A Rose is a Rose is a Rose. Or at least, he used to be.
Having waited lo these many months, Bulls fans are dismayed to see the All-Star Game come and go with Derrick Rose and the cavalry yet to ride over the hill.
(Forget the fans. How about fantasy players who stashed Rose last fall for a Spring Surprise – like me – only to learn the surprise is on them? So, please forgive me if I become hysterical.)
LIKE WHERE IN THE !@#$%$#@! ARE YOU?
Oh, sorry.
Not that the Bulls haven’t said all along that it was going to be a looooonnngg while and might not happen at all this season.
Of course, we may have may have been misled by those closest to Rose …like adidas, his sneaker company, which launched its lavish campaign last fall, celebrating “The Return.”
Adidas not only bought millions of dollars of TV time, it commissioned a six-part documentary on “The Return,” like Spinal Tap director Marty DiBergi’s “rockumentary.” Or in this case, a hoopumentary.
Episode 6: “All in.”
Shot of El train running through the Loop. Cut to Derrick, looking pensively out of the windows atop a Loop skyscraper.
Derrick: “With this documentary, I just want people to know who I am as a person. I’m not doing it for me. I’m doing it for my fans. They are my fans for a reason.
“I think this is the most I ever spoke in my life.
“My core has gotten a lot stronger. Now I’m combining my upper body with my lower body six time a week.”
Yada, yada, yada.
OK, so he didn’t mention it would take six more months — at least — to get his upper and lower body on the floor.
Actually, adidas was probably confused on his return date – or #returndate – too.
Either that, or the company was so far out ahead of everyone, it only looked like it didn’t have a clue. Maybe adidas people thought, “If he doesn’t come back this season, we can run the whole thing all over again next fall!”
No, I don’t think Rose meant to confuse anyone, promise something he couldn’t deliver or craved the attention. Getting exploited nigh unto death by one’s commercial partners is part of a young NBA megastar’s learning process.
Better players than Rose have been hung out to dry like smoked fish. ESPN all but carried LeBron James onto that set at the Boys & Girls Club in Connecticut so he could announce he and his talents were going to South Beach and turn his life into hell.
Back in the real world, the real story has never changed: Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf is determined to err on the side of caution – or not even to take a chance on erring, letting Rose sit out the season if necessary. Despite what Rose said in the adidas spot, or what the company suggested, he has been totally on the same page.
RELATED: What should Derrick do? Be like Mike
For what it mattered, every former player Rose bumped into said the same thing: Don’t do anything rash. Despite the team’s surprising performance – the Bulls entered February third in the East – management was intent on making sure that exuberance didn’t sweep anyone away. In fact, many inner circle Bulls are skeptical about beating Miami, with or without Rose
Not that you can second-guess a safety-first priority. In this one, however, the later it got, the 
more insiders ask, why come back this season at all?
One insider, reportedly skeptical of the Bulls’ roster, is B.J. Armstrong, who is Rose’s agent, a former member of Michael Jordan’s “supporting cast” and still close to Reinsdorf. Another is Derrick’s older brother and manager, Reggie Rose, who announced his doubts publicly.
“What have you pieced together?” Reggie told ESPN Chicago after the trade deadline. “Have you made any moves? Have you made any trades to get better? You know all roads to the championship lead through Miami. What pieces have you put together for the physical playoffs? It’s frustrating to see my brother play his heart and soul out for the team and them not put anything around him.”
With Rose clearly making progress and starting to look anxious, sitting on the bench for the first time Sunday in Indiana, insiders think his return is 50-50. There’s also growing consensus on a timetable.
With little likelihood Rose would return on the road, that would make the first possibility Friday vs. Utah. However, with the following three also on the road, Friday may not look that attractive as a starting point.
That would bring them to March 18 vs. Denver, the opener of a three-game homestand, giving Rose one month to get in game shape before the playoffs. Of course, if he’s not back against Denver, he will be less likely to play this season with every passing day.
Not that you should be surprised if he runs out of the tunnel with the guys tonight in San Antonio. All we do is imagine scenarios based on what they show us, which, as we’ve seen, can be misleading.
In any case, if the NBA’s dog days between the All-Star Game and April are getting to you, check out the Bulls.
For them, it’s crunch time.
On to the rankings.