Free Web NovelChapter 337: Chapter 96: [I’ll Teach You How to Win an Olympic Gold Medal]
But... this was FIBA, not the NBA.
This generation of Argentinian players had grown up together and had perfect chemistry. Moreover, their tactics were incredibly smooth, and the entire team played as one.
In contrast, Larry Brown was far too stubborn. His tactics were rigid and outdated. Many experts in the United States had long been criticizing Larry Brown for his inflexibility, claiming he’d been left behind by the times.
However, his authority on the team remained absolute. As the assistant coach, Popovich had no say in the matter.
And so, step by step, the Dream Six Team marched toward its decline. Argentina kept them on the ropes, playing with more and more vigor as the game went on.
In the end, they beat the Dream Team by 15 points.
The basketball Dream Team had become the basketball Nightmare Team.
They had fallen short, not even making it to the finals.
The ESPN commentators were furious on television, declaring it the darkest day in American basketball. They cursed out Larry Brown, cursed out Iverson, cursed out Duncan, cursed out Odom, cursed out Marion...
They themselves said the team was complete garbage.
This was the polar opposite of their previous expectations.
They had come with the intention of teaching Su Xi a lesson, avenging their previous shame, and taking home the gold medal. ƒгeewёbnovel.com
But now, they hadn’t even gotten a chance to face Su Xi. Their only chance to play the Chinese Team and compete for a bronze medal was if China lost to Italy. But what if the Chinese Team won?
Then the Dream Team would have reached a whole new level of shame, an utter and complete disgrace.
As for avenging their shame, forget about it. The Dream Six Team was even more disgraceful than the Dream Five Team.
This team should have its Dream Team membership revoked.
...
「Three hours later.」
The Dream Six Team’s last glimmer of hope was shattered. The Chinese Team gave Italy no chance, defeating them with ease. Although Italy had held a 3-point lead in the first quarter, once the Chinese Team turned up the heat in the second, the Italians were powerless to resist.
The Chinese Team defeated Italy 101-81, making a historic advance into the finals.
They would now face Argentina in the battle for this year’s Olympic gold medal.
It quickly became the most glorious moment for China’s Olympic delegation this year. Sports fans all over the country were discussing this historic breakthrough. Although Liu Xiang’s gold medal breakthrough in track and field was also stunning, the popular appeal of track and field still paled in comparison to basketball’s.
During this time, Su Xi dominated the front pages of all sports media, his name chanted repeatedly. In every street and alley, from the old to the young, men and women alike, everyone was talking about Su Xi. Names like "Little Sheep Su Xi," "God of Basketball," and "The Greatest in History" were heard everywhere.
With the media’s wall-to-wall coverage, Su Xi’s fame reached a national level... no, it was even higher than that. Even elderly women in the countryside who cared nothing for basketball knew that China had produced a God of Basketball named Su Xi, who had led the Chinese Team to the Olympic finals.
The Chinese reverence for the title of ’God’ is nothing like in the United States, where it’s thrown around casually. Nor is it like in Japan, where someone can make a bit of sushi and be called a ’God of Sushi.’
In China, a ’God’ is someone worshipped from the bottom of one’s heart, someone worthy of incense and offerings. Without great achievements, without legendary tales of ’divine power’ passed down by word of mouth, who would believe you? Who would take you seriously?
Huang Xiaoman was astounded. She had originally guessed that Su Xi would gain more popularity and national support through this national team journey. After all, no matter how well you play in the NBA, it isn’t seen as a contribution to your country.
But now that Su Xi had led the Chinese Team to the finals, the significance was completely different.
"The entire nation is watching this final. Everyone’s expectations for you are incredibly high. If you win, you will truly become the number one celebrity in the country, the Pride of China, the God of Asia."
Huang Xiaoman was monitoring public opinion. She told Su Xi, "This game has become a match to unite the nation’s confidence. You absolutely cannot lose."
Huang Xiaoman was very serious.
The soaring public opinion and the growing number of non-fans involved made rational analysis of the situation impossible.
Everyone had such high hopes; what they wanted was a win, what they demanded was the gold medal. No compromises would be accepted.
If they only won the silver medal, even though it would already break the historical record for the Chinese Men’s Basketball Team and could be called a great success...
...the passion ignited by public opinion had already formed a state of ’collective unconscious’ euphoria.
It was a scene of dazzling prosperity, but also one of explosive volatility. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com
It wasn’t just Su Xi who felt this pressure; Yao Ming sensed it too. His agent was also talking to him about the situation back home. The general public now saw the men’s basketball team as a sure bet for gold. Society was filled with a sense that it was a ’done deal’—after all, Su Xi was the ’God of Basketball.’
’He’s a foreigner who can beat all those strong black players in the United States and win a championship, so why can’t he do it at the Olympics? Hasn’t the United States already been defeated? Argentina should be a piece of cake!’
Public opinion is sometimes a double-edged sword.
When more and more ordinary people who don’t understand basketball join the conversation, it becomes difficult to analyze things from a professional perspective.
The team leader of the men’s basketball team also held a special meeting with the players to convey the wishes of the leadership.
The leaders encouraged everyone to keep up the good work and strive for new heights. Most importantly, they hoped the men’s basketball team could live up to the people’s expectations and win the championship.
China was currently in a period of major economic development, and the men’s basketball team had become a ’flashpoint’ at this time, a way to galvanize the national fighting spirit. Everyone hoped to use this flashpoint to ignite an even greater surge of national confidence.
In times of peace, sports are the easiest way to build consensus and create miracles.
The players all felt the heavy weight of this trust, and the pressure on each of them suddenly skyrocketed.
