The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 497 Chicken Blood
Gan Guoyang's dream of having a concubine shattered in an instant.

Then it dawned on me that I was going to be a father.

The two had previously discussed having a child if they won the championship.

However, unable to resist Wang Fuxi's persistent pleading, she stopped using contraception as the playoffs approached.

After all, pregnancy takes another ten months, and if it's any later, it'll be next year before she wins the championship.

I just didn't expect to win so quickly. Is it really that accurate?
Given that both of them are young, healthy, and genetically compatible, pregnancy should be a quick thing.

Gan Guoyang had mixed feelings; he was happy, but also somewhat lost.

Men are often a little confused about becoming fathers, since it's not something that will happen to them.

But overall, the previous depression and low spirits have been swept away.

He immediately called Larry Weinberger to ask if he wanted to sell the team.

Weinberg arranged to meet him at the golf course in Lake Hill Park.

When Weinberg suggested a face-to-face meeting, Gan Guoyang guessed that the rumor was probably true; otherwise, he would have simply denied it over the phone.

At noon at the golf club, Weinberg and Gan Guoyang said that the Portland Trail Blazers were like his child, and he had nurtured them since their birth, but as children grow up, they will eventually leave.

"Are you really going to sell the team? We're still competing for the championship."

"I don't know who leaked the information. I was planning to announce it to the public this summer, so you could finish the playoffs."

"No wonder you attended almost every game in the second half of the regular season and the playoffs this year. It turns out you were leaving and wanted to take a few last looks."

"Sonny... I'm not... Thank you. You've brought me the greatest joy in basketball these past few years. I still remember when I first bought the team, I was very busy with work and often had to travel to Europe for business. When I was in Europe, there were no TV broadcasts, so I would listen to two hours of commentary on a shortwave radio. If we won, I would be happy, and if we lost, I would be depressed for a long time. I miss those days. Now we keep winning, but I can no longer find the passion I had back then, listening to the games live in Europe."

Larry Weinberg spoke about his feelings for the Trail Blazers and why he wanted to sell the team.

His passion for basketball is fading, and he also says that in the process of competing for the championship, the original Trail Blazers team has also disappeared.

"Then you shouldn't have revealed the news of selling the team at this time. Winning the championship would have made it easier for you to sell it for a better price."

"I have kept the news about selling the team strictly confidential. I don't know who leaked it, but I suspect it's a tactic to lower the price."

"Whether it's a price-cutting tactic or not is unimportant. You need to come forward and clarify this matter, and give everyone an explanation."

"But I can't tell the fans right now that I'm going to sell the team. I... I can't face everyone."

Weinberg expressed his concerns, noting the deep bond between Portland and the Trail Blazers.

There are no other professional teams here; the hearts of all Portlanders are closely connected with the Trail Blazers.

The Trail Blazers are very important to this city and to its fans, and Weinberg doesn't want to be criticized behind his back.

Weinberg is a businessman, but not the kind who is solely driven by profit. If it were Sterling, he would never let go of such a cash cow.

He has a sensitive and vulnerable side to his personality. He is loyal and sentimental. As he gets older and the world changes, he wants to retire gracefully, but he doesn't want to hurt the feelings of Portland fans.

"You can't face everyone because this news caused the team to lose the championship. Anyway, the news has already leaked, so just admit it openly. You sold the team, you didn't disband it. The new owner takes over, the Trail Blazers are still the Trail Blazers, they won't leave Portland. That way you can leave with a good reputation. Larry, hold a press conference and explain the situation. As for the championship, that's my business, I'll handle it."

After thinking carefully for more than ten minutes, Weinberg nodded with difficulty and said, "I have been looking for a buyer all season. My first requirement is that the new owner must love basketball and be a true fan. Only an owner like that can be worthy of a player like you and will not let down your passion and talent. I am no longer able to play, I am retiring, and I can no longer support you."

Weinberger stood up and hugged Gan Guoyang, tears welling in his eyes. He was saying goodbye to Gan Guoyang ahead of time.

Gan Guoyang said to Weinberger, "Walk with us to the very end, win the championship, and complete a three-peat. That would be the best gift you could give to the people of Portland."

Weinberg nodded, and later that afternoon at Memorial Stadium, he held a press conference to publicly confirm the veracity of the rumors.

He stated that he will sell all his shares in the Trail Blazers after the season ends, ending his career as the owner of the team.

"In my final days with the Trail Blazers, I hope they can win a championship trophy and achieve a three-peat. At that time, I will end my Trail Blazers career without regrets and become a true Trail Blazers fan. I will always love the Portland Trail Blazers, forever. Thank you, thank you."

Weinberg shed tears again at the press conference. This press conference turned the tide for the Trail Blazers, and morale was restored.

Because even if the boss changes, the pioneers are still pioneers; the camp remains, but the bosses come and go.

The Boston Celtics, who have won the most championships, have had 11 owners since 1951.

From 1965 to 1983, in just 18 years, the Celtics changed owners 10 times.

Three owners lasted only one year, and two owners lasted two years. It's no exaggeration to say that the Celtics are a graveyard for owners.

This did not prevent the Celtics from winning the championship and becoming one of the most famous and iconic teams in the NBA.

Larry Weinberg belongs to the traditional group among NBA owners. He partnered with others to buy franchise rights in his early years and then gradually acquired all the shares to become the sole owner.

Although his main business is real estate, he is not the type to be extremely wealthy. He can only be described as having considerable wealth, but he cannot be compared with those industry giants.

In recent years, traditional owners like Weinberg have been gradually withdrawing from the NBA, selling their teams to truly wealthy individuals.

With the new collective bargaining agreement in place, player salaries will continue to rise, and investment will increase significantly.

Weinberg made a lot of money from the Trail Blazers, but in the future the Trail Blazers will definitely need to build a new arena, re-sign Gan Guoyang and Drexler, and spend money to sign better players to maintain competitiveness, so the investment will become larger and larger.

Weinberg felt powerless and thought it better to sell the team to some super-rich businessmen so they could spend a lot of money to help the Trail Blazers continue to pursue their championship dreams.

For Weinberg, three championships are enough for him to cherish for a lifetime.

After the press conference in the afternoon, the panic caused by the rumors quickly subsided.

In the evening, the Trail Blazers will host the Dallas Mavericks.

Weinberg was present to watch the game, and the fans applauded him.

He barely watched the playoffs last year, but this year he accompanied the team throughout the entire season.

When he decided to leave, he actually began to cherish the team.

Just like spending time with loved ones, thinking there's plenty of time, so we can take it easy and not worry about anything.

Only when they realize that time is running out do they start staying by each other's side constantly, trying to make up for what they missed in the past.

Of course, even after selling the team, Weinberg can still go to the stadium to watch games.

However, their identities are different, so their mindsets are definitely very different as well.

Weinberg wants to support the Trail Blazers as a pure fan.

Being a boss means having many worries and a lot of pressure, so watching the game isn't as enjoyable.

That night, after dispelling the rumors and learning that his wife was pregnant, Gan Guoyang was as energetic as if he had been injected with chicken blood.

The Dallas Mavericks, eager for revenge, encountered a fully-formed Gan Guoyang, and the outcome was predictable.

Gan Guoyang scored a whopping 21 points in the first quarter, dominating the offense and leaving the Sam Bowie and Rambis inside duo completely bewildered.

They were initially full of confidence and wanted to give the Trail Blazers a tough time.

Who knew that Gan Guoyang was in such good form? No matter how many people were double-teaming him, no matter how well you defended him, he could still make the shot.

Mid-range hook shots, turnaround three-pointers, casual toss-and-shoot layups without even looking at the basket – these shots are simply unreasonable.

The Memorial Arena was brought to a fever pitch by these incredible goals, and the deafening cheers gradually eroded the Dallas Mavericks' fighting spirit.

Gan Guoyang scored 53 points in a game that helped the Trail Blazers defeat the Dallas Mavericks in the first game, taking a 1-0 lead in the series.

(End of this chapter)