The Derrick Rose Memorial Was Vandalized Which Actually Now Makes It The Perfect Derrick Rose Memorial

BUCKTOWN — Every rose has its thorn, and some thorny basketball fans (or detractors) made quick work of the Derrick Rose memorial Tuesday afternoon.

The memorial appeared Sunday and quickly blew up in sports news and on social media following his most recent knee injury and subsequent surgery Feb. 27.

Artists David Beltran and Brendan Carroll, who created the memorial by pasting the image of Rose and arranging some memorabilia that other fans later added to, rallied supporters to help restore it with a Facebook page Tuesday.

Beltran said he had “no idea” why someone would tear it down, but he started hearing about it on Twitter after people went to visit the memorial.

“It kind of bothered us a little but it started becoming a public participation piece,” he said, adding that people want to help put it back together.

…

I know these artists are upset that someone vandalized their Derrick Rose memorial but isn’t a sad, half built, half vandalized memorial exactly what it should be? That picture right there is one homeless man in a sleeping bag away from the perfect encapsulation of the Bulls the past 3 years. A few good times, a few roses scattered about, a glimmer of something, but at the end of the day, the constant reminder that you’re still living underneath the highway and it will probably be a long time until you change your lot in life. A vandalized tribute to Derrick Rose makes all the sense in the world. If you had told me the reverse, that Picture 2 was the initial tribute and some asshole came and tidied the place up I would actually believe you more. If you opened up my chest right now, scattered Derrick Rose memorabilia underneath a highway underpass is exactly what you would find. Just leave the MJ candle alone, don’t you dare touch that thing.

… 

…

PS

A stoolie pointed out to me last night that the Bulls are 11 wins a way from my July 10th prediction coming exactly right. Not sure that’s a good thing that we’ve become this predictable.