The Return...

     After being battered by labor issues, lockouts, greedy owners, and greedy players; it's finally over. The NFL, NBA, and MLB (yeah those bastards don't get a pass considering most owners have teams in multiple leagues) all did their best to ruin our sports universe. However, as the holidays approach, so to does peace. Come Christmas Day, everything comes around full circle.
     Chicago belongs to the Bears; it's gospel and no other franchise (Blackhawks, Bulls, Sox, and especially the Cubs) comes close. With that stipulation, Chicago celebrates all its legends regardless of league, like no other city. Almost every team can trace it's roots back to the beginning of its respective sport. The one expansion franchise of the group managed to produce a dynasty featuring the world's greatest athlete/basketball player anyone has ever known. Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen,Walter Payton, Frank Thomas, Ryan Sandberg, Mike Ditka, Mike Singletary, Mark Buhrele, Ernie Banks, Ronny Woo-Woo. All are household names, all are champions (except those cubbies), and all invoke memories of greatness. On Christmas day, Chicagoans everywhere can continue to admire one more.
     Derrick Martell Rose-MVP. Like a strike of lightning, Rose turned the NBA on its head in his 3rd year. There's a natural progession for a young star. He's suppose to take a couple of years, learn the NBA game, find his place, and grow. That's what should happen...unless he's a superstar. We knew he was good after his rookie year and we knew he could be great after his sophmore campaign. Now we know Rose is a once in a generation type of player. The athleticism, the skills, the need to be great, #1 posseses all the traits of a champion. In most cases, that's all a city should get. But not with Derrick Rose. Chicago's admiration drives deeper then basketball, deeper then sports.  We're able to see ourselves in Derrick Rose because he's cut from the same cloth.
     Unlike any other recent superstar this city has encountered, Rose is Chicago. Derrick Rose understands the fastest way to get to the submarine at the Museum of Science and Industry. He knows what color line will get him home the quickest. How the salt grinds under our shoes in winter, driving down LSD, running down a CTA bus, Jim's on Maxwell St, North Ave Beach, The Garfield Park Conservatory, block parties, the Bud Biliken Parade, The Field Museum, street fests; Chicago is Derrick Rose. We're going to celebrate his accomplishments because the city loves a winner. But it's Chicago soul that we see reflected in Rose that will carry his legend.