The city of Chicago is a custom to seeing greatness on a basketball court and the Chicago Bulls of the 1990s epitomized the word “greatness”.
After watching Jordan and company terrorize the NBA for nearly a decade by winning six titles in eight years and even going for a ridiculous 72 wins in one season, Chicago watched in sheer horror as the “Unstop-A-Bulls” became the “Flop-A-Bulls” or the “Laugh-A-Bulls”.
In the next few seasons to come after their last title in 1998 the Bulls would become embarrassing to watch. MJ went to work on his golf swing, Scottie Pippen went to another loaded team, Dennis Rodman got more tattoos and piercings before going to North Korea, and Phil went Hollywood.
Just like that the Bulls went from first to worst and looked more lost than a bird without wings, or a Bull without horns.
After years of bad draft picks, bad luck and a coaching carousel the Bulls finally hit the jackpot in 2008 when they drafted Chi-town native Derrick Rose number one overall.
Rose took a few seasons to come along but he proved the front office made the right choice by winning league MVP, leading the Bulls to a top seed in the playoffs, and an eastern conference finals berth.
Rose made it clear to the league that the Bulls were back and coming for the gold trophy with the shiny basketball on top.
Everything was going well the MVP was back playing in the true “mecca” basketball (sorry New York) and there was a new savior in town. Then in one play it all came crashing down in red and black flames.
In game one of the 2012 NBA Eastern Conference Quarter Finals Rose drove baseline went up for a shot fell to the floor in pain. As Rose fell so did the hearts of every Chicago Bulls fan with dreams of parades and riots after another Bulls title.
Rose would take a whole season off and try to come back but would end up injuring his other knee early in the season. Chicago fans felt teased after the comeback was hyped up through advertising, the public media, and social media.
All the red and black faithful have replayed this situation in their head on multiple occasions or basically every time Rose is awkwardly shown on national television sitting on the bench showing off his collection of suits.
Lost Bulls fans must remember to take a new stroll down memory lane so they can pay ultimate respect to the new MVP, heart, and soul of the Bulls, Joakim Noah.
The wild-haired, intense, hard-working, passionate, in your face, former two-time national champion Travie McCoy look alike is a true windy city warrior.
In 2007, after leading the Florida Gators to a second consecutive national title, Noah was drafted ninth overall by the Bulls which didn’t seem to move people’s meters at the time because the Bulls still were a car traveling on the road to nowhere.
But looking back, Noah is the third best player from that draft at least.
The two that are probably considered better than him Marc Gasol the former NBA Defensive Player of the Year and some skinny bum named Kevin Durant.
Coach Thibs has done an amazing job instilling a gritty defensive foundation in the Bulls but Noah is the guts and glue that make this foundation work.
He is an underrated leader in the NBA and let me make it clear I am not saying Noah should be the NBA MVP.
If the MVP does not have the last name Durant or James I will be more shocked than Wichita State.
I am not saying he is an outstanding offensive player that will lead the Bulls to a title but he did lead them to the second round of the playoffs last year on one foot minus at least three starters for the series against Brooklyn.
After the Bulls blew a 3-1 lead in the series Noah made a guarantee that the Bulls would win game seven in Brooklyn; they did.
The Bulls had no business winning that series without Rose or recently traded Luol Deng for that matter but they won it because Noah motivated every player on that roster.
The team feeds off his obnoxious win at all costs energy that has the Bulls sitting in fourth place in the Eastern Conference.
Deng was sacrificed to Cleveland and the next time Derrick Rose will play it will seem like this winter never happened.
Those two players were all stars but there not in service to the Bulls right now yet they are still in fourth place in the East because of Joakim Noah.
Noah has recorded multiple triple-doubles this season. It is not because he has a picturesque jump shot, a bunch of highlight plays, a $280 shoe, or the best hair in the NBA.
It is because he has a win or die attitude that could rival a Jordan, the do-everything abilities of a Pippen, and a controlled chaotic persona of a Rodman.
He is averaging 14 points per game, 10.5 rebounds per game, 6.8 assists per game since the all star break.
A few weeks ago Noah took on the perceived best big man in the league Dwight Howard.
Both players finished with double-doubles but the Bulls won by 24.
Howard has all the athleticism but no emotional ambition that would inspire a team torun through a wall.
On April 28, 2012, the Windy City assassin known as Derrick Rose lost some thorns used to tear opponents apart but luckily the Bulls still had Noah’s Ark waiting in Lake Michigan to keep them afloat.
He is to the Bulls what March is to madness or what madness is to March, how you say it is irrelevant just like the attractiveness of Noah’s whole game and Bulls fans should show full attention and appreciation.
Damone Griffin
Sports Editor
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