The Golden Age of Basketball-Chapter 509 - 12 Children
Chamberlain was known as the "Emperor of Basketball," but his personality on and off the court felt childlike.
He was playful, prone to temper tantrums, one day he had one idea, the next another, and he would choke in crucial games. He was weak-willed, loved to argue with coaches, and hopped from team to team.
On the other hand, he was a very shrewd businessman, adept at marketing and packaging himself.
His extraordinary physical abilities and terrifying game stats easily attracted and beguiled fans who hadn’t seen much of him play or didn’t know much about early NBA history.
His exaggerated off-court anecdotes and playboy demeanor made it even easier to attract media attention, leading to news stories that piqued even more interest in him.
Therefore, as time passed after his retirement, Chamberlain was not forgotten; instead, he was increasingly brought up in discussions.
This was a stark contrast to Bill Russell and Chamberlain.
Bill Russell was a mature, resolute man on the court, a leader who cared not for statistics but for victory and the team.
But off the court, other domains were not Russell’s forte.
He went on to work as a commentator and field reporter for television, but his overthinking and lack of outspokenness, especially in cooperation with people like Rick Barry, didn’t lead to much success.
He also tried his hand in a few movies and TV shows but only in obscure, box-office failures that went unnoticed unless one specifically looked for them.
As the first black NBA coach, apart from winning two championships while playing with the Celtics, he didn’t achieve success in any other capacity.
His four seasons coaching the Supersonics could be considered somewhat successful, but his anger and understanding of basketball never quite fit with the city.
This season, Russell became the coach of the Sacramento Kings.
By Christmas, the Kings’ record was a dismal 6 wins and 18 losses, at the bottom of the Western Conference.
Russell’s overly firm and stern personality meant he was not cut out to be a good coach, commentator, or businessman.
In the 70s, Russell’s focus on black power and the quest for African American liberation still resonated with younger players.
But by the 80s, Russell’s persistent angry black man demeanor and tendency to lecture young people at length had lost its impact on younger players.
Not only was it ineffective, but it also led to annoyance and a rebellious response from the players.
The unity initially built by the Kings due to Russell’s noble reputation and historical praise was gradually dissipating.
Meanwhile, Chamberlain remained a media darling long after his retirement.
He too appeared in films, but unlike Russell’s obscure projects, Chamberlain starred in blockbuster hits like "Conan the Barbarian" alongside Schwarzenegger.
The programs and interviews he participated in were ratings magnets, and everyone loved to hear him boast on television.
He even collaborated with comedians for crossover boxing matches, resulting in a lot of hilarity.
In short, on the basketball court, Chamberlain lost miserably to Russell, only managing a meager victory once.
But off the court, Chamberlain was completely victorious, a more successful entertainer and money-maker.
While having barbecue with Sermonde, Gan Guoyang roughly shared the content of the letter with him.
Sermonde laughed heartily, saying, "The guy is a business genius. You should keep this letter safe; it’ll be a talking point in the future. I’m telling you, if you want to win basketball games, listen to Auerbach; but if you want to make money, listen to Wilt, he knows how to earn it."
Gan Guoyang enjoyed a piece of pork chop, the taste making him nostalgic.
He said, "I can make money too. I’ve invested in a funeral parlor."
"I know, my God, how did you find such an unconventional investment area?"
"It was introduced by Calvin Natt of the Nuggets, and I also invested in a construction company, partnering with Kenny-Carl. I’m also very interested in Kevin Willis’s big-size suit business."
"You, my boy, always engage in fields that most people don’t touch. I thought you’d open a restaurant."
"You’ve been talking about starting a barbecue joint for ages, why haven’t you acted on it yet?"
"Soon, soon, I’m already looking for a location, planning to open in January next year. If you could come, that would be great... Want to invest, Sonny? Food, clothing, housing, transportation, burial—I think you could dabble in everything."
Gan Guoyang was quite tempted by Sermonde’s words; his investment field was indeed close to covering everything from food to transportation.
It’s said that obstetrics and gynecology is also a very profitable industry.
"If it’s just one shop, that’s really too small. You have enough capital on your own, no need to drag me into it. If you plan on expanding it to a national chain, I might consider investing and turning it into the McDonald’s of the barbecue world."
Nate-Sermonde hadn’t thought that far yet.
He was relying on his bit of fame and the secret recipe in his hands.
To go national would require more than Sermonde dared to imagine, he admitted he didn’t have the capacity for it. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢
Gan Guoyang initially discussed it with Sermonde, then went on to eat meat and drink lemon water, playing cards with friends and romping around until late before heading back.
On the way back, snow actually started to fall in San Francisco.
This surprised both Gan Guoyang and Wang Fuxi.
In Portland, snowfall was all too common; it snowed incessantly during winter.
But San Francisco had a warm climate, and over the past hundred years, there have been only a few snowfalls in the city, mostly concentrated in February and March.
The last time it snowed in December was back in 1882, more than a hundred years ago.
Although the snow was light, the white snowflakes falling with the moonlight brought many people out of their homes on Christmas to witness this rare snowy day.
Gan Guoyang and Wang Fuxi got out of the car and decided to walk home through the snow.
"The Bay Area actually getting snow, it must be welcoming your arrival~"
"Don’t talk nonsense, how can you still believe in feudal superstitions? Snow is just snow."
"No, I think it’s to welcome you; snow signifies good news."
"I usually come to San Francisco to blow out the Golden State Warriors; how could that be good news."
"Of course not, haven’t you noticed, you make the people around you better, happier. Doesn’t your basketball make your teammates better too?"
Wang Fuxi saying so, Gan Guoyang really couldn’t argue.
He tightly held Wang Fuxi’s hand, pulling her into his arms and said, "You’re praising me like this, what’s your agenda? Spill it."
Wang Fuxi pushed Gan Guoyang away and said, "Do I need to have an agenda to praise you? Is it that everyone around you interacts with a purpose and you’ve gotten used to it, thinking your wife is the same?"
Gan Guoyang said, "What are you talking about? At a certain point, it’s inevitable that everyone has their needs. Wilt, Nate, they are all good people. But they need to make money, basketball players, especially those from the early days, they all have a short career span."
Wang Fuxi grabbed Gan Guoyang and said, "I wasn’t talking about them~ I was just joking with you, actually... I have an agenda too~"
Gan Guoyang was startled and said, "You too have an agenda? What do you want to do? We’re already married, what else could you do? Have me marry another, to be your sister-wife? That I can’t do."
Wang Fuxi pinched Gan Guoyang hard and said, "You wish! Why does it have to be marrying another? Can’t we... can’t we just have one of our own?"
Gan Guoyang was shocked, saying, "You want to have kids? Are you out of your mind?"
"I want to have them with you, is that not okay?"
"No, I’m still a kid myself."
"You a kid?! Show me a kid as big as you!"
"I’m still a kid at heart."
"Your heart is not a kid either, you... anyway, I’ve already talked to dad about it."
Wang Fuxi playing the dad card, Gan Guoyang sensed trouble brewing.
If his father put on the pressure, he really couldn’t handle it. It looked like Wang Fuxi wasn’t joking but was serious about it.
