Jan 24, 2013; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo (9) brings the ball up court during the third quarter against the New York Knicks at TD Banknorth Garden. The New York Knicks won 89-86. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

Dear Rajon,

How we miss you so. It seems like just yesterday we were all preparing for you to take over the lead for this team. We were ready for the future–ready for Rajon to lead us to the promised land.

Then, on that day, that awful, dreadfully cold January day we found out that we lost you. January 27th is now regarded as the day that uncertainty took over. We thought you were fine–we thought it was just the hamstring.

When we found out it was more, we were left heartbroken. We lost our map and were left with no direction. There was no North, South, East or West–only forward. That’s all we could do.

We didn’t know what was in our near future. Was this the end of the Garnett era in Boston for certain? Were Paul Pierce’s days as a Celtic numbered? These were all questions that we were anxiously awaiting the answers to–most of them are still unanswered, honestly.

We didn’t know how our future would look in the long term or the short term–some even thought that we were better off without you after a few quick wins. Oh, how wrong they were, Rajon. How wrong they were.

We found that out in the playoffs where the Celtics team that needed to be freed from you so much couldn’t complete a post-entry pass against the New York Knicks. This same team that could barely muster up 90 points with you certainly could not do it without you when the game slowed down even more.

On a team that yearned for offensive consistency, you were the most consistent threat. You were the bandage that slowed the bleeding, and when you fell off the wound completely reopened. There was only  a quick fix, but it couldn’t be stopped–only slowed.

Look, your flaws have been well documented over the past few years. You aren’t a great shooter–though you have improved your midrange game immensely. You only make your free throws 65% of the time and sometimes, you can be a bit crazy. But you are still our point guard.

You are the cog that makes the offense go–11.1 assists don’t manifest by osmosis. Your turnover to assist ratio was almost 3-1 and taking into account how much you dominate the ball, quite frankly that’s amazing.

You are one of the most enigmatic players in the association currently. No one else can endear himself in the hearts of fans while destroying children in a game of Connect 4.

You are the future of this Boston franchise in one way or another. Every year your name will likely be thrown into trade conversation just as it was this year. But you should know that, as fans, we have your back. We appreciate you for what you are even if that is a flawed, yet skilled, and very quirky point guard.

You may be the antithesis of today’s average NBA point guard, but what does that mean if you are productive? Your skills provide merit in your role–you don’t need to be something that you aren’t.

At the end of the day, Rajon, you are all that we have and there doesn’t seem to be much better on the horizon. Hopefully the organization can get some decent pieces around you in the very near future so we can watch you compete for championships again.

As I’m sure you already know, there is nothing like playoff Rondo or national television Rondo. Who else can have nearly a triple 20 game  on the highest level of basketball? Who else has 20 assist games and comes out of them with a sense of angst and dissatisfaction? You are a point guard among point guards–a player among players. You are special no matter what anyone says and you need to be appreciated.

Jan 24, 2013; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo (9) puts up a shot while guarded by New York Knicks center Tyson Chandler (6) during the third quarter at TD Banknorth Garden. The New York Knicks won 89-86. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

So many times this season before his ACL injury, Rajon Rondo was questioned for how much he actually cared about the Celtics. When they were hovering around .500 and Rajon put up some duds, his competitive drive was greatly questioned.

Well, after a Lee Jenkins profile on Rajon Rondo in Sports Illustrated’s magazine, there’s no questioning his competitive edge now. He’s the league leader in assists and is extremely passive, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to win in everything. Especially Connect Four.

Jenkins profile hasn’t hit the web yet, but its a great read. It delves into topics like Rondo’s childhood, why he acts the way that he does, and where his competitive edge comes from. What I found most entertaining about it was his affinity for Connect Four and how he dealt with a loss to a child.

Sure, it was a small game of Connect Four, but Rajon rarely loses at these. Take a look at these quotes from Jenkins’ profile. These quotes were grabbed from Andrew Sharp of SB Nation.

The Celtics didn’t want to change Rondo when he arrived, but they didn’t want to him either. So at charity foundations he perched behind a folding table where he could avoid the back-slapping, baby-hugging and other standard forms of celebrity fakery. He just played Connect Four, against anybody who dared, usually two grids at a time and sometimes three. “This has been going on for six years,” Matt Meyersohn, the Celtics’ director of community relations, said on Dec. 22 during an event at the Blue Hill Boys & Girls Club in Dorchester, Mass. “He’s played hundreds of Connect Four games, maybe a thousand. And he’s never lost.”

Later that day Rondo sat behind a table and three girls. Across from him there were more than 100 children he had showered with bikes, Razor scooters and iPod Touches that he bought at Target and distributed from the back of a U-Haul. “I thought he might let us win,” said a 12 year-old named Olissa. “But he was so serious.” [...]

Olissa was the last challenger. He stared back at Rondo through wire-rimmed glasses. He clenched teeth covered with braces. He initiated what he called a trap, forcing Rondo to the right side of the grid, putting him on the defensive. When Olissa dropped the winning disk, Celtics officials started to shout. Meyerson grabbed the microphone. “This has never happened!” he bellowed. [...]

Rajon cares about winning. Maybe to a fault. Maybe this is why he isn’t the most likeable star in the NBA. He’s beating children in Connect Four for his entertainment. All of the trollage here folks. It doesn’t get any better. But wait, it does! After that this is what Rondo had to say.

“I can’t believe it,” [Rondo] said. “But did you notice I played the guy five more times and won them all? I had to show him, ‘You beat me, I’ll beat the s*** out of you.’”

There you have it folks. PR destroyer and Boston Celtics ultra-competitive point guard Rajon Rondo. How fun is that?

April 7, 2011; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose (1) dribbles against Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo (9) during the second half at the United Center. The Bulls beat the Celtics 97-81. Mandatory Credit: Rob Grabowski-USA TODAY Sports

Derrick Rose had an extensive interview with USA Today that was released earlier this morning. In it, he talked about the timetable of his return, the pace at which he’s going, and how he’ll look upon his return.

Here are a few quotes from Rose:

“I don’t have a set date,” Rose told USA TODAY Sports on Monday in his first extensive interview since the 2012-13 NBA season began. “I’m not coming back until I’m 110%. Who knows when that can be? It can be within a couple of weeks. It could be next year. It could be any day. It could be any time. It’s just that I’m not coming back until I’m ready.

“Right now, probably in the high 80s,” he said. “Far away. Far away.”

“I know it’s going to be something good. With all this hard work I’ve been putting into my game, I’m doing stuff I never did before. I gained 10, 11 pounds of muscle. I don’t know what type of player I’m going to be. I just know that I’m going to be very good.”

The Bulls still don’t have a set timetable for Rose’s return and that’s a good thing. They’re being patient with him and letting him come back on his own pace.

Its not like the Bulls need him right now, either. They’re fourth in the Eastern Conference and only a half game back of the Indiana Pacers for the Central division. They’re in prime position to advance in the playoffs–maybe even the Conference Finals–without him.

The addition of Derrick Rose would only be a plus for the Bulls, but they don’t need him to prosper right now. Being patient is the best route for them to go.

Hopefully the Celtics have the same patience with Rajon Rondo and maintain patience through whatever rehab he has. They haven’t determined whether or not surgery will be needed for his partially torn ACL at this point.

Rondo shouldn’t feel the need to be rushed back regardless of the Celtics’ record at the end of the season–even if its possible for him to make a return. At that point he would be a liability for the Celtics on the floor instead of helping them at all. That’s what you don’t want when dealing with a major injury.