Dennis Rodman should, by now, be given an ultimatum by the executive staff of the Los Angeles Lakers forcing him to stay or leave.
They pay him to play, and he is not playing.
Loyal fans are eagerly awaiting a championship, certain that he has the ability to help bring that. No reason, other than a death in the family, should be accepted as an excuse.
He was reportedly seen in Las Vegas during his absence, but whatever the reason why he is on absence (problems with wife Carmen Electra, need to gamble, no desire to play, etc.), the Lakers should have known that they would sooner or later have difficulties working with the seven-time rebound champion. His personality and actions, on and off the court, have given him the reputation as a bad boy. Marital problems are also bound to happen, especially in his marriage. Rodman and Electra did not have any sort of long-time relationship prior to their marriage.
At one point in his lifetime, Rodman must have been or showed loyalty to something. In high school, athletes seldom missed practice. Coaches would usually sit them out of a game or kick them off the team. No player, regardless of the how good they are, received special treatment or different options when they missed practice. I am sure Rodman was no different.
With as much talent that the Lakers now possess, Rodman must certainly be aware that they have a strong chance of obtaining a championship. He has five championship rings from playing with the Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons. But whether or not he is interested in another ring, he should be considerate of his teammates, who have never been a part of such a successful team as the Bulls.
“Who cares about the others? He should worry about his own interest.” If this is the kind of selfish attitude he or anyone else has, then he and anyone should not be a part of any team.
Signing a contract should not merely state that Billy Bob Joe will play for this team in exchange for a certain amount of money. It should signify a person’s commitment and loyalty toward an organization. Money should come second.
When Rodman was playing, the Lakers were 9-0. The first night without him, the squad lost to Sacramento. Sacramento?!
Obviously, the team needs him, although he is not absolutely a necessity to win. The Lakers have a lot of talent to win games, but defensively, they are not as strong as they are with Rodman.
A fine, of an unknown amount, given to Rodman has been confirmed, and an ultimatum should be next. No one wants to see him go but then again, special privileges should not be given to players based on talent or who they are.
Through his actions, it has become unclear whether or not he has a burning love for the game. Maybe it is because he has already been a part of a championship squad or because he has millions of dollars. Who knows?
But someone needs to kick him in the butt and put him back in gear. Lakers head coach Kurt Rambis, who has been very patient about the ordeal, should sit down with Rodman and verbally force him to play.
Fans feel left out in the cold by his disappearance. They feel cheated that he is not doing what he was brought to the Lakers to do. All Rodman needs to do is be told one thing and react from there:
“You’re either in, or you’re out. You can’t be in between.”
Damien Alarcon, a junior journalism major, is sports editor of the Campus Times. He can be reached by e-mail at alarcond@ulv.edu.
