Derrick Rose: Boozer’s Gone! Spotlight Is On You Dawg!

Jan 15, 2014; Orlando, FL, USA; Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose (middle) and center Joakim Noah (13) before the game against the Orlando Magic at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

I’m in mourning Pippen Peoples. I’m in pain. I am now unemployed. I just lost my job as the Executive Advocate to the Legion of Booz. The single most polarizing fan club in the history of Pippen Ain’t Easy. Oh well, I’m just the Editor now. Anyway after the Chicago Bulls officially signed on the dotted line to amnesty Carlos Boozer, an era ended. The amnesty ended four years of fans screaming and criticizing a player that was not in their minds not living up to their end of the contract the Bulls gave them.

Carlos Boozer did not have bad stats. He was second on the team during his tenure in scoring and rebounding. He was second in scoring to Derrick Rose and in rebounding to Joakim Noah. The outcry was he was not worth the $16.8 million dollars the Bulls was paying him. Well at least the man played. Guess who is in line now to take the heat?

Derrick Rose.

Derrick Rose! Come on down you are the next contestant on the new game show on Pippen Ain’t Easy! Live from everyone’s computer screen! It’s Thrown Under The Bus! It’s a game show where Bulls management, fans and the media throw you under the bus for not performing up to their standards.

Charlie! Tell Derrick Rose the grand prize the last contestant of Thrown Under The Bus, Carlos Boozer won.

He won an amnesty provision! HE WAS WAIVED!

Well Derrick Rose let me introduce myself. My name is Ronald Agers, Editor of Pippen Ain’t Easy, the best choice for Bulls news, previews and reviews. For the most part because of your injuries, I have taken the high road in the debates on how your injuries have kept you off the court, how the fans have dogged you over and over again, and how the Bulls front office have conveniently turned a blind eye and deaf ear to how you have been treated.

Oh well, my time is now.

Well Pippen Peoples, your Chicago Bulls front office has done something that I have not witnessed in my tenure at Pippen Ain’t Easy. Make the right moves. Since Carmelo Anthony used the Mavericks, Rockets, Lakers and your Bulls to fleece a couple of more million dollars out of Phil Jackson, the Bulls may have built a what? A championship contender! Yes!

The Bulls got Pau Gasol for peanuts. They got Nikola Mirotic out of Real Madrid’s contract. Drafted Doug McDermott who is doing well out in Las Vegas. Package that with not losing any of the core players that was a part of the 48 win team last year and there you have it…championship aspirations. Only one thing hangs in the balance.

The health of Derrick Rose.

Every scenario from writers that talk about the Bulls end their analysis the same way. No matter how many moves the Bulls have made to this point and in the future, none of it matters if Rose goes down…again.

Now that Carlos Boozer is not around for the Bulls fans to kick around anymore, they need a target, fresh meat, a new inspiration to vent their anger at. Guess what? You came up on our list.

Now before I go any further, I want you to know that I am rooting for you. I believe that some of the criticisms are unwarranted and unfair. Basketball is a sport and injuries happen. I’m on record defending you on this website. Now let’s deal with the real shall we? There are things you are definitely going to have to do to get the “Haters” off your back.

1) Use the USA tryouts to get your timing and rhythm back.

At first, I was against you trying out for the team. I thought maybe you should be saving your knees. But I was watching the Bulls summer league team play in Vegas and Tom Thibodeau mentioned in an interview that you used the last Olympic experience to get in tip-top shape and it carried on to your MVP year. Great!  Whatever works! This is a great exercise in getting not only your timing down, but your confidence back in your knees as well.

2) My God! You are going to have to change your game.

D-Rose, you are going to come out this time a little bit different. Gone are those days where you can cross anyone over and get to the basket. That’s the bad news. Now the good news. You don’t have to. Now the Bulls have players that you can pass to that can hit shots without an outpouring of prayers from the United Center. Now is the time for Derrick Rose to become a more efficient player that can run a NBA offense. That is whatever offense Tom Thibodeau can come up with. You now have weapons to work with D-Rose. If you want to extend your career, use them.

3) Go out and play your game (after you change it) and have fun again.

That means forget all the noise that has been around you for the last two years. Do your thing. You have plenty of supporters out there, but the biggest thing is having fun again. I know it could not have been easy watching from the sidelines. It had to be even worse listening to all of the criticisms from the fans. Forget all that and make your own comeback story. Deep down all the Bulls fans want that because everyone knows the Bulls need you to go anywhere. Trust me.

Let me the first to say good luck D-Rose. Believe me my job is easier with you on the floor. The Bulls offense is about as exciting as a dead cockroach without you around. But let me warn you though, if things don’t go smoothly coming out of the gate, I might have to join forces with your biggest fan Leroy Boyd to come up with a fan group. Just sayin!