All the Help He Needs: The Return of Derrick Rose

It seems like every star in the NBA is relying more and more on another superstar to help carry them to the mountain top. You can make the argument that this has always been the case, and teams for the most part always have needed two superstars, but lets be honest things are getting ridiculous in today's day and age.

The domino's started falling with the Celtics Big 3, who lets face it, were not even in the prime of their careers. So the Miami Heat said, heck, lets actually get 3 players at the top of their game; Enter Lebron, Wade, and Bosh, the most hated men in the league now. The Lakers decide to counter with 3 of their own, Kobe, Dwight, and Nash. And maybe this formula works, and maybe everyone wants what these teams have; everyone except one, #1.

In this league there is only 1 man, 1 player who does not care who is on his team or who is in his way. He does not care who you put with him or in front of him. He does not go crying to ownership for help, nor does he court other players to come join him in his quest. He just plays his heart out every night, and carries his team to win by any means necessary. He takes down anyone in front of him, with anyone who stands with him. He plays for the things professional basketball should be played for, his city, his team, and for a title.

This man is Derrick Rose. And he is coming back. He is the only man in the league that knows he does not anyone else to take out these superstar loaded teams. He just needs himself, his team regardless of who is on it, his will to win, and his city.

The man who had the only legitimate shot at taking out the defending champ Miami Heat is coming back. He is coming back to his city, and he is getting ready to take the league by storm; again. He has a new look team, that no one has on their radar, but that was the same case two years ago, when he called his own MVP winning season, and took his team to the Eastern Conference Finals. He has no other superstar on his team, but a team that trusts that he can take them to the top.

Derrick Rose will definitely need  to get his title. But he has all the help he needs. Its this city. Its his team. and Its himself and his will to win.

He is coming. He needs no other superstar to put him over the top. He can do it on his own. Watch out. You have been put on notice.

The Greatest Team to Ever Wear the Red, White, and Blue: The Story of the 2012 USWNT

One day, later on in life, you may be asked who the greatest team you ever saw compete in the Olympics was. You might be asked what the greatest performance you ever witnessed in the summer games was. And to your mind might come the 1992 Dream Team of Basketball, The 1997 Magnificent 7 of Gymnastics, even the dominance of the USA swim team during in the last decade and a half. But you may never even think of the 2012 United States Women's National Soccer Team (USWNT).

You may never think of the team that captivated not only a nation but the entire world. You may forget that this team delivered one of the greatest games ever played in the "Theater of Dreams", on the legendary pitch of Old Trafford in Manchester. You may even forget that there was a women's soccer tournament at the 2012 Olympics.

But how could you? How could you ever forget the greatness that is the USWNT. How could you ever forget the wild ride that they took a nation, and a world on in the Summer of 2012. How they came back from the brink of elimination, how they squandered both old foes and new, and how most importantly, and undoubtedly, this team changed not only women's soccer, but the game of Soccer as we know it. This team showed that women have a place in this beautiful sport, and how this game can be just as, or if not more fun to watch at its highest levels when ladies take over the pitch.

How could you ever forget this team?

Up until these games, your only image, your only memory of United States Women's Soccer is probably the indelible image of Brandi Chastain scoring the game winning penalty kick for the USA in the 1999 World Cup Final, and subsequently taking her shirt off in celebration. But lets be real. Most dont remember the goal, they remember the celebration.

Let's give you some new images.

This is the team, who in their opening game of the 2012 Olympics fell down 2-0 in their opening game, and all the chatter started. This team fought back in that game, and broke a French side winning 4-2.

This is the team that played the first ever women's international game at Old Trafford in Manchester, England. Arguably the most famous stadium in the world, and beat the North Koreans.

This is the team, who played a fierce Canadian side in the Olympics Semi Finals, and trailed 3 times in the game, but somehow found a way to win.

This is the team, who went into the Olympic Final after playing a grueling 120 minute extra time semi final, against a team who just beat them in the 2011 World Cup Final, but fought out a tough game and bought home the gold for the Red White and Blue.

A team is not only the sum of its parts, but also a representation of a collective effort. A collective effort to win. Of course teams have their stars, and this team has some of the most talented players in the world, but this is a team.

It was a team effort, including a heads up pass from Abby Wambach to a streaking Heather O'Reilly, and a cross, that led to a goal by star USA striker Alex Morgan to put away the Canadians in the equivalent of a last second three pointer in double over-time of a basketball game.

It was this team that helped goal keeper supreme Hope Solo recover from allowing 3 goals in the Olympic semi final, and the same team that was bailed out in the final vs Japan by the same keeper making amazing save after amazing save. These ladies have each others back, literally and figuratively; the true mark of a champion, and a team.

This team battled from deficits, played with the lead, bent in every which way, but never broke. They kept it together. This team is coached by a magician in Pia Sundhage, who keeps them all together, all on the same page.

If you want to see a real team in action just watch one game of these Olympics, preferably the semi finals or finals, not because they won, but so you can see the caliber of competition that this team dismantled.

More importantly than all of this is how eager this team is to spread soccer. They will be returning home for a  10 game tour, to celebrate, hoping to bring soccer to the masses here in the states. They are truly driven to bring this game to the forefront of American sports, for boys and girls a like.

If you want to see the greatest team to ever wear the red, white and blue you dont have to look far. Look at this team. Look at the United States Women's Soccer Team. Because this team is GOLDEN!