Champions Creed

Chapter 170 169: I think I have said this to others (please give me a monthly ticket!)
The only presence of the Utah Jazz in the league is probably that stars such as Olajuwon, Barkley and Pippen would occasionally complain to the media about the Jazz's series of insidious actions such as flopping, elbowing and flying knees.

The notoriety of this team is well known.

Pippen said bluntly: "Karl Malone is like wielding a pair of Indian tomahawks to play against you on the court. Apart from Detroit and New York, Salt Lake City is my least favorite place to play basketball."

Rodman hated Stockton to the core: "Stepping on the instep, kneeing, using dirty hands, elbowing, choking, and attacking the opponent's genitals. John Stockton, that bastard, always does the dirtiest things and pretends to be innocent. It's disgusting."

This tough style is deeply rooted in the Jazz. After all, their head coach was nicknamed "Chainsaw" and "Gestapo". He relied on his tough defense to make his No. 4 Bulls jersey permanently hung in the United Center.

Jerry Sloan required his players to maintain confrontation and physical contact on the defensive end, to remain rough and fierce, and his two disciples, Karl Malone and Stockton, added some of their own understanding to this basis.

As a result, the Utah Jazz became one of the least favorite teams among players across the league, and also one of the most feared teams.

But this time, Karl Malone, who wielded the Indian tomahawk, the tough guy who always ran with a parachute on his back and hunted bears in the jungle with a shotgun during the offseason, fell in a pool of blood.

Who killed him?
The worst player since the 90s.

This is the new nickname Roger got after this game.

Compared to "Truth", this nickname is not cool enough and not noble enough.

But it simply and clearly illustrates the image that Roger has in the eyes of other players in the league right now.

Yes, he is a jerk in the eyes of most NBA players.

In the eyes of media people like Jim Gray, he is a jerk.

Even in the eyes of some teammates, he is a bastard.

But in the world of competitive sports, such an image is not shameful.

He's a beloved bastard as long as he can win.

Even a three-year-old girl will love it.

Even the Smiling Assassin now likes Roger: "My only comment on this matter is that Roger needs to be stronger. He didn't even let Karl Malone get stitches on his head, which is wrong. When dealing with a bastard like Karl, you shouldn't show mercy, you have to kill him."

The Smiling Assassin, who had to get more than 40 stitches due to Karl Malone's elbow, said so.

Roger's blow to Malone was enough to vent the anger of most of the league's stars. The only thing they were dissatisfied with was that they felt that the blow was not harsh enough.

Of course, those who hated Roger hated him even more.

Karl Malone hates Roger now, and he now has another reason to make it to the finals.

Magic fans don't care about all this. They only care that Roger used 40+10 data to help the team avoid two consecutive losses and stabilize the record.

Now, the Magic's record is 46 wins and 7 losses. They still have four more wins than the Knicks, but six more than the Jazz.

Moreover, in this battle, Roger basically shit on the head of Karl Malone, the MVP candidate.

Considering that the Magic and the Jazz will not meet again in the regular season this season, Karl Malone has basically been completely defeated by Roger in the competition for MVP.

Unless his Utah Jazz can achieve a comeback in terms of record in the last two months, Malone will never be able to snatch the MVP trophy from Roger.

Unfortunately, the popularity of Roger's 40+10 data and Karl Malone being knocked unconscious by Roger's elbow did not last long.

After this game, a very popular saying appeared in the NBA: "We earn a lot, but we also spend a lot."

This quote comes from Patrick Ewing, chairman of the players' union.

This season, KG and the Timberwolves have been in the news for a long time. A few days ago, he rejected the Timberwolves' $1.06 million contract and refused to sign unless it was $1.2 million.

It was at this time that The New York Times broke the news: "During the 1997 All-Star Rookie Game, AI, KG and Kobe made a joking bet on which of the three would get more salary in the future."

KG refused to bet big contracts with the rookies for 1.06 million, which made many media criticize the current players for being too greedy. Even rookies began to casually talk about contracts worth hundreds of millions.

Many team owners also jumped out to complain: "This era is full of too many billion-dollar contracts, which has caused almost half of the teams in the league to lose money!"

The owners' move is undoubtedly to restart labor negotiations next year and lower the players' salaries. All these complaints are just preparations.

At this time, Ewing, as the chairman of the players' union, naturally had to come out and take a stand.

So, he said the above sentence to show that the players are not greedy.

You can't say Ewing is not smart, after all, he went to college.

But what he said was indeed not up to standard.

As expected, the investors were enraged when this statement was made.

Is this fucking human language? Because you spend more, we should pay more?

What a monkey language! It's totally against the will of heaven!

I guess only some feminist organizations would think that "because I spend a lot, you have to make more money to spend on me" is reasonable!

The players have now simply made greed a habit!
Thanks to the unremitting efforts of the chairman of the players' union, the conflict between the two sides was successfully magnified. Salute to Patrick Ewing.

But the owners should not be too quick to get angry. When the negotiations begin, Ewing's sweet-talking brother will calm them down. (If you can't afford it, sell the team. This sentence is too "soothing")
As a result, a series of news about labor-management negotiations appeared in major media.

Roger also admired Ewing, admiring him for being a person who dared to tell the truth. After all, the consumption of the Gold Club was not cheap at all.

In any case, this is a good thing for Roger. At least the media won't be bored and study the footage of him elbowing Malone over and over again.

I don’t know if this is related to the fact, but even though Roger elbowed Malone and made him faint, he was not punished by the league.

Few reporters even asked about it.

One reason may be that similar things were not new in the 90s.

Secondly, the focus of the league and the media is now on preparations for labor-management negotiations.

This kind of negotiation is not as simple as the company boss suddenly asking you to attend a meeting on your day off and then talking a bunch of nonsense.

What demands the employer has, what effects they want to achieve, and what demands the labor has, all need to be planned and prepared in advance.

Otherwise, if all the people at the table are people like Ewing who speak without thinking and keep saying that a million-dollar annual salary is not enough to support a family, how can the negotiations go on?

During this period, Roger led the team to win several games.

On February 2, against the San Antonio Spurs, the Magic still won by 26 points without Shark.

Popovich's extreme operation saved the team.

Because the Magic's inside line is too short, the 213-cm former Bulls center Will Perdue once played an advantage under the basket. He had an excellent touch today, as if he had a sky hook, and he could do all kinds of hook shots easily. In the first half, he made 7 of 6 shots and scored 12 points.

In the second half, Popovich was quick-witted and showed his ability to react on the spot as a top coach. He quickly and decisively replaced Perdo, which allowed the team to win the defeat.

Roger swore that after the game, Popovich was laughing after losing.

However, Popovich told reporters at the press conference: "This is a very painful defeat. You know, the team still needs to work hard."

There is still work to be done, because the Celtics have now won four fewer games than the Spurs. If the Spurs don't work harder, the Celtics will firmly sit in the last place.

On the 28th, Roger played against the Clippers at home.

Roger scored 34 points in just three quarters. No one on the Clippers could stop him and they lost very easily. The scene of this game was just like Zhang Ziyu's one-man showdown against the Japanese team at the 2024 U18 Asian Cup.

Elgin Baylor was sitting in the private room, watching his team being easily defeated once again, wondering why things had turned out like this.

Ceballos, the All-Star forward sent by the Lakers in last year's draft, played only two games this season before being ruled out. Divac is indeed a good player, but not the kind of player who can change the situation. The addition of these two players did not make the Clippers better.

If possible, Elgin Baylor really hopes that God will give him another chance.

In this world, there are always people who hope that God can give them another chance in life.

If God gives Isiah Thomas another chance in 2024, Thomas will definitely delete Brown Sanders from the world. It's not because he lost $ million for harassing this woman, but because people laughed at him for hooking up with such an ugly woman as one of the greatest point guards in basketball history, which made him feel too ashamed.

And if God gives Elgin Baylor a chance now, he will definitely reject Logo's deal and use the seventh pick to select Kerry Kittles!

Well, some people, no matter how many chances God gives them, they just fail.

The Magic easily won three consecutive games after losing Shark.

That's why Roger is confident he can keep his position.

Because the teams the Magic will play next are not all strong teams.

It will not be easy for the Knicks to make up the gap of 4 wins.

When interviewed after the game, Roger was absent-minded at first, after all, there was nothing to talk about in this game.

But one reporter asked a different question: "Roger, what do you think of General Manager John Gabriel's comments on the luxury tax rules?"

"I'm sorry, I haven't seen any news about this. So, I can't answer your opinion on this for now."

After the press conference, Roger learned what John Gabriel said from TV.

Because the labor-management negotiations have caused a lot of controversy, NBC recently interviewed many team managements and asked them what they think about the possible rules in the new labor-management agreement.

John Gabriel was asked about the potential luxury tax rules.

He was quite resistant to this:
"Mr. DeVos and I do not support this measure. It is too unfair for a team like ours that does not have a huge business environment to support it but still has superstars. We have already spent a lot of money to maintain the roster, and we are fined because the roster is too expensive? This is ridiculous. I know that the league's move is to prevent top players from going to super metropolises, but there must be other better ways, maybe a hard salary cap would be a way.

What happens if this rule is passed? Mr. DeVos and I will definitely try to avoid the luxury tax as much as possible. Of course, it is too early to talk about this now. If the proportion of basketball-related revenue used to pay player salaries exceeds the 48% stipulated in the previous agreement next year and labor negotiations are opened, we will discuss this in detail during the negotiations. "

Roger didn't know how to comment. John Gabriel and the team have made their attitude clear through this interview that they will not pay the luxury tax.

Although the luxury tax rule will not be implemented until the 98-99 season at the earliest, that day will come sooner or later.

At that time everyone will have to face a very realistic question: Can we win the championship without paying the luxury tax?

Of course.

But since the luxury tax rules were implemented, only the Spurs have been able to truly do this.

The Warriors? They were just lucky enough to get the benefits of Curry's child labor contract. The civilian champion Pistons? Sorry, they actually paid taxes the year they won the championship, but the amount they paid was very small, only 76.

It is a very lucky thing that the gains and costs are proportional. There are many teams in NBA history that have paid a large amount of luxury tax for many years but still failed to win the championship. The New York Knicks paid 06 million in taxes in the 07-4500 season, which means that the Knicks spent 1.6 million in salary + luxury tax that year. However, they only won 33 games.

Roger didn't think any further about the relationship between the luxury tax and winning the championship. He didn't want any factors to interfere with what he was doing now.

The team is in great shape now. Although Shaq left, the team is still very cohesive. Fortunately, the Magic players are not tired of the game. Everyone is eager for the third championship.

People will feel comfortable because of victory, and then relax. Relax in training, relax in diet. But this did not happen to the magic. Maybe everyone had a premonition that this was the last dance, so they cherished it especially.

And in recent games, Dominique Wilkins has performed very well. He not only actively fights for rebounds and works hard on defense, but also helps to digest some shots after the absence of Shark.

In the three games that Shark was absent, Wilkins scored 15 points, 18 points and 21 points respectively.

Roger never thought that one day he would actually admire Wilkins.

As long as the team can maintain this state, the Knicks will definitely not be able to overtake.

After playing against the Clippers, Roger went to New York to attend a charity dinner.

This kind of dinner is an opportunity to increase influence and exposure. As Roger is the spokesperson for multiple brands, the brands hope that Roger's influence is all-round and not just limited to basketball.

So, this was not the first time Roger was arranged to attend such a dinner.

Walking down the red carpet, facing the lights that were bright enough to blind his eyes, Roger entered the banquet hall.

Inside, he saw a person who was not very familiar with him, but at least he could talk to him, and he walked towards him.

The man was the first to notice Roger and waved at him with a smile.

"You know what, Roger?" Olajuwon hugged his little wife and looked at the man he wanted to defeat the most. "You are really in a mess."

"What? Doesn't the clothes look good? I think it's quite handsome. The only thing that makes me feel out of place is this pair of glasses, but my stylist insisted that I wear them." Roger said, taking off the glasses that made him look like a gentleman.

"No, your look tonight is outstanding enough. You look just like the leading actor in a movie I've seen. What's the name of that Asian Hollywood star? Yes, John Lone. But didn't you notice? You are one of the few male guests who walked the red carpet alone today. As a superstar, it's really unusual for you to go to a place like this to attend a banquet alone."

"I've had some girlfriends before, I just don't have any recently."

"You are very smart, Roger. You know what to do and when. The biggest difference between you and us is that you took fewer detours when you were young. But I still have to say that sometimes you have to experience more of the sweetness of life." Da Meng said, glancing at his young and beautiful wife.

It can be seen that he really enjoys the "sweetness" in life.

Roger wanted to remind Da Meng to be moderate and protect his body, but considering that this might ruin his mood, he didn't say it and started to do Da Meng's business instead.

"Life will be sweeter if you and your wife enjoy a glass of my wine while watching a movie."

"How can I refuse you? I'll ask my agent to place the order. Your advertising method is very unique, Roger. I believe George Karl wants to vomit when he sees red wine now."

"Thanks for the compliment."

"By the way, Roger, have you heard? In the next version of the labor agreement, the league seems to want to cap salaries."

The conversation entered the part that Roger disliked the most. He had had enough of topics related to labor-management negotiations in recent times.

Moreover, he didn't think he could change anything with his current influence.

But Roger is a polite person outside of competition, so he continued the conversation: "I heard that the league is going to set a so-called maximum salary to limit the asking price of superstars, and then introduce a rookie salary table. In the future, rookie salaries will be directly linked to the draft position, and the salary for each draft position will be fixed. This will avoid the situation where newly selected rookies ask for 100 million at any time."

"You know more than I thought."

“After all, this is closely related to us.”

"Why would they restrict us? I mean, we make money for this league. Without us, this league wouldn't exist."

"I think it's all about balance. When you meet a stingy owner, you know how much they hate our high salaries. And NBA Commissioner David Stern needs to ensure that those small teams can survive. All teams can make money, and the league can get better and better."

Olajuwon smiled and said, "Fortunately, Leslie Alexander is not stingy."

Roger also laughed: "Yeah, he is so generous. He is committed to building a championship team every year."

Who dares to say that the Rockets in the 21st century are not called the "championship lineup" every year?
After a few words, Roger and Dameng decided to go talk to other people and meet up at the old place for a few drinks later.

Dameng's words affected Roger, and he also realized that he hadn't had a girlfriend for some time.

Since I couldn't bring one to walk the red carpet, can I bring one out?
But Roger didn't get such an opportunity, because just after he had searched for a while, a man with silver hair and a mustache came up to him and said, "Roger, I've been looking for you! Nice to meet you!"

"Nice to meet you too, sir."

"Call me Ted, or Captain, just don't call me Sir." The founder of CNN, owner of the WCW wrestling league, and owner of the MLB Atlanta Braves, NHL Atlanta Thrashers, and NBA Atlanta Hawks is more approachable than people think.

"Well Captain, how are you doing?"

Roger has a good impression of Ted Turner because this man often makes some bold remarks in public that are not in line with zzzq, which shows that he is not the kind of fool who likes to follow the crowd.

For example, in the previous topic about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Turner directly accused Israel of being a terrorist:
"The Israelis, who have one of the most powerful military machines in the world, leave the Palestinians with nothing, and the media says the Palestinians are terrorists? Who are the terrorists? Why is there no mention of Israel's actions in our reports?"

Since he was a clear-headed man, Roger was willing to have a chat with him.

"Thanks to you, my team is about to go bankrupt, haha. If someone offers more than $100 to buy the Hawks, I will definitely make a move immediately." Ted Turner made a joke. He is an old man who likes to joke.

"Don't say that. We all know you're a real sports trader. Your baseball team just won the championship in 1995."

"Okay, Roger, don't comfort me. The embarrassing fact is that the Atlanta Braves can win the championship precisely because I no longer run the team myself. Did you know that I was even the team's head coach for a period of time in the 70s, and we lost everything. Alas, the Eagles can't see any hope of the playoffs now. You know, it's not easy to run a team these days."

"I'm sure you have your plans, Ted."

Roger wanted to find an excuse to leave. He had a good impression of Ted Turner, but he really didn't want to talk about the labor-management agreement anymore. He had a hunch that if they continued talking, this topic would definitely come up. Ted Turner would definitely complain about the salary issue to explain why it was difficult to run the team, and then talk about the content of the labor-management negotiations.

But Ted Turner's turn of topic surprised Roger.

"I do have a plan. I plan to bring in the strongest players in the league today. Come on Roger, join the Atlanta Hawks. I'll listen to you about any players you want, and make Atlanta great again! Hahahaha! Don't worry, no one here will say that I'm recruiting illegally. If anyone asks, we'll just say we're talking about wine cooperation~"

Ted Turner was a joker, and he said these words in a joking tone. But Roger always felt that this was more than just a joke.

“I thought Atlanta was a baseball town,” Roger replied.

"It could also be a basketball city. I also love basketball and winning. It's a pity that we are drifting further and further apart now. Sorry, Roger, it was just a joke. I wish you all the best in Orlando and add MVP and three consecutive championships to your resume. Excuse me, I have to go see the Senator. See you later, okay?"

"Bye Ted, it was nice talking to you."

Not long after, Roger and Olajuwon returned to the old place again.

"Still alone?" Olajuwon was surprised.

"Hey, I'm not here to hunt for girls, Hakeem. This is a charity dinner, not a nightclub."

"I know, but you might become someone's target. I saw you chatting with Ted just now?"

"Yes, we talked about the wine business."

"Didn't you talk about playing in Atlanta?" Olajuwon raised his lips.

He has always believed that there is no such thing as pure friendship between men and women, and that all contact between them is more or less purposeful, such as wanting to get to know each other better.

The same is true between team owners and players.

In the adult world, where are there so many innocent friends?
"We talked about it, but I don't think it will happen. Atlanta people only like baseball, and the Atlanta Braves are the most popular team there. Besides, I'm only focused on the three-peat right now."

"Don't be so sure. Haven't you heard the saying, Roger, that fate is a strange thing? A year ago, Charles certainly wouldn't have thought he would come to Houston."

"I think I've said this to someone else as well." Roger took a sip of his wine.

Going to Atlanta? That was never in Roger's career plan. In fact, Roger has not yet carefully considered his future with the Magic.

But you know what, Ted Turner's words "I'll listen to whatever players you want" are indeed more appealing than John Gabriel's "We won't pay luxury tax."
-
The labor side, led by Patrick Ewing, the president of the Players Union, has completely angered the management side, which undoubtedly increases the difficulty of negotiations. The league may experience the most difficult labor-management negotiations in history. If the two sides of the 1998 negotiations cannot reach an agreement, will the NBA suspend the season like Major League Baseball? - The New York Times

Steve Smith had the best season of his career, but we all know that the Eagles need a real leader. - Atlanta Journal-Constitution

In the latest MVP rankings, Roger is first, Michael is second, Karl is third, and Grant is fourth. So far, everything is normal. So, can someone explain to me the abnormal part: how did Tim Hardaway appear in fifth place? - "Slam Dunk".

We are underestimated. Our record is not much worse than the Knicks and Magic, and better than the Utah Jazz! As the team's leading scorer, Tim is definitely qualified to enter the MVP rankings and even compete for the trophy! Florida does not belong to Roger alone, and the MVP does not belong to Roger alone! We are now terribly strong! - "Miami Herald"

Dominique Wilkins has fully integrated into his new role and has become one of the most critical players of the Magic. If he can maintain this state, the Magic's record will be beyond expectations. The question is, can he continue this competitive state at the age of 37? - Orlando Beacon.

(End of this chapter)