Madness is coming to Chicago on Friday. (No, it’s not the Cubs victory parade.) Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah will both make their anticipated returns to Chicago to play against the Bulls. Let’s talk about that.
Look, I’m not here to tell you how to react to when Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah are introduced as New York Knick players on Friday night against the Bulls.
That’s not what we’re going to discuss here. What we are going to discuss here is how one side feels differently than the other.
The wounds are still fresh for many that adore the former defensive player of the year and the youngest league MVP ever. For others, it was a sense of relief, knowing that two injury-plagued players that were shells of themselves last season are another franchise’s problems.
The point is, there’s going to be a lot of buzz when Rose and Noah return to the Windy City on Friday night and no one person, fan, writer, blogger, columnist, etc. is more right than anyone.
If you want to stand and cheer for Rose and Noah, go ahead.
If you want to call Rose a bum and Noah a fraud, then hey … that’s your right.
For those wondering, the Bulls have video tributes planned for Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah tomorrow.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) November 3, 2016
Nobody’s right. Nobody’s wrong. Everyone has an opinion. There’s going to be a lot of disagreement among Bulls fans. That’s fine.
Some wanted Gar Forman and John Paxson fired for trading a former No. 1 overall pick. Some wanted to give Forman the Executive of the Year award again. (Yes, he’s actually won that award before.)
Let’s look at each side of the coin and break down each side of this situation, starting with those that will be excited to see Rose and Noah again.
“We miss you, Derrick! You’ll always be the MVP!” “Thanks for being awesome, Jo!”
There’s a connect that I’ve seen with Bulls fans over the years. That 2010-11 season — the first under Tom Thibodeau — was one of the best seasons in franchise history.
For every fan that wore their No. 1 jerseys with pride and put roses in Michael Carter-Williams’ Instagram mentions after he was traded to Chicago, there were those that criticized Rose and Noah after every missed 3-pointer or rebound.
Think about it: Thibodeau won the Coach of the Year award as a rookie head coach. Rose won the NBA MVP, beating out Dwight Howard and three-time MVP (at the time) LeBron James. Forman won the Executive of the Year award.
Oh, and the Bulls won 62 games, were the top overall seed in the playoffs, and won Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against James during year one of the “Heatles”.
That team was special. It put the Bulls officially back on the NBA map.
And, Rose was the catalyst and the engine that made that team go, with Noah and a murderer’s row of bigs up front to beat up the best teams in the league all season long.
There are fans that still hold onto that season. It was the best season in team history that didn’t end with a championship rally at Grant Park.
It’s a bond that never wavered over the years, despite the injuries piling up for both Rose and Noah. They became heroes in Chicago in the eyes of many.
It’s going to be tough to see them both in Knick uniforms for many, but don’t forget, the Cubs are World Series Champions, so don’t feel too bad. The duo will probably appreciate your standing ovation inside the United Center or from your couch.
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“Why are you cheering them? They suck. They’re washed up.”
Since the 2011-12 postseason when Derrick Rose tore his ACL against the Philadelphia 76ers, he has played in just 143 games (including the 2014-15 playoffs) due to laundry list of injuries, including a fractured orbital bone and a torn meniscus (twice).
After making First Team All-NBA in the 2013-14 season and playing in 80 games, Joakim Noah has played in just 102 games due to lingering foot issues and a pair of severe shoulder injuries; one ended his season after 29 games last year.
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Noah hardly played last season, and when he did play, Rose was the definition of a rollercoaster. For every 25-30-point performance on national television, there was a 5-for-21 shooting performance or a one-assist showing where you wonder if his head was in even in the same city as the game.
For every fan that wore their No. 1 jerseys with pride and put roses in Michael Carter-Williams’ Instagram mentions after he was traded to Chicago, there were those that criticized Rose and Noah after every missed 3-pointer or rebound.
Whether it was an edition of #DerrickRoseSaysStuff or Joakim Noah bricking jumper after jumper that he probably shouldn’t have shot, there will always be critics.
There was also that glaring part where Rose was on trial for gang-raping a young woman in California, but to his defense, all charges were dropped and he was cleared of any wrong-doing.
Reminder: Nobody is right and nobody is wrong in this scenario.
Regardless of what side of the fence you sit on, Friday night should be quite the scene.
Personally, I think everyone can agree that seeing Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah in something other than a Bulls uniform will be strange.
If you stand and cheer for the duo, it doesn’t make you any better or worse than those that don’t care about Rose and Noah returning.
For every “Thank you, Derrick and Joakim”, there will be a “Is Derrick talking about free agency in New York yet”.
Welcome to Joe Maddon’s world. It’s your call.