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Dennis Rodman

Dennis Keith Rodman (born May 13, 1961) is an American retired professional basketball player. Rodman played for the Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, and Dallas Mavericks in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was nicknamed "the Worm" and is famous for his fierce defensive and rebounding abilities.

Rodman played at the small forward position in his early years before becoming a power forward. He earned NBA All-Defensive First Team honors seven times and won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award twice. He also led the NBA in rebounds per game for a record seven consecutive years and won five NBA championships. His biography at NBA.com states that he is "arguably the best rebounding forward in NBA history". On April 1, 2011, the Pistons retired Rodman's No. 10 jersey, and he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame later that year.

Rodman experienced an unhappy childhood and was shy and introverted in his early years. After aborting a suicide attempt in 1993, he reinvented himself as a "bad boy" and became notorious for numerous controversial antics. He repeatedly dyed his hair in artificial colors, had many piercings and tattoos, and regularly disrupted games by clashing with opposing players and officials. He famously wore a wedding dress to promote his 1996 autobiography Bad As I Wanna Be. Rodman pursued a high-profile affair with singer Madonna and was briefly married to actress Carmen Electra. Rodman also attracted international attention for his visits to North Korea and his subsequent befriending of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in 2013.

In addition to being a retired professional basketball player, Rodman is a retired part-time professional wrestler and actor. He was a member of the nWo and fought alongside Hulk Hogan at two Bash at the Beach events. In professional wrestling, Rodman was the first ever winner of the Celebrity Championship Wrestling tournament. He had his own TV show, The Rodman World Tour, and had lead roles in the action films Double Team (1997) and Simon Sez (1999). Both films were critically panned, with the former earning Rodman a triple Razzie Award. He appeared in several reality TV series and was the winner of the $222,000 main prize of the 2004 edition of Celebrity Mole.

Early life and college career

Rodman was born in Trenton, New Jersey, the son of Shirley and Philander Rodman, Jr., an Air Force enlisted member, who later fought in the Vietnam War. When he was young, his father left his family, eventually settling in the Philippines. Rodman has many brothers and sisters: according to his father, he has either 26 or 28 siblings on his father's side. However, Rodman himself has stated that he is the oldest of a total of 47 children.

After his father left, Shirley took many odd jobs to support the family, up to four at the same time. In his 1996 biography Bad As I Wanna Be, he expresses his feelings for his father: "I haven't seen my father in more than 30 years, so what's there to miss ... I just look at it like this: Some man brought me into this world. That doesn't mean I have a father". He would not meet his father again until 2012.

Rodman and his two sisters, Debra and Kim, grew up in the Oak Cliff section of Dallas, at the time one of the most impoverished areas of the city. Rodman was so attached to his mother that he refused to move when she sent him to a nursery when he was four years old. According to Rodman, his mom was more interested in his two sisters, who were both considered more talented than he was in basketball, and made him a laughing stock whenever he tagged along with them. He felt generally "overwhelmed" by the all-female household. Debra and Kim would go on to become All-Americans at Louisiana Tech and Stephen F. Austin, respectively. Debra won two national titles with the Lady Techsters.

While attending South Oak Cliff High School, Rodman was a gym class student of future Texas A&M basketball coach Gary Blair. Blair coached Rodman's sisters Debra and Kim, winning three state championships. However, Rodman was not considered an athletic standout. According to Rodman, he was "unable to hit a layup" and was listed in the high school basketball teams, but was either benched or cut from the squads. Measuring only 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) as a freshman in high school, he also failed to make the football teams and was "totally devastated". After finishing school, Rodman worked as an overnight janitor at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. He then experienced a sudden growth spurt from 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) to 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) and decided to try basketball again, despite becoming even more withdrawn because he felt odd in his own body.

A family friend tipped off the head coach of Cooke County College (now North Central Texas College) in Gainesville, Texas. In his single semester there, he averaged 17.6 points and 13.3 rebounds, before flunking out due to poor academic performance. After his short stint in Gainesville, he transferred to Southeastern Oklahoma State University, an NAIA school. There, Rodman was a three-time NAIA All-American and led the NAIA in rebounding twice (1985, 1986). In three seasons there (1983–1986), he averaged 25.7 points and 15.7 rebounds, led the NAIA in rebounding twice and registered a .637 field goal percentage. At the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, a pre-draft camp for NBA hopefuls, he won Most Valuable Player honors and caught the attention of the Detroit Pistons.

During college Rodman worked at a summer youth basketball camp, where he befriended camper Byrne Rich, who was shy and withdrawn due to a hunting accident in which he mistakenly shot and killed his best friend. The two became almost inseparable and formed a close bond. Rich invited Rodman to his rural Oklahoma home; at first, Rodman was not well-received by the Riches because he was black. But the Riches were so grateful to him for bringing their son out of his shell that they were able to set aside their prejudices. Although Rodman had severe family and personal issues himself, he "adopted" the Riches as his own in 1982 and went from the city life to "driving a tractor and messing with cows". Though Rodman credited the Riches as his "surrogate family" that helped him through college, as of 2013 he had stopped communicating with the Rich family for reasons unknown to them.

Professional basketball career

Detroit Pistons1986–1989

Rodman made himself eligible for the 1986 NBA draft. He was drafted by the Detroit Pistons as the third pick in the second round (27th overall), joining the rugged team of coach Chuck Daly that was called "Bad Boys" for their hard-nosed approach to basketball. The squad featured Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars at the guard positions, Adrian Dantley and Sidney Green at forward, and center Bill Laimbeer. Bench players who played more than 15 minutes per game were sixth man Vinnie Johnson and the backup forwards Rick Mahorn and John Salley. Rodman fit well into this ensemble, providing 6.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and some tough defense in 15.0 minutes of playing time per game.

Winning 52 games, the Pistons comfortably entered the 1987 playoffs. They swept the Washington Bullets and soundly beat the Atlanta Hawks in five games, but bowed out in seven matches against the archrival Boston Celtics in what was called one of the physically and mentally toughest series ever. Rodman feuded with Celtics guard Dennis Johnson and taunted Johnson in the closing seconds when he waved his right hand over his own head. When the Celtics took Game Seven, Johnson went back at Rodman in the last moments of the game and mimicked his taunting gesture.

After the loss, Rodman made headlines by directly accusing Celtics star Larry Bird of being overrated because he was white: "Larry Bird is overrated in a lot of areas. ... Why does he get so much publicity? Because he's white. You never hear about a black player being the greatest". Although teammate Thomas supported him, he endured harsh criticism, but avoided being called a racist because, according to him, his own girlfriend Anicka "Annie" Bakes was white.

In the following 1987–88 season, Rodman steadily improved his stats, averaging 11.6 points and 8.7 rebounds and starting in 32 of 82 regular season games. The Pistons fought their way into the 1988 NBA Finals, and took a 3–2 lead, but lost in seven games against the Los Angeles Lakers. In Game Six, the Pistons were down by one point with eight seconds to go; Dumars missed a shot, and Rodman just fell short of an offensive rebound and a putback which could have won the title. In Game Seven, L.A. led by 15 points in the fourth quarter, but Rodman's defense helped cut down the lead to six with 3:52 minutes to go and to two with one minute to go. But then, he fouled Magic Johnson, who hit a free throw, missed an ill-advised shot with 39 seconds to go, and the Pistons never recovered. In that year, he and his girlfriend Annie had a daughter they named Alexis.

Rodman remained a bench player during the 1988–89 season, averaging 9.0 points and 9.4 rebounds in 27 minutes, yet providing such effective defense that he was voted into the All-Defensive Team, the first of eight times in his career. He also began seeing more playing time after Adrian Dantley was traded at midseason to Dallas for Mark Aguirre. In that season, the Pistons finally vanquished their playoffs bane by sweeping the Boston Celtics, then winning in six games versus the Chicago Bulls—including scoring champion Michael Jordan—and easily defeating the Lakers 4–0 in the 1989 NBA Finals. Although he was hampered by back spasms, Rodman dominated the boards, grabbing 19 rebounds in Game 3 and providing tough interior defense.

1989–1993

In the 1989–90 season, Detroit lost perennial defensive forward Rick Mahorn when he was taken by the Minnesota Timberwolves in that year's expansion draft and ended up on the Philadelphia 76ers when the Pistons could not reacquire him. It was feared that the loss of Mahorn – average in talent, but high on hustle and widely considered a vital cog of the "Bad Boys" teams – would diminish the Pistons' spirit, but Rodman seamlessly took over his role. He went on to win his first big individual accolade. Averaging 8.8 points and 9.7 rebounds while starting in the last 43 regular season games, he established himself as the best defensive player in the game; during this period, the Pistons won 59 games, and Rodman was lauded by the NBA "for his defense and rebounding skills, which were unparalleled in the league". For his feats, he won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award; he also connected on a .595 field goal percentage, best in the league. In the 1990 playoffs, the Pistons beat the Bulls again, and in the 1990 NBA Finals, Detroit met the Portland Trail Blazers. Rodman suffered from an injured ankle and was often replaced by Mark Aguirre, but even without his defensive hustle, Detroit beat Portland in five games and claimed their second title.

During the 1990–91 season, Rodman finally established himself as the starting small forward of the Pistons. He played such strong defense that the NBA stated he "could shut down any opposing player, from point guard to center". After coming off the bench for most of his earlier years, he finally started in 77 of the 82 regular season games, averaged 8.2 points and 12.5 rebounds and won his second Defensive Player of the Year Award. In the 1991 playoffs, however, the Pistons were swept by the championship-winning Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals.

It was in the 1991–92 season where Rodman made a remarkable leap in his rebounding, collecting an astounding 18.7 rebounds per game (1,530 in total), winning his first of seven consecutive rebounding crowns, along with scoring 9.8 points per game, and making his first All-NBA Team. His 1,530 rebounds (the most since Wilt Chamberlain's 1,572 in the 1971–1972 season) have never been surpassed since then; the best mark not set by Rodman is by Kevin Willis, who grabbed 1,258 boards that same season. Willis lamented that Rodman had an advantage in winning the rebounding title with his lack of offensive responsibilities. In a March 1992 game, Rodman totaled a career high 34 rebounds. However, the aging Pistons were eliminated by the up-and-coming New York Knicks in the first round of the 1992 playoffs.

Rodman experienced a tough loss when coach Chuck Daly, whom he had admired as a surrogate father, resigned in May; Rodman skipped the preseason camp and was fined $68,000. The following 1992–93 season was even more tumultuous. Rodman and Annie Bakes, the mother of his daughter Alexis, were divorcing after a short marriage, an experience which left him traumatized. The Pistons won only 40 games and missed the 1993 playoffs entirely. One night in February 1993, Rodman was found asleep in his car with a loaded rifle. Four years later in his biography As Bad As I Wanna Be, he confessed having thought about suicide and described that night as an epiphany: "I decided that instead [of killing myself] I was gonna kill the impostor that was leading Dennis Rodman to a place he didn't want to go ... So I just said, 'I'm going to live my life the way I want to live it and be happy doing it.' At that moment I tamed [sic] my whole life around. I killed the person I didn't want to be." The book was later adapted for a TV movie Bad As I Wanna Be: The Dennis Rodman Story. Although he had three years and $11.8 million remaining on his contract, Rodman demanded a trade. On October 1, 1993, the Pistons dealt him to the San Antonio Spurs.

San Antonio Spurs

In the 1993–94 season, Rodman joined a Spurs team that was built around perennial All-Star center David Robinson, with a supporting cast of forwards Dale Ellis, Willie Anderson and guard Vinny Del Negro. On the hardwood, Rodman now was played as a power forward and won his third straight rebounding title, averaging 17.3 boards per game, along with another All-Defensive Team call-up. Living up to his promise of killing the "shy imposter" and "being himself" instead, Rodman began to show first signs of unconventional behavior: before the first game, he shaved his hair and dyed it blonde, which was followed up by stints with red, purple, blue hair and a look inspired from the film Demolition Man. During the season, he headbutted Stacey King and John Stockton, refused to leave the hardwood once after being ejected, and had a highly publicized two-month affair with Madonna. The only player to whom Rodman related was reserve center Jack Haley, who earned his trust by not being shocked after a visit to a gay bar. However, despite a 55-win season, Rodman and the Spurs did not survive the first round of the 1994 playoffs and bowed out against the Utah Jazz in four games.

In the following 1994–95 season, Rodman clashed with the Spurs front office. He was suspended for the first three games, took a leave of absence on November 11, and was suspended again on December 7. He finally returned on December 10 after missing 19 games. After joining the team, he suffered a shoulder separation in a motorcycle accident, limiting his season to 49 games. Normally, he would not have qualified for any season records for missing so many games, but by grabbing 823 rebounds, he just surpassed the 800-rebound limit for listing players and won his fourth straight rebounding title by averaging 16.8 boards per game and made the All-NBA Team. In the 1995 playoffs, the 62-win Spurs with reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Award winner Robinson entered the Western Conference Finals and were considered favorites against the reigning champions Houston Rockets who had only won 47 games. It was thought that Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon would have a hard time asserting himself versus Robinson and Rodman, who had both been voted into the NBA All-Defensive Teams. However, neither Robinson nor Rodman, who had disrupted a playoff game against the Lakers by sitting down on the court, could stop Olajuwon, who averaged 35.3 points against the elite defensive Spurs frontcourt, and helped eliminate the Spurs in six games.

Rodman admitted his frequent transgressions, but asserted that he lived his own life and thus a more honest life than most other people:

I just took the chance to be my own man ... I just said: "If you don't like it, kiss my ass." ... Most people around the country, or around the world, are basically working people who want to be free, who want to be themselves. They look at me and see someone trying to do that ... I'm the guy who's showing people, hey, it's all right to be different. And I think they feel: "Let's go and see this guy entertain us."

Chicago Bulls

Prior to the 1995–96 season, Rodman was traded to the Chicago Bulls of perennial scoring champion Michael Jordan for center Will Perdue to fill a large void at power forward left by Horace Grant, who left the Bulls prior to the 1994–95 season. Given Rodman could not use the 10 jersey as the Bulls had retired it for Bob Love, and the NBA denied him the reversion 01, Rodman instead picked the number 91, whose digits add up to 10. Although the trade for the already 34-year-old and volatile Rodman was considered a gamble at that time, the power forward quickly adapted to his new environment, helped by the fact that his best friend Jack Haley was also traded to the Bulls. Under coach Phil Jackson, he averaged 5.5 points and 14.9 rebounds per game, winning yet another rebounding title, and was part of the great Bulls team that won 72 of 82 regular season games, an NBA record at the time. About playing next to the iconic Jordan and co-star Scottie Pippen, Rodman said:

On the court, me and Michael are pretty calm and we can handle conversation. But as far as our lives go, I think he is moving in one direction and I'm going in the other. I mean, he's goin' north, I'm goin' south. And then you've got Scottie Pippen right in the middle. He's sort of the equator.

Although struggling with calf problems early in the season, Rodman grabbed 20 or more rebounds 11 times and had his first triple-double against the Philadelphia 76ers on January 16, 1996 scoring 10 points and adding 21 rebounds and 10 assists; by playing his trademark tough defense, he joined Jordan and Pippen in the All-NBA Defense First Team. Ever controversial, Rodman made negative headlines after a head butt of referee Ted Bernhardt during a game in New Jersey on March 16, 1996; he was suspended for six games and fined $20,000, a punishment that was criticized as too lenient by the local press.

In the 1996 playoffs, Rodman scored 7.5 points and grabbed 13.7 rebounds per game and had a large part in the six-game victory against the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1996 NBA Finals: in Game Two at home in the Bulls' United Center, he grabbed 20 rebounds, among them a record-tying 11 offensive boards, and in Game Six, again at the United Center, the power forward secured 19 rebounds and again 11 offensive boards, scored five points in a decisive 12–2 Bulls run, unnerved opposing power forward Shawn Kemp and caused Seattle coach George Karl to say: "As you evaluate the series, Dennis Rodman won two basketball games. We controlled Dennis Rodman for four games. But Game 2 and tonight, he was the reason they were successful." His two games with 11 offensive rebounds each tied the NBA Finals record of Elvin Hayes.

In the 1996–97 season, Rodman won his sixth rebounding title in a row with 16.7 boards per game, along with 5.7 points per game, but failed to rank another All-Defensive Team call-up. However, he made more headlines for his notorious behavior. On January 15, 1997, he was involved in an incident during a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. After tripping over cameraman Eugene Amos, Rodman kicked Amos in the groin. Though he was not assessed a technical foul at the time, he ultimately paid Amos a $200,000 settlement, and the league suspended Rodman for 11 games without pay. Thus, he effectively lost $1 million. Missing another three games to suspensions, often getting technical fouls early in games and missing an additional 13 matches due to knee problems, Rodman was not as effective in the 1997 playoffs, in which the Bulls reached the 1997 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz. He struggled to slow down Jazz power forward Karl Malone, but did his share to complete the six-game Bulls victory.

The regular season of the 1997–98 season ended with Rodman winning his seventh consecutive rebounding title with 15.0 boards per game, along with 4.7 points per game. He grabbed 20 or more rebounds 11 times, among them a 29-board outburst against the Atlanta Hawks and 15 offensive boards (along with ten defensive) versus the Los Angeles Clippers. Led by the aging Jordan and Rodman (respectively 35 and 37 years old), the Bulls reached the 1998 NBA Finals, again versus the Jazz. After playing strong defense on Malone in the first three games, he caused major consternation when he left his team prior to Game Four to go wrestling with Hulk Hogan. He was fined $20,000, but it was not even ten percent of what he earned with this stint. However, Rodman's on-court performance remained top-notch, again shutting down Malone in Game Four until the latter scored 39 points in a Jazz Game Five win, bringing the series to 3–2 from the Bulls perspective. In Game Six, Jordan hit the decisive basket after a memorable drive on Jazz forward Bryon Russell, the Bulls won their third title in a row and Rodman his fifth ring.

Rodman garnered as much publicity for his public antics. He dated Madonna and claimed she tried to conceive a child with him. Shortly after, Rodman famously wore a wedding dress to promote his autobiography Bad As I Wanna Be, claiming that he was bisexual and that he was marrying himself.

Twilight years

After the 1997–98 season, the Bulls started a massive rebuilding phase, largely at the behest of then-general manager Jerry Krause. Head coach Phil Jackson and several members of the team left via free agency or retirement, including Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Steve Kerr, and Jud Buechler. Rodman was released by the Bulls on January 21, 1999, before the start of the lockout-shortened 1998–99 season. With his sister acting as his agent at the time, Rodman joined the Los Angeles Lakers, for a pro-rated salary for the remainder of the 1998–1999 season. With the Lakers he only played in 23 games and was released.

In the 1999–2000 season, the then-38-year-old power forward was signed by the Dallas Mavericks, meaning that Rodman returned to the place where he grew up. Dallas had won 10 of 13 before his arrival, but went just 4–9 until he was waived by the Mavericks. He played 12 games, received six technical fouls, was ejected twice, and served a one-game suspension. Despite averaging 14.3 rebounds per game, above his career average of 13.1, Rodman alienated the franchise with his erratic behavior and did not provide leadership to a team trying to qualify for their first playoffs in 10 years. Dallas guard Steve Nash commented that Rodman "never wanted to be [a Maverick]" and therefore was unmotivated.

Post-NBA career

After his NBA career, Rodman took a long break from basketball and concentrated on his film career and on wrestling.

After a longer hiatus, Rodman returned to play basketball for the Long Beach Jam of the newly formed American Basketball Association during the 2003–04 season, with hopes of being called up to the NBA midseason. While he did not get that wish that season, he did help the Jam win the ABA championship in their inaugural season. He also played in Mexico, with Fuerza Regia in 2004. In the following 2004–05 season, he signed with the ABA's Orange County Crush and the following season with the league's Tijuana Dragons. In November 2005, he played one match for Torpan Pojat of the Finland's basketball league, Korisliiga.

The return to the NBA never materialized, but on January 26, 2006, it was announced that Rodman had signed a one-game "experiment" deal for the UK basketball team Brighton Bears of the British Basketball League to play Guildford Heat on January 28 and went on to play three games for the Bears. In spring 2006, he played two exhibition games in the Philippines along with NBA ex-stars Darryl Dawkins, Kevin Willis, Calvin Murphy, Otis Birdsong and Alex English. On April 27, they defeated a team of former Philippine Basketball Association stars in Mandaue City, Cebu and Rodman scored five points and grabbed 18 rebounds. On May 1, 2006, Rodman's team played their second game and lost to the Philippine national basketball team 110–102 at the Araneta Coliseum, where he scored three points and recorded 16 rebounds.

On April 4, 2011, it was announced that Rodman would be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

NBA career statistics

Regular seasonPlayoffs

Awards, records, and achievements

Legacy in basketball

From the beginning of his career Rodman was known for his defensive hustle, which was later accompanied by his rebounding prowess. In Detroit, he was mainly played as a small forward, and his usual assignment was to neutralize the opponent's best player; Rodman was so versatile that he could guard centers, forwards, or guards equally well and won two NBA Defensive Player of the Year Awards. From 1991 on, he established himself as one of the best rebounders of all time, averaging at least 15 rebounds per game in six of the next seven years. Playing power forward as member of the Spurs and the Bulls, he had a historical outburst in the 1996 NBA Finals: he twice snared 11 offensive rebounds, equalling an all-time NBA record. In addition, he had a career-high 34-rebound game on March 4, 1992. Rodman's rebounding prowess with Detroit and San Antonio was also aided by his decreased attention to defensive positioning and helping teammates on defense. Daly said Rodman was selfish about rebounding, but deemed him a hard worker and coachable. Rodman's defensive intensity returned while with Chicago.

On offense, Rodman's output was mediocre. He averaged 11.6 points per game in his second season, but his average steadily dropped: in the three championship seasons with the Bulls, he averaged five points per game and connected on less than half of his field goal attempts. His free throw shooting (lifetime average: .584) was considered a big liability: on December 29, 1997, Bubba Wells of the Dallas Mavericks committed six intentional fouls against him in only three minutes, setting the record for the fastest foul out in NBA history. The intention was to force him to attempt free throws, which in theory would mean frequent misses and easy ball possession without giving up too many points. However, this plan backfired, as Rodman hit 9 of the 12 attempts. This was Dallas coach Don Nelson's early version of what would later develop into the famous "Hack-a-Shaq" method that would be implemented against Shaquille O'Neal, Dwight Howard, and other poor free throw shooters.

In 14 NBA seasons, Rodman played in 911 games, scored 6,683 points, and grabbed 11,954 rebounds, translating to 7.3 points and 13.1 rebounds per game in only 31.7 minutes played per game. NBA.com lauds Rodman as "arguably the best rebounding forward in NBA history and one of the most recognized athletes in the world" but adds "enigmatic and individualistic, Rodman has caught the public eye for his ever-changing hair color, tattoos and, unorthodox lifestyle". On the hardwood, he was recognized as one of the most successful defensive players ever, winning the NBA championship five times in six NBA Finals appearances (1989, 1990, 1996–1998; only loss 1988), being crowned NBA Defensive Player of the Year twice (1990–1991) and making seven NBA All-Defensive First Teams (1989–1993, 1995–1996) and NBA All-Defensive Second Teams (1994). He additionally made two All-NBA Third Teams (1992, 1995), two NBA All-Star Teams (1990, 1992) and won seven straight rebounding crowns (1992–1998) and finally led the league once in field goal percentage (1989).

Rodman was recognized as the prototype bizarre player, stunning basketball fans with his artificial hair colors, numerous tattoos and body piercings, multiple verbal and physical assaults on officials, frequent ejections, and his tumultuous private life. He was ranked No. 48 on the 2009 revision of SLAM Magazine's Top 50 Players of All-Time. Metta World Peace played one year with the 91 jersey number in homage to Rodman, who he described as a player who he liked "on the court as a hustler, not when he kicked the cameraman."

Non-basketball awards

World Humanitarian Special Award, 2015. For his contributions into helping create peace and trying to unite North Korea and the USA.

Professional wrestling career

World Championship Wrestling (1997–1999)

Rodman took up his hobby of professional wrestling seriously and appeared on the edition of March 10 of Monday Nitro with his friend Hollywood Hulk Hogan in World Championship Wrestling (WCW). At the March 1997 Uncensored event, he appeared as a member of the nWo. His first match was at the July 1997 Bash at the Beach event, where he teamed with Hogan in a loss to Lex Luger and The Giant. At the August 1997 Road Wild event, Rodman appeared as the Impostor Sting hitting Luger with a baseball bat to help Hogan win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship.

After the 1997–98 season, where Rodman and the Chicago Bulls defeated Karl Malone and the Utah Jazz in the 1998 NBA Finals, Rodman and Malone squared off again, this time in a tag team match at the July 1998 Bash at the Beach event. He fought alongside Hulk Hogan, and Malone tagged along with Diamond Dallas Page. In a poorly received match, the two power forwards exchanged "rudimentary headlocks, slams and clotheslines" for 23 minutes. Rodman bested Malone again as he and Hogan picked up the win.

Rodman returned to WCW in 1999 and feuded with Randy Savage. This culminated in a match at Road Wild which Rodman lost.

i-Generation Superstars of Wrestling and retirement (2000)

On July 30, 2000, Rodman competed on the i-Generation Superstars of Wrestling Rodman Down Under pay-per-view event. He fought against i-Generation champion Curt Hennig in an Australian Outback match; Hennig won the match by disqualification. Following the match, Rodman refrained from wrestling at the top level and retired.

Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Championship Wrestling (2008)

Rodman came out of retirement to appear as a contestant on Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Championship Wrestling, broadcast on CMT. Rodman was the winner of the series, defeating other challengers such as Butterbean and Dustin Diamond.

Championships and accomplishments

Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Championship Wrestling

Celebrity Championship Wrestling tournament

Media appearances

In 1996, Rodman had his own MTV reality talk show called The Rodman World Tour, which featured him in a series of odd-ball situations. That same year, Rodman had two appearances in releases by rock band Pearl Jam. A Polaroid picture of Rodman's eyeball is on the cover of the album No Code, and "Black, Red, Yellow", B-side of its lead single "Hail, Hail", was written about Rodman and has him contribute a voice message.

A year later, he made his feature film debut in the action film Double Team alongside Jean-Claude Van Damme and Mickey Rourke. The film was critically panned and his performance earned him three Golden Raspberry Awards: Worst New Star, Worst Supporting Actor and Worst Screen Couple (shared with Van Damme). Rodman starred in Simon Sez, a 1999 action/comedy and co-starred with Tom Berenger in a 2000 action film about skydiving titled Cutaway. In 1998, he joined the cast of the syndicated TV show Special Ops Force, playing 'Deke' Reynolds, a flamboyant but skilled ex-Army helo pilot and demolitions expert.

In 2005, Rodman became the first man to pose naked for PETA's advertisement campaign "Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur". That same year, Rodman traveled to Finland, at first, he was present at Sonkajärvi in July in a wife-carrying contest. However, he resigned from the contest due to health problems. Also in 2005, Rodman published his second autobiography, I Should Be Dead By Now; he promoted the book by sitting in a coffin.

Rodman became Commissioner of the Lingerie Football League in 2005.

Since his initial entry into acting, he has appeared in few acting roles outside of playing himself. Rodman has made an appearance in an episode of 3rd Rock from the Sun playing the character of himself, except being a fellow alien with the Solomon family. He voiced an animated version of himself in the Simpsons episode "Treehouse of Horror XVI".

Rodman has also appeared in several reality shows: in January 2006, Rodman appeared on the fourth version of Celebrity Big Brother in the UK, and on July 26, 2006, in the UK series Love Island as a houseguest contracted to stay for a week. Finally, he appeared on the show Celebrity Mole on ABC. He wound up winning the $222,000 grand prize.

In 2008, Rodman joined as a spokesman for a sports website OPENSports.com, the brainchild of Mike Levy, founder and former CEO of CBS Sportsline.com. Rodman also writes a blog and occasionally answers members' questions for OPEN Sports.

In 2009, he appeared as a contestant on Celebrity Apprentice. Throughout the season, each celebrity raised money for a charity of their choice; Rodman selected the Court Appointed Special Advocates of New Orleans. He was the fifth contestant eliminated, on March 29, 2009.

In 2013, he appeared again as a contestant on Celebrity Apprentice. He raised $20,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and was the sixth contestant eliminated, on April 7, 2013.

In March 2013, Rodman arrived at the Vatican City during voting in the papal conclave for the selection of a new pope. The trip was organized by an Irish gambling company.

In July 2013, Rodman joined Premier Brands to launch and promote Bad Boy Vodka.

Rodman's visits to North Korea were depicted in the 2015 documentary film Dennis Rodman's Big Bang in Pyongyang.

In 2017, Rodman was featured on the alternative R&B/hip-hop duo Mansionz self-titled album Mansionz. He provides vocals on the single "Dennis Rodman" and uncredited vocals on "i'm thinking about horses".

Personal life

Family

Rodman married his first wife Annie Bakes in September 1992. They began dating in 1987, and their daughter Alexis Caitlyn was born in 1988. Their relationship was marred by infidelites and accusations of abuse. They divorced after 82 days.

On November 14, 1998, Rodman married model Carmen Electra at the Little Chapel of the Flowers in Las Vegas, Nevada. Nine days later, Rodman filed for an annulment claiming he was of "unsound mind" when they married. They reconciled, but Electra filed for divorce in April 1999. She later stated that it was an "occupational hazard" to be Rodman's girlfriend".

In 1999, Rodman met Michelle Moyer, with whom he had a son, Dennis Jr. ("D. J.", born April 25, 2001) and a daughter, Trinity. Moyer and Rodman married in 2003 on his 42nd birthday. Michelle Rodman filed for divorce in 2004, although the couple spent several years attempting to reconcile. The marriage was officially dissolved in 2012, when Michelle again petitioned the court to grant a divorce. It was reported that Rodman owed $860,376 in child and spousal support.

Rodman's son D. J. started playing college basketball for Washington State in 2019. His daughter, Trinity, signed to play for the Cougars women's soccer team starting in 2020.

Alcohol issues

Rodman entered an outpatient rehab center in Florida in May 2008. In May 2009, his behavior on Celebrity Apprentice led to an intervention which included Phil Jackson as well as Rodman's family and other friends. Rodman initially refused to enter rehabilitation because he wanted to attend the Celebrity Apprentice reunion show. In 2009, Rodman agreed to appear on the third season of Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew. Rodman remained a patient at the Pasadena Recovery Center for the 21-day treatment cycle. A week after completion he entered a sober-living facility in the Hollywood Hills, which was filmed for the second season of Sober House. During episode seven of Sober House, Rodman was shown being reunited with his mother Shirley, from whom he had been estranged for seven years. During this same visit Shirley also met Rodman's two children for the first time. On January 10, 2010, on the same day that Celebrity Rehab premiered, Rodman was removed from an Orange County, California restaurant for disruptive behavior. In March 2012, Rodman's financial advisor said, "In all honesty, Dennis, although a very sweet person, is an alcoholic. His sickness impacts his ability to get work."

On January 15, 2014, Rodman again entered a rehabilitation facility to seek treatment for alcohol abuse. This came on the heels of a well-publicized trip to North Korea where his agent, Darren Prince, reported he had been drinking heavily and to an extent "that none of us had seen before."

Legal troubles

Rodman has settled several lawsuits out of court for alleged sexual assault.

In August 1999, Rodman was arrested for public drunkenness and spent the night in jail after he got into an altercation at Woody's Wharf in Newport Beach, California. The charges were eventually dropped.

On November 5, 1999, Rodman and his then-wife, Carmen Electra, were charged with misdemeanor battery after police were notified of a domestic disturbance. Each posted a bail worth $2,500 and were released with a temporary restraining order placed on them. The charges were dropped the next month.

In December 1999, Rodman was arrested for drunk driving and driving without a valid driver's license. In July 2000, Rodman pleaded guilty to both charges and was ordered to pay $2,000 in fines as well as attend a three-month treatment program.

In 2002, he was arrested for interfering with police investigating a code violation at a restaurant he owned; the charges were eventually dropped. After settling down in Newport Beach, California, the police appeared over 70 times at his home because of loud parties. In early 2003, Rodman was arrested and charged with domestic violence at his home in Newport Beach for allegedly assaulting his then-fiancée.

In April 2004, Rodman pleaded nolo contendere to drunk driving in Las Vegas. He was fined $1,000 and ordered to serve 30 days of home detention. On April 30, 2008, Rodman was arrested following a domestic violence incident at a Los Angeles hotel. On June 24, 2008, he pleaded no contest to the misdemeanor spousal battery charges. He received three years of probation and was ordered to undergo one year of domestic violence counseling as well as 45 hours of community service, which were to involve some physical labor activities.

On November 21, 2016, Rodman was charged with causing a hit and run accident, lying to police, and driving without a license following an incident on Interstate 5 near Santa Ana, California, in July. In February 2017, Rodman pleaded guilty to the charges. He was sentenced to three years of probation and 30 hours of community service. He was also ordered to pay restitution and donate $500 to the Victim Witness Emergency Fund.

In January 2018, Rodman was arrested for driving under the influence in Newport Beach. He pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges and received three years of probation.

In May 2019, the Los Angeles Times reported that Newport Beach yoga studio owner Ali Shah accused Rodman of helping steal over $3,500 worth of items from the studio's reception area, including a 400-pound decorative geode. Rodman disputed the account, claiming the owner told him "Dennis, get anything you want." No charges had been filed at the time of reporting.

On October 18, 2019, Rodman was charged with misdemeanor battery after slapping a man at the Buddha Sky Bar in Delray Beach, Florida.

Politics

On July 24, 2015, Rodman publicly endorsed Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. That same month, Rodman sent out an endorsement tweet, stating, "Donald Trump has been a great friend for many years. We don't need another politician, we need a businessman like Mr. Trump! Trump 2016." Rodman and then U.S. Presidential hopeful Trump had previously appeared together on Celebrity Apprentice.

North Korea visits

On February 26, 2013, Rodman made a trip to North Korea with Vice Media correspondent Ryan Duffy to host basketball exhibitions. He met North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Rodman and his travel party were the first Americans to meet Kim. He later said that Kim was "a friend for life" and suggested that President Barack Obama "pick up the phone and call" Kim, since the two leaders were basketball fans. On May 7, after reading an article in The Seattle Times, Rodman sent out a tweet asking Kim to release American prisoner Kenneth Bae, who had been sentenced to 15 years of hard labor in North Korea. Kim released Bae the following year.

In July 2013, Rodman told Sports Illustrated: "My mission is to break the ice between hostile countries. Why it's been left to me to smooth things over, I don't know. Dennis Rodman, of all people. Keeping us safe is really not my job; it's the black guy's [Obama's] job. But I'll tell you this: If I don't finish in the top three for the next Nobel Peace Prize, something's seriously wrong." On September 3, 2013, Rodman flew to Pyongyang for another meeting with Kim Jong-un. He said that Kim has a daughter named Kim Ju-ae, and that he is a "great dad". He also noted that he planned to train the North Korean national basketball team. He stated that he is "trying to open Obama's and everyone's minds" and encouraged Obama to reach out to Kim Jong-un.

In December 2013, Rodman announced that he would visit North Korea again. He also said that he has plans to take a number of former NBA players with him for an exhibition basketball tour. According to Rory Scott, a spokesman for the exhibitions' sponsoring organization, Rodman planned to visit December 18–21 and train the North Korean team in preparation for January games. The games were scheduled for January 8 (Kim Jong-un's birthday) and January 10, 2014. Included on the U.S. exhibition team were Kenny Anderson, Cliff Robinson, Vin Baker, Craig Hodges, Doug Christie, Sleepy Floyd, Charles D. Smith, and four streetballers. Rodman departed from Beijing on January 6. Among his entourage was Irish media personality Matt Cooper, who had interviewed Rodman a number of times on the radio.

Rodman made comments on January 7, 2014 during a CNN interview implying that Kenneth Bae was at fault for his imprisonment. The remarks were widely reported in other media outlets and provoked a storm of criticism. Two days later, Rodman apologized for his comments, saying that he had been drinking and under pressure. He added that he "should know better than to make political statements". Some members of Congress, the NBA, and human rights groups suggested that Rodman had become a public relations stunt for the North Korean government. On May 2, 2016, Kenneth Bae credited Rodman with his early release. He said that Rodman's rant raised awareness of his case and that he wanted to thank him for his expedited release.

The Department of the Treasury is reportedly investigating whether Rodman broke the law by bringing Kim Jong-un thousands of dollars in luxury gifts on his 2014 trip to North Korea.

On June 13, 2017, Rodman returned to North Korea on what was initially described as a sports-related visit to the country. "My purpose is to go over there and try to see if I can keep bringing sports to North Korea," he said. He added that he hoped to accomplish "something that's pretty positive" during the visit. He met with national Olympic athletes and basketball players, viewed a men's basketball practice, and visited a state-run orphanage. He was not able to meet with Kim Jong Un, but met instead with the nation's Minister of Sports and gave him several gifts for Kim Jong Un, including two signed basketball jerseys, two soap sets, and a copy of Donald Trump's 1987 book The Art of the Deal. Other gifts believed to be intended for the leader's daughter included a Where's Waldo? book and a jigsaw puzzle of a mermaid.

Rodman posted a video on Twitter that was recorded before he left for the visit in which he and his agent describe the mission of the trip. "He's going to try to bring peace between both nations," said Rodman's agent Chris Volo, referring to the strained relations between North Korea and the United States. Rodman added, "That's the main reason why we're going. We're trying to bring everything together. If not, at least we tried." The visit was sponsored by the cryptocurrency company PotCoin.

Rodman's "hoops diplomacy" inspired the 20th Century Fox comedy Diplomats. Tim Story and Peter Chernin are set to produce the film, while Jonathan Abrams is reportedly writing the script.

Rodman visited North Korea again in June 2018. "I'm just happy to be a part of" the 2018 North Korea–United States summit, he said, "because I think I deserve it."

Presidential involvement suggested

The Washington Post raised the question of whether President Donald Trump sent Rodman on his 2017 visit to negotiate the release of several American prisoners of North Korea or to open a back channel for diplomatic communications. The U.S. State Department, White House officials, and Rodman all denied any official government involvement in the visit. Rodman, who publicly endorsed Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign, is a self-described longtime friend of the president and, as the article put it, "Trump and Kim's only mutual acquaintance." The Washington Post article stated, "Multiple people involved in unofficial talks with North Korea say that the Trump administration has been making overtures toward the Kim regime, including trying to set up a secret back channel to the North Korean leader using 'an associate of Trump's' rather than the usual lineup of North Korea experts and former officials who talk to Pyongyang's representatives."

When asked if he had spoken with Trump about the visit, Rodman replied, "Well, I'm pretty sure he's pretty much happy with the fact that I'm over here trying to accomplish something that we both need." Rodman publicly presented a copy of Trump's book, "The Art of the Deal" to North Korean officials, as a personal gift for Kim Jong Un. In a Twitter video posted by Rodman, his agent Chris Volo said, "He's the only person on the planet that has the uniqueness, the unbelievable privilege of being friends with President Trump and Marshal Kim Jong Un." Rodman went on to say in the video that he wanted to bring peace and "open doors between both countries."

Otto Warmbier, an American student held captive in North Korea for 17 months, was released to U.S. officials the same day as Rodman's visit to North Korea. Despite the timeline of the two events, the U.S. State Department, The White House, and Rodman all flatly denied any diplomatic connection or coordination between Rodman's visit and the U.S. government. The U.S. State Department said the release of Warmbier was negotiated and secured by high level U.S. diplomats including Joseph Yun, the State Department's special envoy on North Korea. Warmbier, who was in a nonresponsive coma throughout much of his imprisonment in North Korea, died days after being returned to his family in the U.S.

In an emotional interview with Michael Strahan of "Good Morning America", Rodman expressed sorrow for the death of Warmbier and said, "I was just so happy to see the kid released. Later that day, that's when we found out he was ill. No one knew that." He added that he wished to give "all the prayer and love" to the Warmbier family and had contacted them and hoped to meet with them personally.

Rodman's agent, Chris Volo, told ABC News that before they left for the 2017 trip, he had asked North Korean officials to release Warmbier as a symbol of good faith for any future sports-relations visits. "I asked on behalf of Dennis for his release three times," Volo said.

In December 2017, Columbia University professor of neurobiology Joseph Terwilliger, who has accompanied Rodman to North Korea, argued that "While I don't suspect that very many Americans would have chosen him to be an emissary or international goodwill ambassador, Dennis has had a long friendship with Mr. Trump and has also developed a very cordial friendship with Mr. Kim. In this tense climate, as we stand at a perilous crossing, Mr. Rodman's unique position as a friend to the leaders of both U.S. and North Korea could provide a much-needed bridge to help resolve the current nuclear standoff.

#05/13

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newmusicmonthly · 5 years ago

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2019

Hello,

Missed me?

No longer a monthly mailer – just another end of year round up.

On reflection, perhaps I’ve played it a bit safe this year, but I didn’t feel there was as much great music out there as in previous years.

Yes, I too use Google, so I have listened to all the end of year Best Of lists online, and so those artists not included just didn’t resonate with me this year.

I maintain ‘bad guy’ off Billie Eilish’s record sounds like a Super Mario bonus level (probably in a spooky dungeon)… which I suppose isn’t a bad thing. And I love Lana, but I just didn’t think the latest record was all that. And the same was true of Angel Olsen, Nick Cave, Kanye, Hot Chip… but don’t get me started on Bon Iver: avant-garde “Kum ba yah” at best (sorry Rob).

But then that’s part of the joy of music, variety and differing opinions… so please share yours! What have I overlooked? What should be revisited? Where in the depths of streaming services is that killer track from 2019?

For now, here is my list of songs, somewhat crowbarred into the monthly format (as mentioned, this email was once called New Music Monthly Mailer with five tracks a month, and surely we need some level of constancy and accountability this year).

Enjoy, or not – but please do share your own choice picks.

Merry Christmas.

R x

NEW MUSIC 2019

JANUARY

Sharon Van Etten - Seventeen Just go and watch her performance from Glastonbury: https://youtu.be/BM6jn891seU Seriously, from 2:45, just fucking brilliant.

J.S. Ondara - Saying Goodbye Lovely acoustic number and a great voice that evokes Tracy Chapman.

Basekou Kouyate, Ngoni ba - Kanto kelena (feat. Habib Koite) Malian ngoni master returns to acoustic roots.

Delicate Steve - Selfie of a Man Synthy silly catchy instrumental pop-rock.

Steve Gunn - Vagabond Guitar troubadour telling stories of solitude with unostentatious guitar tones.

FEBRUARY

Mara Balls - Ikävä ikävää Driving Finnish Doom-lite.

Julie Jacklin - Body A narrative masterclass, sombre and brooding, but also simmering and pulsating.

Strand of Oaks - Weird Ways Big widescreen rock, which builds into a gorgeous swirl of sound, with Timothy on fine yet reflective form, backed by the band of My Morning Jacket.

Crows - Hang Me High Long awaited debut from Idles approved band, loud fuzz Mary Chain / Dom Keller vibes.

Kel Assouf - Fransa Desert blues, with all the best Tuareg styling, but added beefy production.

MARCH

Nick Waterhouse - Man Leaves Town Mr Waterhouse and band well in the pocket.

Dave - Streatham Heavy beats and piano lines soundtrack story of growing up in SW16.

Karen O, Danger Mouse - Turn The Light Danger Mouse brings the gentle disco grooves underneath Karen’s swooning vocals.

Small Feet - The Lake Down tempo reverb and echoes float throughout this woozy directionless jam.

The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Tombes Oubliées BJM do what BJM do best... in French.

APRIL

The Comet Is Coming - Summon The Fire How can you not move to this?!

W.H. Lung - Empty Room Great new band (c.f. mailer 2017!), and as I already included ‘Inspiration!’ this is my second favourite cut from a top album.

Josefin Öhrn + The Liberation - Feel The Sun Another great artist (championed back in 2016 I think you’ll find), spectral psych grooves.

Weyes Blood - Mirror Forever Great opening line, there’s a coldness but also strangely comforting.

Foxygen - News Now a lot people had fallen off the Foxygen wagon recently, including me, but this is catchy melody filled vibes, with a completely unexpected stonking T-Rex style groove that kicks in around the 3:30 minute mark

MAY

Lizzo – Juice Speaking of good vibes… I mean, again, just go watch the Glastonbury set: https://youtu.be/R9CTs1NsZRI.

Tyler, The Creator - EARFQUAKE Production values: A*, chances of not leaving… C-

The 100 Knights Orchestra - Soul Fugue Celebrating Daptone Records 100th RPM single, this special features every horn player the label has ever worked with, and it is glorious.

Death and Vanilla - A Flaw In The Iris Devendra Banhart vibes to begin, fazing in Mazzy Star style reverb and guitars.

Desert Sands - Are You There The best psychedelic space rock released… ever!

JUNE

Rose City Band - Fog of Love Warm tones and laid back ambles, which has producer Ripley Johnson’s stamp all over it.

Madonnatron - Goodnight Little Empire Disco ditty extraordinaire.

The Black Keys - Lo/Hi Have you heard of ZZ Top? You have?

The Amazons - Doubt It Future rock heroes get dark.

Fat White Family, Parrot and Cocker Too - Feet - Parrot and Cocker Too Remix Gone for the remix version of this great track: what isn’t improved by added shakers and throbbing techno?

JULY

Michael Kiwanuka, Tom Misch - Money (with Tom Misch) The first of two Kiwanuka tracks in this list, but this was a standalone single, and has all the bubbly bass groove it was impossible not to include.

Drake, Rick Ross - Money In The Grave (Drake ft. Rock Ross) Speaking of money… bounce!

DOPE LEMON - Salt & Pepper Weird keys give way to J.J. Cale style guitar noodles, whilst Angus heaps on the druggy references adding to the meandering stoned atmosphere.

The Quiet Temple, Moon Duo - The Last Opium Den On Earth (Moon Duo Remix) Speaking of druggy… 12 minutes of acid psych jazz in the last opium den on earth.

Nev Cottee - Hello Stranger Cinematic and pastoral, but also searing

AUGUST

Palace - Running Wild Top class indie pop nugget with great simple guitar solo to end.

Kandodo 3 - Everything Green's Gone This definitely isn’t for everyone: think Nine Inch Nails soundtracks at their most impenetrable, if you can make it two thirds of the way through this 13 minute wig out, there are some great slide guitars.

Clairo – Bags Breakout bedroom pop with one of the hookiest melodies all year.

Mini Mansions - Works Every Time Behind the beat smooth grooves.

Death Hawks - Whisper Squelchy over produced 80s style pop bananas,

SEPTEMBER

Native Harrow - Can't Go On Like This Inevitable Laurel Canyon / Joni Mitchell comparisons on this retro analogue sound ballad.

Ty Segall - The Arms Ty does a rare acoustic number, and even throws in a rather tasteful mandolin line.

Pixx - Funsize Synth bleeps and beats disguise a Radiohead-esque creeping guitar line.

Sleater-Kinney - The Future Is Here Love the motorik dirge vibes here, underpin lovely vocal lines and melodies which remind us: the future is here, and we can’t go back.

Marika Hackman - i'm not where you are Great pop hooks and guitar lines.

OCTOBER

Dylan LeBlanc - Renegade I’m a big fan of LeBlanc and his retro stylings, and this track is super lilting 80s driving rock.

TOOL - Pneuma I struggled to get TOOL for a while, but this record and this track in particular is fucking phenomenal.

Lightning Dust - Devoted To Amber Webber and Joshua Wells’ solo project (previously of Black Mountain), conjure spectral dreamscapes.

Sturgill Simpson - Remember To Breathe Sturgill goes electronic rawk – and Tomoyasu Hotei wants his production back.

Michael Kiwanuka - Hero Here he is again, with the standout track from a truly brilliant album.

NOVEMBER

Kelsey Waldon - White Noise, White Lines Kentucky country groove rock.

WIVES - Waving Past Nirvana Churning fuzz rock underpins laconic loose vocals, cool.

Pumarosa - I See You Tense synth verses give way to soaring superb choruses.

Jaako Eine Kalevi - Dissolution Finnish synth pop architect doing a very good Matthew Dear impersonation.

Warmduscher - Midnight Dipper “The offspring of a match made in hell between Fat White Family and Paranoid London” – full-on sleazy glam.

DECEMBER

Pond - Don't Look at the Sun (Or You'll Go Blind) – Live My favourite track the band perform live, now finally available on streaming.

Staff Benda Bilili - Jamais de la vie The famous Congolese street band return with tight uplifting grooves.

Khruangbin, Leon Bridges - Texas Sun Sit back, open a cold one, and enjoy (when summer comes back around).

Jimmy "Duck" Holmes - Catfish Blues Mississippi delta blues from the 72 year old Holmes, produced by Dan Auerbach.

Mikal Cronin - Show Me Long-time Ty Segall collaborator serves up some Tom Petty-esque soft rock.

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aljandrafarias · 6 years ago

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Hole 16 is TPC at&t oaks iconic hole due to its bunker located in the center of the green AT&T OAKS COURSE The AT&T Oaks Course, designed by PGA TOUR legend Greg Norman with player consultant Sergio Garcia, reflects the TOUR’s departure from the modern tournament style course (expansive grass areas and spectator mounding) to a more natural look and feel, without sacrificing the fan experience making it very tournament friendly. The AT&T Oaks Courses plays host to the PGA TOUR’s Valero Texas Open. Key course features: Traditional design that balances narrower tree-lined fairways with wider fairways offering multiple routes (i.e., strategic options) to the green Intimate design with narrow corridors carved through oak trees Only 100 feet of fall from the high point of the course to the lowest Bunkering will reflect a natural, rugged “minimalist” with edges emulating the canopy of the native oak trees Native grasses and plant are prevalent throughout the course Par-72, 7,435 yard course, with forced carries on only two holes Downhill holes play into the prevailing wind, uphill holes play downwind Bermuda grasses were specially selected for this course to provide optimum playing conditions, diversity in color and texture and environmental sensitivity. Putting Greens are Champions Bermuda. Fairways are Tifsport Bermuda. Roughs are Bandera Bermuda. Collars, Approaches and Tee Tops are Emerald Bermuda. Outer Corridors are Native Texas grasses.

#golfgirl #golfcourse #golflife #golfswing #golf #tpc san antonio #TPC at&t oaks #green #bunker #valero texas open

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architectnews · 4 years ago

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American Architecture Awards 2020 Winners

American Architecture Awards 2020 Results, Architects, Chicago Athenaeum News, US Buildings

American Architecture Awards 2020

Nov 7, 2020

2020 American Architecture Awards

American Architecture Awards 2019 News

Greek Architects Select Over 130 Designs For New Buildings And Urban Planning Projects In The United States And Abroad For The 2020 American Architecture Awards

The Nation’s Highest Public Award for New Architecture and Urban Planning by the Most Prominent Architecture Firms in the United States Are Honored by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies

November 1st 2020 – A new skyscraper and transportation center in San Francisco by Cesar Pelli; a stunning restoration of an historic Washington D.C. library by Norman Foster; a Cadillac Showroom in Shanghai by Gensler; a visionary ‘cloudscape’ San Francisco tower by orm4Architecture; the rehabilitation of an old Domino Sugar Refinery in Brooklyn by Practice for Architecture and Urbanism; a minimalist house in Connecticut by Roger Ferris + Partners; a sleek Conrad Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. by Herzog & de Meuron/ Rottet Studio; a new Chicago zoo building by Ross Barney Architects; two new vineyards in California and Umbria, Italy by Piechota Architecture and Hughes Umbanhowar Architects; new affordable housing in Los Angeles by Eric Owen Moss; and two New York skyscrapers by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates PC. head an impressive list of awarded buildings and urban planning projects in the United States and abroad for 2020.

Over 130 buildings and urban plans from a shortlist of over 400 projects have won the prestigious 2020 American Architecture Awards® for the best new architecture designed and constructed by American architects and by international architects with offices in the United States.

Now in its 26th year, The American Architecture Awards are organized by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies—jointly presenting this annual, prestigious program for Design Excellence and for the best and next contributions to innovative contemporary American architecture.

The American Architecture Awards are the nation’s highest public awards given by a non-commercial, non-trade affiliated, public arts, culture, and educational institution.

This year’s American Architecture Awards went to exceptional buildings designed for every stage of our lives: skyscrapers, corporate headquarters, governmental buildings, science and technology centers, transportation centers, airports, hotels, parks, pavilions, restorations and renovations, retail facilities, housing projects, private homes, schools, universities, art, cultural and health buildings, urban planning and landscape architecture, interiors, and other humanitarian and educational initiatives.

“For 26 years, The American Architecture Awards have recognized the best new American architecture by the nation’s leading architects for their approach, research, innovation, and vision by design practitioners, developers, and their clients,” states Christian Narkiewicz-Laine, Architecture Critic and Museum President, The Chicago Athenaeum.

“In a matter of 26 years, this program has become the single, most important recognition for Design Excellence in the United States, honoring known and celebrated firms, as well as young upstart offices for their smaller scaled, more challenging projects.”

“This year, the selected firms for these awards again celebrate the value of architecture to communities across the country and reaffirm American architects’ commitment to the highest standards of design.”

“Land developers, builders, architects, and engineers have dissected the most brilliant deliveries of single buildings and master planned communities, evaluating the challenges ahead and discussing solutions that will shape tomorrow’s communities well into the future,” continues Narkiewicz-Laine.

“For 2020, The American Architecture Awards recognize the visionary work of several hundred architecture offices, associate architects, landscape architects, and urban planners for projects in every region of the United States, as well as aboard in Italy, China, Lithuania, Switzerland, South Korea, Latvia, New Zealand, Uganda, Mexico, and Brazil.”

“Also, it is interesting to note that this year, there were a record number of awards given for restoration, renovation, and historic preservation of old buildings, thereby reaffirming the importance to conserve American history and heritage, a well as heralding the prominent conservation position that handsomely recycled buildings are the best sustainable Green examples of what can be made revitalized and renewed again for contemporary use.”

“The Chicago Athenaeum champions better buildings, communities, and the environment through which architecture can flourish. The Museum’s awards provide one of the most powerful ways of promoting architecture and the work of architects to the public. I am delighted with this year’s selection, which shows a great variety of imagination and ingenuity,” Narkiewicz-Laine concludes.

This year, the 400 shortlisted entries were selected by a smaller, restricted jury because of the Corona Virus Pandemic and composed of the following Thessaloniki-based Greek architects and educators:

• Eleanna Makridou, Architect, P. Makridis + Associates S.A.

• Ifigeneia Konstantinidou, Communications Expert, Responsive

• Maria Tsaftari, Architect, Urban Soul Project

• Simos Antoniadis, Architect, Urban Soul Project

“The over 130 Awarded American Architecture projects for 2020 are:

BRIDGES

inFORM studio + Buro Happold – Providence Pedestrian Bridge, Providence, Rhode Island

LMN Architects – University District Gateway Bridge, Spokane, Washington

Cordogan, Clark & Associates, Inc. – 41st Street Bridge, Chicago, Illinois

CIVIC AND COMMUNITY

Overland Partners – ChildSafe Harvey E. Najim Children and Family Center, San Antonio, Texas

COMMERCIAL

Belzberg Architects – Aurora, México City, México

Piechota Architecture – Silver Oak Winery, Healdsburg, California

Hughes Umbanhowar Architects – Tasting Room, Umbria, Italy

HOK – Consumers Credit Union Headquarters, Kalamazoo, Michigan

Adjaye Associates – The Webster, Los Angeles, California

Skylab – Sideyard, Portland, Oregon

CORPORATE

LEVER Architecture – Redfox Commons, Portland, Oregon

SmithGroup – Guangshun University Labs, Guiyang, China

CULTURE AND MUSEUMS

Johnsen Schmaling Architects – OS Gallery and Studio, Racine, Wisconsin

Belzberg Architects – USC Shoah Foundation-Institute for Visual History and Education, Los Angeles, California

HGA – Boise State University Center for the Visual Arts, Boise, Idaho

OSA Open Source Architecture – Tautos Namai, Lithuanian National Concert Hall, Vilnius, Lithuania

archimania – Ballet Memphis, Memphis, Tennesse

Michielli + Wyetzner Architects – The Lehman Center for the Performing Arts, Bronx, New York

Form4 Architecture – The Museum of No Spectators, Black Rock City, Nevada

Koning Eizenberg Architecture, Inc. – MuseumLab, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pei Cobb Freed & Partners Architects LLP. – LMCC’s Arts Center at Governors Island, New York, New York

Deborah Berke Partners – 122 Community Arts Center, New York, New York

Adjaye Associates – Ruby City Contemporary Art Center, San Antonio, Texas

DISPLAY/INSTALLATIONS

Studio Joseph – New Glass Now, Corning, New York

ENTERTAINMENT

Marvel Architects – TheatreSquared, Fayetteville, Arkansas

Ross Barney Architects – Searle Visitor Center Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, Illinois

EXPOSITION

Lake|Flato Architects – Marine Education Center at the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, Ocean Springs, Mississippi

HOK – Kentucky International Convention Center, Louisville, Kentucky

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill/ Mark Cavagnero Associates – Moscone Center Expansion and Improvement, San Francisco, California

GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS

Roth Sheppard Architects – Montezuma County Combined Courts

HEALTH CARE/HOSPITALS

Trahan Architects – The Ochsner Center for Innovation, New Orleans, Louisiana

ikon.5 architects – Health and Wellness Center, Suffolk County Community College, Riverhead, New York

Paul Lukez Architecture – Uganda Dental and Vision Clinic, Bwindi, Uganda

Pei Cobb Freed & Partners Architects LLP. – David H. Koch Center, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York

HIGH RISES/SKYSCRAPERS

Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates PC.– 55 Hudson Yards, New York, New York

Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates PC.– 390 Madison, New York, New York

Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects – Salesforce Tower, San Francisco, California

FitzGerald Associates Architects – 727 West Madison, Chicago, Illinois

Pei Cobb Freed & Partners Architects LLP. – One Dalton: Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences, Boston, Massachusetts

Solomon Cordwell Buenz – Park Tower at Transbay, San Francisco, California

Pininfarina – Yachthouse by Pininfarina, Balneário Camboriú, Brazil

HOTELS/HOSPITALITY

Kobi Karp Architecture and Interior Design – Kimpton Hotel Palomar South Beach, Miami, Florida

Montalba Architects, Inc. – Whitepod, Les Cerniers, Switzerland

UNITEDLAB Associates LLC. – Round Retreat, Kurzeme, Latvia

Herzog & de Meuron/ Rottet Studio – Conrad Washington, DC., Washington, D.C.

INDUSTRIAL

Arch11 – DynaEnergetics, Blum, Texas

Tryba Architects – The Glass Lab, Portland, Oregon

LIBRARIES

JRA Architects – Louisville Free Public Library Northeast Regional Branch, Louisville, Kentucky

MONUMENTS

Handel Architects – Emanuel Nine Memorial, Charleston, South Carolina

MIXED-USE

Jonathan Segal FAIA – The Continental, San Diego, California

Form4 Architecture – Cloudscape, San Francisco, California

Ennead Architects – Taopu HERO Innovation Hub, Shanghai, China

HOK – 4th and Harrison Mixed-use Development, San Francisco, California

Belzberg Architects – West Olympic Science Hub, Los Angeles, California

Eric Owen Moss Architects – Reese Davidson Community, Los Angeles, California

MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING

University of Arkansas Community Design Center – 7Hills Day Center Complex, Fayetteville, Arkansas

University of Arkansas Community Design Center – New Beginnings Homeless Transition Village Prototype, Fayetteville, Arkansas

SHoP Architects – PIER 4 Project, Boston, Massachusetts

DLR Group – The Triumph – Community-Based Short Term Family Housing, Washington, District of Columbia

PRIVATE HOUSES

Messana O’Rorke Architects – The Jewel Box, New York, New York

Engelking Architect – Wuehrer House, East Hampton, New York

Belzberg Architects – Camelback Residence, Paradise Valley, Arizona

CCY Architects – Meadow House, Aspen, Colorado

MINARC – Mildred Residence, Venice, California

Aidlin Darling Design – High Desert Retreat, Palm Desert, California

David Jameson Architect – Manifold House, Arlington, Virginia

Alterstudio – Highland Park Residence, Austin, Texas

ISA – Interface Studio Architects – XS House, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

David Jameson Architect – Wildcat Mountain Residence, The Plains, Virginia

Snow Kreilich Architects – X House, Minneapolis Minnesota

XTEN Architecture – Skyhouse, Los Angeles, California

Abramson Architects – The Palisades House, Pacific Palisades, California

Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects – Ridge Mountain, Palm Springs, California

Roger Ferris + Partners – Pool House, Westport, Connecticut

Swatt | Miers Architects – Cheng-Brier House, Tiburon, California

Lake|Flato Architects – Aegean Pool House, Mineola, Texas

Lake|Flato Architects – Ishawooa Mesa Ranch, Cody, Wyoming

Charles Rose Architects – Bluff House, Croton-on-Hudson, New York, New York

SsD – Simgok Place, Seoul, South Korea

PUBLIC SPACE

designLAB architects – Worcester Blackstone Visitors Center, Worcester, Massachusetts

Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects – The Culver Steps, Culver City, California

Metcalfe Architecture & Design, LLC. – Whiting Forest of Dow Gardens, Midland, Michigan

Lake|Flato Architects + Matsys – Confluence Park. San Antonio, Texas

Stack + Co. – Warp House, Boston, Massachusetts

UNITEDLAB Associates – Cloud Forestsm Pavilion for Children’s Play, Hwaseong, South Korea

RELIGIOUS BUILDINGS

Archimania – Garden Chapel Pavilion, Memphis, Tennesse

Mark Cavagnero Associates – Saint Mary’s College High School Student Chapel, Albany, California

BNIM – Lutheran Church of Hope-Grimes, Grimes, Iowa

RETAIL/SHOWROOMS

Dake Wells Architecture – Sunshine and National Retail Center, Springfield, Missouri

David Jameson Architect – Sherber + Rad, Washington, DC

atelierRISTING llc. – Glass Cabin, Fairbank, Iowa

Gensler – Cadillac House in Shanghai, Shanghai, China

Montalba Architects, Inc. – BLDWN, Los Angeles, California

Desai Chia Architecture – AFNY Project 6 Showroom, New York, New York

RESTORATION/RENOVATION

Woofter Architecture – PSU Stott Center Renovation + Viking Pavilion, Portland, Oregon

Aidlin Darling Design – Terrace House, San Francisco, California

Spectorgroup/ Perkins Eastman Architects – Audible Innovation Cathedral, Newark, New Jersey

Foster + Partners – Apple Carnegie Library, Washington D.C.

Alexander Gorlin Architects – Bell Works, Holmdel, New Jersey

Hughes Umbanhowar – Mashta, Key Biscayne, Florida

Roth Sheppard Architects – Rabbit House, Denver, Colorado

Practice for Architecture and Urbanism – Domino Sugar Refinery, Brooklyn, New York

Bone / Levine Architects – Anthology Film Archives Completion Project, New York, New York

Touloukian Touloukian Inc. – Terminal B, Boston, Massachusetts

SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES

Centerbrook Architects and Planners – Karsh Alumni and Visitors Center, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina

Mitchell Giurgola – 370 Jay Street, New York University, Brooklyn, New York

Gensler – Columbia College Student Center, Chicago, Illinois

Payette – Amherst College New Science Center, Amherst, Massachusetts

KieranTimberland – Brown University, Engineering Research Center, Providence, Rhode Island\

Ennead Architects – Stanford University, Denning House, Stanford, California

William Rawn Associates, Architects, Inc. with Arrowstreet Architecture & Design – King Open Elementary / Cambridge Street Upper Schools and Community Complex, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Weiss/Manfredi Architects – Tsai Center for Innovative Thinking at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut

CO Architects – University of Arizona Health Sciences Innovation Building, Tucson, Arizona

BVH Architecture – Nebraska Center for Advanced Professional Studies, Fairfield, Nebraska

Montalba Architects, Inc. – Headspace SM Campus, Santa Monica, California

The Miller Hull Partnership, LLP. in collaboration with Lord Aeck Sargent, a Ketterra Company – Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design, Georgia Institute of Technology

SPORTS AND LEISURE

FGP Atelier/ Taller ADG – Centro Deportivo Alfredo Harp Helú Stadium, México City, México

Elkus Manfredi Architects – The Auerbach Center, Boston, Massachusetts

BVH Architecture – Niobrara River Valley Preserve Center, Johnstown, Nebraska

BLUR Workshop – Colorado Active Sports Entertainment Facility, Centennial, Colorado

TRANSPORTATION

Dake Wells Architecture – Springfield Underground Command Station, Springfield, Missouri

Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects – Salesforce Transit Center, San Francisco, California

URBAN PLANNING/LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates PC. – NYCHA Red Hook Houses Sandy Resiliency and Renewal Program, Brooklyn, New York

W Architecture and Landscape Architecture LLC. – The Edge Park, Brooklyn, New York

SurfaceDesign, Inc. – The Auckland International Airport Landscape, Auckland, New Zealand

PWP Landscape Architecture – Glenstone Museum, Potomac, Maryland

All Awarded buildings can be viewed at The Museum’s website in an on-line exhbition at chi-athenaeum.org.

The American Architecture Awards, founded 26 years ago, is a centerpiece of The Chicago Athenaeum and the European Centre’s efforts to identify and promote best practices in all types of architectural development and to bring a global focus to light of the best new designs from the United States. It is the only national and global program of its kind.

The 2020 Awards Presentation/Gala Dinner was to be held in Los Angeles, but has been postponed until next year due to the Corona Virus/COVID-19 Pandemic. A notice will be sent when the event is rescheduled.

All awarded buildings and urban planning projects are presented in (Global Design + Urbanism XX) New American Architecture 2020 published by Metropolitan Arts Press Ltd.

Books can be purchased by contacting The Chicago Athenaeum or on-line at metropolitanartspress.com.

The deadline for the 2021 American Architecture Awards is February 1, 2021.

Applications for 2021 are available on line at chi-athenaeum.org.

About The Chicago Athenaeum (www.chi-athenaeum.org) is a global nonprofit education and research institute supported by its members. Its mission is to provide public education about the significance of architecture and design and how those disciplines can have a positive effect on the human environment.

About The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies (www.europeanarch.eu) is dedicated to public education concerning all aspects of the built environment – from entire cities to individual buildings – including the philosophical issues of arts and culture that ultimately give the final shape to design. A high emphasis exists on contemporary values and aesthetics, conservation and sustainability, and the theoretical exploration and advancement of art and design as the highest expression of culture and urbanism.

American Architecture Awards 2018 images / information from The Chicago Athenaeum, 071120

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2018 American Architecture Awards

American Architecture Awards 2018

Apple Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois by Foster and Partners: photos courtesy of The Chicago Athenaeum

Shapeshifter Reno, Nevada by OPA:

Crest Apartments San Diego, California by Michael Maltzan Architecture:

The American Prize for Architecture 2018 Winners

The Chicago Athenaeum | 601 S Prospect St., Galena, IL 61036 USA Phone +1 815 777-4444 | [email protected] | www.chi-athenaeum.org

Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA

American Architecture Awards Winner in 2017 The American Prize for Architecture 2017 Winners

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American Institute of Architects Gold Medal

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wsmith215 · 5 years ago

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Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant and other NBA players who said they wanted to play at North Carolina

If you’re a UNC basketball fan, you probably don’t know how to feel when you hear that you could have had the chance to see Kevin Durant play for a season in the Dean Smith Center.

Durant is one of many great players to openly say he wanted to play at North Carolina. Last year on the Players’ Tribune’s “Knuckleheads” podcast, Durant told the story of his recruitment with UNC. At the time, he was the No. 2 player in the class of 2006 behind Greg Oden. His roommate at Oak Hill Academy was Ty Lawson, who went on to play point guard for three years with the Tar Heels and was named ACC Player of the Year in 2009, leading the team to a national championship.

“They were recruiting me heavy with (Lawson),” Durant said. “They were expecting us to come together. I’m going on official visits. I went to a game where they beat Duke at the buzzer, and they won a national championship that year, my junior year in high school. So I was like, ‘Man I want to go to Carolina.'”

MORE: How many times have the Tar Heels won the NCAA Tournament?

Of course, Carolina fans know things didn’t pan out that way. Roy Williams hauled in a huge recruiting class that year — the No. 1 class in the nation — that included Brandan Wright (No. 3 player in the nation), Lawson (No. 7), Wayne Ellington (No. 9), Deon Thompson, Alex Stepheson and Will Graves. Add that incoming freshman class to a roster of Tyler Hansbrough, Danny Green, Marcus Ginyard, Reyshawn Terry and Bobby Frasor, and it’s clear to see why Durant was hesitant about becoming a Tar Heel.

“They were stacked though,” Durant said. “They had a nice senior class. They went to the Elite Eight that year. Tyler Hansbrough was there, Danny Green, all those dudes, so I would’ve gotten kind of lost — not lost, but I would have been playing 25 minutes instead of 40 minutes like I should have been playing.”

Had Durant chosen UNC, he almost certainly would have found his way into the starting lineup (although Marvin Williams, the No. 2 pick in the 2005 NBA Draft, was the sixth man on the 2005 national championship team). But he probably wouldn’t have usurped Hansbrough’s role as the focal point of the offense, and may have had to play out of position as a power forward. There’s no telling how all of that would have affected Durant’s draft stock, but the two-time NBA champion, one-time MVP-winner is probably happy he chose Texas. Of course, things worked out for North Carolina, too; the Tar Heels went to the Elite Eight in 2007, the Final Four in 2008 and won the national championship in 2009.

No, North Carolina fans probably aren’t too hurt about missing out on Durant, but what about some of the other NBA stars who said they wanted to play for the prestigious program? Here’s a look at four other NBA players who could have been Tar Heels.

Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant may have developed a close relationship with Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski during their time together at the Olympics, but his desire to be like Mike (Jordan) nearly drove him to play college basketball at UNC. In an interview with Jimmy Kimmel in 2013, Bryant said he would have chosen the Tar Heels over the Blue Devils.

“If I had to make a decision, I probably would have wound up going to Carolina,” Bryant said. “Just because of the competition. The year before I graduated, Vince Carter went to Carolina, and the year before he was the best guard in the country, so I’m looking at him and saying, ‘I want to play against him every single day,’ because I want to get better and I want to measure myself against these guys.”

Of course, Bryant instead skipped college basketball and went straight to the NBA, which worked out pretty well for him. But if he hadn’t been allowed to go straight to the draft and had chosen to play at North Carolina, he would’ve joined a pretty solid 1996-97 roster that included Carter, future National Player of the Year-winner Antawn Jamison, a solid shooter in Shammond Williams, senior big man Serge Zwikker and freshman point guard Ed Cota (who went on to become the school’s all-time leader in assists). On its own, that team was decent, and with most of the squad returning the next season they made it to a Final Four in Bill Guthridge’s first year as head coach. But had Bryant joined the Tar Heels, could they have brought Smith another national title in his swansong season?

Dwight Howard

Think back to that 2005 national championship team at UNC. They were pretty well-set inside with Sean May (17.5 points, 10.5 rebounds per game) and Marvin Williams (11.3 points, 6.3 rebounds). Now imagine throwing in Dwight Howard to the mix.

While Howard has previously said that he received strong interest from Duke and Georgia Tech, he’s made it known that he ultimately would have chosen North Carolina and been a part of Roy Williams’ first recruiting class. What a statement that would have been.

The Tar Heels didn’t need Howard that season, but it’s still fun to imagine just how good they might have been with Howard in the starting lineup over Jackie Manuel (5.5 points, 2.8 rebounds).

J.R. Smith

This story might be a little more well-known by UNC fans of a certain age. Smith had already commited to play at North Carolina when Matt Doherty was head coach. When Roy Williams took over, he initially told Smith that he couldn’t offer him a scholarship until he saw him play and got to know him more. Eventually, Williams did get to spend time with Smith and liked what he saw: an extremely athletic wing who was a streaky shooter but had the potential to be an explosive scorer. He could have plugged right into the rotation of the 2005 team alongside Howard.

Unfortunately for Williams, Smith’s draft stock skyrocketed toward the end of his senior season as his shot fell more consistently. Smith lit up the spring all-star circuits, earning co-MVP honors with Howard in the McDonald’s All-American Game. Suddenly, he was projected as a mid-to-late first round pick, and ultimately he chose to enter the 2004 NBA Draft, where he was selected by the New Orleans Hornets with the 18th pick.

Who knows what a year of running sprints for Williams might have done for Smith and his career. The extra year may have helped him mature both on and off the court, and we might be talking about a very different player.

Damian Lillard

There isn’t much to go with this one, other than a tweet during a Q&A session in which Lillard said he would have chosen North Carolina if he could have gone to any college.

There isn’t any indication that UNC recruited Lillard. He was in the class of 2008. UNC brought in four freshmen that year: Tyler Zeller, Ed Davis, Larry Drew and Justin Watts. Drew was also a point guard from the state of California. 24/7 had him as the No. 7 point guard in the nation and No. 8 player in the state, while Lillard was rated as the No. 48 point guard in the nation and No. 20 player in the state. UNC fans might have liked to have Lillard over Drew, who quit midway through the 2010-2011 season after losing the starting job to Kendall Marshall and transferred out of the program.

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delfinamaggiousa · 5 years ago

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10 of the Best Celebrity Spirits, Tasted and Ranked

Nowadays, news of celebrities launching spirits brands is as common as Marvel movies. But just how many of these bottles live up to the hype of their starry endorsements? VinePair decided to find out.

We assembled a panel of industry professionals to taste a range of spirits, from tequilas to aged whiskeys to grape vodka. Each was sampled at room temperature to highlight any of the off-flavors that might not be detected when sipped ice cold. All average prices listed are based on Wine-Searcher.com data, where available.

Ready to find out which bottles deserve a place on the red carpet? Here are 10 of the best celebrity spirits brands, tasted and ranked.

10. Casamigos Tequila Blanco

Launched by George Clooney, Randy Gerber, and Mike Meldman in 2013, Casamigos Tequila is a major success story. Four years after its debut, Diageo, the world’s largest spirits conglomerate, acquired the brand for a reported $1 billion. Of its blanco, reposado, and añejo bottles, VinePair tasters gravitated toward the blanco because of its approachable flavor profile. “I wish this was the tequila I was drinking in college,” one taster said. Average price: $44.

9. Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey

Irish mixed martial arts star and former UFC champion Conor McGregor launched his Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey in September 2018. It proved to be a shrewd investment: That same year, Irish whiskey sales topped $1 billion in the U.S. for the first time in history. McGregor’s blend of bourbon-cask-aged grain and single- malt whiskey offers a pleasant, easy-drinking introduction to Irish whiskey and also pours a delicious Irish coffee. Sláinte! Average price: $25.

8. D’Ussé V.S.O.P. Cognac

In addition to a luxury Champagne brand, Jay-Z has partial ownership of Cognac D’Ussé (pronounced dew-say), which the rapper launched with Bacardí in 2012. The finer details of the partnership are unknown, but the quality of the liquor inside the dome-shaped bottle is crystal clear. The spirit has a powerful bouquet of toasted, woody notes and a sweet, smooth texture. “It tastes like brown sugar and toasted pecans,” one taster commented. “I love it.” Average price: $54.

7. Próspero Tequila Blanco

In 2018, 18.5 million 9-liter cases of tequila sold in America. Aiming to take a slice of the profitable pie, pop star Rita Ora launched her Próspero tequila brand along with spirits marketing firm Conecuh Brands in early 2019. Próspero’s Blanco tequila left a lasting impression on VinePair tasters, who enjoyed its aromas of dried banana chips, and fresh spearmint flavors. Average price: $35.

6. Wild Turkey Longbranch

Matthew McConaughey has served as the creative director at Wild Turkey since 2016. His work began in front of the camera, starring in television commercials, but in 2018, he launched his first release, Longbranch Bourbon. The spirit’s unique filtration sees it processed through American white oak and Texas mesquite charcoal. The result is a silky smooth bourbon, rich in caramel and toffee aromas and sweet honey and orange flavors. We love it in an Old Fashioned, too. Average price: $40.

5. Cincoro Blanco

Launched in September 2019 by five former NBA rivals (Michael Jordan, Jeanie Buss, Wes Edens, Emilia Fazzalari, and Wyc Grousbeck), Cincoro is a luxury spirits brand offering high-end tequila. Its blanco expression, which retails at $70, justifies its admittedly lofty price tag, with complex aromas of green bell pepper and grapefruit pith. On the palate, the blanco tequila has a luscious mouthfeel and no hint of alcohol burn, even when sipped neat at room temperature. Average price: $70.

4. Crystal Head Vodka

Founded by actor Dan Aykroyd and artist John Alexander in 2007, Crystal Head Vodka’s skull-shaped bottle was polarizing among VinePair tasters. Some of the group thought the packaging was “campy,” while others felt it would “look cool on a living room bar cart.” All agreed on the quality of the vodka, however, which has a citrus-forward profile, seasoned with a little white pepper. A smooth sipper with well-integrated alcohol, this bottle will make you rethink vodka as a “serious” spirit. Average price: $40.

3. Heaven’s Door Straight Rye Whiskey

In 2018, nearly 50 years after he released Nashville Skyline, Bob Dylan debuted a Tennessee bourbon as part of his Heaven’s Door Spirits brand. A joint venture with Spirits Investment Partnership, the brand also offers a Double Barrel Whiskey and Straight Rye Whiskey. Of the three, VinePair tasters favored the Straight Rye, which has bright, fresh, floral aromas and a “distinct rye bite” on the palate. Average price: $77.

2. Cîroc Snap Frost Grape Vodka

Hip-hop artist and mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs has an estimated fortune of over $800 million, thanks in no small part to his Cîroc vodka brand, which is manufactured by Diageo. The five-times-distilled vodka, which is made using grape spirit, is floral and perfumed, with fruity raspberry and rose petal notes. Average price: $32.

1. Aviation Gin

Named after a classic pre-Prohibition cocktail, Aviation is a pioneering gin brand that introduced the world to the “New Western Dry,” or “American Dry” style, in 2006. For casual drinkers, Aviation is likely more recognizable for its connection to Ryan Reynolds, who bought a major stake in the company in 2018. Citrus fruits, pepper, and spice lead the spirit’s aromas, while the palate is defined by orange peel and a faint kiss of juniper-infused simple syrup. This is the perfect bottle for drinkers who have been put off gin by the bitter notes of London dry gins. Average price: $28.

The article 10 of the Best Celebrity Spirits, Tasted and Ranked appeared first on VinePair.

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blackkudos · 7 years ago

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Dennis Rodman

Dennis Keith Rodman (born May 13, 1961) is an American retired professional basketball player, who played for the Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, and Dallas Mavericks in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was nicknamed "The Worm" and was known for his fierce defensive and rebounding abilities.

Apart from basketball, Rodman is a retired part-time professional wrestler and actor. He was a member of the nWo and fought alongside Hulk Hogan at two Bash at the Beach events. In professional wrestling, Rodman was the first ever winner of the Celebrity Championship Wrestling tournament. He had his own TV show The Rodman World Tour, and had lead roles in the action films Double Team (1997) and Simon Sez (1999). Both films were critically panned, with the former earning Rodman a triple Razzie Award. He appeared in several reality TV series and was the winner of the $222,000 main prize of the 2004 edition of Celebrity Mole.

Early life and education

After his father left, Shirley took many odd jobs to support the family, up to four at the same time. In his 1997 biography Bad As I Wanna Be, he expresses his feelings for his father: "I haven't seen my father in more than 30 years, so what's there to miss ... I just look at it like this: Some man brought me into this world. That doesn't mean I have a father". (He would not meet his father again until 2012.)

While attending South Oak Cliff High School, Rodman was a gym class student of future Texas A&M basketball coach Gary Blair. Blair coached Rodman's sisters Debra and Kim, winning three state championships. However, Rodman was not considered an athletic standout. According to Rodman, he was "unable to hit a layup" and was listed in the high school basketball teams, but was either benched or cut from the squads. Measuring only 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) as a freshman in high school, he also failed to make the football teams and was "totally devastated". After finishing school, Rodman worked as an overnight janitor at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. He then experienced a sudden growth spurt and decided to try basketball again despite becoming even more withdrawn because he felt odd in his own body.

A family friend tipped off the head coach of Cooke County College (now North Central Texas College) in Gainesville, Texas. In his single semester there, he averaged 17.6 points and 13.3 rebounds, before flunking out due to poor academic performance. After his short stint in Gainesville, he transferred to Southeastern Oklahoma State University, an NAIA school. There, Rodman was a three-time NAIA All-American and led the NAIA in rebounding in both the 1984–1985 and 1985–1986 seasons. In three seasons there, 1983–1984 through 1985–1986, he averaged 25.7 points and 15.7 rebounds, led the NAIA in rebounding twice and registered a .637 field goal percentage. At the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, a pre-draft camp for NBA hopefuls, he won Most Valuable Player honors and caught the attention of the Detroit Pistons.

During college Rodman worked at a summer youth basketball camp, where he befriended camper Bryne Rich, who was shy and withdrawn due to a hunting accident in which he mistakenly shot and killed his best friend. The two became almost inseparable and formed a close bond. Rich invited Rodman to his rural Oklahoma home; at first, Rodman was not well-received by the Riches because he was black. But the Riches were so grateful to him for bringing their son out of his shell that they were able to set aside their prejudices. Although Rodman had severe family and personal issues himself, he "adopted" the Riches as his own in 1982 and went from the city life to "driving a tractor and messing with cows". Though Rodman credited the Riches as his "surrogate family" that helped him through college, as of 2013 he had stopped communicating with the Rich family for reasons unknown to them.

Basketball career

Detroit Pistons1986–1989

Rodman made himself eligible for the 1986 NBA draft. He was drafted by the Detroit Pistons as the 3rd pick in the second round (27th overall), joining the rugged team of coach Chuck Daly that was called "Bad Boys" for their hard-nosed approach to basketball. The squad featured Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars at the guard positions, Adrian Dantley and Sidney Green at forward, and center Bill Laimbeer. Bench players who played more than 15 minutes per game were sixth man Vinnie Johnson and the backup forwards Rick Mahorn and John Salley. Rodman fit well into this ensemble, providing 6.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and some tough defense in 15.0 minutes of playing time per game.

Winning 52 games, the Pistons comfortably entered the 1987 NBA Playoffs. They swept the Washington Bullets and soundly beat the Atlanta Hawks in five games, but bowed out in seven matches against the archrival Boston Celtics in what was called one of the physically and mentally toughest series ever. Rodman feuded with Celtics guard Dennis Johnson and taunted Johnson in the closing seconds when he waved his right hand over his own head. When the Celtics took Game Seven, Johnson went back at Rodman in the last moments of the game and mimicked his taunting gesture.

In the following 1987–1988 season, Rodman steadily improved his stats, averaging 11.6 points and 8.7 rebounds and starting in 32 of 82 regular season games. The Pistons fought their way into the 1988 NBA Finals, and took a 3–2 lead, but lost in seven games against the Los Angeles Lakers. In Game Six, the Pistons were down by one point with eight seconds to go; Dumars missed a shot, and Rodman just fell short of an offensive rebound and a putback which could have won the title. In Game Seven, L.A. led by 15 points in the fourth quarter, but Rodman's defense helped cut down the lead to six with 3:52 minutes to go and to two with one minute to go. But then, he fouled Magic Johnson, who hit a free throw, missed an ill-advised shot with 39 seconds to go, and the Pistons never recovered. In that year, he and his girlfriend Annie had a daughter they named Alexis.

Rodman remained a bench player during the 1988–1989 season, averaging 9.0 points and 9.4 rebounds in 27 minutes, yet providing such effective defense that he was voted into the All-Defensive Team, the first of eight times in his career. He also began seeing more playing time after Adrian Dantley was traded at midseason to Dallas for Mark Aguirre. In that season, the Pistons finally vanquished their playoffs bane by sweeping the Boston Celtics, then winning in six games versus the Chicago Bulls—including scoring champion Michael Jordan—and easily defeating the Lakers 4–0 in the 1989 NBA Finals. Although he was hampered by back spasms, Rodman dominated the boards, grabbing 19 rebounds in Game 3 and providing tough interior defense.

1989–1993

In the 1989–1990 season, Detroit lost perennial defensive forward Rick Mahorn when he was taken by the Minnesota Timberwolves in that year's expansion draft and ended up on the Philadelphia 76ers when the Pistons could not reacquire him. It was feared that the loss of Mahorn – average in talent, but high on hustle and widely considered a vital cog of the "Bad Boys" teams – would diminish the Pistons’ spirit, but Rodman seamlessly took over his role. He went on to win his first big individual accolade. Averaging 8.8 points and 9.7 rebounds while starting in the last 43 regular season games, he established himself as the best defensive player in the game; during this period, the Pistons won 59 games, and Rodman was lauded by the NBA "for his defense and rebounding skills, which were unparalleled in the league". For his feats, he won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award; he also connected on a .595 field goal percentage, which made him the most precise shooter of the league. In the 1990 NBA Playoffs, the Pistons beat the Bulls again, and in the 1990 NBA Finals, Detroit met the Portland Trail Blazers. Rodman suffered from an injured ankle and was often replaced by Mark Aguirre, but even without his defensive hustle, Detroit beat Portland in five games and claimed their second title.

During the 1990–1991 season, Rodman finally established himself as the starting small forward of the Pistons. He played such strong defense that the NBA stated he "could shut down any opposing player, from point guard to center". After coming off the bench for most of his earlier years, he finally started in 77 of the 82 regular season games, averaged 8.2 points and 12.5 rebounds and won his second Defensive Player of the Year Award. In the 1991 NBA Playoffs, however, the Pistons were swept by the championship-winning Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals. It was the 1991–1992 season where Rodman made a remarkable leap in his rebounding, collecting an astounding 18.7 rebounds per game (1,530 in total), winning his first of seven consecutive rebounding crowns, along with scoring 9.8 points per game, and making his first All-NBA Team. His 1,530 rebounds (the most since Wilt Chamberlain's 1,572 in the 1971–1972 season) have never been surpassed since then; the best mark not set by Rodman is by Kevin Willis, who grabbed 1,258 boards that same season. Willis lamented that Rodman had an advantage in winning the rebounding title with his lack of offensive responsibilities. In a March 1992 game, Rodman totaled a career high 34 rebounds. However, the aging Pistons were eliminated by the upcoming New York Knicks in the First round of the 1992 NBA Playoffs.

Rodman experienced a tough loss when coach Chuck Daly, whom he had admired as a surrogate father, resigned in May; Rodman skipped the preseason camp and was fined $68,000. The following 1992–1993 season was even more tumultuous. Rodman and Annie Bakes, the mother of his daughter Alexis, were divorcing after a short marriage, an experience which left him traumatized. The Pistons won only 40 games and missed the 1993 NBA Playoffs entirely. One night in February 1993, Rodman was found asleep in his car with a loaded rifle. Four years later in his biography As Bad As I Wanna Be, he confessed having thought about suicide and described that night as an epiphany: "I decided that instead [of killing myself] I was gonna kill the impostor that was leading Dennis Rodman to a place he didn't want to go ... So I just said, 'I'm going to live my life the way I want to live it and be happy doing it.' At that moment I tamed [sic] my whole life around. I killed the person I didn't want to be." The book was later adapted for a TV movie Bad As I Wanna Be: The Dennis Rodman Story. Although he had three years and $11.8 million remaining on his contract, Rodman demanded a trade. On October 1, 1993, the Pistons dealt him to the San Antonio Spurs.

San Antonio Spurs

In the 1993–1994 NBA season, Rodman joined a Spurs team which was built around perennial All-Star center David Robinson, with a supporting cast of forwards Dale Ellis, Willie Anderson and guard Vinny Del Negro. On the hardwood, Rodman now was played as a power forward and won his third straight rebounding title, averaging 17.3 boards per game, along with another All-Defensive Team call-up. Living up to his promise of killing the "shy imposter" and "being himself" instead, Rodman began to show first signs of unconventional behavior: before the first game, he shaved his hair and dyed it blonde, which was followed up by stints with red, purple, blue hair and a look inspired from the film Demolition Man. During the season, he headbutted Stacey King and John Stockton, refused to leave the hardwood once after being ejected, and had a highly publicized two-month affair with Madonna. The only player to whom Rodman related was reserve center Jack Haley, who earned his trust by not being shocked after a visit to a gay bar. However, despite a 55-win season, Rodman and the Spurs did not survive the first round of the 1994 NBA Playoffs and bowed out against the Utah Jazz in four games.

In the following 1994–1995 NBA season, Rodman clashed with the Spurs front office. He was suspended for the first three games, took a leave of absence on November 11, and was suspended again on December 7. He finally returned on December 10 after missing 19 games. After joining the team, he suffered a shoulder separation in a motorcycle accident, limiting his season to 49 games. Normally, he would not have qualified for any season records for missing so many games, but by grabbing 823 rebounds, he just surpassed the 800-rebound limit for listing players and won his fourth straight rebounding title by averaging 16.8 boards per game and made the All-NBA Team. In the 1995 NBA Playoffs, the 62-win Spurs with reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Award winner Robinson entered the Western Conference Finals and were considered favorites against the reigning champions Houston Rockets who had only won 47 games. It was thought that Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon would have a hard time asserting himself versus Robinson and Rodman, who had both been voted into the NBA All-Defensive Teams. However, neither Robinson nor Rodman, who had disrupted a playoff game against the Lakers by sitting down on the court, could stop Olajuwon, who averaged 35.3 points against the elite defensive Spurs frontcourt, and helped eliminate the Spurs in six games.

Rodman admitted his frequent transgressions, but asserted that he lived his own life and thus a more honest life than most other people:

"I just took the chance to be my own man ... I just said: 'If you don't like it, kiss my ass.' ... Most people around the country, or around the world, are basically working people who want to be free, who want to be themselves. They look at me and see someone trying to do that ... I'm the guy who's showing people, hey, it's all right to be different. And I think they feel: 'Let's go and see this guy entertain us.'"

Chicago Bulls

Prior to the 1995–1996 NBA season, Rodman was traded to the Chicago Bulls of perennial scoring champion Michael Jordan for center Will Perdue and cash considerations to fill a large void at power forward left by Horace Grant, who left the Bulls prior to the 1994–1995 season. Given Rodman could not use the 10 jersey as the Bulls had retired it for Bob Love, and the NBA denied him the reversion 01, Rodman instead picked the number 91, whose digits add up to 10. Although the trade for the already 34-year-old and volatile Rodman was considered a gamble at that time, the power forward quickly adapted to his new environment, helped by the fact that his best friend Jack Haley was also traded to the Bulls. Under coach Phil Jackson, he averaged 5.5 points and 14.9 rebounds per game, winning yet another rebounding title, and was part of the great Bulls team that won 72 of 82 regular season games, an NBA record at the time. About playing next to iconic Jordan and hard-working Scottie Pippen, Rodman said:

"On the court, me and Michael are pretty calm and we can handle conversation. But as far as our lives go, I think he is moving in one direction and I'm going in the other. I mean, he's goin' north, I'm goin' south. And then you've got Scottie Pippen right in the middle. He's sort of the equator."

In the 1996 NBA Playoffs, Rodman scored 7.5 points and grabbed 13.7 rebounds per game and had a large part in the six-game victory against the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1996 NBA Finals: in Game Two at home in the Bulls' United Center, he grabbed 20 rebounds, among them a record-tying 11 offensive boards, and in Game Six, again at the United Center, the power forward secured 19 rebounds and again 11 offensive boards, scored five points in a decisive 12–2 Bulls run, unnerved opposing power forward Shawn Kemp and caused Seattle coach George Karl to say: "As you evaluate the series, Dennis Rodman won two basketball games. We controlled Dennis Rodman for four games. But Game 2 and tonight, he was the reason they were successful." His two games with 11 offensive rebounds each tied the NBA Finals record of Elvin Hayes.

In the 1996–1997 NBA season, Rodman won his sixth rebounding title in a row with 16.7 boards per game, along with 5.7 points per game, but failed to rank another All-Defensive Team call-up. However, he made more headlines for his notorious behavior. On January 15, 1997, he was involved in an incident during a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. After tripping over cameraman Eugene Amos, Rodman kicked Amos in the groin. Though he was not assessed a technical foul at the time, he ultimately paid Amos a $200,000 settlement, and the league suspended Rodman for 11 games without pay. Thus, he effectively lost $1 million. Missing another three games to suspensions, often getting technical fouls early in games and missing an additional 13 matches due to knee problems, Rodman was not as effective in the 1997 NBA Playoffs, in which the Bulls reached the 1997 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz. He struggled to slow down Jazz power forward Karl Malone, but did his share to complete the six-game Bulls victory.

The regular season of the 1997–1998 NBA season ended with Rodman winning his seventh consecutive rebounding title with 15.0 boards per game, along with 4.7 points per game. He grabbed 20 or more rebounds 11 times, among them a 29-board outburst against the Atlanta Hawks and 15 offensive boards (along with ten defensive) versus the Los Angeles Clippers. Led by the aging Jordan and Rodman (respectively 35 and 37 years old), the Bulls reached the 1998 NBA Finals, again versus the Jazz. After playing strong defense on Malone in the first three games, he caused major consternation when he left his team prior to Game Four to go wrestling with Hulk Hogan. He was fined $20,000, but it was not even ten percent of what he earned with this stint. However, Rodman's on-court performance remained top-notch, again shutting down Malone in Game Four until the latter scored 39 points in a Jazz Game Five win, bringing the series to 3–2 from the Bulls perspective. In Game Six, Jordan hit the decisive basket after a memorable drive on Jazz forward Bryon Russell, the Bulls won their third title in a row and Rodman his fifth ring.

Twilight years

After the 1997–1998 NBA season, the Bulls started a massive rebuilding phase, largely at the behest of then-general manager Jerry Krause. Head coach Phil Jackson and several members of the team left via free agency or retirement, including Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Steve Kerr, and Jud Buechler. Rodman was released by the Bulls on January 21, 1999, before the start of the lockout-shortened 1998–99 NBA season. With his sister acting as his agent at the time, Rodman joined the Los Angeles Lakers, for a pro-rated salary for the remainder of the 1998–1999 season. With the Lakers he only played in 23 games and was released.

In the 1999–2000 NBA season, the then-38-year-old power forward was signed by the Dallas Mavericks, meaning that Rodman returned to the place where he grew up. For the Mavericks, he played 12 games, was ejected twice and alienated the franchise with his erratic behavior until he was waived again; Dallas guard Steve Nash commented that Rodman "never wanted to be [a Maverick]" and therefore was unmotivated. Despite the negative feedback, Rodman averaged 14.3 rebounds per game. This would have been enough to lead the league had he played enough games to qualify.

NBA career statistics

Regular seasonPlayoffs

Post-NBA years

After his NBA career, Rodman took a long break from basketball and concentrated on his film career and on wrestling.

After a longer hiatus, Rodman returned to play basketball for the Long Beach Jam of the newly formed American Basketball Association during the 2003–2004 season, with hopes of being called up to the NBA midseason. While he didn't get that desire that season, he did help the Jam win the ABA championship in their inaugural season. He also played in Mexico, with Fuerza Regia in 2004. In the following 2004–2005 season, he signed with the ABA's Orange County Crush and the following season with the league's Tijuana Dragons. After retiring from wrestling, Rodman became Commissioner of the Lingerie Football League in 2005.

The return to the NBA never materialized, but on January 26, 2006, it was announced that Rodman had signed a one-game "experiment" deal for the UK basketball team Brighton Bears of the British Basketball League to play Guildford Heat on January 28, and went on to play three games for the Bears. In spring 2006, he played two exhibition games in the Philippines along with NBA ex-stars Darryl Dawkins, Kevin Willis, Calvin Murphy, Otis Birdsong and Alex English. On April 27, they defeated a team of former Philippine Basketball Association stars in Mandaue City, Cebu and Rodman scored five points and grabbed 18 rebounds. On May 1, 2006, Rodman's team played their second game and lost to the Philippine national basketball team 110–102 at the Araneta Coliseum, where he scored three points and recorded 16 rebounds.

In 2005, Rodman made two visits to Finland. At first, he was present at Sonkajärvi in July in a wife-carrying contest. However, he resigned from the contest due to health problems. In November, he played one match for Torpan Pojat of the Finland's basketball league, Korisliiga.

That same year, Rodman published his second autobiography, I Should Be Dead By Now; he promoted the book by sitting in a coffin.

On April 4, 2011, it was announced that Rodman would be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

In March 2013, Rodman arrived at the Vatican City during voting in the papal conclave for the selection of a new pope. The trip was organized by an Irish gambling company. "I'm just promoting this website. It's a gambling website, and it's about people who are going to bet on the new pope, and if he's black, you get your money back", said Rodman.

In July 2013, Rodman joined Premier Brands to launch and promote Bad Boy Vodka.

On July 24, 2015, Rodman publicly endorsed Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. Rodman and U.S. President Trump had previously appeared together on Celebrity Apprentice.

North Korea visits

On February 26, 2013, Rodman made a trip to North Korea with Vice Media correspondent Ryan Duffy to host basketball exhibitions. He met North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Rodman and his travel party were the first known Americans to have met Kim. He later said Kim was "a friend for life" and suggested that President Barack Obama "pick up the phone and call" Kim since the two leaders were basketball fans. On May 7, after reading an article from The Seattle Times, Rodman sent out a tweet asking Kim to release American prisoner Kenneth Bae, who had been sentenced to 15 years of hard labor in North Korea.

On September 3, 2013, Rodman flew to Pyongyang for another meeting with Kim Jong-un. Rodman said that Kim has a daughter named Kim Ju-ae, and that he is a "great dad". Rodman also noted that he planned to train the North Korean national basketball team. Rodman stated that he is "trying to open Obama's and everyone's minds" and encouraged Obama to reach out to Kim Jong-un.

In July, 2013, Rodman told Sports Illustrated: "My mission is to break the ice between hostile countries. Why it’s been left to me to smooth things over, I don’t know. Dennis Rodman, of all people. Keeping us safe is really not my job; it’s the black guy’s [Obama's] job. But I’ll tell you this: If I don’t finish in the top three for the next Nobel Peace Prize, something’s seriously wrong."

In December 2013, Rodman announced he would visit North Korea again. He also said he has plans to bring a number of former NBA players with him for an exhibition basketball tour. According to Rory Scott, a spokesman for the exhibitions' sponsoring organization, Rodman planned to visit December 18–21 and train the North Korean team in preparation for January games. The matchups were scheduled for January 8 (Kim Jong-un's birthday) and January 10, 2014. Included on the U.S. exhibition team were Kenny Anderson, Cliff Robinson, Vin Baker, Craig Hodges, Doug Christie, Sleepy Floyd, Charles D. Smith, and four streetballers. Rodman departed from Beijing on January 6. Organised by Paddy Power, among his entourage was the Irish media personality Matt Cooper, who had interviewed Rodman a number of times on radio.

On January 7, 2014, in North Korea prior to the exhibition games, Rodman made comments during a CNN interview implying that Kenneth Bae was at fault for his imprisonment. The remarks were widely reported in other media outlets and provoked a storm of criticism. Two days later, Rodman apologized for his comments, saying that he had been drinking and under pressure. He added that he "should know better than to make political statements". Some members of the U.S. Congress, the NBA and human rights groups suggested that Rodman had become a public relations stunt for the North Korean government. On May 2, 2016, Kenneth Bae credited Rodman with his early release. He said that Rodman's rant raised awareness of his case and that he wanted to personally thank him for his expedited release.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury is reportedly investigating whether Rodman broke the law by bringing Kim Jong-un thousands of dollars in luxury gifts on his most recent trip to North Korea.

Rodman's "hoops diplomacy" inspired a 20th Century Fox comedy, Diplomats. Tim Story and Peter Chernin are set to produce the film while Jonathan Abrams is reportedly writing the script.

Awards, records and achievements

Legacy

Professional wrestling career

World Championship Wrestling (1997–1999)

After getting suspended for the rest of the 1996–1997 NBA season, Rodman seriously took up his hobby of professional wrestling and appeared on the edition of March 10 of Monday Nitro with his friend Hollywood Hulk Hogan in World Championship Wrestling (WCW). At the March 1997 Uncensored event, he appeared as a member of the nWo. His first match was at the July 1997 Bash at the Beach event, where he teamed with Hogan in a loss to Lex Luger and The Giant. At the August 1997 Road Wild event, Rodman appeared as the Impostor Sting hitting Luger with a baseball bat to help Hogan win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship.

After the 1997–98 NBA season, where Rodman and the Chicago Bulls defeated Karl Malone and the Utah Jazz in the 1998 NBA Finals, Rodman and Malone squared off again, this time in a tag team match at the July 1998 Bash at the Beach event. He fought alongside Hulk Hogan, and Malone tagged along with Diamond Dallas Page. In a poorly received match, the two power forwards exchanged "rudimentary headlocks, slams and clotheslines" for 23 minutes. Rodman bested Malone again as he and Hogan picked up the win.

Rodman returned to WCW in 1999 and feuded with Randy Savage. This culminated in a match at Road Wild which Rodman lost.

i-Generation Superstars of Wrestling and retirement (2000)

On July 30, 2000, for the i-Generation Superstars of Wrestling pay-per-view event, he fought against i-Generation Champion Curt Hennig in an Australian Outback match. The event was subtitled Rodman Down Under. Hennig won the match by disqualification. Rodman refrained from wrestling at the top level and retired.

Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Championship Wrestling (2008)

In wrestlingChampionships and accomplishments

Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Championship Wrestling

Celebrity Championship Wrestling tournament

Media appearances

In 2005, Rodman became the first man to pose naked for PETA's advertisement campaign "Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur".

Since then he has appeared in few acting roles outside of playing himself. Rodman has made an appearance in an episode of 3rd Rock from the Sun playing the character of himself, except being a fellow alien with the Solomon family. He voiced an animated version of himself in the Simpsons episode "Treehouse of Horror XVI".

Rodman has also appeared in several reality soaps: in January 2006, Rodman appeared on the fourth version of Celebrity Big Brother in the UK, and on July 26, 2006, in the UK series Love Island as a houseguest contracted to stay for a week. Finally, he appeared on the show Celebrity Mole on ABC. He wound up winning the $222,000 grand prize.

Rodman was the winner of Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Championship Wrestling tournament defeating other challengers such as Butterbean and Dustin Diamond.

In 2008, Rodman joined as a spokesman for a sports website OPENSports.com, the brainchild of Mike Levy founder and former CEO of CBS Sportsline.com. Rodman also writes a blog and occasionally answers members' questions for OPEN Sports.

In 2013, he appeared again as a contestant on Celebrity Apprentice. He raised $20,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and was the sixth contestant eliminated, on April 7, 2013.

Rodman's visits to North Korea were depicted in the 2015 documentary film Dennis Rodman's Big Bang in Pyongyang.

In 2017, Rodman was featured on the self-titled debut album from alternative R&B/hip-hop duo Mansionz. He provides vocals on the single "Dennis Rodman" and uncredited vocals on "i'm thinking about horses".

Personal life

Marriages

Rodman's first wife was Annie Bakes, with whom he had a daughter named Alexis (born 1988). They divorced in the early 1990s. Rodman married model Carmen Electra in November 1998 at the Little Chapel of the Flowers in Las Vegas, Nevada. Electra filed for divorce in April 1999.

In 1999 Rodman met Michelle Moyer, with whom he had a son, D.J. (born 2000) and a daughter, Trinity (born 2001). Moyer and Rodman married in 2003 on his 42nd birthday. Michelle Rodman filed for divorce in 2004, although the couple spent several years attempting to reconcile. The marriage was officially dissolved in 2012 when Michelle Rodman again petitioned the court to grant a divorce. It was reported that Rodman owed $860,376 in child and spousal support.

Alcohol issues

Legal troubles

On November 5, 1999, Rodman and his then-wife, Carmen Electra, were charged with misdemeanors after police were notified of a domestic disturbance. Each posted $2,500 in bail and were released with a temporary restraining order placed on them.

In December 1999 Rodman was arrested for drunken driving and driving without a valid license. In July 2000, Rodman pleaded guilty to both charges and was ordered to pay $2,000 in fines and was required to attend a three-month treatment program.

He was arrested in 2002 for interfering with police investigating a code violation at a restaurant he owned; the charges were eventually dropped. After settling down in Newport Beach, California, the police appeared over 70 times at his home because of loud parties. In early 2003, Rodman was arrested and charged with domestic violence at his home in Newport Beach for allegedly assaulting his then-fiancee.

In April 2004, Rodman pleaded nolo contendere to drunk driving in Las Vegas and was fined $1,000 and served 30 days of home detention. On April 30, 2008, Rodman was arrested following a domestic violence incident at a Los Angeles hotel. On June 24, 2008, he pleaded no contest to the misdemeanor spousal battery charges and was sentenced to one year of domestic violence counseling and three years probation. He received 45 hours of community service, which were to involve some physical labor activities.

On November 21, 2016, Rodman was charged with causing a hit and run accident, lying to police, and driving without a license following an incident on Interstate 5 near Santa Ana, California, in July.

Politics

In July 2015, Dennis Rodman endorsed Donald Trump for president, tweeting "Donald Trump has been a great friend for many years. We don't need another politician, we need a businessman like Mr. Trump! Trump 2016."

Wikipedia

#Dennis Rodman #05-13

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livevsongame-tv-blog · 7 years ago

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Live Update: Sergio Garcia feeling at home in Texas Open

New Post has been published on https://livevsongame-tv.com/golf/live-update-sergio-garcia-feeling-at-home-in-texas-open/20938/html

Live Update: Sergio Garcia feeling at home in Texas Open

SAN ANTONIO (AP) Sergio Garcia had a long history with Texas even before he became a part-time resident.

He made his PGA Tour debut as a pro in 1999 at the Byron Nelson Classic and caused an immediate sensation with the gallery outside Dallas when he made eight birdies in 15 holes and had a chance for a 59 when he had a 4-iron into the par-5 16th hole. He finished par-par-bogey for a 62 and tied for third that week.

Two years later, the Spaniard won his first PGA Tour event at Colonial, the first of three victories in the Lone Star State.

Article continues below …

Now, the connection extends to family. He married Angela Akins last summer, and he’s based out of the Austin area when he’s playing in America. That’s where he was last week after missing the cut at the Masters, for a family gathering of both parents and plenty of doting on Azalea, their 5-week-old daughter.

”Changed a lot of nappies,” Garcia said. ”We went to the ranch a couple of times. We practiced a little bit with my dad. I played a member-member at Austin Golf Club with Ben Crenshaw – we managed to win it, too. So just kind of kept myself busy.”

Garcia also has a connection to the Valero Texas Open.

He was the consultant to Greg Norman in designing the AT&T Oaks Course at the TPC San Antonio, which will be used for the ninth straight year at the Texas Open. Garcia played that first year and broke par only once while tying for 45th.

Now he’s back to compete against a field that includes Adam Scott, Ernie Els and defending champion Kevin Chappell. Also in the field is Joaquin Niemann of Chile, the No. 1 amateur in the world who makes his pro debut this week at 19 – the same as Garcia when the Spaniard turned pro.

”It doesn’t feel that long ago I was in that situation and I was looking up to my idols and my role models in golf and trying to learn anything I could from them,” Garcia said. ”So it is fun, and it’s an honor, to be in the other side of a situation. He’s a great kid. Obviously, he’s got a lot of talent. I think he can do a lot of beautiful things out there on the golf course.”

Both missed the cut at the Masters, and Garcia can point to one hole.

He was a few feet away from his 6-iron into the par-5 15th going up the ridge to about 15 feet. Instead, it rolled back down into the water. His next four shots, all with a wedge, spun past the hole, down the green and into the water. Garcia wound up with a 13 – the highest score ever recorded at No. 15 at Augusta National – and shot 81. By then, his hopes of making the cut as the defending Masters champion were all but gone.

So are the memories.

He has been around golf too long, good days and bad, to let something like that linger.

”At the end of the day, you’ve got to realize that sometimes it happens. Sometimes it goes the wrong way, and without doing much wrong, it can happen,” he said. ”But you learn from it and you move forward and try to be better.”

The Texas Open falls into a quiet part of the PGA Tour schedule – two weeks after the Masters, three weeks before The Players Championship. That won’t be the case the next year. With a long-term sponsorship deal, the Texas Open in 2019 moves to the week before the Masters, the last chance for a player to qualify for Augusta National by winning.

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isaiahrippinus · 5 years ago

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10 of the Best Celebrity Spirits, Tasted and Ranked

Ready to find out which bottles deserve a place on the red carpet? Here are 10 of the best celebrity spirits brands, tasted and ranked.

10. Casamigos Tequila Blanco

9. Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey

8. D’Ussé V.S.O.P. Cognac

7. Próspero Tequila Blanco

6. Wild Turkey Longbranch

5. Cincoro Blanco

4. Crystal Head Vodka

3. Heaven’s Door Straight Rye Whiskey

2. Cîroc Snap Frost Grape Vodka

1. Aviation Gin

The article 10 of the Best Celebrity Spirits, Tasted and Ranked appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/buy-this-booze/best-celebrity-spirits-brands-ranked/ source https://vinology1.tumblr.com/post/188701924534

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johnboothus · 5 years ago

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10 of the Best Celebrity Spirits Tasted and Ranked

Ready to find out which bottles deserve a place on the red carpet? Here are 10 of the best celebrity spirits brands, tasted and ranked.

10. Casamigos Tequila Blanco

9. Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey

8. D’Ussé V.S.O.P. Cognac

7. Próspero Tequila Blanco

6. Wild Turkey Longbranch

5. Cincoro Blanco

4. Crystal Head Vodka

3. Heaven’s Door Straight Rye Whiskey

2. Cîroc Snap Frost Grape Vodka

1. Aviation Gin

The article 10 of the Best Celebrity Spirits, Tasted and Ranked appeared first on VinePair.

Via https://vinepair.com/buy-this-booze/best-celebrity-spirits-brands-ranked/

source https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/10-of-the-best-celebrity-spirits-tasted-and-ranked

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florahecate · 6 years ago

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Read More The 6 Types of Southern Barbecue in the US—and What Exactly Makes Them Different

The following post The 6 Types of Southern Barbecue in the US—and What Exactly Makes Them Different is republished from Eat This Not That by Jessica Farthing

In the United States, barbecue is practically synonymous with summer. Yes, it’s a style of cooking that largely involves slow-cooking meat in a wide variety of delicious marinades and sauces. But it’s so much more than that, conjuring up images of wooden picnic tables, red-and-white-checked tablecloths, and the smoky smell of mesquite.

This slow approach to cooking meat dates back to the Caribbean in the 1500s. Even Christopher Columbus developed a method of slow-cooking meat over green wood, which was called barbacoa (hence the word barbecue).

In the centuries that have followed, barbecue has become a staple in American cooking, and now, styles within our own country are as diverse as the regions that further developed them. Between the Carolinas alone, you’ll need two hands to count the different barbecue varieties.

To help, we’ve broken down the different Southern regions that have defined barbecue in the United States, and what makes them each distinct. Whether you cook on a pit or use a smoker, baste with a sauce or dry rub with spices, we can all agree that barbecue, especially Southern barbecue, is delicious—no matter what way you slice or smother it.

North Carolina

Shutterstock

If you’re not from this area of the U.S., it’s probably confusing enough that both North and South Carolina have their own distinct barbecue styles. To make matters even more complex, North Carolina has two different approaches of its own: Eastern style and Lexington style (aka Piedmont style).

The sauces: Eastern-style North Carolina barbecue is often considered to be one of the original approaches to barbecue. It involves basting the meat in a vinegar-based sauce enhanced with a little sugar and red pepper. This thin sauce is also served on the side of your barbecue meal for dipping purposes.

But Western North Carolinians love their Lexington or Piedmont style barbecue sauce, which adds a bit of tomato or ketchup into the mix.

The details:

While the Eastern method uses the whole hog, Lexington purists only go with the pork shoulder. It’s a nod to the German settlers who invented the approach in the 1700s, according to Our State, a North Carolina magazine.

The competition:

While the debate rages on about which North Carolina barbecue style is superior, one thing’s for sure: Eastern is the OG.

“I don’t want to say ‘the truest’ because I don’t want to take sides in that dispute, but it is the original, that’s for sure,” John Shelton Reed, co-author of Holy Smoke: The Big Book of North Carolina Barbecue, told Our State.

South Carolina

Melvin's BBQ/Yelp

If variety is the spice of life, South Carolina is the spiciest when it comes to U.S. barbecue. The state is one of several that claim to be the “birthplace of barbecue,” and it has a whole host of different sauce options if you’re looking to change it up.

The sauces:

The northern part of the state, or the Pee Dee region, follows the same concept as Eastern-style North Carolina barbecue, minus the sugar. Theirs is a spicy mix of vinegar, black pepper, salt, and cayenne.

The Midlands of South Carolina serve a barbecue sauce that is easily recognizable thanks to its brightly colored mustard base. This sweet and tangy sauce is arguably the one the state is most known for.

Because of other states’ influences on South Carolina barbecue, there are also light tomato concoctions (made of vinegar, pepper, and tomato sauce or ketchup) and heavy tomato ones as well. The former tends to be found in the Pee Dee region and in the upper Midlands, while the latter is more common in western and northwestern South Carolina.

“At one time, you’d know what type of barbecue you’d be served just by knowing what part of the state you were in,” explained Gwen Fowler on South Carolina’s tourism website. “But these days, the lines have blurred.”

The details:

With pigs being particularly prevalent in the area, South Carolina’s barbecue tends to be made from pork, often pulled, and accompanied by one of the four regional sauces.

South Carolinians also serve their barbecue pork with a mix of hash and rice, an amalgamation of meats, spices, sauces, and vegetables cooked down to a thick stew. The options at Duke’s Barbecue in Waterloo or Melvin’s Barbecue in Charleston are some of the most famous.

The competition:

Because there are so many different types of South Carolina barbecue, the state doesn’t exactly have a signature style, but residents sure do love hashing it out.

“When you mention S.C., people usually want to start a fight about sauces,” writes Charleston native Jack Hitt. “South Carolinians know it’s effectively a ginned-up quarrel about condiments.”

After all, why fight when you can eat?

Texas

Shutterstock

Everything is bigger and more complicated in Texas. The Lone Star state has almost as many approaches to barbecue as South Carolina does. But no matter where you go, beef brisket is the prevailing cut and it’s not easy to get it right.

The sauces:

Wet or dry, that is the question when it comes to Texas barbecue.

In East Texas, you’ll find your barbecue marinated in a sweet tomato-based sauce, and in South Texas, it’ll be a molasses variety. In the deep south, near the Rio Grande, you’ll find Mexican-style barbacoa.

But elsewhere, in Central Texas, the meat is dry rubbed with salt and pepper, and is left at that. No matter if your rub is wet or dry, Texans cook their meat low and slow over oak, mesquite, pecan, or hickory wood until it’s falling off the bone.

The details:

Texas barbecue is all about the beef.

Texans prefer beef brisket, a cut that can take up to 20 hours to prepare in order to get it super tender. After that, the meat is then left to rest, marinating in its own juices for optimal flavor.

The competition:

Texas-style barbecue is celebrated at the annual Texas Monthly BBQ Fest Weekend, held in Austin every November.

Classes and demonstrations are hosted by notable chefs, including James Beard award-winner Aaron Franklin of the famed Franklin’s Barbecue.

RELATED: The easy way to make healthier comfort foods.

Kansas City

Shutterstock

In the early 1900s, Henry Perry opened a smoked-meat pushcart in downtown Kansas City, essentially starting a barbecue revolution that resulted in the city’s signature style.

The sauce:

While Perry served such exotic offerings as raccoon and mutton, modern-day Kansas City-style barbecue can come in the form of beef, pork, chicken, or sausage—so long as it’s coated in a thick, sweet, molasses- and tomato-based sauce.

The details:

Kansas City barbecue is famous for its burnt ends. After a beef brisket is smoked, the tips are returned to the smoker to cook longer so they can develop a charred exterior.

These flavorful bits can be found on the menus of local barbecue joints, like Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que, which has a few locations in the state.

The competition:

Kansas is the site of the world’s largest barbecue competition, the American Royal World Series of Barbecue, which is held in September every year.

Memphis

Melissa Cookston

If you love ribs, but don’t like getting messy, Memphis, Tennessee, is the place to be for barbecue. You won’t need a wet wipe when you come to this part of the South!

The sauce: Memphis-style barbecue traditionally uses a dry rub, made from garlic, paprika, chili pepper, cumin, and other (often secret) spices.

The lack of sauce makes for a neater barbecue experience. However, if you are a sauce lover, you can often get a side of a thin, slightly sweet accompaniment.

And there are other Memphis barbecue methods, too, like allowing the dry rub to form more of a paste by adding some water before applying.

The details: Memphis is known for its flavorful slabs of dry ribs. The city’s super-slow cooking methods over a hickory fire result in a falling-off-the-bone tenderness.

The competition:

Try pitmaster and barbecue champion Melissa Cookston’s menu at Memphis Barbecue Co. for the authentic flavors of the region.

Alabama

Mike W./Yelp

In the 1920s, railroad worker Bob Gibson was cooking barbecue on the weekends in his backyard in Alabama. The crowd grew and grew every week, so Gibson finally quit his job and began selling his barbecue in his own Decatur restaurant, aptly called Big Bob’s.

The sauce: Big Bob’s smoked chicken has been its most popular option since the restaurant’s inception nearly 100 years ago. It’s dipped in a tangy white mayonnaise sauce that Gibson developed to prevent chicken from drying out during long periods on the pit.

Southerners have a culinary love affair with mayonnaise, adding it to deviled eggs, potato salad, and even chocolate cake. Adding it to barbecue sauce only seemed to make it better, and the method eventually spread across the state of Alabama.

The details: Of course, chicken smothered in white barbecue sauce isn’t the only dish you can get in Alabama. Expect lots of sandwiches when you head to this southern state, from pulled pork options to ribs on rolls.

The competition: It took a while, but Alabama eventually made its mark on barbecue with its unconventional looking sauce. In 2015, Texas Monthly deemed it “the year of Alabama barbecue.” And it’s only gotten hotter ever since.

“We’re caught between the Carolinas and Memphis and you have influence from both areas,” Chris Lilly, a pitmaster at Big Bob’s, told Epicurious. “I like to think of Alabama as the best of both worlds.”

The post The 6 Types of Southern Barbecue in the US—and What Exactly Makes Them Different appeared first on Eat This Not That.

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