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. Lance Berkman Astros Jersey . 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." Gerrit Cole Astros Jersey . Bayern winger Franck Ribery marked his league return after recovering from a cracked rib by scoring two goals and setting up two more as the league leaders inflicted the heaviest home defeat on Bremen in the Bundesliga. Dean Deetz Jersey . 8 Sergio Parisse for its penultimate Six Nations match against Ireland at Lansdowne Road. https://www.cheapastros.com/303o-joe-smith-jersey-astros.html . Luke Wileman and I stood in the corridor outside of the Vancouver Whitecaps dressing room at BC Place in Vancouver.EDMONTON -- Fresh off her second Olympic gold medal and a practice with the NHLs Edmonton Oilers, goaltender Shannon Szabados will join the Columbus Cottonmouths of the Southern Professional Hockey League next week. The Cottonmouths announced Friday the team intended to sign the Edmonton goalie. Szabados would be the first female to play in the 10-team SPHL since its formation 10 years ago, the team said. Its been an eventful two weeks for Szabados, who backstopped the Canadian womens hockey team to Olympic gold Feb. 20 in Sochi. "When I got home from Sochi, I thought Id be hanging my stuff up for the summer, but definitely excited to get over there," Szabados told The Canadian Press. "Theres three guys that I played college with that play on this team in Columbus and theyve been bugging me for a couple of years to go there." "I had never talked to their head coach and he called me yesterday. Honestly, I thought he was calling to ask me if I would want to go there next year. It happened a little fast, but Im excited." Szabados made 27 saves in Canadas 3-2 thrilling overtime win over the U.S. to defend the gold in Sochi. She posted a 28-save shutout over the Americans in the womens Olympic hockey final in 2010. But the 27-year-old has spent the majority of her hockey career in mens leagues. She played for Sherwood Park, Bonneyville and Fort Saskatchewan during her four years in the Alberta Junior Hockey League. Szabados was named the AJHLs top goaltender in 2006-07 after helping Fort Saskatchewan to a league-best record of 45-11-0-4. She then spent five years in Alberta mens college hockey with Grant MacEwen and then NAIT. She set a league record in 2012-13 for the lowest goals-against average (1.58) and her NAIT Ooks won their first championship in 16 years. Szabados stopped 30 of 31 shots in the final game. Cottonmouths captain Kyle Johnson, forward Jordan Draper and defenceman Andy Willigar are her former NAIT teammates. She suspects they paved her road to her first pro tryout. "Probably the guys had a lot to do with it," Szabados said. "It probably made the coach feel a little more at ease with the situation." Szabados will head to Columbus on Wednesday and will be introduced at a news conference the following day prior to a game at home against the Pensaccola Ice Flyers. Carlos Beltran Astros Jersey. Winnipegs Andrew Loewen is the starting goaltender for the Cottonmouths "I am very excited to get a world-class athlete that has competed and has faced, high-pressured situations," Cottonmouths head coach Jerome Bechard said in a statement. "She won a championship with NAIT last year alongside Andy Willigar and Jordan Draper so I know she can compete at this level," Bechard said. "We are working on her immigration, and we are looking to sign her officially Thursday, where she will be backing up Loewen. "She will play when she feels comfortable and situated." The Cottonmouths are 23-22-3 and rank seventh in the league. Szabados participated in an Edmonton Oilers practice Wednesday. The Oilers were short a goalie on trade deadline day awaiting the arrival of Viktor Fasth from Anaheim. Szabados is grateful for that practice now because its the only time shes been on the ice since winning Olympic gold Feb. 20. "I havent been in the gym, I havent been on the ice, I havent been sleeping well," Szabados confessed. "Its been a whirlwind. I told (the coach) Im not going to rush into anything. If I dont feel comfortable I might not even play at all this year. "I want to go there and get on the ice and see how I feel. I still have to unpack from Sochi and pack for this. Im not too worried. Its only been two weeks." No woman has ever played in an NHL regular-season game. Goaltender Manon Rheaume became the first to play in an exhibition game with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 1992. Canadian womens star Hayley Wickenheiser has played as a forward in mens leagues in Finland and Sweden. The SPHL also includes the Bloomington Thunder, Fayetteville FireAntz, Huntsville Havoc, Knoxville IceBears, Louisiana IceGators, Mississippi RiverKings, Mississippi Surge and Peoria Rivermen. Szabados is accustomed to joining male teams. She believes her former Ook teammates will help her settle into the Cottonmouths locker room. "With having those three guys that Ive played with and since this has happened, at least a handful have tweeted at me and reached out to me," she said. "The older Ive gotten, the easier the transition has been to a new team. Im honestly not worried at all. They seem like a good group of guys." ' ' '