Published : Jan. 7, 2014 - 16:35
작년과 올해 연이어 북한을 방문한 로드먼과 그를 동행한 측근들이 공개되어 화제가 되고 있다. 이들 중 6명은 NBA 출신 선수들로 돌아오는 수요일 북한과의 친선 경기를 계획하고 있다. 이들의 친선 경기 날은 마침 김정은 국방위원장의 생일 축하 행사가 열릴 것으로 예정되어 있는 날이다. 로드먼을 비롯한 이들은 국제 사회에서 북한과 관련한 파격적인 행보와 발언들로 주목을 받고 있다. 일명 ‘로드먼 팀’으로 불리우는 이들 6명은 각각 다음과 같다.
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케니 앤더슨
고등학교 체육 코치 출신으로, 재직 당시 그가 이끈 팀의 성적은 그리 우수하지 못했다. 그는 NBA 선수 당시 연봉 6천 5백만 달러를 기록한 것으로 전해졌다. 그러나 현재 개인적인 재정 문제와 더불어 파산 문제에 휩싸인 것으로 알려졌다.
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빈 바커
빈 바커는 자신의 자택과 개인 소유의 레스토랑을 잃었음에도 불구하고, 현재 그의 삶의 만족한다는 뜻을 밝히며, 목회자의 길에 헌신하고 있다. 바커는 과거 알코올 중독과 우울증에 시달렸으며, 2007년 음주 운전으로 검거된 바 있다. 그는 2000년 미국의 올림픽 골드 경기 우승에 공헌한 바 있는 인물로 알려져 있다.
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슬리피 플로이드
그는 목회자 재직 당시 많은 사람들을 상담해 온 이력이 있으며, 개인 사업 성공 경력을 바탕으로 은퇴 후 자산관리회사에서의 삶을 시작했다.
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더그 크리스티
더그 크리스티는 92년 시애틀 슈퍼 소닉스에 입단해 2007년 LA 클리퍼스를 끝으로 NBA생활을 마쳤다. 그는 매년 그의 부인과 결혼식을 올리기로 유명하며, 크리스티 부부는 얼마 전 성인 영화를 제작한 것으로 알려졌다.
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클리프 로빈슨
클리프 로빈슨은 NBA 선수 당시 연간 6백만 달러를 벌어들였지만 최근 몇 년 동안 파산 상태에 이르렀다. 그는 15년이라는 긴 선수 생활뿐만 아니라, NBA 마약 사건에 연루된 이력으로 유명세를 탄 인물이다.
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찰스 D. 스미스
찰스 D. 스미스는 NBA 은퇴 선수 협회의 관리 감독 직을 맡았다가, 2010년 협회로부터 탈퇴 당했다. 현재 그는 슬리피 플로이드처럼 NBA 선수 생활 은퇴 후 사업가로서 활동하고 있다. 그는 로드먼과 함께 방북 기간 동안 김정은 국방위원장을 만나고자 하는 의사를 밝혀 화제가 되고 있다.
( 김재연 인턴기자 / 코리아헤럴드 )
The men who followed Rodman to North Korea
Say these things for Dennis Rodman: He likes going to North Korea, and likes bringing a bit of a side show with him. Last year, it was the Harlem Globetrotters. This year, it‘s, well, should we call them the Rodmaneers?
Some of the six former NBA players who accompanied Rodman on this trip with plans for a game against North Korean players on Wednesday - the day believed to be the birthday of the nation’s leader, Kim Jong-un - have what might best be described as colorful pasts, often caused by some major financial difficulties.
There‘s a father of seven kids with five different women. The former high school coach who was fired after a DUI. The guy who once owned 10 cars and spent $75,000 a year on insurance alone before declaring bankruptcy.
And that’s all referring to Kenny Anderson.
Cliff Robinson, Vin Baker, Sleepy Floyd, Doug Christie and Charles D. Smith have also joined Rodman for the trip, his fourth and from the way he‘s talking, probably not his last.
What they’re making on this trip is a mystery: Expenses are covered, Smith said, but it‘s unknown if they’ll be getting appearance fees or anything along those lines. And security is said to be provided by the North Korean Olympic Committee, which has guaranteed the Americans safe passage in and out of the nation. Here‘s a look at the Rod-men:
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Kenny Anderson
Was a high school coach in South Florida not long ago, before a DUI cost him that job. It wasn’t like his team was any good - one game was a 78-7 loss - but Anderson talked about how thankful he was to still be in the game and how it could lead to bigger opportunities. It‘s believed he made about $65 million in NBA salary, but even that couldn’t keep him from bankruptcy and other financial issues.
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Vin Baker
He lost his mansion and his restaurant, along with much of the $100 million he made as an NBA star, but says he‘s comfortable these days and is devoting much of his life to ministry. Baker has struggled with alcoholism and depression in the past, was charged with drunken driving in 2007, and the off-court issues make it easy to forget that he helped the U.S. win Olympic gold in 2000.
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Sleepy Floyd
He counsels troubled people, works in ministry, has successful business dealings and started a financial management company after retiring. Memo to the Rod-men: He’s your captain.
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Doug Christie
He and his wife throw themselves weddings - not anniversary parties, but weddings - every year. Christie spent parts of 15 seasons in the NBA and still probably doesn‘t have the fan base that his wife Jackie has from her work on, among other things, “Basketball Wives.” And then came this nugget not long ago, that the couple was producing (though not starring in) adult films.
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Cliff Robinson
He made roughly $61 million in NBA salary and apparently that wasn’t enough, as he went through bankruptcy in recent years. He had some minor run-ins with the NBA‘s drug policy as a player as well, but his 15-year career was one that left him extremely popular among many other players.
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Charles D. Smith
Smith is a former executive director of the National Basketball Retired Players Association, getting ousted in 2010. Like Floyd, he’s had a busy business life after basketball, says he wouldn‘t mind meeting the North Korean leader who Rodman calls “the marshal” on this trip and can’t wait to sit down with that nation‘s players to answer life about the U.S. “A little courage, a little faith is involved here,” Smith says. (AP)