Monday 7 October 2013

THE DERRICK ROSE TRILOGY: Part 1-CHICAGO HOPE

The others fell as Derrick Rose.

By TIM DAVID HARVEY

Nothing is stronger than the passion of the Rose...OK, it's over! You can can all that 'whose the best Point Guard in the L right now' off. Sure the Deron Williams/Chris Paul debate will rage on, even for years after they unlace and unstrap their ankles and sure in this new generation Rajon Rondo is the truer, purer point. Still, as of right now with his return to the NBA after his seasons absence, no point is better than D, like the fact that no one in the league was better then Derrick Rose in 2011. No Kobe, no LeBron, nobody. Sure today is a different, new preseason day and tomorrow may tell a different story but right now the National Basketball Association's 'Most Valuable Player' wearing a Chicago Bulls jersey that doesn't carry the 3, or the 2 want's his belt back and to be number one again. First things first though the only one that matters is the game standing between him, LeBron and Larry O'Brien. It's time for this guard to prove his point again? In his M-V-P year D-Rose was better then everybody in the league. Today he wants to be better than the critics writing him off and show he still is.

MOST

This Rose may not have grown from the concrete of a playground like other P.G. legends but you best believe you are watching a lasting legacy bloom in this league. Sure talent-wise Rose is only a thorn in the sides of Bryant, Durant and King James, but still who out of the beast east even has the strong arms to throw rocks at 'Bron's throne, let alone have the court vision to watch it? OK, in 2011 unquestionable 'Rookie Of The Year', Blake Griffin may have garnered more eyes, wows, league passes and replays, but don't say that Derrick's breakaway plays and two-handed flushes that you've missed weren't entertaining...'aint that right Boston? Talking green, their guard Rajon Rondo may posses more basketball quarterback skills but Derrick's grid-iron play more then makes up for this, plus D's got the buckets of water wet jumpers that Rondo often can't find in the drought. Sure Rajon's Celtics, James' Heat and even more talent in the West effect things championship wise for the stampeding Chicago Bulls, but don't be surprised if this grown team ends up making the competition look like matadors with Derrick leading the charge seeing red and championship gold. You can almost here another Chicago legend from another game, Kanye West exclaiming, 'can we get much higher', he's bound too.

VALUABLE

MVP numbers of 25.1 points per game, 4.10 rebounds, 7.8 assists to go with 1.10 steals and even higher playoff averages are incredible for any player (let alone a Point Guard) but know this, Derrick's worth is more then numbers. Even the 13 points and 6 assists in 20 exhibition minutes that showed doubting critics and hopeful fans that he's back to his slashing, passing and dunking self keeping pace with the Pacers and the preseason this week. So over the years and lack of champagne tears these 'Baby Bulls' have had some teething problems but their all grown now. A taste of Curry and the Ron Artest and Jalen Rose eras birthed potential, but now Chi-town has planted the one Rose that refuses to let this franchise wilt. The Jordan years are over no matter how much this franchise or this league misses the G.O.A.T. but still these Bulls have a new animal now. A lion-hearted, shy cat, (dude looked scared when I went to shake his hand years ago at an autograph signing...but then again I do look a little strange) courageous but humble. A Point Guard wizard outside of Washington (word to the one that outruns cheetah's) who leaves opponents looking like scarecrow and tin men, taking his team up the NBA's yellow brick road. Like Frank Sinatra sang there's no place like Chicago. There's nobody like Rose. The Windy Cities first MVP and real franchise guy since Jordan is putting the air back into the United Centre building. It could be a banner year for the ballclub. Now nobody can doubt his worth.

PLAYER

Luol Deng may have been the catalyst, top scorer and Chicago's worldwide appealing player of the future, and Joakim Noah brought his enthusiasm and cut down nets to be the most passionate player in the league. While back in THE season, Carlos Boozer was the top free-agent, Rasheed Wallace to Detroit Pistons esque, team completing steal but everything starts, ends and goes through Derrick Rose. No matter how good reserves like Mike Dunleavy, Nazr Mohammed, Mike James, Dahntay Jones, Taj Gibson and longtime Bull Kirk Hinrich are, when it comes to their floor leader there is no substitute, coach Thibs knows that. With all overdue respect to these other top-tier, big three talents this franchise face is Derrick. He's more then the glue of this team, he's the sealant. Word is bond. he's about to tie it all together in a perfect Bull bow and blow to the opponents when he laces his sneakers back up. When the best all-round player in the league Kobe Bryant was named MVP a couple of 82's Back rapper Lil' Wayne honoured him in a song and just like the Lakers mamba, Chicago's Rose never "takes a day or a J off"... or even a play off for that matter guiding the leagues most diversely talented and underrated team to the big leagues. Even when he was in a permanent Timberlake and Carter suit and tie last season he still worked and worked until he came back for the return and what will be the redemption of his career and the revolution of his team. About to be televised to everyone who's ready to hear.

M-V-P.

From music stars to movie ones Rose is gaining an entourage of high profile fans, remember actor and basketball aficionado Jeremy Piven's MVP Tweet; 'A Rose by any other name is NOT MVP! Go my brother, now take flight....' All sorts of ballers love this b-baller and from the rap sheets to the broadsheets this one-time publicity shy guy is the headline. Check any magazine, (the latest black and white SLAM for example) front-cover to the back Adidas adverts, Derrick is in and published. Bookending the fact that right now-from the fans to the competition-Derrick Rose's grand return owns everything. Kevin Durant and critics can believe what they like, until they beat the former best one and one, this top 3 player won't be done. Not until he's proved he's the one like whats sewn underneath the letters of the team he carries. To those who don't believe it's not all it seems. Just ask anyone from Penny to Grant Hill, injury can take a lot from you but only by a player beating you fair and square on the floor do we determin who's court it really is. Ali knew he wasn't the real champion until he beat Frazier staright up. The NBA's most-high and valuable commodity not wearing the crown is back off the shelf after his own gold, dusting off and polishing his trophy bound game. You can see the shadow of his reflection gleam in the real trophy he wants to engrave. He's just that close, now it's time for the M.J. cigar. Jordan knows with no Pippen, there's no player that's taken the Windy City by storm that close to breezing a shiver down his legendary spine.

CHAMPION?

The new generations history books are only just beginning to get wrote. A Point Guard of past, current and the next generation to come. One hell of a player. The youngest MVP in NBA history is about to be one of the greatest. Envy he, because once again it's his time. Critics may have called it (Time Of Career Death: May 12, 2012) and dropped the ball on Derrick but he's about to pick it up along with the spirits of everyone in his city of Chicago. The team that's tired of seeing clouds and grey skies behind that iconic Jordan statue are ready for 'reign' from the next influential, inspiration ready to run this town like 'ye's verse on that Jay-Z classic. About to rise like Willis and bring the noise like those L trains over the city, this guys has got more in Common with Chicago's best rapper than being the fire and code of the town. He's the 'E.R' hand on the pulse that's about to beat the heart and soul of Chicagoland from the playgrounds to the reunited Centre. The second coming has returned to cast his own concrete statue next to Michael's outside his house in Chi-city. You saw the public tears at that Adidas press conference last year, and this week you heard the cheers on his return to the worlds stage. Everyone is elated to have Derrick back and coming through the emotional and physical pain, Rose is ready to rise again. The world is watching as he puts on his jersey for his city. Here is the Chicago hope.

#thechicagotrilogy

#chicagohope

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