The MVP. The three time NBA All-Star. The first overall pick. Injured. It seemed too familiar.

When Derrick Rose, point guard for the Chicago Bulls, tore the meniscus in his right knee, the city of Chicago was in a somber state of disbelief. Ruled out for the season, all hope seemed to be lost for the Bulls. Rumors of “tanking” swirled through the streets of the Windy City. Head Coach Tom Thibodeau was said to be on his way out amidst tensions with the team’s front office upon the trade of All-Star forward Luol Deng. The Chicago Bulls appeared to be in complete turmoil.

Enter Joakim Noah, Chicago’s knight in shining armor. The All-Star center had always been the spirited, tenacious, high-energy player that fans grew to adore. But this season, Noah became something much more important: a role model.

Each day, millions of Americans play sports. Part of what draws in so many people are the thrill and true beauty behind sports. The thrill and beauty stems from one simple concept, the “upset.”

When an opponent is viewed as superior, people tend to go into sporting events with the preconceived notion that their team will lose, therefore straying from the positive attitude athletes should have. This attitude frequently appears at both the high school and youth levels. With underdogs come these “upsets,” where David takes down Goliath. But Cinderella stories do not just happen. Student-athletes need to be mentally strong enough to always stay competitive because, otherwise, the excitement of doing the improbable would be impossible.

In high school athletics, “upsets” seem to occur less often than they do in collegiate and professional sports. That is not a result of the level of play, but rather from the troubled mindset of certain athletes. Hypothetically, if a below average Glenbrook North basketball team were to play the top ranked team in the state, the players should enter the game with the same confidence they would have if they were playing a winless team. When a game starts, both teams are tied at 0-0. Past records do not matter, but the intensity brought through next four quarters does matter.

Noah could have nonchalantly played his way through the season, aiding in the Bulls’ rebuilding process like millions of fans would have liked, but that is not Noah’s style. His immense intensity makes him the perfect role model for student-athletes worldwide.

So while Goliath continues to emerge victorious due to David’s lack of confidence and motivation, turn your head to the guy running around the United Center floor with the ponytail, the epitome of constant energy. That guy is busy making something out of nothing.