How many of you out there are waiting for the sleeping giant to wake up and start terrorizing the villagers? How many of you taught yourself a new victory dance after the 2008 NBA Draft? My guess is that quite a few of you called your non-Bulls fan friends just to taunt them. I would also put money on the fact many of you dug deep into your closets to pull out your old Bulls championship paraphernalia (I know you still have it, because I still see people holding on to faded T-shirts reminding us of the days when Jordan, Pippen, and even B.J. Armstrong ruled the entire NBA).

The days leading up to the 2008 NBA Draft were exciting, and I have to admit that I jumped on the Derrick Rose bandwagon. There was a part of me that wanted to be able to grant his wishes and let him come home to Chicago to play for the team he idolized growing up. I would have personally sat down with John Paxson and negotiated a deal for Rose, or at least did my best Ari Gold impersonation and mapped out all the reasons why the Bulls needed a new icon. Needless to say, although Paxson gave the media and fans no inkling where he was headed, he ultimately chose Rose to wear the red and white.

Now is where I interject my disappointment with a hint of anger. For those of you who were looking for another feel-good article regarding your beloved Bulls, perhaps this is where you either remove your Rose-colored glasses or move on to the next article (but I would love to invite you into my world for just a minute).

Here we are at game fourteen, with a win/lose column that reads like a nursery rhyme. If you put the tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle” behind it, your toddler will never know the difference (try it at bed time—“Win-lose, win-lose, little Bulls . . . ”). How fitting that the circus moved the team to the West Coast, we’ve only changed uniforms, and we still have a bunch of clowns (maybe we should have open auditions). Granted, the Bulls could be worse—they could be winless and still strutting around town like we owe them a sacrificial offering.

By no means do I think these guys aren’t capable of being on top; it’s pretty much the exact opposite. The Chicago Bulls have more talent on their team than they seem to know what to do with. The biggest problem is that they have a bunch of individuals trying to play a team sport. The number one draft pick, Rose, is trying to find his way and can’t really look to anyone for guidance. As the true neophyte on the floor, he has found himself in a leadership position but lacks the experience to truly take the reins. His mistakes can be attributed to his youth, but he seems to be looking to help anywhere he can.

The Bulls found themselves up against the Denver Nuggets, who are still adjusting to the loss of Allen Iverson. The first half of the game was like watching a tennis match, back and forth, up and down. The Bulls stayed within reach of taking the lead, drawing fouls and shooting almost perfect free throws. The teams headed to the locker room at halftime with a score of Bulls 54 and Nuggets 58.

After last season, I thought all the Bulls needed was Rose, but look where that prediction got me. What I mapped out for this season is a plan to have veterans step up, rookies know their place (yes that means you, too, Noah!), coaches recognize strengths and weaknesses, and an entire team to learn how to leave their issues in the locker room. We’ve all witnessed the tension between players on the court, and for some reason Scott Skiles got the axe. At the time many thought that was the answer, but what is the excuse today with Vinny Del Negro as the head coach? I’m not one to name names (cough-cough, NOAH), but I’ve seen some noses raised pretty high in the air (snicker, sniffle, GORDON). While this isn’t the root of all their issues, but it’s definitely a major component.

Perhaps it was the force of my thoughts on the game, or maybe I’ll give credit to the coaches, but the Bulls came out of halftime fighting. They evened up the score and had a little pep in their step (or maybe they were high from the altitude). Rose has averaged 19 points in the last five games, and with 5:24 left in the third quarter he had 13, with two rebounds and five assists. By the end of the third, they had clawed their way to the top, ending the quarter with 85 points with the Nuggets just two points behind.

Now I will put my Bulls hat back on, because I don’t want anyone to take my Illinois driver’s license or put my picture up at the United Center like the FBI’s most wanted list. At the beginning of the season, I asked fans to come together and allow the team time to find their way. We still have a long way to go before we start lighting torches and climbing the mountain where the monster resides. The Bulls will turn this around, we have to believe—we just have to! The entire world is watching our city, waiting to see what we’ll do next.

Despite the fact the Bears beat St. Louis (whoopee), we need a Chicago team to shine. Riding the coattails of President-Elect Barak Obama, we’re trying to highlight all things Chicago so we can add the 2016 Olympics to the wall of city highlights at O’Hare International Airport. We’ve got some true heavy hitters making a strong case for the city, such as Oprah, Obama, and even our beloved Michael Jordan. Now, we just need to get behind this team and cross our fingers that they gel together.

By the end of the game, the Bulls seemed to lose their endurance. With one minute left, they found themselves ten points behind. Like so many other games before, the hopes of the fans were shattered. The rug that we (yes I said we) found ourselves gathered upon was quickly ripped from under us by another giant we had failed to watch. Nene Hilario, Chauncey Billups, and Carmelo Anthony all ended the game with 21 points, which towered higher than Gordon’s 28. The Bulls ran out of steam and left the Mile High City with another loss (101-114), and another note for the nursery rhyme.

All I am asking is that players, coaches and fans please remove the Rose-colored glasses and take a realistic look at where we are. If we can put our heads together, we can accomplish anything. I’ve removed mine, and my eyes have adjusted, but it won’t happen overnight. Maybe we can get Will.I.Am to write a crafty song for us, something to sing, get printed on t-shirts and chant at games (hey, it can’t hurt).

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

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