I was acting crazy in North America, and all the crazy people there took it seriously.

Chapter 164 Stars Emerge from the North's Blacklist, Traitors from the South's Blacklist

Is there anything wrong with calling him Jordan?

An editor noticed Logan's reaction.

"Oh, it's nothing, just an interesting coincidence. It's probably because people named Jordan are usually not bad at basketball."

Logan naturally didn't think that this "Jordan" was the same as that "Jordan," or even had any connection with him; he was simply amazed by the coincidence of fate.

The world of basketball in Chicago seems destined to be inseparable from "Jordan".

His ambiguous yet affirmative assessment drew even more attention to Leon from the editors.

The training session did not last long.

Once these prisoner players had a basic understanding of the rules and were able to put on a passable performance, Wade Berwick and Logan felt it was time to put them on the market and put them to the test.

Ultimately, it must be proven that this "prison basketball game" can attract audiences and sell tickets before this seemingly far-fetched plan has any value in continuing.

The Sun used its media influence in the Chicago area to generate considerable buzz for the first publicly broadcast prison basketball game:

"Unprecedented! A competitive showdown behind bars! The first Fox River Correctional Center Prisoner Basketball Open!"

"Witness the clash between raw energy and modern competition under the basket!"

The announcement immediately sparked widespread curiosity and discussion among Chicago residents.

"Prison basketball game? People who are in prison can still come out and play games?"

That's why they're called private prisons. Private prisons emphasize flexible management.

Of course, the official explanation is that "a good prison should benefit society."

Fox River Correctional Center presented a set of high-sounding explanations to the public:

“Organizing healthy sports activities is a positive rehabilitation approach we are exploring, aimed at cultivating prisoners’ discipline, teamwork and awareness of rules.”

"This open competition is not only a concentrated display of our correctional achievements, but also a way for Fox River Correction Center to give back to and contribute to the community."

That's it...

Having witnessed all sorts of bizarre Chicagoans in recent years, what else is unacceptable?

As long as there's an explanation, everyone will say: It's reasonable, it's very reasonable!
Then, Chicagoans, eager to see a spectacle, a spectacle, and a novelty, bought tickets and entered a basketball arena converted from an old hockey rink.

The first open match began in a strange and noisy atmosphere.

When Leon and his teammates, dressed in prison uniforms with different numbers and dark skin, ran onto the field under the watchful eyes of armed guards, whistles, laughter, and indescribable shouts of excitement rang out from the stands.

As expected, the match was filled with all sorts of hilarious mistakes and chaos:

Inexplicable traveling violations, comical passes out of bounds, shooting motions contorted like throwing a shot put, and even some players nearly resorting to slamming tackles in desperation... the referee's whistle blew frequently.

Surprisingly, the audience did not find it boring or disappointing; on the contrary, they watched it with great interest!
In an era of relatively scarce entertainment options, a brand-new sport full of physical confrontation and uncertainty is inherently very attractive.

The audience quickly realized that despite the rough technique, the pace of the game was quite fast.

The fierce fighting, tireless running, and primal desire to win displayed by those Black prisoners created a unique and intense viewing experience.

This is an instinctive appreciation of pure physical talent and fighting spirit.

Yes, if the technique were even better, people would appreciate it even more!
The first match, in a chaotic yet enthusiastic atmosphere, achieved unexpected success.

Seeing the audience's enthusiasm, Wade Berwick immediately struck while the iron was hot, leveraging the publicity from The Sun to organize several more matches. As a result, tickets sold out for every single one!
The "Prison BA" program has achieved a great start!

"This has potential! This definitely has potential!"

Free players, enthusiastic spectators… Wade Berwick rubbed his hands together excitedly, as if he could already see a vast sports empire beckoning to him.

Of course, there are still many challenges: how to ensure that these inmate players do not take advantage of frequent travel for matches or even future interstate matches to escape? How to persuade the state government and even the federal government to approve this seemingly "outrageous" prisoner management method?

But these are all "technical problems" that can be overcome in the face of enormous financial prospects.

Wade Berwick began to confidently lobby and pull strings to legalize and expand the "Prison BA" program.

In Chicago, the "Prison Basketball Open" continues to cultivate the market.

As Logan said, Jordan is a basketball player who is exceptional.

With his increasingly impressive performance on the court and the Sun's deliberate promotion and packaging, Leon quickly gained popularity in Chicago and even earned a nickname - "Little Black Panther".

His treatment also underwent a dramatic change.

Back in prison, he no longer needed to work in that despairing factory; training and competitions became his "job."

He also receives a stable "salary," which, although negligible compared to the ticket revenue he generates for the prison, is a generous treatment that would make anyone envious within Fox River State Penitentiary!
The prison seized the opportunity to launch a propaganda campaign: "Everything is possible!"

See, as long as you behave well, you can become famous even if you go to prison, injecting a glimmer of hope into the numb hearts of the prisoners!

So, burn, prisoners!

……

Black people in the North seem to have embarked on a path that is advantageous, or even exclusive, to Black people decades earlier than in history.

Meanwhile, Black people in the south are still striving to enter more tracks, and their path is destined to be bumpy.

In Louisiana, a Black man named Samuel was once very active and actively sought to join the "Wakanda" organization.

But he did not do it out of rebellion, but out of loyalty.

He believed that Wakanda's "provocative" behavior towards white people was a recipe for disaster and would harm all Black people.

He firmly believed that only by helping his white masters completely eradicate these "unruly" compatriots could he prove the "submissiveness" and "worth" of blacks, and thus earn the "forgiveness" and "rewards" of whites.

By feigning loyalty to the Black cause, Samuel gradually gained Wakanda's trust and gained access to Wakanda's bootlegging network in Louisiana.

As the federal "crackdown on illegal immigration" campaign intensified and racist forces and law enforcement crackdowns on Black people across the South reached unprecedented levels, Samuel felt that the best time to "pledge allegiance" to his masters had arrived.

So he took the initiative to report it to the investigation bureau!
He informed the Bureau of Investigation of everything he knew, including the location of Wakanda's warehouses in Louisiana, transportation routes, reliable contacts, and even the channels through which funds were transferred!

Wakanda has faced its first betrayal from within since its founding!
The investigation bureau, on the other hand, felt they had struck gold, believing that many things had been explained.

For example, where does the money for Black armed groups come from?

Edgar Hoover in Washington, after receiving the detailed report, also had a look of certainty in his eyes, as if he had finally grasped the essence of his prey:

"The Achilles' heel of the Black militants has been found!"

……

(End of this chapter)