Kevin Jackman

Every single time I see the uber-cheesy Derrick Rose commercial, the one in the bull-ring with him putting spin moves on the matador with those red sheets and then dunking on a wide open hoop, it reminds me of a very painful reality: we may have to go a year without seeing D.Rose play in a Chicago Bulls uniform. Sure the NBA’s elite will be playing in games during the first two weeks in November, but it just will not be the same as seeing Rose duel it out with Dwyane Wade or Chris Paul in a REAL basketball game.  

This lockout is coming at the most inopportune time for the Chicago Bulls, who figured to be one of the title contenders for the 2011-2012 season. They are right in the midst of their prime years with Rose, Luol Deng, Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah coming together to be a very potent nucleus. Add in the prospect that we  won’t hear Stacey King’s ridiculous commentary along sideNeil Funk, this could be the worst winter in Chicago in a while (though meteorologist were already saying the same thing, different reason, which makes it just that much worst).

It’s not just Chicago however, throughout the country, fans are already beginning to voice their displeasure for the NBA lockout. If it weren’t for football, America (with the exception of John Buccigross and Josh Donohue) might start rioting if hockey was the only thing on TV, they might just join the ‘Occupy Wall Street’ riots.

But here is what I don’t: the NBA seemed like it was at the peak of its popularity last year, with the haters all hating on the Heat and basketball lovers, except Bud Selig, all loving on Dirk Nowitzki. So why do the owners of NBA teams seem so content on wasting away games. This isn’t the NFL here, people aren’t just going to come back to basketball like they did for football. If Stern cancels games through Christmas, they might seriously have some issues on their hand.

Just like I said during the NFL lockout, the owners and players need to sit down and realize that their multi-million dollar contracts aren’t the only thing at stake. They need to start thinking about all the stadium employees, the media members, and the FANS of the game and start making some big boy decisions. Because all I hear right now is Derek Fisher trying to sound like Barack Obama and instead sounding like a tattle-tale, calling the NBA owners a bunch of liars. It goes both ways Derek- you guys tell your side, they tell theirs, neither is the whole truth, or any bit of the truth at all.

So in the interest of Bulls fans and NBA fans everywhere, we ask that you stop threatening to cancel more games David Stern, we ask that you stop having players in sweats and a t-shirt puff their chests out behind you while you talk Derek Fisher, and just get a damn deal done. Because I swear- if I have to write another ten page paper covering the legality of a lockout… you don’t even want to know what will happen.

Last note- we better be seeing Rose fly through the open court and hear Stacey screaming in the background by December, because if that doesn’t happen, the NBA could see some major consequences in the popularity polls.

So helllllooooooo hockey. Let’s just hope the Blackhawks are good this year.