By Matt Schultz
Anyone who is an NBA fan, or more specifically a Bulls fan, know the trials and tribulations that surround Derrick Rose’s $20 million-dollar knees. Rose sat out for nearly two seasons due to a torn ACL in his left knee and a torn medial meniscus in his right.
After having a healthy and productive thus far, Rose chose to sit out a few games because he was concerned about the long-term effects of a grueling NBA season on his body. These comments sparked a reaction throughout the sports world last week and even garnered a few negative comments from perpetually opinionated Charles Barkley, according to Sportingnews.com.
When asked about the issue, Loyola sports fans provided mixed opinions. Alejandro Lechuga, a junior and marketing major, thought that Rose’s decision was a bad one. “It’s selfish,” said Lechuga. “He is a great player and the team really needs him, even if he is not 100 percent.”
Alex Frachon, a sophomore and business major, elaborated on what Lechuga said. “Athletes have feelings like that all the time, especially in physical leagues like the NFL and the NBA. You can’t say things like that, it hurts the locker room, the team and the fans. As unfortunate as it is, fans don’t care about a player’s health, they care about results.”
Some students displayed signs of sympathy through the lamentations surrounding Rose’s decision. Devin Sullivan, a sophomore and marketing major, thought that Rose was not entirely in the wrong.
“Yeah, it’s pretty lame that he makes all that money and sits but he’s a person too, not just an athlete,” Sullivan said. “There’s a long time after players retire. Their bodies can only handle so much, and they probably want to walk when they’re 40.”
Despite his comments, Rose is playing respectably for his first season back averaging 18.0 points, 5.4 assists, and 2.8 rebounds per game. The Bulls’ next game is against the Portland Trailblazers at 9:30 p.m. Friday.
