Joakim Noah tells critics to back off Chicago Bulls teammate Derrick Rose - ESPN Chicago

Or maybe Joakim Naoh should just shut-up. It's great that he comes to the defense of a teammate, but when fans are simply asking "where is the warrior mentality" from somebody who has been marketed to them as a "warrior", IMO that's not totally out of line at all.


from ESPN:
Joakim Noah tells critics to back off Chicago Bulls teammate Derrick Rose - ESPN Chicago:

Noah took a question regarding how much pride he and his team feel being able to win without Rose while so many pundits count them out, and he went off on an emotional defense of his close friend.

"Derrick's a brother," Noah said. "And to see him go through this is tough, but at the end of the day it's really funny how quick people are to judge. But people don't know what it's like to lead a team, especially after you tore your ACL.

"If you tore your ACL and you have to be the starting point guard and have the expectations that Derrick has, then maybe you can judge, but everybody who hasn't been in that situation before should really shut up because I feel like it's just so unfair to him and to this team. We're fighting, and everybody's going to just s--- on somebody who's been giving so much to this organization. It's crazy to me."

'via Blog this'


He's well over the average recovery time for his injury. And his team is travelling further in the playoffs then perhaps anyone imagined without him. That's gotta hurt.

He's perhaps getting bad advice from his agent / manager / brother and or his shoe company to think about yourself at the expense of the team, which is the antithesis of a team player and a leader. To say nothing of being the antithesis of a "warrior" (see below).

Now he's caught between a rock and a hard place after indicating he was going to shut it down and seeing the "other guys" on the team busting their ass trying to win without him. Nice that you want to circle the wagons and protect a brother, but fans have their viewpoint as well.

That's why you guys get the big bucks, you have to deal with the scrutiny in good times and bad times.

It's totally justified for people to wonder "How is he going to lead this team if they win the whole thing without him." Or is he going to all of a sudden miraculously recover in time to be a part of that? Just because you don't particularly like the message, no need to shoot the messengers.

Derrick needs to take a long hard look at who he puts his trust in. He says it's in God, but it appears more like big brother Reggie Rose and Adidas are running ahead in this area. Heck, Adidas wasn't even a Greek god of anything. And it may be time for little brother to step out from behind big brother's over-protectiveness. One wonders exactly what it is that big-brother is protecting. Because he sure isn't doing a great job of protecting his carefully sculpted image here. Which is the job of a good agent / manager.

Good Luck in the playoffs, with or without the distraction of "Is he or isn't he....?".

And instead of telling fans and commentators to shut-up maybe you should tell Derrick that one of the virtues of being a warrior is that of being selfless.

Here's some others you might want to toss into the conversation, courtesy of Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_Social_Cycle

Warriors, or Kshatriya in Sanskrit, have strong bodies, vigorous physical energy and a sharp intellect. Warriors tend to develop the skills that take advantage of their inherent gifts of stamina, courage and vigor. Their mentality is one that is not averse to taking physical risks. Examples of people in our society with the warrior mentality include: policemen, firemen, soldiers, professional athletes, skilled carpenters and tradesmen, etc. They all achieve success through their physical skills and a deep understanding of their profession.

  Esse quam videri - (Latin) To be, rather than to seem.  
It's better to be, rather than to seem. 

Get it? Got it? Good.