Champions Creed

Chapter 325 Chapter 324: Arrogant People (asking for monthly tickets!)

No one would have thought that the feud between Michael Jordan and Roger would continue into the 21st century.

Ten years ago, in the summer of 1993, Roger was selected by the Chicago Bulls with the fourth pick.

From then on, a bloody and grand war officially began.

Michael Jordan and Roger became the protagonists of that era and competed with each other from the beginning.

Although Michael Jordan was playing baseball in the 93-94 season, Roger and Jordan's "titanium eye" incident is still considered the beginning of their competition.

However, it is generally believed that Michael Jordan won the 93-94 season.

He successfully used his influence to get the management to trade Roger away, and he regained control of his own dynasty team.

But this success was also the beginning of his failure. Trading Roger to the Orlando Magic is considered one of the stupidest trades in NBA history, because Jerry Krause directly led to the birth of the "strongest duo in history", and the war in the 90s officially began.

Taking advantage of the popularity of Michael Jordan's comeback, ESPN invited former Bulls general manager Jerry Krause, who resigned this spring due to health reasons, to participate in an exclusive interview program and asked him some more inside information about Roger's deal that year.

In this show, Jerry Krause, who has been blamed for this deal for many years, finally told the truth.

"To be honest with you, I was scared to make the deal. Yes, Roger was a freshman, Shaq was a sophomore, they were still rookies.

But they have already emerged early in their careers and have shown a talent that is clearly a level higher than others in the league. So, there is a voice in my heart that keeps telling me: Don't do this deal, Jerry, don't! If Roger and Shaq join forces, they may dominate this league! "

"So what made you make the deal in the end?" the host asked.

"It was Michael. He kept urging me to complete the deal quickly. He thought Roger and Shaq joining forces wouldn't bring him any trouble. His original words were something like this: Do you think I would lose to a stupid fat guy and a loser who lost the finals? Do you think I would be scared? Do you think Roger could let a team that was eliminated in the first round threaten my position? In my opinion, Roger should stay in the East so that I can take better care of him!"

"Michael really said that?"

"Not exactly the same words, but close."

"That is to say, Michael himself facilitated the deal, and then in the following years he was suppressed by the Magic. He lost to his own arrogance."

"Yes, that's the whole truth."

As soon as this program was broadcast, it immediately became a hot topic among fans.

An arrogant and domineering Michael Jordan, who was ultimately harmed by his own arrogance, appeared in front of all the fans.

Michael Jordan's reputation continued to deteriorate. After all, no one likes a loser who is both arrogant and incompetent.

Michael Jordan can be arrogant. If he arrogantly throws Roger to Orlando and then beats him, then this will not become a black material, but will become one of the legendary stories in Jordan's career.

Just like Bird always arrogantly says "Hey man, I'm going to kill you right here."

The reason why no one is disgusted by Big Bird's behavior is that he can always win while being arrogant.

If Bird said that and then missed the buzzer beater, he would look like an idiot.

Likewise, when Michael Jordan's results don't justify his arrogance, his behavior becomes incredibly stupid.

The next night on TNT, Charles Barkley also talked with Kenny Smith about the story of Jordan trading Roger.

"That's Michael. That's who he is. I can imagine the arrogant expression on his face when he said those words to Jerry Krause. You know, the three consecutive championships from 91 to 93 made Michael think he could dominate the entire basketball world at will. He didn't take anyone seriously. But what happened afterwards taught him a hard lesson.

But this lesson doesn't seem to be profound enough. Look at what Michael said when he held a press conference to announce his comeback. He actually told the Cleveland fans that they were about to have a great season.

Damn, this guy is still so arrogant. He thinks the Cavaliers can be completely changed by having him.

I have to remind Michael that the Cleveland Cavaliers last season were a team that only won 17 games. Michael himself is 40 years old, and LeBron is not even 19 years old. One is too old, and the other is too young. How can he give Cleveland fans a great season? Just rely on that mouth? Like Amare said he wants to be the best defensive player in the league? "

Kenny Smith refuted Barkley: "We can't underestimate the 40-year-old MJ, let alone the 18-year-old LeBron. A great season doesn't necessarily mean winning the championship. Isn't it great for them to lead a team that won 17 games last season into the playoffs?"

"Kenny, those damn media's crazy praise of MJ and LeBron have made you lose your mind. We all know how fierce the competition in the league will be next season. It's not that I underestimate MJ and LeBron, it's that you underestimate the playoffs. Just watch, Michael's arrogance will hurt him again, just like it did in the summer of 1994."

Michael Jordan's heart was filled with hatred. Nine years later, his second comeback was completely different from his first.

When he made his first comeback, the entire league thought that the Chicago Bulls would rise again, and the whole world thought that Michael Jordan would continue to dominate everything.

But now? They say they were too arrogant.

What about Roger, who said, "He is only worthy of being a knight in front of a king like me"? Why didn't anyone say he was arrogant?
Michael Jordan, who was full of hatred, pushed himself even more frantically. He brought Tim Glover back to build a body suitable for the game and to hone his skills again.

Tim Glover suggested that Jordan transform into a traditional power forward similar to Richard Hamilton next season and play more off the ball.

"Your physical strength and body can no longer support you to control everything in the game, so we have to focus on the key points. On the offensive end next season, your movements should be simpler, and you should not hold the ball when you can run directly to get a chance to shoot. On the defensive end, you have to allocate your physical strength well, and don't go too far to fight with the opponent's top star.

Don't worry, with LeBron and Eric Snow, you won't miss the ball, they are both good organizers. "

Michael Jordan accepted all of Tim Glover's advice, even when it frustrates him.

It is very painful for players who have been brilliant to transform. In addition to the aging of the body, they have to put aside their self-esteem and try to abandon their existing routines. And no matter how hard you try, every step you take is still a downward slope, which is completely incomparable to the heyday.

But Michael Jordan is overcoming this pain. He is already 40 years old, but he still wants to fight against the world. He remembered the days of fighting against the Bad Boys in the late 80s. It was perseverance that allowed him to climb over that mountain.

Jordan's determination was incredible to Tim Glover. He trained almost every day during the offseason, no longer fooling around with the little model behind Juanita's back, and even the sexy dealer could no longer attract him.

He just trains, like the young man in the Breakfast Club eager to conquer everything.

Why did Michael Jordan return to the stage? It was the same reason why LeBron James and his son James appeared on the same stage 20 years later. It was just for hype.

He wants to make the Cavaliers the center of attention and make Nike's players a hot topic again.

But when he does come back, he wants more than just hype and commercial value.

He still wants to win.

It's in Michael Jordan's DNA, and it's what separates him and Roger from the other GOATs.

As time goes by, the media continues to praise the Cavaliers, but there are also many doubts.

As the new season approaches, the league has announced the schedule for next season.

Jordan was disappointed: "What the hell is David doing? We are not on the opening game schedule?"

Obviously, the man's self-esteem was challenged again.

He couldn't believe that he was leading the much-anticipated LBJ but couldn't even play in the opening game.

Not only did they miss the opening game, but the Cavaliers' first opponent was not Roger, but the Knicks.

Yao Ming and Dwyane Wade? Are those two rookies worthy of being my first opponents after my comeback?
In fact, the Cavaliers and Warriors will not meet until mid-November, not the most popular opening week of the new season.

It seems like Warriors vs. Cavaliers is not a blockbuster matchup.

Tim Glover comforted him: "No one says that the team that plays the opening game is the best team of the season."

"That's right Tim, that's right, but he should have picked the best team to open the game. David will regret it, and regret it soon."

At the same time, Roger looked at his opponent in the opening game and felt that David Stern was really anxious.

In the first game of the new season, the Warriors' opponent is the defending champion Pistons.

It is very rare for a team eliminated in the second round to play against the defending champion in the opening game without major changes to the lineup.

Roger could guess why David Stern did this. He wanted to tell the world, the fans and the sponsors: The ugly finals are not the NBA's fault, but the players' fault! If you don't believe me, I'll let Roger play against the Pistons for you to see. If it doesn't look good, you can come and chop me!

When David Stern saw the ratings of the finals plummet in June, he had already thought of the arrangements for this opening game.

When the league was in trouble, David Stern's first reaction was: Go invite King Roger! It turned out that the arrangement of this opening game was very successful, and the popularity even overshadowed James and Jordan.

Although the Warriors were eliminated in the second round last season, fans are still very curious about whether Roger can defeat the champions of that season.

At the same time, playing against the defending champions in the first game will also allow fans to clearly see whether the Warriors are qualified to compete for the championship next season.

Roger also started his own private training camp a month before the start of the pre-season training camp.

It's time to end the vacation, and it's not good to let Scarlett Johansson eat too well every day.

Roger would invite a friend to join him at the training camp every year, and Ben almost always attended.

This year is no exception, but what is different from previous years is that this year Ben also brought a friend.

Seeing Ron Artest appear in his training camp, Amar'e Stoudemire became alert.

He was afraid that Roger and Artest would fight.

Although two years have passed, the big fight between the Hawks and the Pistons is still an unforgettable classic for fans.

The most classic one was the punch Roger gave Artest, which almost disfigured him.

Since then, Roger and Artest have been enemies. So, no one knows what will happen when Artest appears in Roger's training camp.

However, Big Ben assured Roger: "This guy will never do anything rash. He just wants to find a place to train. I can vouch for him."

So this year, Roger's training camp was particularly crowded.

Yao Ming, Wade, Big Ben, Artest, Pierce and Stoudemire are all there.

Artest was indeed very obedient and did not deliberately cause trouble.

Of course, his rough actions on the court still made Pierce very unhappy.

Roger actually enjoys competing against Artest, as he can make Roger enjoy the joy of competition.

However, during training, Artest discovered that Roger was absolutely a beast in human clothing. His elbows on the offensive end were very annoying. As long as you got close to him, Roger would elbow you at any time and act as if it was a matter of course.

"Is that how you get space on offense? I don't remember you playing like that before."

"I will continue to improve, that's the difference between me and you."

"How dare you say that! A villain like you is actually supported by the alliance."

"That's the second difference between me and you. I'm a villain who can win."

"Sorry Roger, I also won the championship last season and I have a ring too."

"But I didn't win it by beating me, and I won it by beating you on my way to the championship."

Ron Artest had nothing to say. This is the damn league where the winner takes all!
Artest immediately decided to add this practical basketball technique to his skill set!

If anyone dares to defend him closely next season, he will learn to do the same as Roger. Even if Michael Jordan comes to defend him, he will have to take two elbows and then have to retreat.

Three days before the start of the NBA's preseason training camp, Roger's private training camp officially ended.

Roger had a very happy training camp this year because he saw great progress in Stoudemire.

Not only is he a better defender, his mid-range shooting is also quite good and his off-ball movement is more proficient.

In short, Stoudemire has made visible improvements on both offense and defense.

All those reporters who laughed at him next season will be dumbfounded.

With the improvement of Stoudemire, the return of Camby and the introduction of Mutombo to strengthen the interior defense, Roger believes that his window has really opened again.

Wade wanted to challenge Roger to a duel on the last day, but Roger refused.

Yao Ming on the side chuckled and said, "Don't waste your energy, Dwyane. Roger won't challenge you one-on-one because you are just a rookie and not qualified."

Wade shrugged: "Will you play against me in the official game?"

"That also depends on whether you are qualified." Roger replied.

At this time, ESPN was broadcasting sports news on the TV in the training ground.

As the new season approaches, the NBA becomes more and more popular, and there is more and more news about the NBA.

At this time, a clip of Michael Jordan being interviewed by reporters at Gund Arena in Cleveland earlier today was playing.

"Michael, how does it feel to be back on the court after six years?"

"I feel good and I'm ready for the intense game. LeBron is also good. We have met. He is a good kid, humble but full of talent, unlike some rude rookies who like to beat up veterans."

“What is the team’s goal for next season?”

"I never set a goal in advance, because that would lower the ceiling of the team and limit ourselves. If I set a goal that making the playoffs is enough, then when we can make the playoffs, we will start to relax. So I don't set a goal in advance, we will just work hard to win every game.

But we are all working with first-year rookies, so I think I can do better than Roger and Amar'e. I have never seen a player who was fourth in the conference and eliminated in the second round be as arrogant as him. "

All I can say is that Jordan and Roger are mortal enemies. After six years, the tension between them has not diminished at all.

Looking at the still disgusting boiled egg on TV, Roger turned his head and looked at Wade: "Look, Dwyane, if you can beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first game, you will be qualified to play against me."

"really?"

"I swear on Ben Wallace's afro."

"Wait for good news from me, Roger. Yao, we will take care of the Cavaliers, right?"

Big Ben on the side shook his head: "Really, Roger, do you hate Michael so much?"

"Why do I hate him?"

"You're encouraging a rookie to do everything he can to take him out in his first game."

"If he can't even handle two rookies, then who has the right to say I'm arrogant? I just want him to be aware of this. He has always been arrogant."

"What about me? Is there anything you want to remind me of?"

Roger patted Ben on the shoulder and said, "Enjoy the last three days of vacation, and then enjoy the championship ring awarding ceremony before the opening game. Don't miss every second of joy, and experience it with your heart. Because I'm back, and no one can experience this kind of joy again."

"Don't say that Roger, you know we're best at dealing with superstars."

"I admit that you were very strong last season and you had a lot of superstars. But this is not the end of the civilian team's superstars. It's just that Tim Duncan is not a good enough superstar."

Facing the defending champion, Roger's confidence was not shaken at all.

It's time for this Bay Area battleship to officially set sail.
-
There is no doubt that the New York Knicks are a team with great potential, and their talent is enough to make half of the league drool. But unfortunately, the 2002 No. 2003 pick will be destroyed by the No. pick, and Michael, who is five centimeters shorter, will be destroyed by the real Michael. In the final analysis, the Cavaliers can definitely easily deal with the Knicks. This is our first step back to the winning track, a solid first step! - "Cleveland Plain Dealer"

I learned a lot of practical basketball skills in Roger's training camp, and I can't wait to use them in the game. -- Ron Artest talks about his training this summer.

Roger is a tough opponent, but we are the defending champions after all, and we will not let anyone celebrate the victory on the championship ring presentation night in Detroit. - Ben Wallace talked about the opening game against the Warriors.

We'll know within a week of the regular season whether Roger or Michael is the arrogant one. --Sports Illustrated

(End of this chapter)