Compare and Contrast

In May of 1970, the New York Knicks were propelled to their first-ever NBA championship when center Willis Reed limped onto the court for game seven against Wilt Chamberlain and the Lakers to play through the pain of a torn thigh muscle.  Twenty-seven years later, Michael Jordan overcame stomach flu or food poisoning—take your pick—to score 38 points to lead the Bulls over the Jazz on his way to a fifth NBA championship.  And now we have Derrick Rose, who’d rather be safe than sorry.

Rose has held himself out of the last two Bulls’ game with what was first called general soreness and is now being termed a sore hamstring.  Where silence is golden, Rose prefers to speak with at least one foot in his mouth.  Talking to reporters before last night’s game in Atlanta, Rose explained how, “It’s a process.  I already put it into my mind that the year was going to be a long year and all I could do was work on my body, control what I can control and all the other stuff is out of my hands.” 

If only he’d stopped there to get for more therapy on his leg, the damage would’ve been enough.  But Rose did some more when asked if his approach would change in the postseason.  “No,” he answered.  “If I can’t play, I’m not going to play.  It’s a process, like I said.”

Oh, to be a fly on the wall when Willis Reed or Michael Jordan hears this.