Is Basketball Dead in Chicago?

Chicago has always been a football town. The Chicago Bears rule these parts and the Cubs come second.

The White Sox are third; Bulls a distant fourth and Blackhawks, despite their revival, are still fifth.

Hey, it's not that easy to make a full recovery just years after being labeled the worst franchise in pro sports by Sports Illustrated.

Often people confuse Chicago for being devoted to all of its sports teams. Not true. Fans are traditionalists, and they'd rather follow a 35-win Cub team than a 50-win Bulls team.

It's true, however, that the Chicago Bulls are only second to Detroit in fan attendance in the league this year.

Often talk radio shows center on the Bears and Cubs, with scant talk of the Bulls. It's football season, after all, and people are more interested in the developments of an unpredictable Bears team.

But they only play once a week.

Point is: Derrick Rose is not even in the top 5 in fan voting for the All-Star team. Certainly the town has been buzzing about its biggest star since Urlacher's prime (just two years ago).

Yes, Rose does it all and he's doing it gracefully, unbelievable at 20 years old.

His unselfish play, marvelous athleticism and uncanny ability to takeover games when the situation present itself scream superstar.

The added bonus: He's getting better...by the game. Figure it this way, he's a point guard with undistinguished targets. Chris Paul has three players to pass to; Deron Williams has three; Steve Nash gets four; Devin Harris gets two; Tony Parker gets three.

Rose has Ben Gordon and that's about it. And Gordon is smaller than Rose.

So how come Chicago hasn't jumped on the Rose bandwagon. Devoted fans are in awe, constantly shouting praises at the 20-year-old from Englewood, Chicago. But borderline fans are sleepy.

Yet Luke Ridnour is ahead of Rose in All-Star votes. L-U-K-E R-I-D-N-O-U-R.

When did Milwaukee Buck fans come into existence?

And that's my point. Whomever is rallying around a backup point guard in a starting role on a bad team is obsessed. Delusional. Chicago had this kind of belief system when Luol Deng was playing well two years ago.

But today it's empty.

Here's the stereotype I often hear when discussing the NBA and the Bulls with sports fans from Chicago.

"The NBA is no good. I really don't follow it. It's a selfish league. No defense. College basketball is better."

And then there's this one.

"Too many black guys."

Let's not pretend the are not strong racial implications with the NBA. Many lazy white fans have concluded it's nothing but an And 1 league with bigger contracts.

See, Michael Jordan was the ultimate super star: he brought non-fans to the sport.

LeBron James is that kind of transcendent star, but he plays in Cleveland. New York remains a place where basketball is still cherished, likewise L.A. It's their football team, really.

Chicago thrives on its stereotypes with Blagojevich-like enthusiasm. While culturally diverse as any major city in America, it's still a city of neighborhoods. It is designed that way, and it's what we know.

Rose will become more popular when the Bulls start to win again, and they should with him at the center of things.

But you have to wonder what's holding fans back now? There's something special going on, and it's not happening at Soldier Field.