hotmtlnovel Chapter 406 It was truly a scene of great fanfare: gongs and drums resounding, firecrackers explodin
Chapter 406 It was truly a scene of great fanfare: gongs and drums resounding, firecrackers explodin
On October 21, a week before the start of the regular season, a plane slowly landed at the capital airport in China. Then the plane door opened, and more than 20 guys of different builds, skin colors, and shapes, but all of them were tall and strong, clearly professional athletes, filed out of the plane.
"Is this China? This is my first time here." Miller chewed his gum, looking somewhat expectant. "Do you think there will be any fans of mine here?"
"There will be, a dozen or so," Bird said, emerging from behind Miller. "Hurry up and get down, there's a line behind you."
"Yao, will you take us to the best entertainment venues in the capital?" Kidd asked with a relaxed expression, clearly very curious about the capital's entertainment scene.
"I didn't grow up here, I'm not familiar with this place. I grew up in Shanghai." Yao Chen scratched his head, still a little shy.
"So, our next stop is Shanghai, right? Then you can take me there now, right?"
"Although I grew up in Shanghai, I have never been to a place like that."
"What use are you, Bao? I'll be passing you the ball in tomorrow night's game!" Kidd cursed, then quickly walked to Lin Tian's side and said, "Lin, you'll take me out for fun, right? I'm really looking forward to our trip to China!"
"I have to go home. I haven't seen my father and grandfather for almost a year. You can have Yao take you there."
Before Lin Tian could finish speaking, Jordan suddenly put his arm around his neck and said, "Lin, do you think someone will pick us up at the airport? Reggie just bet me that I have very few fans here, less than a tenth of yours."
"You still have a lot of fans in China, Michael," Lin Tian said, looking at Jordan. "But I suggest you don't take Reggie's bet; you'll lose badly!"
"You're kidding! Me, losing? I don't even have a tenth of your fans here!" Jordan snorted, turning to Miller and saying, "I'm quitting gambling! I'm done! It's pointless, not fun."
They may verbally resist, but their actions tell a different story!
The group of people walked and chatted noisily, happily going through customs and immigration procedures, and then preparing to walk out of the passage and leave the airport.
Then, just as everyone had almost finished the formalities and was about to leave, Bird frowned and said, "Something's not right."
"That's making so much noise! Is your airport under renovation? I feel like the floor is shaking."
"Let's go, I think you're about to witness the most shocking airport pickup scene of your life!"
As Lin Tian spoke, he took the lead and walked out of the passage.
As the group drew closer to the passage, the tremors and chaotic sounds Bird had described grew louder. Miller asked uneasily, "Is there an earthquake here? Should we find a safe place to take shelter, just in case something unexpected happens?"
"Reggie, when did you become such a coward?" Jordan said to Miller with a relaxed expression and no politeness. "No wonder you retired so quickly as soon as you saw me."
"Shut up! I'm the coach! Tonight, you'd better do 500 extra three-pointers! Otherwise, I'll get the head coach to disqualify you!"
"I'd be a fool to even bother with you. Go ahead and try to DNP me for the entire season!"
"What's so great about it? I'll just put my jersey back on! You really think I can't play anymore?"
While the two were bickering, Yao Ming was teaching Kidd, Gasol, and others to speak Mandarin: "Lin Tian's over there! If you encounter a situation where too many fans surround you, just say this, and you can get away immediately! I've tried it many times, and it's very effective!"
"It's cloudy at home!" Kidd tried to imitate Yao Ming's voice.
"Near the natural disaster?" Gasol echoed.
"It's Ling Tian! It's Ling Tian's residence!" Carter said confidently, instructing his two teammates on pronunciation.
"That's about right. You can add hand gestures too. Just point in any direction and say 'Lin Tian is over there' while doing the gestures. You'll be able to get out of the fans' circle immediately." Yao Ming nodded, thinking it was about right.
At this point, everyone had finished walking through the long airport corridor and arrived at the airport terminal.
Then, everyone, including Lin Tian, was shocked.
"MVP! MVP! MVP!"
"Lin Tian! Lin Tian! Lin Tian!"
"Roar! Roar! Roar! Roar! Roar! Roar!"
Crazy roars, heart-wrenching shouts, cheers loud enough to shatter the eardrums of ordinary people, a tidal wave of shouts, and most importantly, an airport packed with a dense, dark mass that seemed to stretch as far as the eye could see!
The entire airport was packed with people! People everywhere! People were everywhere!
"Wow, so many people!" Miller was stunned. Even though he was well-traveled and had seen many big events, playing in front of 2 people every night, he had never seen such a large crowd of people at the airport!
At the very least, when Indiana won the championship on the road, the number of people who came to pick them up at the airport upon their return to Indiana was at most one-tenth of that here!
"Are Chinese football fans really that crazy?"
"Are they really only chanting Lin's name? Can you even see the #23 and #31 jerseys?"
"Don't dream about it. There aren't even many size 11 items left, let alone size 23 and 31?"
"Number 7! The whole world is full of 7s. I've never seen so many 7s in my life. I've even forgotten how to write 7."
"There must be at least 5 people here. FUXX! They actually made way for us! How many people are there? How long is the line? Why can't I see the end of the crowd?"
"Leave quickly! Leave quickly! An accident may occur. Do not interact with fans. Leave quickly! Do not interact with fans! To avoid causing an accident!"
Security guards kept shouting, trying to get the NBA players through quickly, fearing that the fans might get too excited and cause a stampede or other serious incidents.
Harrington, Gasol, and the others were also a bit stunned by this. Gasol kept shouting, "Ling Tian's residence! Ling Tian's residence!"
But clearly, no one could hear his voice at all!
The players walked towards the exit, and everyone unconsciously quickened their pace until they walked out of the airport terminal and saw a bus waiting for them, and a dense wall of people still blocking the road.
"Fuck! How many people are there? I can't see the end of the line even at the end of the road! Has the whole city come here?" Jordan quickened his pace again, put his luggage under the bus, and then quickly boarded the bus.
"The capital city has tens of millions of people, this is nothing!" Lin Tian followed Jordan onto the bus and said disdainfully, "Let me show you what a real metropolis is!"
Soon, everyone from both teams scrambled onto the bus, and as the bus started moving, almost everyone was still in shock, watching as the fans continued to shout. The shouts were so loud that the entire road shook, and the bus's triple-layered soundproof windows could not block out the cheers of the fans.
The enormous sound could still be clearly heard inside the car.
"MVP! Lin Tian! MVP! Lin Tian!"
Kidd swallowed hard, then looked at Yao Ming and said, "Yao, teach me that line again, I need to really learn it! It's insane! The fans here are insane! If the fans in New Jersey were half as crazy as these, I could averaging a triple-double!"
After the bus drove for about 5 minutes, the fans gathered on both sides of the road finally gradually disappeared, and their voices also slowly faded away.
This group of NBA stars witnessed Lin Tian's terrifying popularity and crazy appeal for the first time.
They finally understood why Stern had created such a "God Clause" specifically for Lin Tian.
The entire nation of China is his fan base!
That's over 10 billion people!
If someone contributes just $1 to the NBA every year, Stern would be laughing so hard his jaw would drop!
"Lin, I've made up my mind. I'd rather stay in the hotel and not go anywhere than let you take me out to play." Kidd quickly found Lin Tian and said, "I absolutely will not be anywhere in China with you at the same time!"
"That's terrifying!"
Aside from Kidd, almost everyone else nodded in agreement. Kidd was right; in China, they absolutely could not appear in the same frame as Lin Tian!
Meanwhile, Yao Ming's phrase "Ling Tian Zhai La!" has become a lesson for all the NBA players on the bus. They are all practicing pronunciation and working hard to master this phrase!
Although they didn't know what it meant, Yao Ming was a kind person, and they believed his words. They believed that these words could help them extricate themselves from the fervent fans!
The bus traveled along the way, and fortunately, no crazy Chinese fans chased after it, which relieved many players. However, when the bus arrived at the hotel, the players were shocked again.
"Do Chinese football fans teleport? Weren't they just at the airport, and now they're at the hotel entrance?"
"Did they come by plane? How could they be here so fast?"
"Where did all these people come from! FUXX! Or did our driver deliberately take a longer route and let the fans arrive here first?"
"Wake up, you guys." Lin Tian looked at this group of NBA stars, who seemed to have never seen anything like it, with disdain. "This is a different group! Half of them are blocking the airport, and the other half are blocking the hotel!"
"Let's go. Once we get back to the hotel, everything will be fine, and the fans should disperse by then." After saying this, Lin Tian was the first to stand up and get out of the car.
Then, once again, a frenzied and enormous cheer and shout came from all directions!
Without exception, it was all given to Lin Tian!
Of course, among so many fans, it's impossible for all of them to consider Lin Tian their number one idol. If there are 100 fans who came to greet him at the airport today, then there are at most 90 fans of Lin Tian, and the remaining 5 are fans of Yao Ming.
There are about three Jordan fans left, and the last two are die-hard fans of Miller, Webber, Kidd, Gasol, and others.
With such a huge disparity in numbers, the shouts for Lin Tian naturally overwhelmed everyone else.
Naturally, the stars felt that 100% of the people here were Lin Tian's fans.
Crazy!
too crazy!
Even after everyone had entered the hotel, checked in, and returned to their rooms, they still felt a sense of disbelief.
There are so many people!
Even now, when the players look out the window, they can still see a large group of fans who haven't left and are reluctant to go.
The passion and fervor of the Chinese fans truly astonished them.
Then, not long after the players arrived at the hotel, the reporters came, and the Nets and Pacers were to hold press conferences one after the other in the hotel's conference room.
After all, this is the first NBA China-based tournament, so the lineup and scale will definitely be top-notch.
At the press conference, almost all the players were amazed by the Chinese fans' madness and enthusiasm, as well as their ability to maintain such restraint and rationality amidst such fervor, all of which left a deep impression on them.
Then comes a bunch of platitudes, like how happy I am to be here, how delighted I am to see the fans here, how I've always wanted to come to China, and how I've finally got the chance, blah blah blah.
If the Nets' press conferences are such that almost everyone can say a few words and express their opinions, then the Pacers' press conferences are anything but staged.
What do you mean by "treating everyone equally"? What do you mean by "making the players feel at home"? What do you mean by "making them feel the enthusiasm and friendliness of Chinese media"?
That's not true! Absolutely not true!
Aside from the symbolic questioning of Jordan, Miller, and Bird at the beginning, all the reporters' microphones and questions were aimed at Lin Tian!
Weber didn't even get to say a single word; all the reporters were chasing after Lin Tian with questions!
There's nothing we can do; this big shot only comes back once a year! He didn't even come back after winning the World Championships! What are the reporters supposed to do? They're in a difficult position too!
I can only take advantage of this limited opportunity to ask Lin Tian a few more questions.
Then?
Then they keep rehashing and restructuring the content, picking out a couple of sentences to use and polish whenever they feel like it, and then it becomes another interview article!
There was no other way; the domestic journalists were desperately thirsty for information!
Why are there so few journalists stationed in the US these days? Why can almost all other media outlets, including CCTV, only watch enviously and barely manage to get a share of the profits, except for Basketball Pioneer?
Lin Da Guanren is great in every way, but his screen time is just too low!
Then, the entire Pacers team started watching Lin Tian's performance.
There was nothing they could do; they wanted to hear Lin Tian perform, but two-thirds of the questions were asked in Mandarin, which they couldn't understand at all.
torment!
This is so agonizing!
Bird and Jordan even considered running away!
If Stern hadn't repeatedly emphasized that they must maintain a good image and give Chinese fans a perfect impression this time, they would probably all be going to the bathroom one after another and never come back.
Anyway, nobody cares whether these ornaments are there or not, right?
The interview with Lin Tian began with a review of past seasons, a look ahead to this season, and plans for the future. It then went on to discuss his love for sports such as boxing and running, and whether he plays football or table tennis.
Some media outlets even started asking Lin Tian about his criteria for choosing a partner, specifically whether he would choose a domestic girl or a foreign girl to marry.
What do you do when you're not playing basketball? What are your hobbies? What type of girl do you like? Who do you want to thank for getting to this point? What do you plan to do after retirement? Do you usually play one-on-one against Jordan, Miller, Webber, or Bird?
Then there's the question of whether he prefers to sign in English or Chinese when signing autographs, and whether he ever uses Chinese or swears while playing on the team.
As he answered, Lin Tian became increasingly confused. Could this be a blind date arranged for him by his two grandfathers, Lin Jun and Lin Sen?
After they couldn't answer these questions, someone immediately threw a cup as a signal, and then 50 fully armed young women flashed out from behind the screen.
"Change to a different batch!"
Feeling a bit numb from the questions, Lin Tian couldn't help but blurt out what was on his mind, leaving the reporter who was about to ask a question somewhat bewildered.
Change to another batch? Should I leave?
No, what should we change it to?
Is Teacher Lin feeling that we reporters are working too hard and want to switch to a new group to continue the fight?
Fortunately, at this moment, the league officials glanced at their watches and realized that the press conference had already gone on for 40 minutes longer than expected. What was supposed to be a 30-minute press conference had already lasted for more than an hour.
This meets Stern's basic requirements for this press conference!
Then the league's press officer stepped forward and said, "One last question!"
Upon hearing this, the entire Pacers team breathed a sigh of relief.
It's over! It's finally over!
"Lin, what do you think of the fans' crazy welcome at the airport? Do you have anything to say to the fans?" Upon hearing the last question, all the reporters immediately fell silent. Then, a reporter sitting in the front row wearing a CCTV uniform stood up and, without hesitation, asked the question on behalf of everyone.
"I'm very happy, very happy that so many fans like me, but if you ask me, I hope there won't be any more airport pick-ups of this size. First of all, there are too many people, which can easily lead to danger and stampedes, which is something that absolutely no one wants to see."
"Secondly, it greatly affects the normal operation of the airport and the boarding of people who really need to board the plane, causing a bad influence and greatly increasing the workload of security personnel, who are already working very hard."
"So, I sincerely request my fans to stop organizing these airport welcome ceremonies. After all, most people probably didn't even see us, just a bunch of big heads? It's unnecessary, really unnecessary!"
"And actually, I'm someone who really enjoys interacting with fans and having fun with everyone, but given the situation today, I really couldn't stop to chat with everyone or do anything like signing autographs."
"It's too dangerous, too easy for an accident to happen! As a player, I have a responsibility to my fans, so even if I really wanted to stop, even just to take a few pictures, wave and chat, I really didn't dare!"
"So, everyone, next time, if there's a next time, I hope you can all calm down. If there are only a few dozen fans, we'll stop and have a good chat with you all, and signing autographs and taking photos is no problem. But with the scale of this today, I can only apologize to everyone!"
After answering the question, the league's press officer immediately stepped forward to signal the end. Then the doors opened, and the Pacers players, who had endured more than an hour of torture and had to keep smiling despite listening to a nonsensical explanation, quickly stood up and ran away as if fleeing.
Too scary!
I'm never attending these kinds of press conferences again! Everyone just wants to ask Lin Tian, so why are they even here?
On that day, because the enthusiastic fans had not yet dispersed, both teams simply canceled their travel plans and spent the day in the hotel. It wasn't until the next day that both teams set off to visit some attractions in the capital.
Yes, Lin Tian didn't go.
After witnessing his influence, his teammates decided to leave him alone in the hotel to look after the place.
Even so, the players still encountered a frenzy of fans surrounding them.
Fortunately, everyone now knows some Chinese and can have simple conversations with the fans.
"Lingtian Residence! Lingtian Residence!"
Gasol, with the best pronunciation and the greatest language talent, could even clearly say, "Lin Tian is over there!"
His progress has been absolutely tremendous!
After the fans discovered that Lin Tian was not with the group but was hiding, they once again blocked the hotel entrance, wanting Lin Tian to come out and interact with them.
After glancing at the dense crowd below through the window, Lin Tian immediately decided not to go home.
He knew very well that if he showed his face, these fans would stay until they left the capital!
So it's better to put an end to their hopes as soon as possible. They can't go out! Absolutely not!
We should wait until the fans' enthusiasm has dissipated before making any decisions!
For example, next year, when I return to China to participate in activities, I should be able to go out normally. After all, by then, the hype surrounding my two consecutive world championship titles should have subsided.
Back then, the fans wouldn't be so crazy, right?
The preseason game held in Beijing that night was nothing special.
Representatives from both teams came up one after another to give speeches and joke around. The Nets' representatives were Yao Ming and Jason Kidd. Kidd showed his comedic talent by greeting the fans in a few words of Chinese that Yao Ming couldn't understand. He then gave away a pair of shoes and a jersey on the spot.
As for the Pacers, Lin Tian and Jordan naturally stepped forward. The moment these two stood in the middle of the court, they immediately drew wild cheers and celebrations from the entire crowd!
Isn't this what they've been waiting for?
This is a global first!
Jordan and Lin Tian teamed up again! No one in the world has ever seen this before!
We Chinese are the first to see this!
That feeling is absolutely amazing!
The fans were thrilled, and the players naturally put in a lot of effort on the court. Although neither side was giving their all, the pace and flow of the game were still very exciting and entertaining. Kidd's passing and playmaking, as well as the improved mobility of the team after the arrival of Carter and Harrington, were all on display.
As for the Pacers, Jordan and Lin Tian took turns playing one-on-one, showcasing their skills and strength.
Although they both made their shots, the Nets didn't change their defense much, continuing with one-on-one situations.
Just playing around! It's just a preseason game anyway.
Ultimately, although it was just a preseason game, with Stern's prior instructions, both teams' key players played around 30 minutes each, giving the fans a truly exciting performance.
As for the outcome of the match?
Who cares?
The point of this kind of competition is to have fun! Who cares who wins or loses?
What everyone cares about is that Lin Tian delivered another alley-oop pass to Jordan, Lin Tian broke through Kidd and slammed it down with one hand, both Carter and Jordan, the two generations of North Carolina's "Air Jordans," had fast break dunks, and Yao Ming and Ben Wallace also went toe-to-toe in the paint for several rounds.
Even during halftime, Miller got into the spirit and went on the court to shoot a few long-range three-pointers from mid-court, which really excited all the fans!
They'll get to see everything they want to see tonight!
Then, two days later, almost the exact same scenario played out in Shanghai.
Crazy fans, crazy press conferences, relatively uneventful game.
And the feeling that every single person in China who can breathe is a Lin Tian fan.
Shocking! The players were stunned!
Of course, the fans were also amazed to watch such a high-quality match live, with both sides displaying such strong abilities!
Is this the highest level of competition in the world?
That was really exciting!
Ideally, this kind of competition should be held every year!
Stern looked at the various data about the China Games that the staff had given him, such as ticket sales, merchandise sales, viewership ratings, and even the prices that scalpers had inflated for tickets and how many cups of Coke and popcorn were sold at the venue. Stern asked about all of these!
Then?
"No problem, no problem! We'll come again next year, every year! Every year after that! If you have any suitable talent, send them to us anytime, anytime!"
Stern was absolutely beaming with joy during this China Open.
This new attempt is not just good, it's perfect!
Stern already had even more plans in mind!
The first step of the plan is that next year he plans to expand the influence and scale of the international competition, sending at least 7-8 teams to play several preseason games around the world!
We have everything, no need to rush!
As for the Nets and Pacers, after their two games, they originally planned to stay in China for a couple more days, but due to the overwhelming enthusiasm of the fans, Lin Tian's call and speech had virtually no effect!
Their hotel, their route to the game, and the tourist attractions they might visit were all crowded with waiting fans.
At this point, even if the entire Brazilian team, the World Cup champions, came, they wouldn't be able to compete with Lin Tian, Yao Ming, and these two teams for the spotlight.
Therefore, for safety reasons, the players from both teams decided that it would be better to go back as soon as possible.
Anyway, they don't have any more preseason games to play, so they can rest for a bit and then prepare for the regular season!
"Jason, didn't you guys not have a game on the 31st? I remember your first game was on November 2nd, right?" While waiting for his connecting flight at Los Angeles Airport, Lin Tian casually said, "Then why don't we just skip New Jersey and go to Indiana instead?"
"You can be special guests and witness our championship flag-raising ceremony. Vince and Elle can also receive their championship rings on the spot," Lin Tian said, putting his arm around Kidd's shoulder. "You've never seen this in person before, have you? Don't miss this opportunity!"
"No problem! It's settled then. I'll go change the tickets right away. Having Vince and Elle in person at the championship award ceremony and to receive their championship rings is definitely the best option; it's worthy of their hard work!"
Kidd actually nodded, then stood up and said, "Let's go, Vince, El, Yao, and Paul! Let's go change our tickets together. We'll go to Indiana first, then back to New Jersey!"
Since the team's leader, Kidd, had spoken, the others, though they didn't understand why Kidd would do something so stupid, still got up and followed him out.
"Jason, this isn't like you. Lin is clearly messing with you." Harrington, always outspoken, couldn't help but ask as soon as he stepped out of the VIP lounge.
Even Jordan asked Lin Tian the same question.
"I can understand and expect you to take every opportunity to manipulate people, but why should Jason cooperate with you?"
"He didn't cooperate with me." Lin Tian comfortably put on his sunglasses and leaned back leisurely on the sofa behind him. "That guy isn't coming back. They're probably going to find another lounge, away from our harassment, and then fly straight back to New Jersey."
"They ran away?" Jordan muttered incredulously, then looked at the rookie Ginobili next to him.
The very sensible Ginobili immediately stood up and said, "I'll go check it out!"
Then, with a quick leap, he ran outside.
"This rookie is pretty sensible. Much more likeable than some people in their rookie days." Jordan leaned back comfortably in his chair, watching Ginobili's back with great satisfaction.
"Some people used to beat you so badly when they were newbies," Lin Tian snorted. Then, less than a minute later, Ginobili came running back.
"They're all in the lounge next door."
"Well done, kid. When the season starts, I'll teach you a few more tricks. Train with me then, and I guarantee you'll become the next MVP-caliber second-round pick." Jordan laughed and patted Ginobili's head.
Then, frowning, he looked at his hands full of hair and said, "But kid, shouldn't you change your shampoo? Your hair loss is quite severe."
"Michael's right, be careful your long hair doesn't disappear and you end up bald like him!" Lin Tian couldn't help but rub Jordan's hair when he heard Jordan's words.
Wow, that's a lot!
At least ten or more were picked up in this hand!
"It doesn't usually fall off unless you touch it," Ginobili said, scratching his head guiltily before hiding his hands behind his back.
Unfortunately, his attempt to hide his hair was not as convincing as his feints on the court; Lin Tianqing could clearly see that the guy also had several strands of hair in his hand.
Let's redeem Duncan!
Clear Duncan's name!
I, Lin Da Guanren, can attest to this: My teammate Ginobili's hair loss is natural and beyond human control. Although my buddy Duncan likes to touch people's heads, Manu's baldness has nothing to do with him!
The age-old mystery has been solved!
At the same time, Lin Tian finally understood why Ginobili insisted on keeping his hair long, even though it was very inconvenient for him to play on the court.
If he doesn't grow it while he's young, in 5-6 years at most he won't be able to grow any hairstyle anymore!
The wheels of time keep turning and never stop rolling forward.
Rome was destined to fall, and the French Empire, which nearly unified Europe, collapsed in the blink of an eye.
The Pampas Eagle may soar freely in its youth, but one day it will become the Pampas Vulture. (End of Chapter)