Champion Creed
Chapter 832 - 832 278 The Disappearing Boss Seeking Monthly Tickets!_2

832: 278: The Disappearing Boss (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)_2 832: 278: The Disappearing Boss (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)_2 In T-Mac’s mind, Roger is like a big brother, while Kobe is a buddy willing to play and mess around with him.

But, he truly doesn’t think this will be the last time he tells Kobe: You haven’t beaten Roger.

He wishes well for Kobe, but it’s really tough.

Looks like not many people listened to Larry Hughes’ advice.

—————–

After the Hawks knocked out the Magic, their second-round opponents emerged—the Toronto Raptors.

This season’s playoff matchups certainly make Roger feel unfamiliar, not a single familiar face.

No Pat Riley, no Patrick Ewing, no Reggie Miller, no Alonzo Mourning…

Despite previously having faced T-Mac, meeting Carter now is Roger’s first encounter with them in the playoffs.

Roger suddenly realizes that time has reached 2001.

Since entering the League in 1993, he’s been through eight years.

In these eight years, he’s experienced a lot, grown a lot, and changed girlfriends quite a bit.

But there are still many things in this League that Roger doesn’t understand.

For example, why would a perfectly fine team owner disappear into thin air?

Between rounds one and two, the League announced the results of the last two individual awards of this year.

Ben Wallace, a guy once ignored, used by the Wizards as a guard, now stands tall at 206 cm, supporting Atlanta’s sky.

Finally this season, his hard work paid off as he won the DPOY trophy.

At the award press conference, Big Ben joked with reporters.

“I think I am unique, am I the shortest DPOY?

No, Sidney Moncrief and Gary Payton are both under 195 cm.

Am I the lowest draft pick DPOY?

No, although I’m an undrafted player, Mark Eaton was only picked in the fourth round due to era reasons, I can’t say his rank is higher than mine.

My special thing is, I’m the first DPOY since 1993 not to be toyed with by Roger!”

The reporters laughed, then someone asked the Hawks an awkward question: “Ben, now that you’ve got the DPOY, has Steve fulfilled his promise of a max contract?”

Big Ben’s smile gradually faded, he has been trying not to think about this, but it’s a fact that can’t be avoided.

The Hawks haven’t contacted him, not even a formal negotiation meeting.

It’s as if nothing ever happened from beginning to end.

When he got the DPOY, Steve Belkin didn’t call to congratulate, let alone sign a contract.

Ben Wallace respects Roger, respects the Hawks, it’s the Hawks that gave him a chance to not depend on barbering for a living.

So he didn’t act out like Shaq during the Magic period when he didn’t get the contract, just quietly waits for his deserved return.

This time as well, although Big Ben is eager to sign a new contract early, he didn’t directly express it: “Maybe they’re preparing the cash transport truck, haha.”

Big Ben considers himself a minor character, and feels the owner doesn’t value him enough, so even after getting the DPOY, he didn’t receive blessings.

But when the League announced Roger as the season MVP and Steve Belkin still didn’t show up, things became very strange.

This year’s MVP for Roger is almost like last season’s, pretty much unquestionable.

Across the League, only two teams hit 60 or more wins in the regular season, the Hawks and Lakers.

But because the Lakers’ Big 3 missed too many games, they basically bowed out of the MVP race early.

Yes, Roger also missed eight games, but at least he kept his missed games to single digits.

Who else could the MVP be awarded to?

You can’t possibly find one from the 58-win Spurs and 56-win 76ers, right?

The win-loss gap of these two teams compared to the Hawks is too big, and AI and Stone Buddha’s stats aren’t game-changing.

So, when Roger learned he was the MVP, he wasn’t surprised, nor was he thrilled.

This is his fourth MVP trophy of his career, second time back-to-back MVP.

Winning the MVP four times in five years can’t excite Roger too much anymore.

What truly concerns Roger is Steve Belkin’s complete disappearance.

On the night of winning MVP, everyone in the Hawks’ shareholder team called to congratulate Roger.

Even Bruce Levenson, who lost face in the shareholders meeting because of Roger last time, falsely expressed congratulations.

Michael Gillen was even going to attend the next game as the shareholder representative at Roger’s MVP award ceremony.

In short, everyone was there, except for Steve Belkin.

Strangely, despite his disappearance, none of the shareholder team seemed surprised by it.

Roger could only ask Bo Turner, Ted Turner’s youngest son, though he had no decision-making power, he was the person Roger trusted the most in the shareholder team: “Do you know what Steve’s been doing lately?”

Bo Turner’s answer left Roger even more baffled: “He’s currently under League investigation, I can’t disclose more information.

Essentially, he’s not allowed to contact the team, nor manage any team matters until the investigation ends, he won’t be back.”

“Investigated for what?

Tax evasion?

Involvement in racial comments?

Wait, is he a lizard person?

Caught by Area 51?

They say many lizard people like to disguise themselves as Jewish.” Roger made a joke that would lead to his ban in 2024.

But the typically relaxed Bo Turner didn’t laugh, in fact, his tone was heavy, seeming to lack a sense of humor.

“Neither, sorry Roger, I don’t want to be kicked out of the shareholder team, I can only say this much now, neither the League nor the team allows any leaked information until a result is reached.

What I can tell you is, Steve did nothing against you, nor said anything disrespectful towards you.”

Well, at least Steve Belkin isn’t like that damn Clippers owner Donald Sterling who’s under investigation for speaking out of line.

So, what on earth did he do?

Roger was tired; he didn’t want to guess anymore.

To be honest, he’s somewhat weary of this multi-shareholder control over the team, it makes the team so chaotic.

Indeed, most teams actually have many shareholders, many owners.

Owners that hold 100% team shares are actually few.

But most teams have a major shareholder whose share percentage far exceeds the others to take charge, no matter how many owners there are, ultimately there needs to be someone whose word holds power.

For example, previously, as long as Ted Turner made a decision, there wouldn’t be any surprises.

But now the power of the Hawks is dispersed, various situations always occur.

Who knows if this investigation of Belkin is yet another part of internal shareholder team rivalry?

You can never know the methods of those flashy capitalists.

Do you expect this group of capitalists to be united?

Impossible, look at how intense the power struggle of the Buss family in the Lakers is after Old Buss passed away.

They’re still blood-related, but in face of business and power, it’s a fight to the death.

After letting his agent Eric Fleisher inquire into internal news at the Hawks’ shareholder team, Roger focused back on the game.

The next opponent, the flashy airborne figure with purple wings in Toronto.

Handling him should be easier than guessing Steve Belkin’s whereabouts.