Jordan: I thought he was there to help me!

Chapter 429 The Earth is Flat!

"First, take a break from driving your Corvette for now. I know it's been with you for almost 10 years, but I've already got you a Mercedes!"

"It's a pity that he's only the global ambassador for the latest Mercedes-Benz S-Class, not the ambassador for the entire Mercedes-Benz lineup! Those people at Daimler are so stingy! They'll never amount to anything. I predict they'll definitely get crushed and humiliated by Toyota, Volkswagen, GM, or someone else! Just like you beat up the Celtics."

After berating his own major client, Pelinka continued, "However, the S-Class is one of their top-of-the-line models, so it's barely worthy of us. It's just a single-model series, fine. Initially, they didn't even want to give us a global brand ambassador; they were only willing to give us an ambassador for the Asian region!"

"I just told them to get lost and go back to think it over."

"Then came a series of endorsements offered by Richemont Group! First was watches, IWC, one of the top luxury brands. Actually, we could have chosen from Jaeger-LeCoultre, Piaget, or Vacheron Constantin."

"But since IWC is Laurence's official partner, we have to cooperate with the promotion, right? So we just made do with this one. It's a global, full-line endorsement! A comprehensive partnership! The best treatment ever."

"You know the levels of luxury brand endorsements, right, Lin? The lowest level is brand friend, then brand ambassador, and the highest level is brand ambassador."

"Then these three categories can be further divided into different levels depending on the situation, such as regional cooperation, global cooperation, single product line endorsement, full product line endorsement, and even the kind where you just cooperate, take a photo, post a picture, and that's it."

"Forget it, it's too much trouble to introduce them one by one. In addition to these two top brands, we also have collaborations with Dunhill, Fenrir, Montblanc, and Cartier."

"However, these are either from a certain region, a certain product line, or you just take a few posters and that's it. At most, they are just scraps, worth only a few million US dollars a year, which is not worth mentioning."

"In short, after this, putting aside the extra money you'll earn each year, your influence and reputation will experience a huge leap forward!"

"And most importantly, the fewer endorsements and business deals we took on in previous years actually raised our prices and image! A little market research will tell you our prices; it's all about scarcity driving up value!"

"I told you my strategy was absolutely flawless, didn't I?"

"Oh, and by the way, I've already spoken to the people over there. This time, not only will you not leave empty-handed, but you'll also become the most successful person in the history of the Laureus Awards, and perhaps for decades to come!"

"A great harvest! A grand slam! A quadruple victory!"

"Impressive, impressive." Lin Tian listened to Pelinka's rapid-fire speech and incessant self-praise for a while before getting tired of it. It's just money and endorsements, after all.

Um.

Okay, he really is very capable. Pelinka, no matter how dirty his heart is or how much he likes that kind of low-class, dirty stuff, his professional skills are indeed strong.

If you entrust a task to him, he will definitely do it very well and has never let Lin Tian down.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Pelinka said. "Next time you evaluate me, just think it in your mind, don't say it out loud."

A cunning and petty guy!

It can be said that Falk's rapid downfall and shocking exit from the mainstream NBA stage during the two years after Jordan's retirement was due to Pelinka, in addition to Stern and other owners targeting him. Who told Falk to throw Pelinka's resume on the ground back then?

Hey, don't say it!

The first part of this story, "Don't underestimate a young man's potential; fortunes change every thirty years," has now appeared!

This is passion!

……

After more than ten hours of flight, Lin Tian landed alone in Monte Carlo.

Yao Ming and Wang Zhizhi would like to come, but their series is in full swing and the outcome is uncertain. They don't have time to go to Europe to attend any awards ceremony.

Moreover, even if the Nets and Mavericks sweep their opponents and have enough time, their status in their teams and their standing in the league clearly do not allow them to suddenly leave their teams at this time to go to Europe to attend some award ceremony.

Even if their team gave them a vacation, they wouldn't dare to travel back and forth at this time.

What if they come back from a trip in terrible form, causing the team to lose? How will they face their teammates? They will definitely be bombarded with angry criticism from fans, who will say they are not doing their job properly, are running around aimlessly, are self-destructive, and don't know how to prioritize.

Simply put, they have no self-awareness!

Just look at how badly Carter was treated after leaving the team the night before Game 7 to attend his graduation ceremony at North Carolina, and then performing terribly in Game 7, which led to the Raptors' elimination!

Not just in Toronto, but fans across the US are going to tear Carter apart because of that incident! And this is just an extra few hours of flight time, yet he's faced such exaggerated criticism.

Lin Tian, ​​being one of the league's top stars and having absolute confidence in his abilities, doesn't feel that flying for almost 40 hours round trip will be a burden on him, nor will it affect his performance on the court.

Absolute self-confidence is what gave Lin Tian the courage to leave the team at this time to attend the awards ceremony.

Anyway, I'm not afraid!

This is Lin Tian's second time in Monte Carlo, Monaco. The first time was last summer when Lin Tian dominated the Golden League and successfully brought back 50 kilograms of gold.

Don't be surprised, shipping such heavy stuff is incredibly expensive!

This time, Lin Tian will be able to take home several more Oscars.

After getting off the plane, Lin Tian saw a group of Chinese players, led by Jiang Xingquan, waiting for him at the airport exit. Zhu Fangyu, the most cheerful of them all, jumped up and down, waving and shouting as soon as he saw Lin Tian. Lin Tian walked over with a smile and asked, "Have you been practicing boxing lately?"

"I've practiced! Next time I have the chance to fight, I guarantee I'll take down all my opponents in 5 seconds!" Zhu Fangyu grinned and gestured with his fist, indicating that he had never neglected his main job.

After greeting the most cheerful guy, Lin Tian looked at Jiang Xingquan and said, "Commander Jiang, just send anyone from Xiao Zhu to pick me up. Why make such a big fuss? So many people coming together?"

"We'll eat later, so let's go together. We're going the same way anyway. Let's go, everyone's here, let's grab a bite, and then we'll go collect our awards tomorrow! I heard from Xiaolin that you really gave them a lot of face by coming this time. I heard we're going to win a lot of awards!"

"It's all thanks to everyone's hard work. How could I have won the championship on my own?" Lin Tian casually exchanged pleasantries with Jiang Xingquan, then boarded the bus with the rest of the group. The bus started moving and headed towards the city.

The group sang and danced all the way, having a great time, especially the coach, whose NBA season was long over, and Zhu Fangyu, the new generation's drinking god of the Chinese team. The two guys leaned on either side of Lin Tian, ​​putting their arms around his and saying, "You can't escape today! You have to drink until you're satisfied!"

"We need to find out your drinking capacity tonight!"

……

The group arrived at a private room in a Chinese restaurant in Monte Carlo in high spirits. Lin Tian, ​​who was walking at the front alongside Jiang Xingquan, had not yet pushed open the door of the private room when he heard the sounds coming from inside.

"Director Xin, our award this time is all thanks to your brilliant leadership! If you ask me, you are the biggest contributor to this team!"

"Excellent! Director Xin is a man of exceptional talent, with a keen eye for opportunity. If it weren't for Director Xin, could this national team have been assembled? Would those basketball players have achieved their current status? Now they're all acting all high and mighty, like they own the place. If you ask me, they're just a bunch of uncultured ingrates!"

"Aren't we eating? Why are there outsiders here?" Lin Tian snorted when he heard the sycophantic voices inside, pushed open the door, and then, without even looking at the people who were already sitting inside—who were obviously from the Basketball Association—turned around and asked Jiang Xingquan.

"We're all on the same side, we're all on the same side, sit down, sit down! Everyone sit down." Jiang Xingquan did hear what those people were saying, but fortunately, the others were in a state of extreme excitement and didn't hear what they were saying clearly, otherwise, who knows what kind of scene it would be now.

Jiang Xingquan didn't want things to escalate, so he quickly laughed it off and then directed everyone to sit down.

As for the officials on the other side, they were now behaving themselves. They were no longer the arrogant and domineering figures they had been just moments before. None of them dared to speak again, and two of them even stood up and told the players to sit down.

"Come on, Lin, sit next to Director Xin. You two are the most meritorious people on this team, so you must sit in the main seats." A middle-aged man pulled Lin Tian and tried to pull him next to Director Xin.

"No need, I'll just sit with my buddies. As for who deserves the most credit, that's for everyone to know." Lin Tian snorted coldly, "Everyone knows who deserves more credit and who deserves less credit. It has nothing to do with whether we sit in the main seat or somewhere else."

"That won't do! If you don't sit in the head seat, who among us dares to sit there?"

"Then leave it empty." Lin Tian didn't give these people any face and plopped down between Zhu Fangyu and the bus.

"You..." The official had never encountered such a disrespectful person before. He glared at them, about to explode, but before he could even speak, he was pulled away by someone next to him.

"A bunch of clueless idiots who only know how to spout nonsense about workplace culture and unspoken rules." Lin Tian's voice was completely unabashed as he addressed the two people beside him, "If we rely on them, our basketball team is truly finished."

"Alright, alright, everyone be quiet. Sit down, sit down! Sit wherever you want. This is an internal dinner, no need for formalities." Director Xin quickly stood up and waved to signal everyone to stop talking and sit down obediently.

As the only person present to have been slapped, even though it wasn't Lin Tian who did it, Director Xin wasn't stupid. He sent his henchmen to give Lin Tian a taste of his power and see if the kid would take it.

If we eat, that would be best; if we don't, then Director Xin won't cause any trouble.

Director Xin knows perfectly well who he can and cannot afford to offend!

Anyway, he knew very well that Lin Tian was someone he couldn't afford to offend in any way!

As for the others, we'll bully them after Lin Tian is gone!

The following dinner was nothing special; it was just a typical departmental team-building dinner. We exchanged a few auspicious words, toasted each other, and complimented one another. The atmosphere was quite lively.

The only thing that annoyed Lin Tian was that he had been holding back his anger, ready to explode if someone provoked him!

After all, according to logic and routine, at this point, some self-righteous little Karami who wants to flatter the leader will inevitably stand up and say something like, "Xiao Lin, toast Director Xin and thank him for his many years of dedication and selfless contributions to the team," and so on.

Or, to take it a step further, someone might even point their finger at Lin Tian and yell, "You're just a semi-illiterate athlete, do you really think you're so great?"

Lin Tian was really looking forward to this scene!

After all, Pelinka never underestimated a young man's potential, and he beat Falk so badly he was left crawling on the ground.

As the chosen one of destiny and the king of the plane, it's not unreasonable for me, Lin, to have a chance to show off.

But Lin Tian waited and waited, hoping that someone would walk right into the line of fire.

But he drank from beginning to end, and not only did he not run into trouble, not even a single person dared to glare at him or make sarcastic remarks.

Not to mention any of that, just now that guy who pulled Lin Tian to sit in the head seat even stood up with a wine glass to apologize to Lin Tian, ​​saying that he shouldn't have brought that kind of formality here, that it was too much of a formality, and that he would punish himself with a drink. I'll drink it, Lin Tian, ​​you can do as you please.

Now that things have come to this, what can Lin Tian do?

Aside from taking a sip of coconut juice to show how casual it was, he didn't press the matter further.

You can't hit someone who's smiling, can you?

But Lin Tian was still puzzled. The conversation those people had just had inside didn't seem so friendly. Where had all their arrogance gone?

Disappointed! Heartbroken! Unconvinced!

I just want a scene where someone shows off and gets slapped in the face, where no one underestimates a young man's potential, where a top soldier returns to the city, and where a reclusive doctor casually cures a billionaire's incurable disease. Why is it so hard for him?

so tired!

As the atmosphere grew increasingly harmonious and the dinner was nearing its end, Director Xin finally stood up. He smiled at everyone and said, "Well, according to my sources, tomorrow's awards ceremony..."

"We have a very good chance of beating the Brazilian national football team and becoming this year's Laureus World Sports Team of the Year! This is the most prestigious sporting award we've ever won!"

"What I want to say is, firstly, when we receive the award tomorrow, everyone should go up and have a good time together, raise the trophy, and let everyone have a turn."

"Secondly, we need someone to speak. In a great nation like ours, we can't all rush in, right? Someone has to stand up and speak! I think the best candidate is none other than Mr. Jiang! He has worked tirelessly, sharing meals and sleeping with the team. He is truly the biggest contributor! His position is also suitable, right?"

"That's right, it has to be Old Jiang!" Zhu Fangyu, who was already quite tipsy, was the first to raise his hand in agreement.

"Chiang Kai-shek! Chiang Kai-shek! Chiang Kai-shek! Chiang Kai-shek!"

The players had all had a few drinks by now, and they immediately started cheering, declaring, "You're the one!"

This made Director Xin's expression turn somewhat unpleasant.

This isn't right.

The plot is not what he expected.

Why don't you offer each other some courtesy? Why don't you politely decline each other's offer?

That's not what he originally thought!

He originally intended to, but he passed by his home three times without entering... no... ptooey!

Emperor Xian of Han offered the throne three times but was refused each time. Then, he changed the subject and said, "Then I will take on this responsibility and burden!"

He practiced his English diligently for a long time in preparation for giving a speech!

How did it pass unanimously all at once?

Fortunately, Jiang Xingquan wasn't completely drunk yet. Although the old man had a fiery temper, he was still aware of these intricacies. So he waved for everyone to be quiet, stood up, and said, "I can't do this."

"My English isn't good, and I'd embarrass myself by stammering up there. Besides, I'm too old for that. I'll just go up and have some fun with everyone else. So, none of you should try anything with me!"

Jiang Xingquan's words relieved Director Xin. He decided to call on Lin Tian next. The atmosphere was good tonight, and Lin Tian was sure to be in a good mood. This guy had basically secured the Best Male Athlete award again, so in principle, he only needed to give one acceptance speech!

Right?

You can go up there and say you're the best male athlete, but as for the best team, I'll give it to you, right?

Lin Tian: No problem!

Yes, it's really true!

Lin Tian immediately stood up, signaling everyone to be quiet, and then said, "I think this matter should be handled by Director Xin!"

"No one else but him could do this! Being our team leader is hard work, so Director Xin should take on the responsibility of being in the spotlight. The rest of us can just take pictures with the trophies!"

After Lin Tian finished speaking, no one dared to respond for a moment, especially the players. They all looked at Lin Tian, ​​wondering if he was serious or just being sarcastic.

After waiting for almost several tens of seconds without receiving a response or new message, everyone began to confirm that Lin Tian really thought so!

"No, no, no, I'm no good. I only did a little bit of work, I can't compare to you guys! Hey, Weidong? You come on! You're the most senior, you go first."

"Alright, Director Xin, don't hold back anymore." Lin Tian continued, "It's you! I, on behalf of the organization, have appointed you! You're the one! Prepare your award speech well; tomorrow night, the brothers will be waiting to see your performance!"

As soon as Lin Tian said this, everyone present realized that he was serious, so they stopped pretending and immediately applauded to show their support.

Jiang Xingquan looked at Lin Tian with a hint of gratitude and nodded at him.

After all, who gives the speech has absolutely no impact on Lin Tian, ​​but for the players in the domestic basketball team, the impact can be huge or small. Who knows how long Director Xin will hold a grudge?

If he causes trouble for the league's funding, schedule, or reforms because of this, those people will really be upset when he returns to China!

In any case, Jiang Xingquan believed that Lin Tian must have taken this into consideration, which is why he restrained his temper and did Lin Tian a favor.

This young man is really good!

Director Xin was thinking similarly to Jiang Xingquan, also finding Lin Tian to be a very good guy! It seems he had been judging people with prejudice before.

Reflect on yourself! You must reflect on yourself!

Besides, Director Xin is also susceptible to this. If you, Mr. Lin, give me face, then I'll give you face in return! As for the various awards in China and the future career paths of these people here, we have to make things easier for them and make their lives more comfortable.

It's about returning a favor!

As for Lin Tian?

Sorry, Mr. Lin didn't think that much about it. He was too lazy to think about it. Why bother?

As for whether Lin Tian genuinely wanted Director Xin to give a speech,

Yes, I really mean it!

Was it out of kindness?

That's just bullshit!

Lin Tian could never have a kind heart in his life!

Just wait and see what happens tomorrow!

……

The next day, Lin Tian finally met up with Pelinka at the Laureus World Sports Awards ceremony. Pelinka then introduced him to several senior executives from Richemont Group and the head of Daimler.

After the introductions, Lin Tian was disappointed again.

The group was very polite to Lin Tian, ​​showing absolutely no sign of the attitude of "Who do you think you are, winning such a big prize tonight and swindling so many endorsements from us? You're a complete bastard!"

Absolutely not!

Sigh, am I, the chosen one, really not even given a chance to show off?

So disappointing!

These executives were incredibly polite to Lin Tian, ​​and they even started scheduling time for him to film GG...

As for why they were being so polite?

Besides the fact that Lin Tian has already become a partner with them and that the parties will be cooperating a lot in the next few years, the Laureus Awards have also become incredibly popular!

It exploded in just a few days!

Ever since they announced that Lin Tian would come to Morocco to attend the awards ceremony, and the US confirmed that Lin Tian had indeed left the team and boarded a plane to Europe, the whole media exploded.

People all over the world, including those who didn't know much about basketball or track and field, couldn't help but pay attention to the NBA and the Laureus World Sports Awards that Lin Tian was going to attend.

Even people who know nothing about or are not interested in basketball and track and field have started to pay attention. Needless to say, people who already like these two sports are even more curious about this award and are paying even more attention to it!

The massive traffic, the unprecedented attention, and Lin Tian's sudden trip to Europe to receive an award during the playoffs have all piqued the curiosity of countless people.

What exactly is this Laureus Award?

Countless people began to inquire, investigate, pay attention to, and learn about this emerging award.

This level of attention and discussion is something Lawrence couldn't achieve even after spending a lot of money and publicity in the previous two years!

It has to be said that the amount of buzz and discussion surrounding Lin Tian is truly astonishing!

To reiterate: what he is accomplishing is something that no one in the entire history of sports has ever achieved or even come close to!

His influence has long since transcended its original boundaries; countless people outside the sports world know and understand him. He is becoming a true calling card and symbol, not just an athlete!

However, to put it simply, Lin Tian's original idea was for the organizers to award the two most important awards, Best Male Athlete and Best Sports Team, to Lin Tian and the Chinese basketball team.

This is roughly equivalent to a movie winning both Best Actor and Best Picture, a true grand slam and a resounding victory.

But Lin Tianzhen didn't expect that the organizer's sincerity and their idea of ​​making the most of Lin Tian's popularity would be so ruthless!

They're really going to fleece us to death!

What was that saying again?

As soon as the nocturne began, he went on stage to receive his award.

Lin Tian was pretty much the same way that night.

"Best Newcomer Athlete of the Year: Lin Tian (Track and Field)!"

"Male Athlete of the Year: Lin Tian (Basketball, Track and Field, Combat)!"

It was expected that Lin Tian would be named the Player of the Year, but it was unexpected that Yao Ming would also give him the Rookie of the Year award.

However, if you give this to Lin Tian, ​​you really can't find any fault with it.

In terms of track and field, Lin Tian is a complete newcomer.

With all the newcomers in all the projects lined up one by one this year, who can see the taillights of Lin Tian's achievements in the 100-meter event?

No, there isn't a single one who can fight!

Giving him this award, though somewhat strange, is completely uncontroversial!

Lin Tian originally thought that was about it, but to his surprise, the organizers of Lawrence actually created an additional award that hadn't been given to him before!

"Breakthrough Athlete of the Year: Lin Tian!"

What defines a breakthrough athlete?

As the name suggests, they are the most groundbreaking athletes.

Hmm... this might be a pointless statement, but Lin Tian felt that this breakthrough definitely didn't refer to the kind of breakthrough where you dribble past someone on the court.

If I were to achieve that breakthrough, wouldn't I be able to retain my title until retirement?

However, that's not important. What's important is that when the award for the best extreme athlete of the year was presented, Lin Tian almost stood up reflexively.

My apologies, I really can't accept this award.

Lin Da Guanren values ​​his life, so he can't participate in those activities like flying through the air, dancing on graves, surfing in tsunamis, or swimming in volcanoes. He really can't.

Unless Lin Tian's next rebirth grants him "nine lives," he finds these things incredibly exciting to even look at.

enough.

After a series of awards were announced, the evening's grand finale finally arrived.

Team of the Year!

According to the rules, this award should have been a foregone conclusion.

The Brazilian football team, the World Cup champions, are widely recognized as the best sports team of the year!

If Lin Tian remembers correctly, the organizers of the Lawrence Awards also do this. Apart from this year, they gave it to Italy in 07, Spain in 11, Germany in 15, France in 19, and Argentina in 23.

Every four years, the football team that wins the World Cup will inevitably dominate the award. There's no way around it; the World Cup is the most prestigious, most watched, and most profitable sport and event in the world.

But this year, firstly, it's the first time the Laureus Awards have coincided with a World Cup year, so there's no precedent to follow; secondly, the Chinese team's exposure this year is just too high because of Lin Tian's presence!

With the sudden announcement of the collaboration between Lin Tian, ​​Richemont Group, and Daimler, many people now believe that the Best Team award may very well go to the Chinese basketball team!

Besides, he deserves to be on the Chinese basketball team!

With two consecutive world championship titles and an invincible record in Asian competitions, the team boasts multiple NBA players and the world's number one basketball player.

Although the number of fans of the Chinese team cannot compare with that of the Brazilian team, Lin Tian is more popular and has more fans!

Even if there are fewer people who like watching Lin Tian play basketball than those who like watching the Brazilian national team play, what about those who like watching Lin Tian box or run?

Well... maybe there are still more people who like the Brazilian team.

What about those girls who don't like sports but like handsome guys? After all, Kaká was just a struggling young player on the Brazilian national team, while the mainstays were players like Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, who were at the level of Cassell...

Maybe there are a dozen of them, because Lin Tian is so handsome.

In short, this team led by Lin Tian has truly put a lot of pressure on the Brazilian team, and it's really hard to say who will win the prize!

Most importantly, although the general public may not know it, this Chinese team, or rather Lin Tian, ​​has clearly made a lot of dirty deals with the organizers.

After some back and forth, and from both inside and outside the scene, at least those knowledgeable and well-connected sports figures present are most optimistic that the Chinese team will win the honor of Best Sports Team of the Year.

Then, the presenter for the final grand prize took the stage and began to announce the winner of this year's Best Sports Team award.

"China Men's Basketball Team!"

A gasp rippled through the crowd, quickly replaced by applause. Even the Brazilian team members who didn't win an award didn't show much shock or dissatisfaction.

To reiterate, the Laureus Awards are still a semi-serious award these days. Its biggest label for now is that it's rich, but it doesn't have much other significance.

If you got it, great; if you didn't, well, you didn't get it!

The cameras immediately focused on the Chinese team. The players, coaching staff, and Director Xin, who identified himself as the team leader, all stood up, straightened their clothes, and walked straight to the podium.

Director Xin took the lead, acting as if he were the core and most important member of the team. He was the first to accept the trophy, then held it above his head and waved it a few times with great excitement.

He didn't even hand the trophy to anyone else; instead, he held it in his arms, walked to the microphone, and began his speech.

"I'm so happy! I'm so happy to receive this award, and even happier to work with such a group of outstanding athletes and achieve these honors! This is my honor, the honor of the entire country, and the honor of all of Asia!"

"We have endured countless hardships and pains along the way, but I am grateful for them! It is those hardships and pains that have kept us moving forward! I remain humble about everything, and I am often with my players. Whether we win or lose, we are always united."

"Although I have never played for the team, my heart and eyes have never left this team. Here, I want to say something! I want to say something to my players, my team, my country, my fans, my people, and everything about me—something that has been in my heart for a long time—"

"The Earth is flat!"

"I firmly believe that the Earth is flat! Our common sense is wrong, completely wrong. The Earth is absolutely flat!" (End of Chapter)