Imrem: Common folk don't sympathize with Rose

Chris Janson: ”Yeah, I know what they say … Money can't buy everything … Well, maybe so … But it could buy me a boat.”

That's country music's acknowledgment that most people want to be wealthy and buy a boat or a luxury car or whatever else might be on their shopping list.

Count in Derrick Rose. The Chicago Bulls' point guard talks about how much he is looking forward to hitting the jackpot in his next contract.

What Rose might not understand is that common folk don't want to hear rich folk discuss their income level.

No wonder Rose's latest injury has Bulls fans more concerned about the impact on the team than on him.

Not that anyone is happy that Rose's broken face had to be operated on Wednesday. Nor is anyone happy that he has suffered one damaged body part after another since being the youngest MVP in NBA history.

It's just that it's too hard to direct sympathy toward someone who boasts “I'm great” when he hasn't been in recent memory.

As Joe Louis said anyway,”If you have to tell 'em who you are, you ain't.”

It's also hard to direct sympathy toward someone who is the target of a sexual-assault allegation. Even if Rose did nothing wrong, sex scandals tend to leave a mark.

It's also hard to direct sympathy toward someone who sounds like money supersedes winning. Rose did sound like that Monday after reporting for the Bulls' new season.

Until resolved, the pending sexual-assault case will remain the most troubling issue swirling around Rose.

Still, his quote about looking forward to being a free agent in two years drew as much attention from sports fans.

It's almost as if in response the next day at practice, Fate delivered the elbow that left Rose with an orbital fracture.

Rose is in the middle of contracts guaranteeing him hundreds of millions of dollars in basketball salary and endorsement deals.

Good for him. The Bulls, Adidas and others are paying it and Rose is accepting it. Nobody is going to turn down lottery winnings.

More Janson: “I ain't rich, but I damn sure wanna be … Working like a dog all day ain't working for me.”

Unfortunately, money can buy a boat, but it can't buy common sense.

Derrick Rose might want to start demonstrating a little more humility for his good fortune and indicating a lot less that he and his family need more financial security.

My reaction to Rose's proclamation was similar to one I had a couple of decades ago.

Michael Jordan, already a multi-multi-multi-millionaire, was quoted in an in-flight-magazine story that he too wanted to provide more financial security for his family.

Crammed into coach, I couldn't comprehend how much money Jordan was talking about, and I had a decent job that paid more than minimum wage.

Now, workers are staging public demonstrations in an effort to persuade employers to pay them $15 an hour.

Many of these people are Bulls fans who admired the player Rose was and want to sympathize with him over the injuries that prevented him from remaining that player.

They likely don't begrudge Rose his wealth, but they likely don't want to hear that enough isn't enough.

Sympathy is earned, young man; it isn't a birthright even for a former MVP in the NBA.

More Janson: ”I wish I had a rich uncle that kicked the bucket … And that I was sitting on a pile like Warren Buffett.”