Champion Creed
Chapter 352 - 352 144 Each Own Future Requesting monthly votes!

352: 144: Each Own Future (Requesting monthly votes!) 352: 144: Each Own Future (Requesting monthly votes!) Roger and O’Neal enjoyed their champagne in the locker room, smoking cigars and dressed in ice-blue championship jackets, their feet resting on the championship trophies as they got photographed by reporters on site.

Without a doubt, this image would be on the front pages of major newspapers the next day.

Meanwhile, players from the SuperSonics were already being interviewed.

Gary Payton’s eyes were red, as he insisted that it was shampoo getting into his eyes while showering.

“Gary, do you doubt yourself?

I mean, this round of the finals was undoubtedly a very, very thorough defeat.”

“This is sports, this is basketball.

Sometimes you succeed, sometimes you fail, and doubting yourself is utterly pointless.

If you win, great, you wake up the next day and start the journey anew.

If you lose, it’s terrible, but you still have to wake up and start over.

I’m not going to waste time doubting myself, I just control what I can control, and I’ll keep pushing.”

“Roger became the FMVP, what do you think of his performance in this series?”

“What else can I say!?” Payton snapped at the reporter angrily.

Well, his reaction said it all, more than a thousand words ever could.

Apparently, Roger had really beaten him hard.

George Karl was also facing the media.

Before this season, he had thought about retiring because of several unexpected playoff failures in previous seasons that had gradually eroded his passion.

But this season he finally made it to the finals and saw what his team could do, which restored his confidence.

He told the reporters somewhat excitedly, “Even though we lost, I’m proud of every player.

They are the ones who restored the coaching confidence that I had almost given up.

We’ll be back, we definitely will.”

Now, George Karl probably couldn’t imagine that not only he still wanted to coach now, but by 2024, he actually would still want to pick up coaching in Los Angeles.

For the thing about DPOY being blownout by Roger, George Karl took the responsibility himself: “Gary’s DPOY is genuine, no one can question that.

Maybe it was my fault, maybe I shouldn’t have used such a defensive strategy, we gave Roger too much space to start easily.

But Gary, he is the best defensive guard I’ve ever seen.”

“So George, do you think the Magic can dominate the league like the Chicago Bulls?

From what we see now, Orlando is simply unstoppable.”

George Karl thought about this question carefully, then cracked an almost imperceptible smile, his lips quirking up slightly:

“Was the 1985 lottery rigged?

Did Wilt Chamberlain make a point of claiming he had been with 20,000 women to cover up that he actually was gay?

Do you know the answers to these questions?

Whether Magic can become Bulls is as answerless as those questions.

I’m not a prophet, how would I know if the Magic can dominate the league.

However…

No team can escape the championship curse, does Shaq still want to see Roger hoisting several FMVP trophies?

Does Roger still want to put up with Shaq’s childish temper?

Endure his frequent absences from games?

There are no perpetual champions, after your fingers touch the trophy, the physical and mental exhaustion will make your legs heavy.

After tasting the sweet wine of championship, how many are willing to live a monk’s life?”

When George Karl said this, that barely visible smile made him look quite like a witch casting a spell.

He seemed to be cursing the Magic Team to crash and burn soon.

Indeed, George Karl was looking forward to the day Orlando Magic would implode.

He wasn’t the kind to be magnanimous; he could keep trashing Anthony after he retired.

Naturally, being swept 4-0 in this year’s finals also made him harbor resentment against the Magic.

So, he was eager to see the team fall; he surely wouldn’t wish Roger and Shaq and those bastards well.

Tonight, George Karl had already seen signs of trouble, O’Neal’s sudden outburst in the third quarter was just the beginning, indicating the countdown of a time bomb had begun under its ticking.

If that day really came, George Karl would definitely open a bottle of red wine to celebrate that wonderful night.

No team can escape the championship curse, none!

Over at the Magic’s side, the wild celebrations were nearing an end.

Roger and O’Neal each held a championship trophy, exhaustedly slumped in front of their lockers.

O’Neal thought of his grandmother and couldn’t help but shed tears: “So much really happened this season.”

“But we persisted through it and got the perfect ending, Shaq.”

“Yeah, the perfect ending.” O’Neal said, looking toward the FMVP trophy in Roger’s locker.

Just then, “Sports Illustrated” reporter Andrew Sharp came over and took a photo of Roger and Shaq.

“Hey FMVP, can I get an interview?” Sharp and Roger were quite familiar, so he didn’t beat around the bush.

“Sure, let’s find a quieter place, it’s crazy here.” Roger replied, glancing at Saru, who was drunkenly lying on the floor singing.

After that, Roger, holding his FMVP trophy, walked into the deserted physiotherapy room to take the “Sports Illustrated” interview.

O’Neal stared at the door of the physiotherapy room, daydreaming.

That’s the privilege of an FMVP, huh?