When pride still matters

Chapter 192 Don’t say never

Now that Jordan has fallen and everyone is pushing him, Yu Fei feels a little gloating about his misfortune, but as an aspiring young man in the new era, he will also think about why a god who was so high yesterday suddenly became a rat on the street.

This reminded Yu Fei of an interesting anecdote he saw when searching for Jordan stories. During the lockout in 1999, Jordan suggested that Pauline sell the team (if he couldn't afford it). This really looked like Jordan. If you can say it, that kind of condescending, "I am absolutely right" and "no one can disobey me" dictatorship.

Jordan seemed to truly believe that as long as he made a judgment about anything in basketball, in any organization, others would follow.

Why is this undoubted dog owner so delusional and arrogant?When Yu Fei saw the national media going all out to criticize Jordan, he realized the crux of the problem.

Maybe not all, but the Fourth Estate bears most of the blame.They have shaped a culture that is uniquely American, and since the days of Babe Ruth, they have been obsessed with making heroes of their stars on the field.They subtly instilled a sense of entitlement in sports stars. As time went on, until the end of the 20th century, people like Jordan began to believe that everything he did was in pursuit of "winning" - broadly speaking, for himself. Earning championship rings, endorsement deals, and industry privileges, if he did something egregious on the court, it was because some competitive impulse fueled his desire.

As for everyone else — teammates, owners, other members of the league, sneaker companies, the media — they are only part of the divine group when he needs them.

Because winning has become the most important norm in sports culture, anything Jordan does—including bullying teammates or insulting business partners or even defying his own boss—has been considered an important means to achieve this norm for many years. .

Therefore, when God's divine power is exhausted, people can only downplay Jordan in the Wizards period by recalling Jordan in his prime years, but Jordan feels that he has never weakened, so he behaves as if he was in his prime in everything.

When the arrogant god cannot face his own position, his fall from the altar will happen in an instant.

When Yu Fei finished his first radio show since the playoffs, his biggest emotion was all about Jordan.

People care so much about Jordan.

So even if the 40-year-old Jordan is driven out of Washington like a lost dog, they still have to waste a precious opportunity to ask him and Jordan-related questions on the radio.

What inspiration can Yu Fei draw from this incident?Never come this far?
Of course he can say that now, but 20-year-old Jordan is not the same person as 30-year-old or 40-year-old Jordan. Will he still view this issue the same way when he is 35 years old?

One day later, Yu Fei and his teammates held a championship celebration on a float in downtown Milwaukee.

For non-local players, this kind of celebration is a post-event celebration.

Because the excitement, satisfaction and excitement of winning the championship were almost vented on the night of winning the championship and the first day after winning the championship. Now I just cooperate with the fans and have fun together.

However, some people who like to be funny will still tell some jokes during their speeches.

The person on the Bucks who took this event most seriously was Sprewell, who was the most passionate in his speech because he was a native of Milwaukee.

Yu Fei was fine. Although he got the most cheers, his speeches were basically official talk that couldn't be faulted.

That night, Yu Fei learned a piece of news from his agent that made his anus tighten.

"Herb Kerr seems to want to sell the Bucks."

"Who is the buyer?"

"You can use your imagination."

"Is it possible that he is an old friend of mine in DC?"

"Haha, you guessed it right."

"WCNM!"

Yu Fei's CPU burned out.

He couldn't understand.The team just won the championship, why does the boss want to sell the team?Why would Jordan want to buy the Bucks?Could it be that BYD wants to buy the Bucks and trade him again?

"I can't understand." Yu Fei said, "We won the championship."

Arn Tellem laughed on the phone and said: "There is nothing difficult to understand. There have been transfer rumors about the Bucks in the past few years. You increased the team's market value by 6000 million in one year, and now the team has won the championship." , the market value will continue to rise, and it is possible that the senator wants to sell it at a high price."

⑴The [-] million mentioned above is internal data.

"However, we have obviously not entered the peak period yet, and the market value will be higher in the future."

"Money is a reason, but not the main reason. The Bucks are a top-notch sports asset in the football area of ​​Wisconsin. Although they won the championship, the popularity and revenue they brought to the Senators may not be as good as the Packers ( NFL) winning streak in the regular season.”

Yu Fei asked: "Do you think he will really sell the team?"

"Not necessarily, even if it is sold, it is unlikely to be sold to MJ." Traim said, "The bottom line for the Senators to sell the team is that the other party must promise to keep the Bucks in Milwaukee, and MJ will definitely keep the team. Moved away. As far as this is concerned, there is no way he can succeed."

This is in line with Yu Fei's understanding.

Although he doesn't understand contemporary NBA history, Jordan should have nothing to do with the Bucks. Shouldn't he be preparing to become the owner of the Bobcats now?
Even if he did something too extreme for someone, causing divine punishment and forcing Jordan to buy the Bucks, Herb Cole still has a bottom line. Well, I believe that a politician has a bottom line.
Yu Fei hung up the call from his agent and looked at his boss who was laughing and chatting at the party. He felt that he needed to communicate with him.

He must convey a message clearly and unmistakably.

If you insist on selling the team to Jordan, don't blame me for requesting a trade.

When Yu Fei proposed to have a private chat with Cole, Cole looked at him and everyone around him backed away.Before Yu Fei could speak, Cole said with a smile: "You want to ask me about the ownership transfer?"

BYD still has a B number?

"I think I have the right to know the inside story." Yu Fei said.

Cole knew very well what Yu Fei wanted to know, so he gave the other party the answer he wanted: "Michael will never become the owner of the team."

Yu Fei wasn't even interested in asking why.

Whether it's because Jordan can't accept Cole's bottom line or for some other reason, as long as it's not sold to Jordan.

However, the owner's tendency to sell the team will also increase instability.

This incident made Yu Fei notice other problems.

For example, during preseason training camp, the Bucks almost lost Michael Redd.

Why?Because if the team matches Reid's four-year, $4 million contract extension, they will trigger the luxury tax.

Although this season is the first year of the luxury tax, the bit of tax triggered by the Bucks has long been earned back by their excellent record this season.

But the team, or rather the seemingly transparent Mr. Senator, thought about it for a long time.

What if in the future, the team needs him to pay a large luxury tax in order to remain competitive?Will he pay it?
"I don't have any problems." Yu Fei didn't want to discuss issues with his boss that seemed to have nothing to do with him. "Achieving such good results this season is inseparable from the strong support of the Senators and the board of directors."

Cole likes Yu Fei, a young man who is measured and polite, completely unlike a high school student who has not received higher education.

Just like the Kobe he saw at an event not long ago.

Who said this group of gentle and thrifty high school players would ruin the NBA?Look, if everyone was like Kobe, the NBA would be a league of gentlemen. If every Bucks player was like Yu Fei, he would be willing to pay millions of dollars in luxury tax every year.

"No, it's mainly thanks to you." Cole also became polite to Yu Fei.

Yu Fei and Cole chatted for a while and then walked away.

The collapse of Jordan and the Wizards made Yu Fei think more seriously about the relationship between players and the team, as well as the rationality of Kobe, Duncan, Nowitzki and others playing for one team for life.

Of course, when thinking about this, it is inevitable to think of James seeking various excuses to change teams again and again in order to stay competitive.

There seems to be no point in arguing about who is right and who is wrong.

Yu Fei tried to think about what it would be like to put the above people in his situation and face a boss like Cole.

Jordan will fall out with him, and James may take the opportunity of this summer's Dream Team game to win over the brothers who are together when their contracts expire. What about Duncan and Nowitzki?It's hard to say, really hard to say.

Yu Fei can't guarantee that Duncan can still be consistent, because he did have the intention to leave the Spurs in 2000.

If Nowitzki hadn't met Cuban, would he have been able to conquer the city by himself?

On the way home, Yu Fei sat in the passenger seat and asked his assistant Clark, "Alex, have I ever publicly said on any occasion that I will play in Milwaukee until I retire?"

Clark froze.

It has been a year since Yu flew to Milwaukee. He has said too many things, but has he said anything similar?
Clark couldn't tell.

"Maybe not."

Yu Fei indeed didn't remember him saying anything similar.

Even when attending an event on behalf of the team and meeting children who asked him if he would retire with the Bucks, he just answered "maybe."

"Fry, why do you suddenly ask about this?"

Lawson asked curiously, not having thought of that obvious possibility since Yu Fei and Buck seemed like a match made in heaven.

"I just suddenly felt that Garcetti (White) was a philosopher, and he was so right." Yu Fei said, "Never say never, I thought I would hate MJ forever, but I don't hate him so much now ”

"Is it because Senator Cole told you that he didn't plan to sell the team to MJ, so you thought about it?"

"Shut up, Tony!" Yu Fei emphasized, "What I mean is that no matter how deep the emotions and beliefs are, as long as time passes, it is just a fleeting reality. Don't say never, never."

"But you just said forever."

"Shut up, Tony!"

(End of this chapter)