Rodman Cut His Own Path to Hall of Fame

When Dennis Rodman took the stage, he was overcome by the moment. He cried his eyes out. He couldn’t speak. He gestured to his presenter and former Bulls coach, Phil Jackson, and it looked like the Worm might not say anything at all. “Hang in there Big Um!” Raglin yelled from the fifth row, and the new Hall of Famer froze. Then, Rodman rallied. He gave a speech that was everything it should have been – heartfelt, messy, profane (he called himself a couple of names, and no one in his inner circle felt compelled to offer objections), uncomfortable, silly and bleeding all over the place. He told his children he strove to be a better father and admitted to his mother, Shirley, that he needed to let go of his resentment toward her and be a better son.