CHICAGO -- Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose says hes still recovering from knee surgery and vows to show sitting out last season was the right decision. In an interview posted Wednesday on the teams website, Rose said he had to be selfish in his rehab as he tried to work his way back from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee even though sitting out was "one of the hardest things Ive had to go through in my life." "Im not a selfish guy at all, but having this injury and going through what I had to go through and being smart, its something that I had to be selfish with," he said. "I couldnt worry about anyone else but myself and my health." He thinks fans who questioned him will realize sitting out was the right call once they see him playing again. "I think me going on the court and showing them and letting them know it was the right decision," he said. Rose hasnt played since he crumbled to the court near the end of the 2012 playoff opener against Philadelphia, sending the top-seeded Bulls to a first-round exit. He had surgery on May 12 that year, and his doctor said the recovery would probably take about eight to 12 months -- the final stage being playing in games. Rose practiced without restrictions the last few months of the season but never suited up for a game even though he had medical clearance. He and the Bulls never publicly ruled out a return, either. Without him, Chicago clawed its way to 45 wins and knocked out the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the playoffs before bowing out to the champion Miami Heat. They were particularly banged up during the post-season, with players fighting through injuries and illnesses and Rose serving as a spectator. The Chicago product saw his image taking a hit, with analysts such as Charles Barkley and Steve Kerr, not to mention some fans, questioning why he wasnt playing. "When youre in practice, of course its not like game-like speed, unless its like training camp," Rose said. "Game-like experience is totally different when you have strategy, this and that, double teams. When I play, I get double-teamed a lot. We play the same defence (in practice) we play in the game, so there wasnt any double-teams. So I was able to roam around freely. And in a game ... I wasnt able to take on that double-team yet. "Every day I was working out like my leg is going to feel better," he continued. "I was pushing myself every day, eating right, trying to take care of my body so that I can be out there as soon as possible. But it didnt happen." Rose insisted he had his teammates support. "They saw how hard I was working in practice, just trying to rebuild my leg," he said. "All my teammates that were going through injuries, they used to tell me dont rush back just because they were going through stuff. So just to hear them say that, they knew I was trying to get back on the court as quickly as possible. They made a huge run at it. When they were playing, I told them things that I saw if they didnt see, or I was just working with them, just to show them I really cared about the team, and like I said they fought for me." Patrice Bergeron Jersey . During the athletes parade, the 23-strong Ukrainian team was represented by a lone flagbearer in an apparent protest at the presence of Russian troops in Ukraines Crimean peninsula. Cheap Bruins Jerseys Authentic . Malkin got tangled up with Detroits Luke Glendening early in the third period and his left skate took the brunt of collision with the boards behind Pittsburghs net. http://www.cheapbruinsjerseys.com/ . Bradwell was scheduled to become a free agent Tuesday. Born and raised in Toronto, Bradwell is entering his sixth CFL season, with all six played for his hometown Argonauts. Kevan Miller Jersey .Y. - Free agent outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, fresh off winning the World Series with Boston, reached agreement with the rival New York Yankees on a seven-year contract worth about $153 million, a person familiar with the negotiations said Tuesday night. Ray Bourque Jersey . "I wrote 36 on my sheet at the beginning of the game," the Cincinnati coach said, referring the yard line the ball would need to be snapped from. BOSTON -- David Ortiz isnt quite finished with the late-inning heroics.The soon-to-retire Red Sox slugger opened his final weekend with yet another game-winning homer, lining a two-run shot into the right-field stands to break a seventh-inning tie and help Boston beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-3 on Friday night.Ive seen it for 10 years: Every time theres a big situation, hes always found a way to come through, said second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who had three hits to reach 201 for the season. Were going to enjoy it, because its pretty special.With his image mowed into the grass in center for the final regular-season series of his career, Ortiz was honored in a pregame ceremony and responded with an RBI single in the first. The Red Sox trailed 3-1 in the seventh when they scored two to tie it and then Brett Cecil came in to face Ortiz.The crowd, which sat through a 25-minute rain delay, rose to its feet chanting Papi! After working the count to 2-1, Ortiz lined the ball past the Pesky Pole for his 38th homer of the season -- and No. 541 of his career.The chants waned slightly before Ortiz popped out of the dugout for a curtain call.On a night that begins a weekend celebration, I dont know that you can write a script for what David did here tonight offensively, manager John Farrell said. Nights like tonight he almost leaves you speechless. ... (He) turned this place upside down.Told that Farrell called it a storybook finish, Ortiz said, I wish that it is.We worked pretty hard to get here, and its working out pretty good, said the 40-year-old slugger, who tied Ken Griffey Jr. and Rafael Palmeiro for eighth on baseballs career list with 1,192 extra-base hits.Devon Travis had three hits, including a pair of doubles, and Jose Bautista homered for Toronto.PENNANT RACESThe Red Sox snapped a three-game losing streak and stayed a half-game ahead of Cleveland in the race for home-field advantage when their playoff series begins next week.The Blue Jays fell one game behhind Baltimore in the wild-card race and are now within range of Detroit and Seattle in the fight for the ALs final postseason berth.ddddddddddddWe needed it. We need every game, Blue Jays starter Marco Estrada said. Were still in it. Were right there.TARP TRAPAndrew Benintendi led off the seventh with a double and Pedroia dribbled one to the third base side. Catcher Russell Martins throw went past first baseman Justin Smoak; the ball got trapped under the tarp down the right-field line and time was called.Benintendi took off for third, and Pedroia scrambled back to first. Toronto manager John Gibbons came out to argue, but things got worse when the umpires awarded Pedroia second base; after some more arguing, Benintendi was pointed home.I picked up the ball, slick ball, turned around and threw it as quickly as I could. It just took off on me, Martin said. I wish I could take it back. I feel like thats a play I can make in my sleep but today it didnt happen.PITCHERSBrad Ziegler (2-3) picked up the win with one inning of scoreless relief after major league wins-leader Rick Porcello failed to pick up his 23rd victory. Craig Kimbrel pitched the ninth for his 31st save.Torontos Joe Biagini (4-3) allowed three runs and four hits in 1 1/3 innings.TRAINERS ROOMToronto: Estrada took an Ortiz liner off the leg in the third inning but fielded the ball and remained in the game.Boston: Farrell said knuckleballer Steven Wright would need two more bullpen sessions before facing live batters and thus was ruled out for at least the first round of the postseason.UP NEXTBlue Jays: Left-hander J.A. Happ (20-4) will start as Toronto tries to hold off Baltimore in the AL wild-card race.Red Sox: Lefty Eduardo Rodriguez (3-7) will make his last regular-season start.---This version corrects to Boston is a half-game ahead of Cleveland instead of a game. Wholesale NFL Womens Jerseys China Womens NFL Jerseys Nike NFL Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys Outlet Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Wholesale NFL White Jerseys Discount Jerseys ' ' '