Dennis Rodman has reportedly agreed to pay cameraman
Eugene Amos $200,000 in an out-of-court settlement,
according to news reports in Minneapolis. Rodman's kicking
of Amos cost him an 11 game suspension. Amos' attorney had
no comment on any settlement (Oscar Dixon, USA TODAY, 1/21).
KICKED OUT: The NBA "handed out its harshest punishment
in 20 years" when it suspended Rodman for at least 11 games
and fined him $25,000 for kicking Amos last week, according
to Terry Amour of the CHICAGO TRIBUNE. In an "unprecedented
move," the league required Rodman to meet with a therapist
before "deciding when Rodman will play again." Rodman
stands to lose $1M in salary (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 1/19).
NBPA REAX: The NBPA filed a grievance over the penalty
and will take legal action in Rodman's defense. NBPA Exec
Dir William Hunter: "My contention is that it is due to what
had accumulated before. ... If they failed to take action in
the past, so be it" (Jason Diamos, N.Y. TIMES, 1/18).
STERN KICK: In Chicago, Jay Mariotti: "This isn't a
suspension as much as an indefinite ban" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES,
1/18). In L.A., Mark Heisler: "Stern has an entire league
veering toward Whackoville and if he wants to do a
suspension a week ... here's to you, commish" (L.A. TIMES,
1/19). In N.Y., William Rhoden: "Stern's marketing-based
vision for the league rings hollow; Rodman's routine has
gotten old. In each case there is a disconnection between
thought, feeling and action. They both need to visit that
counselor" (N.Y. TIMES, 1/18). In New York, Mitch Lawrence:
"Bravo to David Stern ... It has been long overdue" (N.Y.
DAILY NEWS, 1/19). In Boston, Peter May wrote of the
suspension: "It's about time ... right on the mark" (BOSTON
GLOBE, 1/18). In Phoenix, Joe Gilmartin wrote the
suspension is "more a message to the world that the NBA
won't stand for this sort of thing. A message, when you get
down to it, that had to be sent if only for public relations
purposes" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 1/20). In Philadelphia, Bill
Lyon: "Something more drastic is required: suspension for
the remainder of the season, and the playoffs" (PHILADELPHIA
INQUIRER, 1/18). In N.Y., Mike Lupica noted Rodman's
marketability, despite the latest action: "Rodman just acts
like a fool. The real fools are the ones buying what he is
selling" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 1/18). The SEATTLE TIMES: "Stern
did what he had to do last week. But we can do even more.
We can ignore Dennis Rodman" (SEATTLE TIMES, 1/20). In San
Diego, Nick Canepa: "David wasn't stern enough" (SAN DIEGO
UNION-TRIBUNE, 1/18). In N.Y., Ian O'Connor: "It's entirely
possible that Dennis Rodman has played his final game" (N.Y.
DAILY NEWS, 1/20). In Utah, Lee Benson: "It's highly likely
we've seen the last of Dennis Rodman" (DESERET NEWS, 1/20).
ON THE AIR: On the "NBA on NBC," Bob Costas: "If
Rodman, rewarded with endorsements and a mindless kind of
celebrity, stands for anything at all it is as an unwitting
symbol of how crass and empty the whole concept of who's
worthy of our attention is and some cases our adulation has
become." NBC's Peter Vecsey: "This enhances his image to
some degree because the league is making him a martyr. ...
they went overboard" ("NBA on NBC," NBC, 1/19). TNT's
Cheryl Miller: "Stern has laid down the foundation that if
an incident like this should occur anymore, Rodman's future
with the NBA may be over" ("NBA on TNT", 1/17). On ESPN's
"The Sports Reporters," William Rhoden: "The NBA has been
market-driven, driven with basically no substance but
characters. As long as the characters are invented and
controlled by Stern" ("The Sports Reporters," ESPN, 1/20).
