Kudos to Rose, Durant for their compassion and caring
Just when you think that the common man doesn't have a lot in common with today's athletes, you see two superstars step up this week and show their compassion and a caring attitude.
The Bulls' Derrick Rose returned to his old neighborhood in Englewood to attend the funeral of a 14-year-old girl, Endia Martin, who was senselessly killed over a facebook dispute.
Rose's message rang loud and clear - not about him as a basketball player, but as a regular guy who felt sadness and wanted to show his support to the people and area where he grew up.
I've taken plenty of shots at Rose, but he deserves credit for being there. It's this type of behavior that speaks volumes about his character as a man.
Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma Thunder and recently named NBA MVP, is the other athlete who impressed everyone this week with his acceptance speech. After receiving the prestigious award, he thanked every teammate individually and countless others.
But he saved the best for last - his mom. Durant's words and emotion were genuine and moving. If you haven't seen it, you should. Google it and watch. Durant didn't use any notes, but his sincerity and words showed how gracious he is.
Maybe most athletes are the same way, but we rarely get a glimpse of that side of them. So a tip of the cap to Derrick Rose, who was there for his neighborhood, and to Kevin Durant for being smart enough to know you don't go it alone.
Kerr a hot commodity:
I've known former Bulls player Steve Kerr for a long time, and he's one of the nicest and classiest guys in all of sports.
Kerr was the general manager of the Phoenix Suns, and truthfully I don't think a lot of folks miss him there. But it appears now if you want to be a head coach or executive in the NBA, the best way for a former player to gain entry to that coveted world is through the broadcast booth. From Mark Jackson to Doc Rivers to Doug Collins and others, TV has helped many secure NBA jobs. I guess Kerr's position as color analyst for TNT gives him all the experience required to be a coveted head coach candidate. With Mark Jackson recently out at Golden State, Kerr's name is popping up as a potential replacement - in addition to the New York Knicks coaching job under Phil Jackson and possibly even the vacant job with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The funny thing is, do we know if Kerr can even coach? But it seems that Steve Kerr is hot, the question isn't if he will be a good coach, but where will he coach next year?
I guess it's all because he has been a TV star. Good luck, Steve.
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