Worm’s-Eye View Looks Pretty Much the Same to Him : Spurs: Sorry, Coach Hill, but one game on the bench isn’t going to change Rodman’s attitude.

Let’s see, Dennis Rodman takes his sneakers off and lies on a pillow of towels when he should have been in the Spurs’ huddle Friday night, so he has to be punished.

The punishment handed out by San Antonio Coach Bob Hill is that Rodman doesn’t play in the Spurs’ 80-71 victory Sunday afternoon at the Forum.

So what is the lesson here?

Oh, Dennis, doesn’t it make your green hair blue to have this happen? You surely must have learned your lesson this time.

“Learned my lesson?” Rodman sniffed in a rollicking postgame interview session in front of his locker. “I’m 34 years old, I’m a grown man, I know what I’m doing. So, no, I haven’t learned any lesson.”

It probably would have been expecting too much to think he had. Even Hill knew better. When he was asked if he thought Rodman would change because of the discipline, Hill started laughing.

Meanwhile, the object of all this attention was busy. In the cramped Spur locker room, there were enough cameras pointed at Rodman to launch a television mini-series.

The glow from the strobes bathed Rodman in soft, white light and served to accent his colorful accessories: black cap worn backward, round, black sunglasses, silver rings in his nose and ear lobe as well as many interesting tattoos.

The whole package said rebel. It said individual. Why, this guy is so far out, he probably eats his pizza crust first.

Just guessing here, but what do you think the definition of the word controversial is?

“That means Dennis Rodman,” Dennis Rodman said. “Somebody has got to do it. You’ve got enough good guys. There aren’t enough bad guys. That’s me. I’m the sole survivor of the Bad Boys of Detroit. I can see myself, riding on a horse into the sunset.”

Actually, the only thing Rodman was riding Sunday was the bench. Hill decided he had to put him there because Rodman stretched out on the floor Friday night in the fourth quarter of the Lakers’ 92-85 Game 3 victory.

Hill was steamed. There were reports Rodman had warned Hill “Don’t even think about putting me back in the game.” Hill would say only that Rodman had to toe the line, become one of the team and do what was right.

So Hill decided not to start Rodman in Game 4. He isn’t sure what to do about Game 5. As it turned out, Rodman didn’t play at all Sunday, mainly because he wasn’t needed. Hill said it was just punishment.

“It was something I had to do,” Hill said. “I think the world of Dennis. He just has to become part of the team.”

The Dennis defense effort, as laid out by the defendant himself, centered around the premise that the whole thing was blown out of proportion.

“I’ve been doing this all year long and now they pick this particular time to pick on something that you’ve done all year long,” said Rodman, who led the league in rebounding.

“Since I’ve been in the league, nothing has been handed to me or been free. But it’s no big deal. I don’t hate Bob Hill at all. I don’t hate nobody.”

It seems pretty clear that when you employ Rodman, you pick up the entire Rodman package. After all, the Spurs suspended him twice this season, once without pay.

One thing’s for sure, Rodman said, the Spurs aren’t close to figuring him out.

“I don’t think anyone can get into this little cranium up here,” he said, tapping his head.

“Dennis Rodman is a person that loves to be an individual. I am not going to change to suit anyone. My main goal is to make Dennis Rodman happy.”

As for not playing, well, Rodman said he was happy during his exile. Not only did the Spurs win without him, but he also met some nice fans, including one youngster with whom he struck up a quick friendship.

“I asked him to get me some peanuts the next time the vendor came by,” Rodman said. “I had to do something to keep busy.

“It wasn’t tough at all sitting. It reminded me a little of my first year in the league. I sat all the time. I reminded me of Jack Haley.”

Interviews completed, Rodman packed up. As he was leaving the Forum, he passed Laker Coach Del Harris in the hallway.

Said Rodman: “They didn’t need me today, Coach.”

Said Harris: “I did.”

Harris quickly pointed out that there always would be room for Rodman on the Lakers. Now that’s interesting. Think of it: Rodman in Hollywood! Shouts of “Lights, cameras, body piercings.”

Harris said he could coach Rodman, no question.

“I mean, I have white hair, what’s the big deal?” Harris said.