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

Chapter 217 The more insane America becomes, the stronger America grows.

Faced with fierce criticism from the traditional sports world, which was filled with accusations of "shame on sports," "spiritual poison," and "civilizational regression," The Sun even stood by and watched coldly for a time.

After all, given the current level of The Sun, it has long since moved beyond the rudimentary stage where people need to get angry and start arguing.

The day after the criticism from the traditional sports world reached its peak, The Sun, adopting an objective reporting stance, dropped three "fact bombs":
First, there's the popularity and insane prices of BA stars.

The report details the commercial frenzy sparked by Leon Jordan's phenomenal success after the opening game!
To the surprise of many, what drove advertisers and the public wild was not his incredible goal, but the provocative "counter-attack" gesture he made after scoring, facing the spectators who had previously "simulated an execution" of him!
This move, captured in stunning photos by multiple media outlets and described vividly by the "Voice of Freedom" announcer, was voted the coolest move of the day by supporters of the "talented" style!

Ahem, this is definitely not because they couldn't beat the opposing supporters in the game!

The efficiency of capitalist society is sometimes admirable. Less than 24 hours after the game, more than a dozen national brands had offered the still-incarcerated star an astonishing endorsement deal through Fox River Company.

This is where another "advantage" of prison BAs that is often overlooked comes into play.

In an era where racial discrimination remains unabated, the "safe distance" of prison allows white people to accept a Black man as a superstar in the prison BA without any psychological burden—just as no visitor in a zoo would object to a strong and fierce black panther becoming the zoo's main attraction.

Naturally, no tourist would object to a celebrity black panther being chosen by a business as a brand ambassador.

In conclusion, according to The Sun's statistics, the total value of endorsement offers that "Black Panthers" has received so far exceeds that of some MLB (Major League Baseball) All-Star level players.

This is a signal that a new system for evaluating the commercial value of sports is taking shape.

Then came the second bombshell: the frenzied demand for tickets.

In Detroit, the venue for the next "Prison BA" game, long, winding lines of people formed at all official ticket windows and partner ticket outlets.

Meanwhile, scalpers with a keen sense of smell have driven up the prices of ordinary seats to exorbitant levels, while better-located areas are practically unavailable.

This frenzy for votes clearly demonstrates that the allure of the Fox River State Penitentiary is far more than just a matter of Chicago. Like a virus, it is spreading at an alarming rate along transportation lines and radio waves to other states with Fox River State Penitentiary.

The third installment focuses on the column's popularity and "crazy" strategies.

Several major newspapers that jointly reported on "Prison BA" have all opened "Prison BA" columns.

This column not only reports on game results and player statistics, but also provides in-depth coverage of team dynamics and player stories. Most notably, it has created sub-columns with a distinctly "Prison Basketball" style, such as "Tactical Outside Tactics," "Spectator Strategy," and "How to Elegantly Make Your Opponents Explode."

This column ignited public enthusiasm for participation as soon as it was launched.

Countless readers wrote letters and submitted their own wildly imaginative "best sixth man tactics," each hoping their "crazy" strategies would become reality in the audience of the next "Prison BA" game and truly influence the course of the match.

These three "fact bombs," in terms of commercial value, market popularity, and audience participation, silently but deafeningly responded to all the criticisms—

Americans just love to be "crazy." If you don't like it, who do you think you are?

No matter how fiercely you curse, can you swear out real money? Can you swear out so many people that the streets are deserted? Can you swear out so many people that they feel so strongly involved and engaged?
Finally, there was Logan's definitive rebuttal. Well, rather than a rebuttal, it was more like a hymn to "Prison BA" and its supporters.

While Logan was the one who conceived of the Prison BA and helped refine the rules, all the specific organization, planning, and the details that made the game so "outstanding" were created by the American lunatics.

Even though Logan had long been accustomed to the creativity of the local madmen, the prison BA they came up with still exceeded Logan's expectations.

The same applies to public acceptance.

Regardless of whether people are embracing "madness" to relieve stress due to a breakdown in their faith and wandering in confusion and fear, Logan only feels a sense of relief, like "my little seedling is growing up."

The spark of his "madness" has ignited a wildfire, at least in the sports world.

So Logan just wants to praise!
Praise to "Prison BA", praise to the infinite possibilities it represents, praise to all the fans of "Prison BA"!
This praise came entirely from the heart, without the slightest bit of pretense.

"...When we in The Sun say 'Bad Boys' are crazy, please note that this is not meant in a derogatory way. It's a genuine source of pride for Chicago!"

"The people of Chicago have created a great sports league! This is the kind of sports adults should watch!"

"Its 'madness' lies in its refusal to shy away from the cruelty of the world or to gloss over the bloodshed of competition. It tells us that true victory requires not only skill, but also nerves of steel, a strong heart, and the courage to break with convention!"

“Some people say that ‘Prison BA’ is too crazy and scares them. To that, I would say, it’s okay, my friend, I won’t laugh at you for it. You can go back to your ‘traditional sports,’ those are fairy tales for children. It’s not a bad thing to have a childlike heart.”

This is the only sentence in the entire article, filled with lavish praise, that responds to the criticisms from the traditional sports community.

The most tragic thing in the world is when you seriously exert all your strength to compete with a chosen opponent, only to have that opponent glance at you as if you were just another face in the road.

Logan continued his enthusiastic praise, echoing the "madness" with the "revival of the American spirit"—

"The people of Chicago have shown that madness is a beautiful and vibrant state of mind! It is the hammer that breaks down rigid thinking, the torrent that breaches the dam of conservatism!"

"Therefore, I believe that the more insane America becomes, the stronger America becomes!"

"And this will be most directly demonstrated and verified in our 'Prison BA'! Here, we can not only see the ultimate physical struggle, but also the breaking and reconstruction of rules, the attempt to integrate technology and the body, and the deep interaction between the audience and the game... All of this 'madness' is exploring more possibilities for the future of America!"

"We will witness how unbridled 'madness' will give rise to stronger individuals, more exciting games, more unpredictable results, and—a more vibrant America!"

In closing, Logan, like a prophet standing on the threshold of a new era, extended an invitation to all Americans:
"Welcome to a new era, ladies and gentlemen. Not just in the world of sports, but the old shackles are crumbling, and we are writing the new rules. Let us, together, gracefully and powerfully—'go crazy'!"

……

(End of this chapter)