Bad As I Wanna Be: The Dennis Rodman Story (1998) - full transcript

Biography of Chicago Bulls' basketball star Dennis Rodman, who is well known for his off-court and on-court shenanigans takes great effort to paint the calm, decent side of the athlete despite the film title. Dennis is shown to be pushed by his momma to play pro ball and to go to college where he would get the opportunity. Shipped to Oklahoma where he faces racism, he is taken in by a white family and coached by Lonn Reisman. The movie finally tracks Rodman into his wild, multi-haired current lifestyle.

Do I make you nervous?

Why is the NBA
afraid of me?

Is it because
I’m different?

Life is full
of choices.

I’m the man I choose to be.

But it wasn’t
always that way.

Come on, Lawrence!
Come on! Come on!

Let’s go, Dennis!
Come on, man!

There was a time
when my life was a mess.

A hopeless mess.

You boys get out my
damn yard!



Let’s go, D!
Come on, man!

No money, no father,
no future.

Mom working
three jobs a day.

Me, well...

What the hell do you
think you’re doing?

Mom, what...
Get in the house!

What did I do?
Now!

I ain’t got no...
Go on!

Go on!

All right, D, we’ll
catch up to you later.

You boys get going!

If I catch you around my son
again I’ll whoop your behinds!

Go on!
Get in the house!

Ten years I’ve been telling you
to stay away from those boys.



But will you
listen to me? No!

It’s as if I’m talking
to a wall!

Roast beef, wow.

Roast beef.
What’s the occasion?

Dennis I am talking to you?

I got a scholarship
to go to Cooke County JC.

Sister girl’s going
to college.

Oh, yeah? All right, Deb!
Mm-hm.

All right then.
Two down, I got one to go.

You want to tell
him, Debbie?

Tell me what?

My coach saw you playing at
the rec center the other day.

She wants you to try out
for the--
Girls team?

Yeah, I can handle that.

Dennis, the men’s team
at Cooke County.

Forget it. I ain’t
college material.

What do you mean you ain’t
college material?

If the girls can get an
education playing basketball,

so can you.

Mom, I am not college material,
body-wise or brain-wise.

That is not true.

The only problem with you
is you don’t apply yourself.

Give me that.

Mom, the only problem
is I’m hungry.

Can I have my plate back?
Uh-uh.

Now, you listen to me,
Mr. Rodman.

Either you go and see
that coach in the morning

or you starve to death.

Now, which is it going to be?

Rodman, go, go, go, go!

Come on! Watch you got?
What you got, bro?

What you got?

Yeah!

Come on, Rodman,
run the damn play, will you?

And run it my way,
not your way!

Please God, tell me that
jumping jack out there

is the kid you want me
down here to see.

Who, Rodman? He’s
not for you, Lonn.

Ellis is the kid you want.

He’s a great ball handler.
One of the best I’ve had.

He’s got a good shot, too.
DJ, smack him!

Where did you get him?

Ellis? South Oak High.
He was all state three years.

Not Ellis, no. Rodman.

Where did you find him?

Projects.
In and out of school.

Never played
high school ball.

No high school ball?

No, he was a runt.

Then he grew nine inches
in one year. Zoom!

I’ll tell you, Lonn.
He’s all instinct.

No discipline.
No outside shot to speak of.

If you ask me,
he’s not your boy.

You think I could get him
up to Southeastern?

Maybe.

If he ever gets
his grades together.

Right now he goes to class about
as often as I go to the opera.

Come on, set it up!
Set it up!

This ain’t no shooting gallery
for crying out loud!

Well, that’s too bad,

‘cause I could really use
a player like that right now.

Just like a machine.

You have been cutting
your classes.

And if I have?

Are you going to enjoy
being a janitor?

Ball isn’t everything,
Dennis.

You gotta get a degree
if you want to be somebody.

I don’t play ball
for no degree.

I play it for me.

The way it makes me feel.
The way it makes you feel?

Yeah, I mean
it changes me.

Like, makes me feel like
I’m a different person.

Basketball’s just
a game, Dennis.

It doesn’t change
who you are.

Maybe not for you.
But it does for me.

I mean when I’m out
on that court,

I just feel like
I’m just so, so...

Sexy?
Beautiful?

Yeah! That’s right!
Sexy and beautiful.

Repeat after me, Worm.

A degree. That’s the only thing
can really change who you are.

Not some game.
Yeah, right. A degree.

What they going to do to me?

I’m the best player on the team.

What?

Man, you can’t
be serious, Coach.

You know the deal.

You go to class, you play ball.
You don’t go to class...

Uniform, please?

No, man.

There’s got to be
something you can do.

No, no, no.
There’s nothing I can do.

Dennis, you had your chances.
This one is on you.

Get up!
I said get up!

Get your sorry, narrow little
behind off of that couch.

Now, you listen to me,
Dennis Rodman.

You think that you can flunk out
of school and live on me

the rest of your life,
you are sadly mistaken.

Either go get your behind
back in school or go get a job.

One or the other!
Or else what?

Or else you will be
the second Mr. Rodman

that I put out
onto the street.

I did that once
and I can do it again.

Try me and see.

I’m not paying you
4.50 an hour

to practice
your jump shot, Rodman.

You’re supposed to be
sweeping the floor

and cleaning toilets.

Or maybe you don’t want
to work here no more.

Who me?

Give up all this money
and these perks?

No way, chief.

Perks? What perks?

Wait a minute, man.
Wait a minute.

Hey, what about me, man?

Hey, I’ve been here
for two days, man!

Can you call my mom?

Please, man, just call
my moms, man, please!

You’re a little late,
ain’t you?

What? You get stuck in traffic
or you forget you had a son?

Don’t bother
getting in, Dennis.

I didn’t come here
to pick you up.

I have decided that
you can’t come home.

What?!

But, Ma, I gave
all those watches away!

They got them all back.

The police said they gone
drop the charges!

That is not the point, Dennis,
and you know it.

I warned you, didn’t I?
Didn’t I?

I told you.

I am not going to sit around

and watch my son
waste his life away.

I love you too much for that!

I’m sorry.
I gotta go.

I was eaten up by
the streets, bro.

And the only thing that kept
me going was the game.

Did you see that?

You don’t have to convince me,
Mrs. Rodman.

Hello, Dennis.

You looked real
good out there.

Yeah, I did.

I always play hard
on my birthday.

I know.
I remembered.

Is that why you came?
No.

To give me a birthday card?

I brought somebody here
to see you, Dennis.

Now look, Dennis.

I think you should hear
what he has to say.

‘Cause maybe then we can talk
about you coming back home.

Dennis, Lonn Reisman.

I’m a basketball coach
at Southeastern Oklahoma State.

But mom, Oklahoma?
That’s in the middle of nowhere!

What was you even
thinking about?

No, this is the middle
of nowhere,

where your life is right now!

Yeah, but mom--
But nothing!

Now look, that man came
all the way down here

to give you a second chance!

I am giving you
a second chance,

but this is the last time,
Dennis, and I mean it.

Oh, God, you can do this.
I know you can.

Look.

Go to that college
and learn how to be a man.

Learn how to care about
somebody other than yourself.

Or else--
Or else get going, right?

Right.

Oh.

For good this time.

Hey, what planet
are you from, man?

Hey, brother.

Go back to Africa,
black boy.

Sorry, I’m late.

You okay?

Forget it.
I’m just fine.

Just fine.

Move it! Move it!
Move it! Move it!

Rodman.

All right, compliments
of Mr. Hustle here,

we’re all going to get
to do it again.

I can’t man.
I keep telling you.

And I keep telling you,
we are going to do this

until everybody makes
full effort.

Everybody!

And if you can’t, then get
your lazy butt out of here!

You here me, Rodman?
Now get in line!

Ready?

Move! Move! Move!

How was that, Coach?

For someone who couldn’t
do it, not bad.

This ain’t a free ride, Dennis.

You want to play for me, you’re
going to work your tail off,

and you’re going to like it.

And I don’t just
mean in here.
Coach.

Mrs. Elroy came
to see me yesterday.

You miss her class again, it had
better be because you’re dead.

And that’s how I learned
something about myself

I never knew before.

I like working hard.

Ain’t that wild?

Oh, Coach, please.

You want me to
coach them?
That’s right.

So stop your whining
and get to it.
Why me, man?

Why I gotta coach
these little...
Relax.

They’re just kids.

Look, they give you any
trouble, just blow on that.

They’ll shape right up.

No, I don’t wanna.
It’ll be
fine. I know. You’re going.

You are?

Bryne.

Bryne Rich.
Bryne Rich.

My mom made me come.

Mine too.

I’m Dennis.

I’ll bet she told you
it’ll make a man out of you.

Yeah, how’d you know?

That’s what they tell you when
they want you out of the house.

All right, everybody in line.
We’re about to run some sprints!

I need you moving right now.

Green team over here,
purple team over here.

Let’s go! Let’s go!

I want everybody to get
a full lap up. Everybody!

If you don’t want to get
a full lap,

get out the gym right now!

I want it in 10 seconds.
Let’s go!

No, no, no, Dennis.

Dennis, you’re the post man.
You gotta post up under here.

Underneath here.
But I made the shot, coach.

Yeah, I know and it was
a very pretty shot.

The trouble is that’s not
your job to look pretty.

Your job is to look ugly.
Ugly?

Ugly. You’re not a ballerina.

You’re a grave digger.
You gotta play like one.

I want you under here
all the time.

Underneath the glass, banging,
hustling, everything, okay?

You got a hook shot, don’t you?
A hook shot?

Yeah?
Yeah, I got a hook shot.

Show me.

Hook shot.
There you go.

Let’s go.
Number 1.

Let’s go!
Let’s go! Let’s go!

Come on, boys!
Bring it up, bring it up!

Run the play, run the play!
Come on!

Run the play up!
Run the play up!

Over here!

Use the hook!
Use the hook!

Yes! Yes!

That’s the way you take
the ball to the hoop, man.

You’re MVP, man.
I’m proud of you.
MVP, me?

Yeah, you were the team’s
leading scorer and assist-man.

Who else would it be?

Well, then you’ve got to reward
me like you promised, right?

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Good. Then I know
just what I want.

I want you to come have
dinner with us at the farm.

What?

You said you’d give me
anything I wanted, remember?

Yeah, bro, but I don’t know
about that one, bro.

It’ll be fun.

Y’all eat like this
every night?

You bet.

You’re not very comfortable
here, are you, son?

Where?
You mean...

Here. In Durant.

You must be a little out of
place seeing as how you’re...

Well, you’re as tall
as a dadgum silo and...

You mean the tires
on your car

are the only
black things around?

Yeah, you could say I feel
uncomfortable at times.

But you’re sticking
it out. That’s good.

So, Dennis. I hear
they call you “Worm”.

What kind of a nickname is that
for a young man, “Worm”?

Well, when I was a kid

I could never sit still and I
used to always wiggle on my butt

like I needed
to be wormed, so...

Intense! Intense!
Intense!

Game! Yes! Yes!
Game! Game!

Okay, one more.
Come on.

One more? What time is it?
It’s only 10 o’clock.

I like him, Bryne’s friend.
Yeah, yeah. Me too.

I think he’s good
for Bryne.

Don’t worry, honey.
Don’t worry.

He makes him laugh.

Dennis wants to know
what time it is.

It’s only 10, right?
No, eleven.

Eleven. Oh, it’s that late?

Dad would take you back
tonight, Dennis,

but he’s really tired,
right mom?

Uh, yeah, but if Dennis
doesn’t want to stay, Bryne...

But he does want to stay.
Tell her, Dennis.

Well...

You’d really help us
out, Dennis.

It’s a long ride
into town, it’s late.

You know, if you don’t mind,
we could save Mrs. Rich

the worry and make the drive
in the morning.

What do you say?

Sure. Whatever.

Good. Okay.

Well, good night.

Good night.

Night.

You boys come on down now.
Breakfast is ready.

I got some more
dirty dishes.
Thanks.

Mrs. Rich, this is all kind
of weird for me, I mean...

You don’t have to explain
anything to me, Dennis.

I looked at you and Bryne
that way this morning

because, well,
it had been a long time

since I’d seen him
sleep so soundly.

So peacefully.

I’ll leave him to tell you all
the details if he wants to.

Over the summer,
there was a hunting accident,

and Bryne’s best friend
was shot and killed

when Bryne’s gun went off.

And he hasn’t slept through
the night since.

He’s found something
in you, Dennis.

Something that we haven’t
been able to give him.

I don’t pretend to know
what that is.

I just know you’re the answer
to all my prayers.

And you will always be
welcome in our home.

Always.

I was over at the Rich’s family
all the time after that.

Bryne needed a friend
and I needed one too.

We became a family,
the Riches and me.

But not the kind of family
you’d see on TV.

What’s wrong with me?
What’s wrong with me?

What’s wrong with me?

First game jitters, huh?
Yeah, I guess so.

Well, don’t worry about it.
That only means you’re ready.

Listen to me, all you have
to do, Dennis, is be yourself.

Play your game.
You understand me?

That’s defense, that’s
rebounding, that’s hustling.

That’s your game, and nobody
out there plays it any better.

Nobody.

And now introducing your
Southeastern Oklahoma Savages!

All right. Let’s go! Let’s go!
Let’s go! Let’s go!

Let’s go! Let’s go!

Watch the D!

Hey, Dennis, don’t let him get
position on you like that!

Box him out!

Box him out, Dennis!

Come on, move it!
Move it! Move it around!

Come on!
Let’s go, guys!

Get your head in the game!

Dennis, no!

That’s not your shot!

Hey, Dennis!

Hey, Bryne!
Hey!

Dennis!
Let’s go, Dennis!

Come on, Man, let’s go.

Yes, right there.

Yeah, now you’re doing it!
Now you’re dong it!

Good defense! Yeah!
Good defense!

Run hard. Run hard!

Yeah!

We’re fine.
Thank you.

Look at that, will you?

Don’t that make you
want to puke?

I don’t know what James
is thinking about.

Treating that ape
like a son.

Maybe that’s it.
Maybe that is his real son.

Come on, calm down.

You fellas, come on.
Let’s go.

Go on out to the car
and wait for me.

Go on.

Go on, Dennis.

As a matter of fact, Dale,
the boy is my son.

Come to think of it, every
black kid in the county is mine.

Have you got a problem
with that?

Now don’t that
beat all?

Look at this boys.
See what we got here?

Hey boy!
Get in your own
neighborhood, macho man!

Why don’t you go back home?

That’s some crazy wig
you got there!

Go back to Africa!

Yeah! Get outta here!

Hey, you’re black! You’re
a long ways from home, boy!

I know what you’re doing.

You’re gonna go bale some cotton
with that tractor of yours,

aren’t you?

You gonna pick some cotton, boy?
What’s the matter with you?

Hey, you okay, boy?

Go back home, boy!

Oh, man.

840 bucks, Dennis.

Damn it!

That’s how much a new
front end is gonna cost me

on that tractor, $840.

But I told you, man.
It wasn’t my fault, all right!

If them jerks wouldn’t
have messed with me--
Wrong!

Wrong! Wrong!
If you hadn’t lost your head.

Those rednecks didn’t put my
tractor in the ditch, you did!

They pushed your buttons,
Dennis, and you lost it.

Just like they wanted you to.
So?

So you have got to be stronger.

Look, I said I’m sorry,
all right?

Now you said I have to work
to stay here, right?

I’m working hard!

You ought to be grateful, man.

I’m sorry.
What was that, grateful?

Dennis, there are two things
I’m grateful for in my life.

One is my health,
and the other is my family.

And if you want to remain
a part of that family,

you’ve got some serious
growing up to do.

Oh!

Rebound! Rebound!

That’s it. Good one!

Go! Go!

Go, Dennis, go!

God, what took
you so long?

You know I had to be careful.
You know that.

Are you afraid?

I mean this being
our first time and all?
No.

But if anybody
should find out,

you know you’re not only going
to be my first girl in Durant,

you’re going to be
my last one too.
I know.

Somebody told my father about
us eating lunch together.

“In front of God
and the whole campus”

was how he put it.

I’m on restriction.

Let me ask you
something, MJ.

If I wasn’t a basketball star,
would I be here right now?

Would you--

Don’t ask me that, Dennis.

You know I would.
Do I?

You know when I was back
in Dallas, the girls,

they wouldn’t even give me
the time of day.

They said I was
too ugly for them.

But the only thing different now
is I’m starring for Southeast.

I’ve got everybody thinking
I’m a prospect or something.

I don’t think you’re a prospect.
I just think you’re sweet.

That’s why you’re here, bro.

Uh-hmm.
That’s the only
reason you’re here.

Oh, yeah?

Mary Jane, you up there?

My parents!

God almighty, son!

Don’t you realize that?
Yeah, I realize it but--

You’re going to stay away
from that girl from now on.

Do you hear me?
That’s an order!

That white girl you mean, right?
Just go ahead and say it!

I shouldn’t have
to say it, Dennis.

You’ve been in this town
long enough to know

how things work around here!
Meaning?

Meaning I think
we’d all be better off

if you stayed in your
dorm room for a while.

If you want to go see
the Riches again,

after the post-season
tournaments are over, fine.

What?!
You heard me!
You’re back in the dorm again!

Forget it, man.

You’ve caused the last
distraction for this team

that you’re going
to cause!
Forget it!

You can’t make me stay in the
dorm room if I don’t want to!

The hell I can’t, Dennis.
This is my team, not yours!

When I say “jump”,
you say, “How high?”
No!

When you say “jump”,
I walk.

Best of luck
in the post-season, Coach.

Are you a quitter?

No.

Are you a loser?

No.

But I am so sick and tired
of this crap, man.

Well, if you quit, you go back
to the projects and you lose.

Man, I don’t fit in.

Man, don’t nobody
want me around here.

You know, Dennis...

Some men may never fit in.

They have to make
their own place.

And that’s what you gotta do
right here, right now.

Otherwise they have won,
they have beaten you.

Ain’t nobody beating me.
That’s it.

You gotta take
that rage that you feel

every time somebody hurts you,
and you gotta use it.

You gotta find
strength in it.

Can’t run away and hide.

Understand?

Yeah.

I’ll tell you what.

I want you to say...

I want you to say,
“They can’t make me quit”.

What?

Yeah, let me just hear you say,
“They can’t make me quit.”

Just do me a favor.

They can’t make me quit.

All right, now say it
with a little feeling,

like you really feel that.

They can’t make me quit.

Now say it with a little
passion, a little louder.

They can’t make me quit.
Now again.

They can’t make me quit!
Again.

They can’t make me quit!
They can’t make me quit!

They can’t make me quit...
They can’t make me quit...

They can’t...
They can kiss my wiggly butt!

They can kiss my wiggly butt!

That was great.

Let’s get back
in the truck.

Yes!

I know, bro.
Corny as hell, right?

But it worked.

As bad as hell as I wanted
to run home to my mother,

I stayed in Durant
and finished school.

It was the first time in my life
I faced my problems

instead of running away
from them.

And you know what?
It felt pretty good.

Oh, Lord, James.
Let’s go, fellas.

Look at you!
Come on, Dennis.

What are you trying to do,
kill these boys?

Oh, honey, a little rain
never hurt anybody.

Oh, my.

Two days until the Invitational
and this one is sneezing.

You go on up and get in
a hot bath right now.

Hurry up.
You too! Hurry.

You better hope that he’s okay
because if he’s not...

Oh, he’s fine.
He’s fine.

Come on, honey.
Come on.

You don’t want to get wet.
Come on. Whoo!

Are you sure he’s okay?
He has
a temperature of 101, from 104.

But he says he can play.

We had to pull
a fast one on mom.

We put an ice cube under his
tongue when she wasn’t looking.

Dennis, you don’t have
to do this.

I know how important this is,
but you don’t have to do it.

I’m okay, trust me.
I’m just a little warm.

All right, let’s go.
Trust me.

And there’s the pitch.

Southeastern wins it in their
biggest game of the year.

All eyes are on star forward,
Dennis Rodman,

who’s running a high
temperature at game time.

But he starts off fast
with an easy lay-up.

Whoa! Nothing wrong
with him on that play.

And Savages are on the break.

And Rodman finishes it
with another easy two.

What a play.

Come on, guys!
Get it on down there.

Get back! Get back!
Get back! Come on!

Go, Dennis!

Walsh throws an alley-oop,

and Rodman slams it down
with authority.

Wow!

Man, what a game!

With only 15 seconds left,

the Southeastern Oklahoma
Savages trail by one.

All right, is everybody
clear on that?

Get it in to Dennis.
Take the shot if you have it.

If you don’t, you kick it out
to Loby or Walsh.

You take the outside perimeter.

Now there’s plenty of time.
Don’t force it, just do it fast.

Let’s go. Come on!

You got that, Dennis?

Dennis, you got that?

All right.
Take it easy now!

Rodman has the hot hand,
but he can’t get the ball.

The Falcons have got him
covered like a blanket.

And it’s off the rim.

Rodman tips it in!

Yes!
Savages win!

The Savages win!

Yes! Yes! Yes!

Very good.
Very good.

You’re good.
Nice game.

Congratulations.

By the way,
you’ve got a good team.

Yeah! Yeah!

Yes!

Yeah! Yeah!

Way to go, Dennis.

Yeah!

Hey, hey, hey!

Dennis! Dennis!
Benny, get Dr. Green.

All right, back up.
Give him some air.

I need an ambulance.
We got to get an ambulance.

Dennis?

The doctor said we got
you here just in time.

But now you’re
the man, Worm!

The whole town’s
talking about you!

Not just the town.
Half the country.

That was an all-American
performance you gave us

last night, Dennis.

All-American?
Uh-hmm.

Me?

Hey, the pro scouts
won’t stop calling.

I think you better make plans
to watch the drafts, son.

Yes!
All right!

And that wraps up the first

The first pick in the draft
went to Cleveland...

Don’t worry, Dennis.
They’re bound to...

Where’d he go?

He was here
a minute ago.

I’ll go find him.
Excuse me.

Hey.

So they didn’t draft you
in the first round.

It ain’t over
till it’s over.

It’s over.
It’s all over.

I don’t even know why I even
thought, man, that I...

What? What, that you’re good?

That you can play the game
better than most kids

you’ve ever played against?

Because you can.

Dennis...

Dennis, you defend
like a wildcat.

And you rebound like
a dadgum house on fire.

And those NBA scouts,
they know that.

They have seen you do it.

Come on. Come on,
let’s go back in the house

before you miss them
calling your name.

Come on, let’s go.

Go, go, go!

Hello?
Is this Dennis Rodman?

Yeah, this is Dennis Rodman.

This is coach Chuck Daily
with the Detroit Pistons.

You’re our next pick
in the draft, son.

Would you like to be a Piston?

Hell, yeah!

I mean, yes, sir.
Yes, sir.

I would love to be
a Detroit Piston!

Yes! Yes! Yes!

Dennis,
do you have a statement, Dennis?

Yeah, way to go, Dennis!

Way to go, Dennis.

I cried when I played
my first game in the NBA.

It was like
a dream come true.

Me, Dennis Rodman,
a little kid from the projects,

playing ball in the NBA.

Man. I couldn’t believe it.

Dennis...

Sylvia Nolan,
Channel 4 Sports.

Our fans know all about
your teammates.

Isaiah Thomas
and Bill Laimbeer.

Can you tell me, who exactly
is Dennis Rodman?

Nobody.
Straight out of nowhere.

There you go, sweetheart.

Enjoy.

You like that stuff, huh?
She is fine!

Get used to it, brother,
because guys like us,

it’s on the menu every night.

But that...

That you want to stay away from.

She’s a clipper.
Clipper?

Yep. Clippers, they cut our
salaries out of the newspapers,

and they keep them on file.

Can you guess why?

All right, all right,
all right, go for it.

See if she doesn’t
show up on your doorstep

saying that
she’s pregnant later.

I’m just a rookie, man.

What’s she gone want
with my type of money?

Listen, you ain’t gonna
be a rookie forever.

Some day, D, you’re gonna be
worth a lot of green.

That’s when she’s gonna
come calling.

Understand?

Your shot, young blood.

I should have
listened to the man.

But it was hard, bro.

Because when you play
in the NBA,

women fall on you like rain.

Some of them after your money,
some just after a good time.

Wow, you almost just made
a horrible mistake.

Yeah, how come?

Well, because she’s
not star quality.

Hi, I’m Annie.
And you are?

Dennis Rodman.

Dennis Rodman?
You’re not John Salley?

It’s just a joke, silly.

I know exactly
who you are.

What do you say you and I get
out of here and go party?

Party?

That’s what I came
here for.
Come on.

Quickly now.
Quickly.

Bring it up.
Bring it up.

There he is.

Take a low post.
Come on, in there. Feed it.

There it is.
Take it, Dennis.

Aw, come on, Dennis.
Come on!

Dennis, if you’re not
going to play...

Mr. Rodman, can I have
a word with you, please?

You’re done for the day.
Thanks for stopping by.

What?
What did I do, Coach?

Out here on the court,
practically nothing.

Same as yesterday.
But coach--

Look, this is
the way it is, Dennis.

We’re gonna win the championship
here, with or without you.

Now, if you want it
to be with you,

you’re going to have to start
getting some sleep at night.

Now, excuse me, the rest of us
have some work to do.

All right. Listen up.

We got to work
in that transition.

Get it up to that guy.

Feed it into the center,
all right?

I want you guys
to work out here.

Coach is right.

I’m going to really have
to start cooling it.

What he says really
means a lot to you, huh?

Yeah. It does.

He believes in me.

He thinks I can be
a great player.

And I don’t want
to mess that up.
Then don’t.

I mean if he wants you
to slow down, then slow down.

I won’t mind.

You know, I could get
kind of used to this.
Yeah?

Turning in early
with my man every night.

Oh, yeah?
Uh-hmm.

I could, Dennis.

For you, I could do anything.

Way to go, Dennis!
All right!

That’s it!

Let’s bring it up.
Bring it up.

Down low, down low!
Feed it, feed it!

There it is.

That’s it, Mr. Rodman!

All right, nice transition.

Okay, we’re D now.
Come on, D up. D up!

Take him, take him! Yes!
All right, Dennis.

Move it up,
move it up.

We didn’t get
to the world championship

Coach wanted that year.

But we did make it all the way
to the Eastern Division Finals.

Gave Boston all they could
handle for six games.

And if it hadn’t had
been for one man,

we might have made it seven.

Let’s go!
Come on!

Larry Bird is on fire
tonight, ladies and gentlemen.

And all poor Dennis Rodman
can do is watch.

Larry! Larry! Larry!
Larry! Larry! Larry!

Larry! Larry!
Larry! Larry!

Larry! Larry!
Larry! Larry!

Boston’s on the break, folks,
and Rodman’s on his wallet.

Bird’s goes up.
Throws up another easy bucket.

That’s it, folks.

School’s out for Detroit
and Dennis Rodman.

Okay, Dennis Rodman,
give us a comment

about Larry Bird
if you could.

Given his performance
this afternoon,

would you say he’s the greatest
player in the game today?

No.
What, you don’t think
he’s that good?

Larry Bird, man,
is overrated.

I mean he’s a good player
and that’s all, but, man,

the only reason he gets all that
publicity is because he’s white.

Okay. Isaiah, you heard
what Dennis just said.

Any comments? You believe
there’s any truth to that?

Well, actually...

I don’t believe it.

Larry Bird is a hero
because he’s white?

I didn’t say that?

You said, “The only reason
he gets the press he gets

is because he’s white”.

His talent’s got nothing
to do with it, I don’t suppose?

It’s true.

Look, if they didn’t
want to hear the truth,

they should ask somebody else.

Oh, they did.
They asked our team leader.

I expect this kind of nonsense
from him, but you,

you are supposed
to know better.

Look, I made a mistake
and I said I’m sorry.

But sometimes those idiots
pick the wrong time

to ask a stupid question.
Yeah, you’re damn straight.

It doesn’t matter.

You look like racists,
the both of you.

Now this reflects on everybody,
the team and the league.

So what you want us
to do, huh?

Just kiss Larry’s butt
on national TV?

I want you to learn
to keep your mouth shut!

Just play the game

and keep your bone-headed
opinions to yourself.

Nobody is paying you to hear
what you think, Dennis!

They don’t know you
like we do, Dennis.

If they did, they’d know you
didn’t mean anything

by what you said.

It just came out wrong.

Give them time.
Time?

Uh-hmm.
Yeah.

There’s some mail
for you downstairs.

The team forwarded it.

I can bring it up
to you if you like.

Mail? No. Thanks.

I can read it
just fine from here.

“Nobody asked you, monkey.”

Or “Bird can outplay you
any day, black boy”.

Just like all the mail
when I got back in Detroit.

I just want to be alone.

Can I just be alone
for a while, please?

Sure.
Thank you.

Well, what do you think?

I think it looks great, D.

But, I mean, this is it, right?
You’re only going to get one?

Of course.

What do you think,
I’m crazy?

No. I think
you are irresistible.

who was irresistible too.

Whoo!

Oh, look at my daughter,
man, Alexis, man.

Whoo!

I mean, the day my daughter
Alexis was born,

was the happiest day
of my life, bro.

Ladies and gentlemen,
Coach Chuck Daily

and the 1989 World Champion
Detroit Pistons!

He’s the NBA defensive player
of the year, Number 10,

Dennis Rodman!

Life was so good back then.

Detroit put together
a great team,

and Coach Daily guided us
to two World Championships.

But then it all came apart.

New management,
new players,

and no more Detroit bad boys.

All right, fellas,
listen up.

You’re probably wondering what
we’re doing here on a Monday,

so I’ll make
this brief.

I’ve been asked to leave.
Management is...

Management’s asked me to step
down and I’ve agreed to do so.

But I’d like to take this
opportunity before I go

to thank you all personally

for what you’ve given
to the team and to me.

You’ve got guts.

You’ve got talent.

You’ve got heart,

more than some players
will ever see.

I want to wish you
all the best

for the remainder of the season

and the rest of your careers.

Bad Boys.
Bad Boys.

Bad Boys. Bad Boys.
Bad Boys.

Can we watch it again,
Daddy, please?

Ain’t no more Bad Boys
no more, baby.

You’re a Bad Boy, Daddy.

Me? I’m not a bad boy.

Oh, yes you are because
you won’t marry mommy.

Why won’t you
marry mommy, Daddy?

Can you please marry mommy?

Did your mommy tell
you to say that?

No, Dennis, I did not
tell her to say that.

Yeah, right.

Dennis, she wants us
to be a family, that’s all.

Married people
make families.

We’re a family right now.

No, we’re not.
We live together, that’s it.

There’s a difference.

So how is getting married
going to change anything, huh?

How is it going to change us?

Who we are?
What we do?

Because we can change.

If we really love each other,

we can stop
all the messing around.

Grow up, settle down.

If not for our sake,
then for hers.

Hey, baby.

Everybody in Detroit knows me.

You think I wouldn’t
even hear about it?

The thought occurred to me.

Oh, the thought
occurred to you.

You’re supposed
to be my wife.

We were supposed
to change, remember?

Oh, I see, I’m supposed
to change, but you’re not!

Do you think I don’t know
what you’re doing

when you’re on the road?

Or have you forgotten
how you and I met?

You’re gonna wake
Alexis, Annie.

Oh, please,
like you care about Alexis.

Look, if I didn’t care
about Alexis, you and me,

we would have never got
married in the first place!

I told you this would
be a mistake.

Yeah, well, it’s a mistake
that can be easily corrected!

Yeah, yeah,
yeah, yeah!

Oh, so what the hell
are you doing now?

What does it look like?
I’m leaving, Dennis.

And I’m leaving
for good this time,

and I’m taking Alexis with me!
Look. Look.

You want to walk, walk.

You want to clean me out,
go for it!

But don’t even think about
taking Alexis from me.

Not now, not ever!

It’s over, Dennis.
It’s over.

Yeah.
Let me go, please.

Just go!

I don’t know
why you’re crying.

You’re the one who’s
been out all night!

You know daddy
loves you, right?

Yeah.
Give me a hug.

And that was it
for my marriage.

It was over before
the warranty

on half our weddings gifts
was over.

That’s got to be some
kind of record, huh?

We can’t take
your call right now,

but leave a message and we’ll
call you back soon as we can.

Thanks. Bye.

Alexis, this is your daddy
calling you, baby.

I just called to say that
I love you, all right?

All right. Bye.

Yeah, this is me again.

I never seem to call
at the right time.

But, Alexis, I’m going to keep
calling you until I get you.

I love you, all right.
Bye, sweetie.

We can’t take
your call right now,

but leave a message and we’ll
call you back soon as we can.

Thanks. Bye.

Mr. Rodman,
you okay in there, sir?

What?

We had a report of a gun being
fired out here, you haven’t...

Right. Right.
I was just out...

Better step out
of the vehicle, sir.

Nice and easy, please.

But I was just...

Step out of the truck,
Mr. Rodman. Now.

Put your hands where
we can see them.

Hands behind your head.

So, Dennis, the Pistons
and the NBA have asked me

to determine whether
or not you’re able,

you’re mentally able
to play ball.

So are you...
Crazy?

They want to know
if I’m crazy.

Yeah, basically.
That’s right. Yeah.

Are you?

I don’t think I’m crazy.

How do you explain that
business up in Auburn Hills?

I killed somebody?

Really? Who?

Dennis Rodman.

The old Dennis Rodman.

The one that was too ugly
to kiss back in Dallas.

The one that was too tall
and too skinny

and too dumb to even know
which way was up.

The one who was trying
to please everybody

and ended up with nothing.

No team, no wife,

no little girl, no nothing.

So you killed him.

Yeah. I had to.

I mean it was either him or me.

Yeah, yeah.
I get it.

Living for other people
is killing me, man.

So I had to rebuild myself,

be a man,

be the person I am really
deep down inside.

And you can’t build
something new

without destroying
something old, right?

Yeah, that’s the way
it usually works, yeah.

Then you agree that
I’m not crazy.

Crazy?

No, not at all, man.

I think what you did
was very smart.

I think what you did
was very healthy, Dennis.

Does that surprise you?

Surprise me? No.

It’s just good to hear
that somebody else knows

that I’m not crazy.

So, what are your plans
for the new Dennis Rodman?

who’s going to take the Spurs
all the way this year!

David Robinson!

Yeah! Let's go!

And last, but not least,

the newest member
of your San Antonio Spurs,

Dennis Rodman!

Let’s hear it for Dennis!
Come on!

Dennis Rodman!

You can love me
or you can hate me.

I really don’t care.

But when I get
on this damn floor,

all I’m gonna do is get solid!

So this is the new
Dennis Rodman?

It’s, uh...it’s very nice.
Very nice.

Yeah, but you ain’t
seen nothing yet.

Oh, you mean this isn’t just
a phase you’re going through?

No. This is the real me.

This is the real Dennis Rodman.
All right, explain that.

Now what kind of guy
is the real Dennis Rodman?

Somebody who cares
about the game.
The game.

The game is very
important to you.

It’s what I believe in.
It’s my religion.

I’m just a projects kid
who made good.

Works hard, plays hard,
loves his family.

Your daughter Alexis,
you mean?

Yeah, my daughter Alexis.

It’s been reported that that’s
who you were thinking about

that night at the Auburn Hills.

They found a shotgun
outside the arena.

It’s been really hard
on you, hasn’t it?

The divorce with your wife,
separation from your daughter.

Tell us a little about that.

Well, it’s all about family.
Isn’t it, Dennis?

Yeah.

Dennis, it’s the middle
of the night.

You can come see me
during the day.

I was just in the neighborhood.

Is there something wrong?

No, I was just, you know,
I was taping this TV show

and I figured--
It don’t matter.

It don’t matter.

Hey, how’d you like that
new car I bought you?

I didn’t see it outside.
I sold it.

It was too nice.
Too nice?

Yeah, well the police
were always stopping me,

and so I sold it.

Well, I bought
something smaller.

You don’t mind, do you?
No, it’s your car.

You can do whatever
you want to do with it.

What? Something wrong?

I don’t understand why you have
to mark yourself up like that.

It’s not--
What, it’s not normal?

You sound just like
a manager I had once.

Dennis, I didn’t--
Forget it, Ma.

It don’t matter.

Are you unhappy, Dennis?

Is that it?
Unhappy. Me?

Why should I be?

Ma, this is the real me.
This is who I am.

I don’t believe that.

I can’t believe that.

You can’t?
No.

I didn’t raise you
to be a clown, Dennis.

I raised you
to be a man.

You don’t have to do that
anymore for your dinner.

I didn’t hear you.

It relaxes me, you know.

It always has.

Good to have you home, Dennis.

What’s bothering you?

Since when is it a crime,
man, to be different?

To put rings on your ear
and tattoos on your arm?

And be the man you want to be
without somebody treating you

like you’re some type
of freak or something?

Making your own way
comes with a price.

It’s just not me, man.

It’s Alexis, too.

People are always talking and
she has to pay the price too.

Keep it right on.

Oh, yeah.

Thanks, man.

Man, you guys are gutless, man!

All of y’all!

Man, you gotta play
physical to win!

You gotta play defense
if you want to win!

Man, you gotta have some
damn respect for the game!

Y’all are supposed
to know that!

Yo, Dennis.
What?!

You got a phone call.

Some lady talking about you

doing an interview
forVibe Magazine.

She says her name’s Madonna.

Word up, D.

A lot of people are
threatened by you, Dennis.

Afraid of you, even.
Are you aware of that?

Yeah, I’m aware of it.
That’s my job.

Challenging people, you mean?
Making them think?

Well, I take chances.

Most people are afraid
to take chances

because they may find out
something about themselves

they really
don’t want to know.

Like maybe they’d like
to paint their fingernails

or color their hair?
Yeah, exactly.

If I want to wear a dress,
I’ll wear a dress.

What’s the big deal?

A girl once said to me,

“You’re cool.
You speak your mind.”

Then she said,
“I’m bisexual like you, too”.

I didn’t even argue with her.
I just laughed.

You’ve never wanted
to be with men?

I thought about it.
That’s about it.

If there’s any man who says
he’s never thought about it,

it’s just a lie.

Oh!

Don’t look now but I think
people are watching.
Yeah.

You want to get out of here

and somewhere
a little bit more private?

I know the perfect place.

You don’t mind that I brought
you here, do you?

You ever been
to a gay club before?

Sure.

I come here because
people don’t bother me.

Nobody cares that
I’m Madonna.

Who I’m with
or what we’re doing.

What you’re doing?
Yeah.

That’s a good question.
Is it?

Yeah.

This is a date, right?
A date?

Yeah.

Yeah, I guess you could
say this is a date.

So why me?
How come?

I told you.
I like you.

I think you’re very
beautiful.

Ooh.

I like the way you
move on the court.

Your power, your passion.

It excites me.

Yeah?
Yeah.

You’re your own man.

Nobody controls you.

I appreciate that, Dennis.

A lot.
Oh, yeah?

Yeah.

♪ Every baby needs
his da-da-daddy ♪

♪ Could my da-daddy be you? ♪

If there’s something
on your mind, Dennis,

why don’t you just say it?

I’m going out.

I got Pearl Jam tickets

and I’m not going to waste them,
all right?
Go. I don’t mind.

Look, I’m not asking you
for your permission.

I want you to come with me.
You know I can’t just do that.

My life is a little more
complicated than that.

It’s not complicated.
You get up, you go.

Otherwise you’re just a...
What?

You’re a prisoner
in your own house.

I’m famous, Dennis.

This is what happens
when you become famous.

What, you stay in the house and
watch these old movies all day?

Better hurry.
Don’t want to be late.

Nobody understood
how hard it is to be Madonna

and the man
she was going out with.

Technical!

You’re out of here!
Out of here! Get out!

Well, pretty embarrassing,
don’t you think?

Yeah.

But the guy’s only been
a ref for 20 years.

Got to give him
some time to mature.

Oh, you can joke
about this all you want,

but that little stunt’s
going to cost you $10,000,

plus a one game suspension
heading into the playoffs.

It was worth it.
Not to us it wasn’t.

We’re trying to make a run to
the championship here, Dennis,

and your increasing on-court
antics are becoming more

of a distraction to
that every day.

A distraction?

All I’m doing is playing
hard-nose basketball.

Same as always.
No, you are showboating.

Which you are more than
welcome to do off the court,

but not on it.

Not if you’re still
interested in having

your contract rewritten anyway.
Excuse me?

You heard me.

We’re putting off
rewriting your contract

until we know exactly
where your head is at.

Here or in Hollywood.

I know you think you’re
the only one around here

who wants to win, Dennis,
but you’re not.

You got that?

You’re not!

All right, baby girl.
Daddy loves you, too.

I’ll see you next week,
all right?

Okay?

Okay. All right.
Talk to you.

Another successful
phone call, huh?

That’s two in a row, right?

Yeah, I told her to turn
the answering machine off.

Clever.

And the game?

How are the girls doing?

They’re playing lousy
without me.

But what do they care?

Still getting paid.

You want to go out again,
don’t you?

Why not, we’re normal people.

Neither of us
are normal people, Dennis.

But okay.
You win.

You want to go out,
we’ll go out.

You want to pretend
we’re normal people,

we’ll pretend
we’re normal people.

Yeah?
Why not?

Why not?
Why not?

Please. I think
it might be safer

if you use
the service entrance.

This way.

Is that the limo?
I think so.

Another normal night out
with two normal people, huh?

I told you this would happen.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Madonna! Madonna! Madonna!
Madonna! Madonna!

Madonna! Madonna! Madonna!
Madonna! Madonna!

Come on,
let’s get one in here!

Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!

What’s wrong
with you people, huh?

Leave her alone!

Anybody noticed we lost
a playoff game? Huh?

No, you wouldn’t,
would you?

Are you okay?
I think so.

I didn’t want to tell you
this in here, Dennis.

But I’m leaving.

My plane takes me back
to Miami in an hour.

And...

Love in a fairytale romance
with a happy ending.

Madonna, Madonna, Madonna!
Hey, hey!

The two of us together
was too crazy.

Love in a fairytale,
like I said.

And for Dennis Rodman,
nothing comes easy.

No, no, no, you’re his agent.
You talk to him.

This is for the cover
ofSports Illustrated.

The cover.

Do either of you
understand that?

Yeah.

Look, bro, I’m not changing.
It doesn’t matter, all right?

I freaked them out
with that cover, bro.

When they asked me how
I wanted to play my last game,

I told them...
Straight out naked.

Yeah, there we go.
There we go.

One more time, Daddy.
Please, just one more.

No can do.
It’s time for you to go home.

But Daddy.
No. No, no, no.

You know the rules.

If I don’t get you home early
mommy gets mad.

Mommy gets mad.

Then can we
come back tomorrow?

No, we can’t come back
tomorrow, but soon.

I promise.
But you don’t
keep our promises, Daddy.

You said you’ll call me
every week, but you don’t.

But I do try and call you
every chance I get.

But you know
daddy’s job is hard.

You know that, right?

I love you more than anything
in this world, Alexis.

I always will.

Don’t you ever
forget that, okay?

Okay, daddy.
I love you, too.

But I loved you better when
you were with the Pistons.

You used to win when you
were with the Pistons.

Really?
Yeah.

Bleh!

And the Spurs
are really going to have

to tighten up their
defense this time, Dave,

if they want to win this game.

Oh-ho-ho, and that can spell
trouble for the Spurs.

There it is.
Rodman just fouled out.

Foul, number one-zero!

Rodman! Rodman!
Rodman! Rodman! Rodman!

I was tired of taking
the blame in San Antonio.

And they were tired of me.

We’ve talked to just about
everyone that knows you, Dennis.

They all agree you’re
a terrific ball player,

but you’ve got...
But there
shouldn’t be any buts.

You’re looking for
a ball player, right?

Of course, but without
all the distractions

you’ve been known for
in the past.

What I’ve been known for in
the past is rebounding, defense.

All the dirty work nobody
else wants to do but me.

This is a great opportunity
for you, Dennis.

A chance to start fresh with
a championship caliber club,

to play with one of the greatest
players in the game.

What, Magic came out
of retirement again?

The Spurs traded you
for a guy who even they admit

doesn’t have half your game.

Well, that makes a team wonder
what they’ve traded for.

So you want to know
if I can help you.

That’s the question.

I want to know if you want
to be a Chicago Bull.

A Bull.

Sure, why not?

Bull, Laker,
Supersonic, Sixer.

It’s all the same to me.
It’s basketball, bro.

I love this game.

I love the game!

So that’s me today,
A Chicago Bull.

Balling with players I respect
for the first time in years.

For the first time in my life,

I’m comfortable with who
and what I am.

All those people out there
that say that

Dennis Rodman’s overpaid,
hot headed, arrogant,

press-hogging-son-of-a...

I got four things to say.

One, two, three...
Hmm.

You get the picture,
don’t you?

Thanks, Alexis.