2 Former Celtics on Rodman's 'Dream Team'

[coco]

I am wondering if the Americans are allowed to win, and what would happen if they do.

[Beat LA]

To add to the barrels of laughs.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/how-dennis-rodman-can-help-the-north-korean-people/2013/12/17/b08e55dc-6689-11e3-8b5b-a77187b716a3_story.html


Again, if you knew anything about the reasons Rodman ended up in North Korea in the first place, you would have a difficult time finding anything about this funny. It's not funny when Footlocker mocks it in Kyrie Irving ads, and it's not funny when more players go over there. Nothing comical about people being forced to be morally bankrupt because they're financially bankrupt.

Thank you for that article, even though Shin Dong-hyuk's plea will sadly go ignored because Rodman has no interest in human rights violations.  Escape From Camp 14 would appear to be a must read, as it sounds like the current generation's version of Night, would you agree? 

Also, I had never seen that ad before, although I did catch the part with Tyson once while I was flicking, but I didn't stay to figure out what it was for, so I just viewed the entire commercial, just for you (I'm not mocking you here, I'm just trying to understand your side of the argument).  To me, though, it just looks like Favre, Tyson, and Rodman are poking fun at themselves, although I'm sure that the idea for said commercial probably wasn't one of their ideas, but it was a chance to get back in the headlines, which is what all of these divas seem to care about the most.  Btw, what was Craig Sager doing in such a group haha?

I should also like to add that I misunderstood your earlier point about Vice - I thought you were suggesting that Rodman was working with law enforcement for the purpose of getting off with good behavior, because he's always in trouble, one way or the other; I had no idea that Vice was a show, and may have seen an ad for it in a magazine, but I've never watched it.  Is it any good?  I don't get HBO.  I know the whole thing sounds stupid, but I honestly had no knowledge of the show.

Lastly, when I saw that Rodman was going there for the first time, I had no idea why it was happening, so I figured that it was some kind of publicity stunt, which, upon my recent inquiry to discover the story behind all of this, sadly, is true.  I had heard both that Kim liked the Bulls and of the whole 'basketball diplomacy' strategy, though.  Where we differ is your last sentence about how being financially bankrupt forces people to become morally bankrupt, as if they have no choice.  You always have a choice, and the right one is not to promote an Irish gambling website whose premise was betting on the skin color of the new pope, or to, as an alcoholic, create and promote your own line of liquor called 'Bad Boy Vodka'.  I'm sure that there are plenty of other ways and ventures by which he could earn money.  Side note: it's surprising that the lingerie football league hasn't been such a venture for him haha. 

I hate seeing people with problems (like Charlie Sheen, Lindsay Lohan, and Rodman) who enter and check out of rehab and therapy as if it were some kind of weekend getaway, thus making a mockery of the system and the people who do so much amazing, incredible, and wonderful work with people who actually want to turn things around for themselves and their families.  It sickens me.  I'd have much more respect for Dennis if he actually wanted to get sober and everything else and was at least trying everyday to fight his demons with the people who could actually help him, instead of deciding to take part in these ridiculous charades.  I do hope he turns things around, but, sadly, I doubt that it will ever happen.  If he won't do it for himself, will he at least do it for his children and his spouses?

I'm done talking about this.  Truce?   

[D.o.s.]

Sure, I'm not interested in being standoffish.

But to clarify, Vice is a magazine/website that specializes in "edgy" content. Some of their stuff is really good. Some of it is clearly crossing the lines of good taste. They're the ones who initially sent Dennis Rodman to North Korea, because they figured that Rodman being Rodman and the leadership's Bulls obsession would be interesting. Because, you know, Rodman's so messed up that he can't turn down an offer like this. Licensing his personal image is pretty much the only source of revenue that he has at this point.


Anyway, definitely went overboard on my reaction to the post--I kind of assume that people follow the money a little more than they do when it comes to things like this. Sorry about that. You're clearly not a troglodyte. If you were, you'd be a Knicks fan.

[obnoxiousmime]

Has it ever been stated what they are getting paid for this?  Be interesting to know.  I'm sure Rodman is a big enough name that he has a public appearance fee, but you gotta think you'd jack up that price to go to one of the most dangerous places on earth.

I believe Mariah Carey and J Lo were paid $1 million dollars for each performance, but idk about the others.

Well I read that the game is for a North Korean charity to feed children or something. Which doesn't make sense because the regime could easily "raise" that money through other means. I mean, it's not like any foreign money is going to this "charity event."

You can bet the players, including Rodman are receiving some kind of payment beyond just expenses. There's no reason otherwise to do this. It's not like the negative publicity from this is going to really help Doug Christie's reality TV career.

[Mr Green]

This is just too funny to not report.  Vin Baker and Kenny Anderson have agreed to travel to North Korea to play in front of Kim Jong Un on the dictator's birthday next week.  So what has the former Celtic point guard been up to as of late? -

Kenny Anderson was recently in a play entitled, The Penis Monologues and has appeared on the reality television show, Basketball Wives

Classy  .  Oh, and Charles Smith of Knicks lore  will also be in attendance. 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2533985/Dennis-Rodman-names-team-NBA-All-Stars-play-North-Korea-Kim-Jong-Uns-birthday.html

Kenny Anderson involved himself with the Penis Monologues to open up publicly about the sexual abuse he suffered while growing up.

Please take the time to read about it: www.sbnation.com/nba/2013/7/25/4555906/kenny-anderson-sexual-abuse

I think it took great courage for him to do this, and I hope it can help him to heal and find closure. I think was classy of him, and not funny at all.

[Beat LA]

What kind of North Korean hard liquor is Rodman paying Vin Baker with?

Perhaps Rodman is selling him his own Bad Boy Vodka haha.

Well I read that the game is for a North Korean charity  to feed children or something

Ahahaha I had to stop and laugh for a moment before I could continue reading the rest of your comment - that's hilarious 

D.o.s. - I initially figured that it was some sort of publicity stunt, and, again, I didn't investigate further until yesterday as to the cause of the situation.  Vice does sound interesting, I'll have to give it a look (of course now a much more suspicious one).  Strange game, diplomacy is.  Who would have ever thought that the Chicago Bulls would play a central role in opening some kind of channel with North Korea?  I'm sure that stranger things have happened, but none come to mind right now.

Mr Green - I would like to apologize.  I did read the article, and it was the first I'd heard of it (aside from Keyon Dooling retiring last year because of similar repressed memories), so thank you for bringing it to my attention.  Of course it was incredibly brave and classy of Kenny to do this, and I too hope that he gets the help he needs to overcome such nightmares.  I cannot even begin to imagine what he's been dealing with for so long.  The only thing I found to be funny was the name of the play - it sounded like some low budget sex and the city meets **** spin off idk.  Still, I'm very sorry if I gave you the impression that idc about people with such issues, or laugh at others' bad fortune, because, as I said to D.o.s. earlier, that's not me - I would never and have never in my life mocked someone who's mentally and/or physically disabled or is homeless (or any other person for that matter.  I was often on the receiving end of that on every level of my education, and I have absolutely no desire to ever repeat such verbal, and non verbal, offenses to anyone, just fyi) .  I admit, I didn't think much about the article because it's from the daily mail, which is very unlike me, because I always investigate and research stories to at least make sure that I am somewhat well versed in the matter before I decide to make a point on the subject. 

Anyway, their stuff is ridiculous celebrity trash that makes for a funny read.  Articles are often published with spelling errors in the body of the piece and even the title, only to be fixed hours later.  The Daily Mail - We Publish Your Rough Drafts, or, The Daily Mail - Spelling Doesn't Count.   

Are we all good now?

[TripleOT]

The "I Blew Tens of Millions of Dollars Tour."

[Adelaide Celt]

My country's quality mainstream media refer to Rodman as a 'former NBL star'

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/2014/01/08/11/18/dennis-rodman-cnn-meltdown-north-korea-kim-jong-un

They amended it in the body but not the opening paragraph.

[obnoxiousmime]

It's funny that now Charles Smith is expressing "regret" over how the event has been portrayed in the media and by Rodman, but then he made no mention of possibly dropping out of the game.

Dude, if you're going to take the money just keep your mouth shut. There's really no way to save face now if you still go on with the gig. Public shaming is a fair price to pay when you accept blood money.

[Mr Green]

... Mr Green - I would like to apologize.  I did read the article, and it was the first I'd heard of it (aside from Keyon Dooling retiring last year because of similar repressed memories), so thank you for bringing it to my attention.  Of course it was incredibly brave and classy of Kenny to do this, and I too hope that he gets the help he needs to overcome such nightmares.  I cannot even begin to imagine what he's been dealing with for so long.  The only thing I found to be funny was the name of the play - it sounded like some low budget sex and the city meets **** spin off idk.  Still, I'm very sorry if I gave you the impression that idc about people with such issues, or laugh at others' bad fortune, because, as I said to D.o.s. earlier, that's not me - I would never and have never in my life mocked someone who's mentally and/or physically disabled or is homeless (or any other person for that matter.  I was often on the receiving end of that on every level of my education, and I have absolutely no desire to ever repeat such verbal, and non verbal, offenses to anyone, just fyi) .  I admit, I didn't think much about the article because it's from the daily mail, which is very unlike me, because I always investigate and research stories to at least make sure that I am somewhat well versed in the matter before I decide to make a point on the subject...   

Are we all good now?

All good broseph I understand, heart you with no hard feelings X

[Sievers81]

Some (very) brief footage from the game, with Rodman singing Happy Birthday to the dictator. Just gross, so appalling even if you need a payday.

http://youtu.be/gkZl-avxrU4