Was Derrick Rose's ACL Tear One of the Most Devastating Moments in Chicago Sports History?

FROM MY LIVING ROOM—If you ask the devil, we bargained for this.

Sports, I’m talking about. We delved and enveloped our existence in sports and adore the characters that inhabit that world. It’s silly, but it’s true: In many ways, we men are children who love the game and admire its main characters.

For 10 months I’ve fought the notion that this Chicago Bulls roster could win a title—especially in the Miami Heat’s shadow. They’re too flawed, too specialized, too limited offensively. Then the season becomes this disjointed spasm of winning with its MVP sidelined nearly 50 percent of the time, its key addition never really part of the lineup and its second best player in and out of the lineup with a torn ligament in his wrist.

Result: The best record in the NBA. A comfortable path to the Eastern Conference Finals for a rematch with its weakened rival.

Then Saturday, even as I wondered if Rose would ever return to full health by the Heat series, it became apparent that this team could win the title. With Rose running the point (even at 80 percent), and Rip Hamilton actually playing fluidly and aggressively, it seemed the Bulls were maximizing its parts. Joakim Noah was brilliant—a polarizing player who so often gives you fits with meaningless efforts—was nearly dominant. There were points in the game when you wondered how Miami would be able to stop such a balanced attack if Rose could get into the lane, Hamilton could provide secondary attacks, Luol Deng, etc.

The terrible irony was developing in front of us: The 2011-2012 Bulls, who have barely played with one another at full health all season, were finally together playing in unison the way it was drawn up on paper. 

There was never a shred of doubt as the 76ers made a passable effort, but just as the starters took their foot off the pedal, the bench would come at them in second and third waves.

And yet, there was Rose lying on the floor, a terrifying spectacle that seemed a cruel twist etched in by a screenwriter or director who thought its main character was too likable, too good, too important to not face enough conflict.

(As many greater authors suggest: put your characters through hell. Torture them, let them go through incredible odds.)

Derrick’s remarkable story continues to be, well, remarkable. In some instances, he was an underdog even though he was selected as the top pick in the NBA draft to his hometown team that had a 1.7 percent chance at picking him.

Then rookie of the year, all-star, mvp and then…champi--… wait!

It’s never that simple. But, again, fans never thought it would be. Nor did Tom Thibodeau, who has been wrongly casted in this epic as a crazed coach who will stop at nothing for his title. This was the playoffs, the 76ers were only down 12 and the Bulls have closed games sloppily in the past. This wasn’t a game of goonery where a big was likely to take a shot at Derrick when airborne. It was the NBA playoffs and Thibodeau wanted his best player in the game. I would too. There’s no saving this guy for next week, etc.

This wasn’t Boobie Miles.

You’d think Thibodeau would have earned our trust by now. 

Make no mistake: this one hurt.  I thought I was above it all—feeling bad about seeing Rose go down along with their title chances. I thought I was too mature, too refined to ever give myself to this sport where millionaires travel the country to flocks of people who adore them.

But then I began thinking about the big picture:

Is there any guarantee the Bulls will come back the following season and lead the NBA in victories again and reserve home court advantage?

Will Noah, Boozer (then 32), Rip (then 35), Deng and Rose hold up?

Isn’t this the healthiest we’ve ever seen Noah and Boozer?

What are the odds the team grows tired of Tom Thibodeau’s relentless nature and nonstop direction from the sidelines?

Will the team extend Thibodeau, who leaked to the media via his agent, that an extension hasn’t been agreed upon yet?

Isn’t Korver, Ronnie Brewer and CJ Watson potentially out the door?

The team will need to decide between Omer Asik and Taj Gibson as they won’t be able to afford both anymore—a key dynamic in the playoffs.

What will Derrick look like after the injury?

What if Miami unloads Chris Bosh for Dwight Howard if they don’t grab a title?

Was this unprescedented? Has there ever been a superstar on a championship contender to go down in the playoffs and potentially the next season with an injury that buried their title hopes?

Kevin Garnett sat out a few seasons back when he still had something left, but that happened in mid season—not in the actual playoffs.

Even if you’re not a Bulls fan, this is a major blow to the game. The Heat and Bulls series was being casted as the game’s next great rivalry with each its unique personality. They’re last regular season game got chippy, if not dirty.  

If you asked me if the Bulls could beat the Heat mid season, I’d laugh. After watching a healthy Rip Hamilton and Joakim Noah roll through the 76ers, I would have told you the Bulls had a 50-50 shot with home court advantage.

Maybe the Bulls make it interesting and get past the 76ers, maybe even the Celtics or Hawks if the shots are falling (though you’re going to see some 80-point games). Maybe they face the Heat and things get chippy again. Maybe they make the series interesting enough to have hope for the following year. Or maybe…

I’m reminded of this quote I remember when I was in fourth grade because I was basically the sorest loser there ever was, once sabotaging a game of Chutes and Ladders when I sensed my own defeat nearing:

“Winning is great, sure, but if you are going to do something in life, the secret is learning how to lose. Nobody goes undefeated all the time. If you can pick yourself up after a defeat, and go on to win again, you can be a champion.”  –Wilma Rudolph

Derrick Rose is as serious and as competitive of a professional athlete we’ve seen. The Bulls will always be title contenders if he’s on the team. But this one…this one, really hurt.

Contact Mike Mitchell at michaelkennethmitchell@gmail.com.