UPDATE: The first Return of Derrick Rose Video from ADIDAS is now available! – This article must be prefaced with a simple statement: I love Derrick Rose. At Flapship, we try to not let our personal preferences when it comes to sports ooze through in the writing. You can’t cater to all audiences while also typing “I heart Bulls!” or “Go Bears!” in every post. That’s just silly.

I love Derrick Rose

There, I just did it again. You can imagine my dismay as the Chicago Bulls capped a dominant Game 1 performance against the Philadelphia 76ers in the opening round of the NBA Playoffs last season when Derrick Rose went down, untouched, with a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament. His ACL exploded, and the city of Chicago went into a deep depression. That was on April 28, less than 4 months ago.

Now, looking back, and watching Joakim Noah go down with a horrific ankle injury just days later, it’s obvious the Bulls’ chances at a title were slim, despite securing the best record in the NBA for a second straight season. The Miami Heat were too good this season, and getting past them and then past the Oklahoma City Thunder in back-to-back series would have been impossible.

But in that moment? Man, did that injury suck for every NBA fan. It was such a devastating injury that Derrick Rose, the reigning league MVP, will miss much of the 2012/2013 season, if not all of it. He certainly missed the 2012 Summer Olympics (USA secured Gold just yesterday), where he would have started at point guard. It always sucks when any sports league loses a young superstar to such a horrific injury. One of the most explosive players in the NBA tore his ACL, and the jury is still out if fans will ever see that same player again.

However, one thing has always been certain: Derrick Rose works hard, and he never listens when told he can’t do something. He has been rehabbing his ass off, and is now taking to the social networks to let his fans know what’s up while also giving shoutouts to his Gold Medal-Winning NBA counterparts.

Derrick Rose is on Twitter and working his ass off

There, he finally did it. Derrick Rose (@drose) is finally on Twitter. He joined yesterday to both wish Team USA good luck and to then congratulate them on a surprisingly hard-fought victory. He immediately has over 100,000 followers (something @theflapship would love!), and is apparently there to stay. He (or should we say his marketing team) then updated his Facebook page‘s cover photo to what you see in the lead image on this post. Rose is representing the fact that he’s working hard, and showing fans just that. No one ever doubted this.

This all comes closely following news that broke over the weekend that Derrick won’t be rushed back and will be given plenty of time to heal fully. Chicago Bulls Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf emphatically stated that he won’t allow Rose to return too quickly:

“I’m not going to let him back until the doctors tell me that it’s absolutely safe for him to come back,” Reinsdorf stated.

“The doctors told us that it would be eight to 12 months from the time of the surgery,” Reinsdorf said. “Surgery was the middle of May. That means the earliest possible time he’ll be back would be the middle of January. If it’s 12 months, then he’ll miss the whole season. We just don’t know. The reports are very good. They say he’s ahead of schedule. He’s doing all the rehabbing he’s got to do. We’ll see. In the meantime, I think we’re going to have a pretty decent club.”

Reggie Rose, Derrick Rose’s brother and manager, recently told ESPNChicago that the point guard is walking without a brace and his rehab is ahead of schedule. Reinsdorf said he’s also been told Rose is making progress.

“I’m not going to let him back until the doctors tell me that it’s absolutely safe for him to come back.” – Jerry Reinsdorf

Rose’s former teammate, John Lucas III (now with the Toronto Raptors), has zero doubt that he will return as previously advertised:

“His spirits are good,” Lucas told RealGM in a phone interview on Sunday. “He’s going to come back just like he was before he [got injured]. He’s getting healthier, staying in shape with his rehab.

There is no telling exactly when Derrick Rose will return, but when he does Flapship and fans all around the world will be rooting hard for him. One thing is for sure – the former NBA MVP is putting forth his best effort.