When pride still matters

Chapter 167 The last dance, but it’s not a good one

This isn't the first time Abi Paulin has seen gods in trouble during the twilight period.

He still remembers old Joe Louis being pinned to the ropes by Rocky Marciano and Joe DiMaggio limping, fat, chasing the ball. ’s Babe Ruth⑴ struggled on tour with semi-pro teams.

⑴The above three people are all sports giants who experienced ominous events in their later years.

For Pauline, Jordan tonight was even more miserable than these three.

Yu Fei didn't leave him any face.

Is Pauline surprised?Of course he wouldn't be surprised. What surprised him was not that Jordan was humiliated on the court, but that the Flyers' charm had disappeared.

With the exception of tonight's game against the Bucks, most of the Wizards' games since the start of the season have featured large swaths of empty seats.Especially in the high-priced season ticket area, those wealthy people who bought season tickets did not show up.The vast swaths of empty seats suggested that wealthy middle-class people thought they had more important things to do than watch Jordan play.

This further undermines the economic impact brought about by Jordan.

In the first season of Wizards, Pauline made a lot of money. Every game night was a carnival for the team and ticket sellers. Ordinary people were willing to spend four to five hundred dollars to buy scalper tickets to take a look at Jordan from a distance. Rich people will snap up Jordan merchandise after the game.For Jordan, they would give everything.This allowed Pauline to make up for the shortfall of the past five years.

However, since Wizards Dan's second season, market demand has been visibly decreasing.

On most nights, MCI's attendance rate does not exceed [-]%.

No matter how many empty seats there are, the Wizards will declare their home court a sellout.Because most of the tickets are sold before the season starts.This is a half-truth figure that does not reflect the decline in Jordan's appeal, but the empty seats at home show that Jordan is no longer a gimmick that will make people take the initiative to come to the scene to watch the game.

Pauline and O'Malley were in a pre-Jordan era situation, and they needed to create new gimmicks to attract fans.

Regardless of Jordan's injury, there are only five games left in the season.

Omari wants to squeeze out the last bit of value from Jordan. Her plan is to use the "Last Flyer" as a gimmick and use ticket packages to market, calling on fans to come to watch Jordan's last few games - although they can't guarantee that Jordan will for subsequent games - and package holders will receive a discount on season tickets for the 2003-04 season.

"I have no objection," Pauline said flatly.

After getting this sentence, Omari set out to do it.

Later, Pauline and Unseld walked to the Wizards' locker room together.

Even though the team suffered a frustrating defeat and their playoff prospects were destroyed by Yu Fei, he still went to the locker room to boost the morale of the players.

When Pauline walked into the locker room, it smelled of sweat and the atmosphere was as cold as a murder scene.

Jordan was being cared for by Tim Grover, and not a single player welcomed Pauline's arrival.

Unseld stepped forward and said, "Mr. Pauling would like to say a few words to you."

Paulin walked towards Jordan and looked at his current appearance - there was a bandage on his eyebrows, his sprained knee was receiving ice. The reality of being beaten by Yu Fei bothered him, and doubts about trading Yu Fei would follow him.

Pauline stared at Jordan, and Jordan stared at him. The two sides remained in a stalemate like strangers for a few seconds.

"I'm proud of you." Paulin's tone was gentle.

Jordan said sarcastically: "Abby, save it, this team is not worthy of your pride."

Whether in public or private, Unseld would call Pauline "Sir," and Jordan would simply call him "Abby."It reflects the difference between a long-time executive who still sees himself as an employee and a superstar who has set his sights on lofty goals.

Pauline was annoyed by Jordan's display of disrespect but didn't show it on his face and simply informed him of O'Mary's plan.

Jordan expressed surprise that Pauline was using his name to make money in every possible way. After a few seconds of silence, he said: "The extent of my injury is unknown. In any case, I will not be like a clown in the circus." At the end of my career, I don't need to say 'goodbye' to anyone."

When Jordan showed a stronger personality in front of his boss, the players on the scene only lost respect for Pauline.

Poulin suppressed his anger, stopped pursuing the topic, exchanged pleasantries with Jordan, then looked at Collins and reiterated how proud he was of the team.

The problem is, "I'm proud of you" sounds particularly harsh after an undignified defeat.

Jordan's attitude of being superior to Pauline caused players to generally lack respect for Pauline.

When the Wizards won, Pauline never walked into the locker room and said that.

Now they've suffered their worst defeat of the season and Poulin says he's proud of the team?
Everyone acted aloof and no one was inspired.

The reactions illustrate a reality: The players don't see themselves as part of the same team as their owners, let alone Pauline as a team leader or parent.Pauline is just a guy who paid them to play in this jersey.This is also the key point that Jordan hopes to make his players realize. When they are running and sweating on the court and striving to win, Pauline is just an insignificant bystander. This is his team, but it is not just his team. .Now he comes here and says "my team" as if to show that he has the highest authority over the team.

But the confrontational stance adopted by Jordan clearly proves that as long as Jordan is still here, he does not have such power.

Paulin couldn't tolerate this.

He owns the team but can't be welcomed into the locker room?The jerseys, big-screen TVs, medicines, trainers, club attendants, players and coaches were all bought with his money. Why can't he be respected when he enters the locker room?
Pauline walked out of the locker room with uncontrollable anger. When he was far away from the room, his anger exploded uncontrollably: "Enough! I've had enough of this! I don't care who he is, he can't take it away. My power!"

"Whoever he is!" Pauline yelled at Unseld with a hateful vampire look, "Something is coming to an end!"

Unseld followed Paulin anxiously outside MCI.

A tabloid reporter recognized them and asked, "Mr. Pauline, how do you think Michael performed tonight?"

Paulin, who wanted to cut Jordan into pieces, said kindly: "Michael's performance is very good, very outstanding, I am proud of him."

"What about Frye? He scored 60 points in MCI. Such Frye could have led us into the playoffs. If it happened again, would the team still trade him?"

Paulin's expression seemed unchanged, but his eyes became extremely sharp at a certain moment.

"We may have made a deal that had little effect." Paulin's tone became lower. "This is regrettable."

So, who is responsible?

Pauline glanced back at MCI, then left.

The reaction from the media and public opinion circles the next day was explosive.

The New York Times ran this headline: "Frye scored 60 points in three quarters at MCI last night. This is the first time anyone has accomplished this feat since Wilt Chamberlain!"

The Washington Post tried to be on the side of justice, writing this headline: "Frye's big night ends DC's playoff hopes."

The Washington Times, never one to be kind to Jordan, would not miss this opportunity: “It only took Frye a year to prove that last year’s trade was the most horrific thing that has ever happened to the Washington Wizards. !”

As long as it is related to Yu Fei, the "Seattle Times" always has to add a kick: "If winning three consecutive championships twice in the 90s is the reason why MJ is called the best, then Frye's deal is that he should not be called the best. Good reasons.”

Because the contrast is too obvious, several major newspapers that control the direction of public opinion will be considered to be biased towards Jordan even if they only report it as a neutral stance.

Once reality is stated with emotional coloring, Jordan's image will take a major hit.

This time, Jordan's media power failed.

Because journalists from major newspapers cannot change reality.

Then, Reebok went full steam ahead in the public opinion arena.

Yu Fei’s media friends at ESPN also helped.

For a time, Jordan's reputation hit rock bottom.

The afternoon after the game, Jordan's agent David Falk announced that Jordan would most likely not play in the Wizards' final regular season games due to a sprained knee.

In other words, last night's game against the Bucks will most likely be Jordan's last dance as a professional basketball player.

As soon as this incident came out, even Bill Simmons, the "sports man" who always likes to antagonize Yu Fei and kneel down to lick Jordan, couldn't hold back: "If I were MJ, even if I broke a leg, I would fight to the end. A few games. Otherwise, the world will remember his inability to do anything against Frye last night. Michael's legacy has been severely damaged by this comeback. If he quits, we will forget his 1998 total. What he did in the finals, when we see his name again, we'll just remember Frye scoring 60 points on his head! Michael, you really can't do that!"

Almost every Jordan supporter wanted him to play his last few games.

But what they didn't know was that Jordan's knee injury was very serious, and Falk's statement "most likely not" was also based on weighing the pros and cons.If there was a 1% possibility, Jordan would play, but he couldn't.Because there's no way he's actually squirming on the court.

Regardless, he was killed.

Yu Fei's curse became a reality.

He eventually held a retirement ceremony for Jordan at MCI.

(End of this chapter)