Derrick Rose

EA Sports may have found the best time to put a player on a video game cover. The company announced Tuesday that Derrick Rose, who is recovering from knee surgery and may not play until the middle of next season, will be on the cover of "NBA 2K13. " Does that mean the Bulls superstar will be immune to the "cover curse" that seems to befall so many athletes? Bulls fans can only hope so. As for the L.A. Clippers' Blake Griffin and Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant, who share the "2K13" cover with Rose, they're probably crossing their fingers as we speak.

Unfortunately, it seems as if the shortened, crammed, whirlwind strike season of 2012 will bear out some nervous nellies' worst fears because this year's NBA playoffshave been defined by exhaustion and injury. The Knicks' promising rookie Iman Shumpert was first (and point guard Baron Davis would follow mere games later). Zach Randolph's stunted season and middling performance is likely the reason the Memphis Grizzlies kept failing to put away the Clippers late in winnable games. Now Chris Bosh has gone down indefinitely even though the Heat really shouldn't need him to get out of the crippled Eastern Conference.

Jason Azul could probably run a Bulls gift shop right out of his apartment. Step inside his "man cave" in the South Loop, and you're greeted with Bulls pictures, jerseys, action figures, bobbleheads and even a doll. "I've been embarrassed to have Derrick Rose sign it," said Azul, 27, of the 18-inch Derrick Rose doll that retails for around $300. "I tried to get my girlfriend to get him to. It's definitely a slippery slope. It might be a little embarrassing but you have to collect something.

Welcome to the graveyard. Nice quote by Kyle Korver after Derrick Rose went down: "God does his best work in life's graveyards. " I guess my response would be: "If you find yourself in a graveyard, stop digging. " I have no idea what that means but it sounds pretty cool. For the Bulls, I'm afraid the title hopes are done. But the season is far from over. Stay with me. The old Bulls only became great by having to overcome the Pistons - as a team. These Bulls will have to learn to be great without Rose - pure and simple.

When Derrick Rose went down with a torn ACL in Saturday's playoff-opening game at the United Center against Philadelphia, sports talking heads were near unanimous in their declaration that the Bulls could not win a championship without their superstar point guard. Fans, while perhaps dubious, pledged their support, believing the Bulls can persevere as they did when they went 18-9 during the 27 games Rose missed during the regular season. Tuesday night began the test of those two competing lines of thought.

18-9 That's the oft-uttered record Bulls fans are clinging to as Game 2 vs. Philadelphia looms. The Bulls fared well with Derrick Rose out for 27 games during the regular season, thanks in large part to backup point guards C.J. Watson, John Lucas III and, to a lesser extent, Mike James filling the void. Now, things are much different with Rose out for the remainder of the postseason with a torn ACL. The stakes are higher. The competition's tougher. The margin of error much smaller.

The NBA Playoffs got off to an unfortunate start this weekend with major injuries to key players, including a torn ACL for last year's MVP. Bulls superstar point guard Derrick Rose suffered a season-ending injury with 1:10 left in the fourth quarter of Game 1 against the Philadelphia 76ers. I hate to be cold-blooded, but if the Bulls were a smart organization they would trade Rose immediately this off-season. Let's dispatch with a few obvious points before we get into the meat of this very unpopular opinion.

"No one knew how serious the injury would be or how quickly the foot might heal. Early on, there was talk of six to eight weeks, but that optimism faded quickly. Suddenly Michael Jordan was being forced to sit out virtually an entire season as he rehabilitated his foot. The loss was singularly frustrating, for playing was his principal source of joy, and it gave him his sense of identity …" --From "Playing For Keeps," David Halberstam Well that sucked. For so many reasons, and for so many people, starting of course with Derrick Rose, who in one foul misstep was stripped of his livelihood.

Calm down, everyone. The Bulls' season isn't over just because Derrick Rose's is. Until eternity, "The Decision" in Chicago will no longer involve LeBron James and ESPN but rather Tom Thibodeau's move to leave Rose in a game seemingly already decided. It's a decision that could wind up costing the Bulls a seventh title. It was also - unquestionably - the right call, despite what armchair coaches have spent the weekend saying. With 1:22 left and the Bulls up 12, the best player to wear the red and black since Michael Jordan drove to the hoop like he's done thousands of times.

Great dynasty. I blinked and missed it. So long, Blackhawks. Since winning Lord Stanley's Cup, you've won zero playoff series. That's one less than one. In two seasons. Um, changes please. Our stars didn't show up. Our kids played well but not well enough, and our goalies are good, not great. Someone has got to go, and I vote for one of the Patricks. Sharp or Kane, you choose, Stan Bowman. Maybe trade some of those kids for a stud goalie. Not a major blow-up. Just a tweaker.