After reaching a reported $200,000 out-of-court
settlement with cameraman Eugene Amos, Dennis Rodman
apologized to Amos by phone (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 1/22).
A joint statement issued through their attorneys said "the
matter has been resolved to our mutual satisfaction. We are
pleased that we have been able to resolve this matter without
resort to litigation" (THE DAILY). A source close to the
situation said some of Amos' friends and relatives were
"urging" Amos to ask for $1M from Rodman (Banks & Harris,
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 1/22). Meanwhile, Rodman's agent Dwight
Manley, said Rodman and the NBPA will "actively pursue" an
appeal with the league regarding his suspension. Manley said
that at issue is the fact that Rodman can't join the Bulls
until being OK'd by an NBA-appointed counselor. Manley and
the NBPA argue it is the team's responsibility to make that
judgement (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 1/22).
MORE REAX: In Chicago, Sam Smith calls on Rodman to be
suspended for the rest of the season. Smith: "If Rodman
returns to play again, it will only mean the beginning of the
end for NBA Commissioner David Stern, who continues to lose
control of his league. ... What a delicious irony that would
be, if, in the end, Rodman gets Stern" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE,
1/21). An editorial in the AKRON BEACON JOURNAL: "The NBA
players union says the punishment is too stiff. Nonsense"
(AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 1/22). Former Knick and ex-U.S.
Senator Bill Bradley, on the NBA placing cameramen too close
to the court: "It's absurd to have these photographers
crowding all around the court. ... These terribly valuable
people shouldn't be endangered" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 1/22).
