11/05/24
July 17, 2003
Big Worm comeback?: ESPN is reporting that Dennis Rodman wants to make a comeback at the age of 42, saying that "All the great players in the league finished their careers on a high note, and a good note. That's the way I should do my last hurrah." My inside sources (a co-worker) say that the Kings are interested.
posted by Ufez Jones to basketball at 10:20 AM - 11 comments
Could you imagine a Kings/Lakers series with Rodman on one side, Malone on the other? I say sign him!
posted by Succa at 10:44 AM on July 17, 2003
Like Anna Kournikova, personality and looks will only go as far as their athletic ability takes them. We don't root for Dennis because he's outrageous, we root for him because he's an outrageous world class basketball player. We don't root for Anna because she's sexy, we root for her because she's a sexy world class tennis player. The world is chock full of more beautiful and more outrageous people than these two, so when their sports careers end, they are forgotten and unless they invested their dough wisely will not have the same earning power they did as before. Like jasonspaceman says, the worm is broke as a joke and basketball, not piercings and reality TV will afford him the best chance to make $$$. sorry - please substitute "me", "I", "vito90", "some of us" for "we"...
posted by vito90 at 10:53 AM on July 17, 2003
Wasn't his last attempted comeback also with the Mavs? And wasn't that one a total failure?
posted by cobra! at 11:01 AM on July 17, 2003
I don't know that "we" really root for Anna Kournikova; I'd say that "we" are far more interested in rooting around in her. Dennis Rodman was a world-class rebounder and that's about it. He only worked well on a team blessed enough in every other facet of the game to hide his glaring weaknesses. He's to be commended for taking his limited talents so far, but that well has long since run dry.
posted by Mookieproof at 12:05 PM on July 17, 2003
You really don't know what you're talking about, Mookie. He was voted to the first all-defensive team seven times and was twice defensive player of the year... as a Piston. Yes, they were world champs, but it's not like he was hiding behind Jordan and Pippen. The man could play vicious lock-down defense on his guy, and did that for a long time. He should be in the hall of fame (though he probably won't be.)
posted by tieguy at 12:37 PM on July 17, 2003
I'd love to see if Rodman, at 42, can still go for the rebounds in the old way: Jumping up in that crazy jack-in-the-box arm-flailing way and come down swinging those arms with the ball in his hands. Everyone would just clear out when they saw that and head down the court as they wait for his exit pass. I loved seeing him do that for the Bulls. Crazy!
posted by worldcup2002 at 12:38 PM on July 17, 2003
Not that I'm saying he should come back, mind you. :)
posted by tieguy at 12:38 PM on July 17, 2003
Hey, bring the guy back! He was a goddamned terror on defense, and I much as I hate spectacles, the NBA is pretty boring right now. Plus, I want a chance to catch a sweaty Rodman jersey!
posted by wfrazerjr at 03:16 PM on July 17, 2003
Rodman's style was predicated on manic energy. Take that away (which age and inactivity will do) and you've got a guy who can't rebound, score, shoot, pass, or dribble. Can you imagine Rodman trying to board against Ben Wallace? He should go back to pro-wrestling ... I thought he was pretty good there.
posted by Mike McD at 08:22 AM on July 18, 2003
I read an article recently that claimed he was in terrible shape (visibly). And mentally wacked. Given that and his behavioral track record, a comeback seems unlikely.
posted by rushmc at 10:04 PM on July 18, 2003
In other words, he needs more money.