whist:

It wasn't me. I am still here even though I haven't posted much lately. :smile:

[Packnut]

I'm still trying to figure out which one of us it was... :whist:
:idea: Packnut's been conspicuously absent since the Packers got another win...

Not so much to complain about...

With our D there is ALWAYS something to complain about.

[Zool]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rat-Salad-Sabbath-Classic-1969-1975/dp/1844139247


Rat Salad is a good Black Sabbath song too.

[vince]

I'm still trying to figure out which one of us it was... :whist:
:idea: Packnut's been conspicuously absent since the Packers got another win...

Not so much to complain about...

With our D there is ALWAYS something to complain about.
Glad you're around nut. We don't agree much, but I do respect your opinions and enjoy your presence.

[billy_oliver880]

TO isn't in this 'boys news? Its sad when they can't get him in there. :lol:

[MadtownPacker]

That SOB!!! He wasnt supposed die!! He was the Adult Happy meal toy and he was suppose to say "visit PackerRats.com" when the opened the salad!

[mraynrand]

I didn't think I would be the first to ask:

"Has Richard Gere been questioned?"
"Did the Rat show signs of suffocation?"
"Had the rat recently been on a cross coutry flight?"
"was the Rat 'kinda smelly'?"

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Rats is good eatin. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, sautee it. Dey's uh, rat-kabobs, rat creole, rat gumbo. Pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried. There's pineapple rat, lemon rat, coconut rat, pepper rat, rat soup, rat stew, rat salad, rat and potatoes, rat burger, rat sandwich. That- that's about it.

[MJZiggy]

TO isn't in this 'boys news? Its sad when they can't get him in there. :lol:

They ALWAYS find a way to get him in there:


In addition to Haley, the Cowboys' passing game coordinator who got in a well-publicized shouting match with receiver Terrell Owens earlier this month, the suit was also filed on behalf of his wife Christine and the family's au pair, Kathryn Kelley.