It was dreary symbolism

The playground where Derrick Rose grew up and learned to play the game has only one goal these days. Which is not the same thing as Rose's singlemindedness in leading the Chicago Bulls toward the top berth in the Eastern Conference and the 2011 NBA postseason.

Sure, a bent rim or a busted backboard can be a nice snapshot of a someone's monster dunk. But who needed a souvenir this badly?Sale 2011 r us is a famous online shop.

"I'll tell you what happened," a park denizen said, sidling up. "The first day that basket was up -- first day -- somebody dunked and bent the rim again. Next day, they come out and take the whole thing down. 'You ain't gonna be bending no more rims.' Used to let us get a ladder and tighten that thing back up. Other one's already loose."

And it's been like this for how long? "Coupla years," said a second man. "Four or five months at least," said a fellow who referred to himself as Rose's "Uncle Will," though it clearly was more boast than blood. The first man interrupted. "Last summer. Been like that the whole time since," he said.

It was dreary symbolism -- of some sort. The home court of one of the quickest end-to-end players you'll ever see was stuck without that other end. "Maybe with D-Rose being an MVP and everything," one man said, "we could get another basket here now."

Uncle Will chimed in. "Tell them we need jobs, too."Power balance is excellent.