Champion Creed
Chapter 297 - 297 127 Then I'll reluctantly accept begging for monthly votes!

297: 127: Then I’ll reluctantly accept (begging for monthly votes!) 297: 127: Then I’ll reluctantly accept (begging for monthly votes!) Roger, who jumped onto the scorer’s table, shouted at all the Miami fans, “Goodbye, Florida’s second team!”

Hearing this, Micky Arison clutched his chest, feeling a severe blow to his heart.

A billionaire’s pride can be hurt too.

In Arison’s view, the most hurtful things to a man in this world had nothing to do with money, but were these phrases: “Did you get in?”, “Let’s just go to sleep,” “It’s okay, you’re just tired from work,” and “Florida’s second team!”

The last phrase was simply too malicious and insulting!

This kind of insult to his dignity was something no amount of money could rectify!

It was an absolutely brutal game—Roger, right under Pat Riley’s watch, scored his career’s highest single-game points one shot, one ball at a time.

And in securing the victory, he also stripped both Riley and Arison of their dignity.

Arison had always thought that Riley, who harshly pushed his players, was cruel, but unexpectedly someone was even more bloodthirsty!

Roger wanted not just to beat you but also thoroughly humiliate you!

This summer, having secured Pat Riley, Arison was full of confidence about the Heat’s future, believing they could become the most successful team in Florida.

True Floridian pride lay in Miami!

But after tonight, his confidence abruptly wavered.

Further suppressed by Roger like this, Arison truly feared the Heat could no longer operate in Florida!

After finishing his celebration, Roger jumped down from the scorer’s table, where Hannah had already approached him.

But Roger ignored Hannah, ignoring all the reporters.

He headed straight for Pat Riley!

“Yes, if you tell lies, God will punish you!

I am your divine retribution, Pat!

Enjoy this night, bastard, it’s my gift to you!”

Riley, disheveled, did not respond; he, who had seemed especially calm before the game, now wanted nothing more than to quickly flee into the players’ tunnel.

The venue staff stopped Roger to prevent him from getting any closer to Riley.

Saru pulled Roger’s arm, “That’s enough, champion, you’ve already defeated him.

No, not just defeated him, you’ve set his soul on fire with your rage!”

“That’s right, this was the result I wanted, this is the price he had to pay,” Roger said, his gaze on Riley’s retreating back, the fire in his eyes gradually fading.

Tonight should be enough of a response to everything Pat Riley did this season against the Magic and to me, right?

Watching Pat Riley leave, Roger finally started accepting interviews at the sideline.

“Congratulations, Roger, 54 points in a single game, a new career high!

It was a tough match, a clash between Miami’s defensive machinery and your scoring machine!

Anything you want to say?”

“A machine?

I’m not a machine.

Machines sometimes break, I don’t.”

“Want to talk about that save?” It was undoubtedly the question all fans were most concerned about.

“I just wanted to make the save, but you know, Pat Riley just happened to be standing there.

Nobody expected him to just be standing right there.

That’s the risk we talk about before every game starts, players and coaches all risk injury, it’s unavoidable.

But Pat doesn’t need to worry too much, I think he won’t need to be fitted with titanium.”

“Is everything you did today a response to Pat Riley?”

“Of course, if someone suddenly throws dirty water on you while you’re walking down the street, would you stay calm and reason with them?

I said I’d make him accountable for his words, and this was his way of being accountable.”

“Last question, will this end your feud with Pat Riley?”

“No,” Roger answered decisively, “as long as Pat continues to compete against me, I will destroy him again and again!”

With that, Roger left the court, ending today’s carnage.

For Roger, his night of revenge had ended perfectly.

But for Pat Riley, this brutal and long night was still not over.

After changing his clothes and treating his wounds in the locker room, Pat Riley walked into the players’ tunnel, ready to go home early.

He had no mood left to attend the upcoming press conference.

But in the players’ tunnel, Riley was still blocked by many media reporters.

Even with security personnel clearing the way, the reporters persisted relentlessly.

Trapped with no way out, Riley had to stop to take interviews, forced to show his disheveled side to the media.

The side of his face that Roger had hit was completely swollen, the bruise not yet faded.

His hair was a mess, falling apart, completely lacking the charm of a “GQ cover man.”

His elegance and demeanor were totally absent at this moment.

He looked even more like a lost dog than Stan Van Gundy at halftime!

All of this was because he had provoked someone he shouldn’t have.

The media had no sympathy for him, and a reporter from NBC immediately asked a devastating question: “Pat, do you regret your previous statements?

You angered Roger, and then today he scored 54 points.”

This was akin to ripping open Riley’s scars, causing him double the pain.

This wasn’t the first time reporters asked Riley such questions.

Before the game, Hannah had asked Riley if he regretted upsetting Roger, who had seemed upset all day.

Riley had said then that he wasn’t on the court to make Ryan happy.

How proud, how commanding that answer was.

At halftime, Hannah asked Riley again, by which time Roger had already scored 28 points.

But Riley was still adamant, “He hasn’t won the game yet.”

This was the third time a reporter had asked a similar question, and by then, Roger had already scored 54 points and completely trampled Riley’s dignity underfoot.

Riley scratched his head, remained silent for about five or six seconds, and then frowned, “Sorry, what did you say?”

He was at a loss for words.

This was his expression of being at a loss for words.

He didn’t know how to respond, so he could only use this method to have the reporter repeat the question, buying himself time to think.

The persistent reporter asked again, and this time Riley answered, “I never said anything!”

Having said that, Riley fled under the escort of security.

This coach, always so confident in front of the media, always so articulate, always as dignified as a godfather.

Today, he completely lost his composure in front of the cameras!

His pride and his nonchalance vanished in that moment without a trace!

This awkward interview made Riley look even more disheveled.

Roger resolved this crisis perfectly, and after tonight, no one would remember what Riley said about Roger being “a hypocrite.”

People would only remember Roger’s 54 points and the sight of Riley fleeing with his tail between his legs.

Watching this scene, even the reporters on the scene felt that it was a brutal punishment!

The next day, as expected, the newspapers were all about Roger and Riley.

God doesn’t punish Riley, but Florida’s gods of basketball will!

— Sun Sentinel

Coach Pat Riley could never have imagined that it wouldn’t be Bird, Jordan, or Olajuwon who did him in but rather Roger, who had only entered the league in 1993.

Eliminated from the playoffs two years in a row and now publicly humiliated in a regular season game, Roger completely dominated Pat Riley!

— USA Today

The story between Roger and Pat Riley will be one of the most talked-about basketball stories of the ’90s NBA.

If Pat Riley were to write a memoir about it, I think it could be called “The Miserable Life of a Basketball Coach.” — Slam magazine

We just watched him score, our strategy was to limit other players and let Roger attack alone, to wear him out.

But it was no use, absolutely no fucking use!

— Mourning in an interview with the Miami New Times, despondently.

Magic team scored 88 points, Roger alone scored 54 points, and then won the game.

Isn’t this data enough to illustrate Roger’s greatness, or is there any need to describe what level Roger’s scoring performance was last night?

— The New York Times

Was Roger’s slap deliberate?

Maybe, but it was undoubtedly a consequence of Pat Riley’s own actions.

As the head of the Heat, he should focus on his own business, instead of critiquing other teams!

He wanted to discuss Shaq’s renewal?

Well, this is the outcome.

— Orlando Times

The “war of hypocrisy” starring Pat Riley and Roger swept across the United States and could even be described as one of the most dramatic games in NBA history.

Roger savored the taste of his enemy’s blood, and the whole world saw the fearsome side of this tyrant.

Roger’s emergence made people believe Michael Jordan’s reign of terror had ended.

But now everyone knew, it was just the rise of another tyrant!

After the game against the Heat, the league dispatched several commissioners to investigate the incident where Roger slapped Pat Riley.

They needed to use videos and actual visits to determine whether Roger’s slap was indeed intentional.

Why so serious?

Because Christmas was just around the corner.

David Stern, in his subjectivity, didn’t want Roger to miss the Christmas battle, but under pressure, he could not condone this act of violence.

Thus, he needed a thorough investigation to put a period on this incident.

Rod Thorn, the executive in charge of league discipline, personally arrived at the AdventHealth Training Center.

Brianna Bosman, the senior customer manager for the Magic, told Rod and his assistant, “Roger will be here shortly.”

Twenty minutes later, it turned into, “I’m sorry, sir, Roger will come after extra practice.”

Lastly, “Sorry, Roger decided to add another set of training and will come in the evening.”

Finally, at dinner time, after waiting for three hours, Rod Thorn met Roger.

Even as the NBA’s executive vice president of basketball operations, Rod Thorn had to muster a smile, “Hello, Roger.”

“Sorry to keep you waiting, let’s talk while we eat,” Roger shook hands with Rod Thorn.

“No need, we’re just here to check on the previous incident.

Can you describe what happened when you slapped Riley?”

“I was just picking up the ball, that’s all.”

“But why did you start laughing right after you slapped him?”

“Because I was happy, although it was accidental, but I was happy to have slapped that bastard.

Just a laugh though, I shouldn’t get suspended for that, right?”

“Ah?” Rod Thorn did not expect Roger to be so frank.

“That’s it, you wanted to hear what happened that day, and that’s what happened.

Any more questions, sir?”

The next day, the league announced the investigation results:

“Roger appeared on time and cooperated with the investigation.

Rod Thorn, the executive vice president of basketball operations, confirmed that Roger’s slap was accidental and he felt sorry about it and was saddened that such an incident had happened, feeling no happiness at all.

Following the investigation, Roger will not face any penalties and will continue to participate in the upcoming games.”

Roger looked at the investigation results and shrugged at Joe Abunassar, “I remember I didn’t say it like this last night, Old Joe.”

Joe Abunassar couldn’t help but smile, “You’re a superstar now, Roger.

Others need to make excuses for themselves, but as a superstar, the league will make excuses for you.

In fact, they’re even more concerned about your image than you are.

You’ve got to get used to it, this is the Michael Jordan-like imperial life.”

Roger shook his head, since the league said so, then I’ll reluctantly accept this investigation result.

Sorry, poor Pat.