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News flash Rodman not toeing Mavs' company line
Posted: Friday March 10, 2000 02:20 AM
DALLAS (AP) -- Dallas Mavericks coach-general manager Don Nelson and owner-to-be Mark Cuban say flamboyant forward Dennis Rodman was released Wednesday because the team was no longer in playoff contention. The rebellious Rodman, as always, had a different point of view. In his first comments since being dropped by the only team willing to put up with his antics, Rodman criticized the league, the Mavericks organization and Cuban in an expletive-filled tirade Thursday. "I don't think I deserve this, to be treated like as a $5 Cuban [expletive]," Rodman told Fox Sports News. "I don't mean Mark Cuban. I mean like going to Cuba to pay some [expletive] $5 to [expletive]." After railing on Cuban, Rodman vented on the league. "If it's not a personal thing, then it's the NBA, saying if you don't get rid of Dennis Rodman, then you're not going to be an owner," Rodman said. "I think it's an injustice because I'm me, Dennis Rodman. I haven't done anything wrong. I thought I was doing a good job. I thought I lived up to my expectations. I don't get it. I really don't get it. I get the short end of the stick every [expletive] time. What am I doing wrong?" For Nelson and Cuban, the bottom line was that Rodman did not amount to more wins. Dallas had won 10 of 13 games before Rodman's Feb. 3 signing. In the 29 days and 13 games of the Rodman era, Dallas managed to win only four games while enduring two ejections and a one-game suspension from the league's most-pierced player. "There is no question Dennis Rodman would still be here if we were still in the playoff hunt," Nelson said after the Mavericks' first post-Rodman shootaround. "We had to decide if we wanted to continue to give him 35 minutes a game or if we wanted to play younger guys. We decided to play the younger guys. It was nothing he said or did." Not that Rodman didn't supply ample ammunition. Following a loss to Seattle on Tuesday -- the Mavericks' fifth in a row -- Rodman criticized teammates and lashed out at the ever-enthusiastic Cuban for being overzealous. Cuban and Nelson said the comments had nothing to do with his release. Both said plans to drop the tattooed one began after a loss to Sacramento Monday night. "Dennis is a passionate, emotional player, and he vents verbally," said Cuban, who had Rodman living in his guest house for part of the season. "That's just Dennis. I didn't take it personally at all. If I was thin-skinned, I never would have done it in the first place." The comments still carried some sting. "You don't ever want to take shots at your teammates," said Mavericks guard Eric Strickland. "It hurt a little bit, but I can't say it's going to stop me from playing the game tonight." The outburst capped what Mavericks players knew was coming. "I think it would have been great if it could have worked out, but it definitely wasn't working out," guard Steve Nash said. "I didn't want to see him go in one sense, but on the other hand I think it was time that he did go. I don't think he wanted to be here. If Dennis wanted to be here, I think we would have seen a different Dennis and a different result." In the end, it was the same Dennis with the same result. Rodman wore out his welcome with San Antonio, and even though he won three championships with Chicago, his act was wearing thin before he left there. Rodman was released after 48 games by the Los Angeles Lakers last season. True to form in past stops, Rodman distanced himself from blame in what may have been his last chance. "I got used again," Rodman said. "It's like being blackballed. I've done so much for this league and people want to see me play. ... I don't get it."
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