DE Assistant Sports Editor

Now that the O.J. Simpson trial has now ended,’ the sporting world can return to normal and begin its annual ritual of dogging the multi-hair colored, tantrum-throwing, many-times-ejected Dennis Rodman.

You were expecting someone else?

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Many people have already ripped the move made by the Bulls Monday which sent Rodman to the Bulls for career bench-rider Will Perdue and his over-inflated contract.

I think those who feel Rodman is a bad influence should think about a few things.

First, the Bulls have been severly beaten in rebounding in more than half of their games since the departure of Horace Grant to the Orlando Magic. So, they chased (weakly, at best) after Anthony Mason of the New York Knicks, who averaged single digits in points and rebounds last season. Why pay Mason $20 million over five years, when you can get between 15 and 20 rebounds per game out of Rodman? So, Rodman doesn’t score. Who cares? That’s what Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Toni Kukoc are for.

The only thing that kept the Bulls from defeating the Magic in the playoffs last season (besides the lack of a true center) was someone who could rebound effectively, and guess what? Rodman is now that someone.

Secondly, Rodman will be Rodman. Sure, he gets tossed out of games more often than the total of most teams, and gets fined more money than most of us will earn in a lifetime, but he sure is one hell of an intimidator. Look what he did to Scottie Pippen in the fourth game of the 1991 Eastern Conference Playoffs. He shoved Pippen one time, and that was the last anyone heard of No. 33 in that series.

Pippen is just one example, but a lot of players are afraid to go up against him that’s intimidation. In his position, he has to intimidate. He has one job rebound. Dennis Rodman is not a physically strong man when compared to the likes of Charles Barkley, Anthony Mason and other forwards he faces in the NBA, so he has to do something. I know that some of the things he does border on the insane (and I’m not condoning those things), but he is the best at what he does. He has led the NBA in rebounding the last four seasons.

The third thing is this Rodman’s antics may actually help an experienced team like the Bulls. I know this sounds as crazy as Rodman sometimes appears, but hear me out. Rodman is now the Chicago Bulls’ lightning rod.’ He will be the guy everybody in the media focuses upon off the court and with his history of bizarre antics, on the court as well. This will, in effect, take some of the pressure off the rest of the team especially Jordan and Pippen.

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I know. This is garbage, right? Does anyone remember a former Chicago Bears quarterback named Jim McMahon? This guy did all sorts of weird stuff both on and off the field and Chicago fell in love with him. Plus, in a year (1985) when the Bears’ defense was one of the most dominating in history, McMahon took the brunt of the media’s attention, which helped the Monsters of the Midway’ to win Super Bowl XX.

Phil Jackson said he will take full responsibility for Rodman and what he may or may not do. I believe him. I mean, if there’s a coach that can get into Dennis Rodman’s head and figure out what makes him tick, it’s Jackson. I also don’t think Jordan will let things get as out of control as the folks in San Antonio did last season. Jordan and Jackson will be the ones to finally teach Rodman the meaning of team basketball.

Well, Bulls fans, get your tickets now and get ready to celebrate in Grant Park next June!