The afternoon after Memphis’ destruction of UCLA in the first of Saturday’s Final Four pairings, we might well ask, what fuels a possible No. 1 overall pick like Derrick Rose? Luckily, the Lawrence Journal-World‘s Ryan Green knew exactly who to ask (link courtesy TBL, Hoopinion) :
It wasn’t nerves keeping Derrick Rose from meeting the media Sunday afternoon. The star freshman, known as a shy guy, legitimately had stomach woes. Junior forward Robert Dozier said it should come as no surprise, though, in a relaxed locker room setting just a little while ago.”He just didn™t eat – You don™t eat and your stomach™s supposed to be hurting … He didn™t eat last night or this morning,” Dozier said. “We™ve been having problems with him, making him eat all this year, so it™s nothing major to worry about … He just eats candy and pineapple and syrup. He never really eats real food. Eating grilled cheese sandwiches, things kids eat. He™s 19, he eats like he™s eight … He needs (a food pyramid). Someone needs to put one up in his room.”
Though I’ve not been able to coax a quote out of Jerome James, I’m pretty sure Sid Fernandez would vouch for Rose’s favorite snacks being no obstacle to a lucrative career as a professional athlete. Unless, of course, Dozier meant cough syrup.