Trinity Rodman has her eyes on her own prize

His name was Rodman... Dennis The Menace Rodman that is

When Dennis Rodman met Michelle Moyer he created his greatest achievement…. Trinity Rodman

By his actions Dennis Rodman sealed his reputation to be as BAD as he WANTED TO BE

THE CRUCIFIXION of KYRIE IRVING was excessive THE CRUCIFIXION of KYRIE IRVING

Charles Barkley was a member of the 1992 USA Olympic Dream team BUT… he was never a member of an NBA title winning team ALL TIME NBA NEVER WON-NA TITLE TEAM

Los Angeles Lakers Magic Johnson and Boston Celtics Larry Bird in Game two of the 1985 NBA Finals at Boston Garden Date 30 May 1985 - Steve Lipofsky www.Basketballphoto.com ALL TIME NBA 1st TEAM - BREAKING IT DOWN MAGIC JOHNSON & PHAL SAMPHORS

SPORTS NOTES - TRINITY RODMAN ON A MISSION

James Loving/National Radio Text Service

When I first hear the name Trinity Rodman I though is she related to Dennis? When I found it was his daughter I went into shock mode. It raised the question who was behind raising this clear thinking mentally strong individual? To find the answers I was sent on a journey - NBA's ALL TIME BEST PLAYERS 1st and 2nd TEAMS

Friday August 25, 2023

ONLY THE STRONG SURVIVE

While viewing an ESPN.com video on women's soccer they stated that Trinity Rodman was the highest paid player in US women's pro soccer history. My response was Trinity who? Immediately my mind flashed thinking is that a relative of Dennis?

Fortunately we are in the age of Internet enlightenment and Wikipedia had the answer, Trinity was indeed the daughter of Dennis Rodman.

It was a shocking thought to me. My mind wondered, thinking how she accomplished what she did when influenced by her dad who was as it turned out a talented misfit.

ESPN furnished the answer again when prior to the Women's World Cup they interviewed her. What was astonishing to me as how mature and well balanced she was. She thought before she spoke and had some very well thought out answers. I almost went into shock thinking… Dennis produced this?

Trinity was selected No. 2 overall by the Washington Spirit in the 2021 National Women's Soccer League draft. She signed for a million dollar contract for a four-year deal averaging $275,000 annually. Her skills enabled her to earn a place on the U.S. World Cup squad.

In the final tune-up before the World Cup, she entered at halftime and scored two late goals during a 2-0 victory over Wales.

In her third year with the Washington Spirit, she has become one of the NWSL's most exciting players with a mixture of speed, unpredictability, passing precision and scoring prowess.

Rodman won the NWSL rookie of the year award in 2021 as the Spirit won its first championship. Her on the pitch success has produced endorsement deals with Adidas, Bose, EA Sports and Marriott, among others.

The Trinity revelation took me to seek who was responsible for raising this intelligent, well mannered person? The Internet had the answer, Michelle Moyer a girlfriend Dennis was involved with after I last had contact with…. ahem… Dennis the Menace.

In 1999, Rodman met Moyer, with whom he had a son, Dennis Jr. ("D. J.", b. April 25, 2001) and Trinity (b. May 20, 2002). Moyer and Rodman married in 2003 on his 42nd birthday. Michelle 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. And that sums up that story that probably factored into Trinity's levelheaded upbringing.

You see in some way I sort of feel that I discovered Dennis. My first encounter was in 1989 in the Detroit Pistons locker room following a game. There they were the defending NBA champions being stormed by journalists seeking juicy stories.

Isaiah Thomas had a swarm around him as did Joe Dumars. Bill Laimbeer had a few that he was in form giving pungent responses to their questions.

I prefer to do one on one interviews since I do feature stories and seldom game reports. The answer was the guy sitting alone, in the corner, on a stool, bent over with his head in his hands elbows on his knees.

I did my homework and knew that in the title winning playoffs Rodman was the best on the team grabbing rebounds while his teammates focused on scoring.

Since I was a new face in the broadcast sports journalist business I introduced myself. Although I could sense that he was shy he agreed to talk to me. He seemed shocked that I was so focused on his strength of rebounding.

I don't think he realized it since he felt he was simply doing his job. He wasn't a stat freak. It was as if it was the first time a reporter was aware of his rebounding skills and focused on that aspect of his game. All went well and future Rodman interviews followed.

Sometime later when I returned from a trip to the Asian jungles I wasn't aware that he was traded to the San Antonio Spurs. The reality is elephants don't carry ESPN. He had a different look with yellow leopard spotted hair. I asked what's up with that and his response was,"something different."

For sure he was a different Rodman since he seemed more forthcoming. But later I discovered that he was involved with Madonna. In my chauffeur life I drove Madonna and didn't care for her behavior.

As time went on Rodman became more assertive in shaping an identity. He no longer was that introverted, quite guy in the corner of the locker room. His then new behavior was deemed outlandish by many but his popularity grew. He was getting what he needed…. ATTENTION. By his actions Dennis Rodman sealed his reputation to be as BAD as HE WANTED TO BE.

As for Trinity my first recollection of her was when she was in attendance of Rodman's induction to the Basketball Hall of Fame. Rodman walked in with her and her brother DJ. They sat in the front row with their mother while Dennis gave his speech thanking all that supported him.

That was when the mentality differential of Trinity and Dennis first surfaced.

Dennis had a hard time gathering his thoughts and speaking. He often broke down as was in tears. Phil Jackson, his coach when he was a member of the Chicago Bulls, was behind him on stage, Jackson had to calm Rodman down when he was losing it, to regain his composure.

During that time Trinity was featured taking Dennis' large feathered hat off DJ's head. It was as if it was a lesson in manners. To me that was the first sign of how well behaved and considerate Trinity was. In that action she was assuming a mothers position. As I compute her age in reference to the event, she was only 9-years-old.

During his speech, between teary pauses, Dennis said he carried one big regret: "I wish I was a better father."

In hindsight I thought of how well raised Trinity was by her mother. She had all the right mental stuff to succeed.

In her interview with ESPN she noted, about her father, that she didn't want to call him a wild child, "but he was."

Trinity is now 21-years-old. She referrers to herself as a woman who is focused on working hard and trying to be the best that she can be as an athlete. It was obvious that she was being the best she could be as a human being.

Trinity learned working hard from her father. She credits his work habits in rebounding success while only being only 6'7" and succeeding among taller players as an influence. She credits his work ethic and focus at game time. She noted you can talk about what he did before and after a game but he gave his all during a game. He left it all on the floor.

Rodman admits that it's his gamesmanship that she applies to her own work ethic and due diligence.

When you factor in while growing up how students can tease fellow students and tear them down Trinity has been audacious. Trinity has handled whatever she faced in her life about schoolmates teasing her regarding the conduct of her father. She was raised to respect her father and develop mature, intelligent thinking.

As for my relationship with Dennis, as time went on, his behavior became more outrageous after Madonna. He did two films that were bombs but it gave him the opportunity to display his ever growing outlandish unbridled image. He was a bad as he wanted to be.

The last time I saw him was at a MTV press conference announcing his TV show on the channel. He seemed more relaxed and was cordial in greeting me. That was far different than when with the Bulls he refused to talk to me but Michael Jordan did. It was as if he was now a star and he didn't have time for us little people.

During his Hall of Fame ceremony he thanked all that stood by him and basically let him make mistakes and sort his unruly life out. He continues to do so.

Trinity has control of her life and is on her way to be a solid respected athlete. Perhaps that was the greatest thing that she learned from her father's sorted image and her mothers guidance… to HAVE CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE.

HER MOTHER, MICHELLE MOYER, DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB IN RAISING HER TO BE… TRINITY RODMAN A WOMAN ON A MISSION.

Her mission is to be recognized as a woman that is successful and talented enough to make it on her own and not from her father's fame and name. She wants to be known as someone that has opportunities come her way from her own talent, not because she is the daughter of Dennis Rodman.

NUFF SAID. YOU GO GIRL.

National Radio text has been published in five languages, Thai, French, Russian, Khmer (Cambodian language) and English, Any of our foreign language material and our Roman Wanderaugh columns are legally available ONLY on our National Radio.com & National Radio World.com sites

Also our sports, entertainment and feature programming has been broadcast on over 1000 radio stations in America.

© Copyright: National Radio. Any use of these materials, whole or in part, is prohibited unless authorized in writing by National Radio. Contact: nationalradio@yahoo.com All rights reserved.