Feb21

Rose’s Return Requires Just A Little Patience

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Figuring out what time of year roses bloom depends on what part of the country you are in. Some are ready to go a few weeks after being planted, while others take a bit longer depending on many variables. The general consensus is that most roses bloom in early spring and, barring any unforeseen circumstances, continue on until the first frost.

This writer contacted the Chicago Botanical Gardens with a most pressing question that is on the lips of every rose enthusiast in the Windy City this year. The following is what the conversation that took place.

“Thank you for calling the Chicago Botanical Gardens. How can I help you?” The cheerful voice on the line said.

“I’m trying desperately to figure out when a certain rose will be seen again in this area.” I asked.

“I should be able to help you with that. What kind of rose is it?” The voice asked.

“It’s a rose we haven’t seen since last April when it disappeared from the surrounding area. It’s a humble unassuming kind of rose that puts up 21.8 points per game and dishes out 7.9 assists per game. But it’s so much more than that. This particular rose moves in such a way as to defy gravity and physics. It’s almost as if this rose was from some mystical realm where with each passing season it only grows stronger and more powerful.”

“Is this that Shooting Bricks writer calling again?” The voice, now perturbed, asked. “Please, we do not know when Derrick Rose will be returning. Stop calling everyday and get a life!”

The phone conversation ended abruptly.

Such is the life of an NBA writer trying to find out when the most exciting star of the past few years, and personal savior of Chicago basketball, will bloom again.

It seems like nobody knows when Rose’s return will happen. Many speculated that the star point guard would be back in uniform and on the court Tuesday when the Bulls beat the New Orleans Hornets. That did not happen.

Coach Tom Thibodeau recently sat down with ESPN Chicago to talk about the subject. Via Sports Radio Interviews

“I think in any situation like this you hope for the best but you plan for the worst. That’s a possibility that he could miss the entire season and if that’s the case then that’s fine. We just want him to be healthy and ready to go. Whenever that is we will deal with that. For our team nothing is going to change.”

This is disheartening news for Bulls fans who wake up in cold sweats as our nightmares replay the ACL injury that took Rose out of the first game of the 2012 playoffs last season. With top-notch doctors and the best rehab Jerry Reinsdorf can buy, many hoped to see Derrick Rose cutting to the basket like a kamikaze by this point in the season.

But alas, this is not the case.

Patience is a hard thing for fans to deal with. Especially for Chicago Bulls fans who saw their team on the cusp of making a title run last season. With news that Rose was participating in practice and contact drills, the Bulls Nation let out a collective sigh of relief knowing that their MVP would soon return.

However, even Rose has dimmed the sunshine on such speculation.

“If it’s where it’s taking me a long time and I’m still not feeling right, I wouldn’t mind missing this year,” Rose recently said after a Bulls loss to the Celtics according to SI.com.

Rose went on to explain that he “would love to play this year. I would love to. That’s why I approach my rehab and my workout so hard. I’m trying to get back out there on the court as quickly as possible. But if I have anything later on there’s no point.”

In an interview with USA Today, Rose said “I’m not coming back until I’m 110%. Who knows when that can be? It can be within a couple of weeks. It could be next year. It could be any day. It could be any time. It’s just that I’m not coming back until I’m ready.”

The possibility of Rose missing this season is not what Bulls fans want to hear. Yet, who would want to see Rose rise from the dirt too early only to spoil his talents with another injury? Or even come back to the game with his talents not up to par?

While the Rose-less Bulls have been anything but a disaster this season, they simply cannot go deep into the playoffs without their MVP. Hard-nosed defense will get you far in this league. After all, scoring wins games. But defense wins championships. However, without Rose’s contributions, these Bulls simply do not have enough offensive firepower to take down heavyweights like Miami, New York, or even (gasp) Indiana.

In this world of high-speed impatience, it’s hard to settle for anything less than instant results. But would Rose be able to come back to the game, get back to his former self in terms of production, and help this squad get to the promised land with only 29 games left this season?

While not impossible given the superstar’s uncanny talents, it is quite tricky.

LeBron James weighed in on the topic of Rose’s return recently:

“He shouldn’t be rushed back by nobody. Derrick Rose is his own man — this is Derrick Rose’s career we’re talking about. Nobody else’s. Because if Derrick Rose comes back and gets injured again, Derrick Rose is the only people that’s got to deal with that. He’s an unbelievable talent. He’s one of the best players that we’ve seen in this game and mentally when he’s ready, physically he feels like he’s ready, then he [should] make a comeback. Until then, he shouldn’t rush it.”

Likewise, All-Stars such as Dwayne Wade, Kevin Durant and Kobe Bryant each emphasized the need for Rose to sit out until he’s 100%.

While it’s nice that the league’s top performers have your back, let’s not overlook the possibility that the last thing these players need is to worry about a Chicago Bulls team led by Rose this season.

So for now perhaps the best thing Chicago Bulls fans can do is take a cue from another rose…Axl Rose.

Rose’s Return Requires Just A Little Patience

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