A Fellow 'South Sider' Congratulates Derrick Rose for a Well-Deserved MVP Title

COMMENTARY | Those of us who grew up in "South Sides" understand what Derrick Rose talked about when he received the NBA's Most Valuable Player trophy. My South Side was not entirely like Derrick Rose's, but had enough similarities I could relate.

Sam Smith has posted an article at the Bulls.com website titled "Rose is Most Valuable Player -- and person."

Rose has beaten the odds. What are those odds? No one knows the exact numbers, but a child in a one-parent family in a savage environment starts out with a lot of strikes against him.

Rose has three older brothers who protected him from gangs. I know that if a guy is a sports player, especially a good one, the gangs tend to leave him alone. So it was in Rose's case.

What I would want to add from my own experience that perhaps is not often talked about is the prejudice that is not only racial but against those in poverty. Unfortunately, people sometimes make the mistake of thinking people are poor because they choose to be but; is a major error of thinking.

Derrick Rose's childhood makes me think of a true story.

My church had a week when we had those who were homeless stay in the foyer of the main building on cots. The group was about 30 strong. One man went to the soda machine and paid $1 for a soda. One of the church workers freaked out. Their logic was that a poor person had no business spending an entire dollar on soda. My thought is, if anyone has the right to, the poor do. This is the thinking Derrick Rose understands.

That is why he got tears when thanking his mom. She held down numerous jobs to support Rose. While she was doing that, Rose's brothers made sure he towed the line. They made sure he got to practice and, most importantly, stayed out of trouble.

Rose is one of the very, very few who got out of his "South Side." I'm sure part of his acceptance speech put him in mind of those who have not escaped, which is why he spends so much time giving back to the community.

Rose wowed the NBA for the 2010-11 season, and for that he has been named MVP. However, he knows his accomplishment represents much, much more than that.

Reference:

Chicago Bulls' Website, Sam Smith, "Rose is Most Valuable Player -- and person"