The Golden Age of Basketball.

Chapter 611 Lend you good words
Bill Seanley's intuition was correct.

In their first game of the new season, the Trail Blazers did play rather awkwardly.

New tactics are one issue, but the players' concentration is also lacking.

For teams aiming for consecutive championships, challenges include competitiveness, focus, injuries, and targeted strategies from opponents.

Most of the challenges come from within themselves; how to fight against oneself is a subject that top championship teams must study.

The new tactics did cause some chaos, but they also gave the Trail Blazers players new goals.

Between the third and fourth quarters, Bobby Bellman kept sketching out Princeton offense patterns on the whiteboard.

Everyone needs to listen carefully, just like in a new class at university. If you don't listen and make a mistake in the tactics, the coach will substitute you and you'll have to endure Berman's profanity.

As head coach, Bobby Berman leans more towards the old-school coaching style, focusing less on building relationships with players and instead using a harsh and ruthless approach to demand things from everyone.

He deliberately kept his distance from most of the players to establish his authority as head coach, while having Rick Adelman play the strict role, acting as the players' coach and building good relationships.

This combination not only united the players but also instilled fear in them; apart from Agan, most of the players were afraid of Berman.

He is no longer the second assistant coach who did odd jobs and the "traitor" of the NCAA, but Bobby Bellman, the epitome of human profanity, nicknamed "The Marine."

During training camp, Berman spent a lot of time studying and organizing Pete Carell's tactical notes, as well as a small amount of Princeton game footage.

He carefully studied the origins and development of the Princeton system. It was not created out of thin air by Coach Carrel, but rather inherited the tactical ideas of Franklin Capone, the head coach of the Princeton basketball team in the 1930s, and combined them with the tactical system of Bernard Salacek, the coach of the Yeshiva University basketball team, to form the Princeton system as it is today.

These coaches who have contributed to the history of basketball all share a common emphasis when developing tactics: movement.

Coaches agree that players need to move around the field constantly to create opportunities.

However, these coaches never imagined that one day the NBA would be dominated by a group of tall, fast, muscular players with exceptional individual abilities.

Sometimes, movement not only fails to create opportunities but can also disrupt the rhythm of a singles player's game.

Bobby Bellman understood this, and he wasn't obsessed with Princeton's mobile system. When necessary, he would let Forrest Gump solve the problem.

As the fourth quarter began, Gan Guoyang continued to rest on the bench. In the third quarter, he scored 4 points and 6 assists, and his passing became increasingly lethal.

He has a great rapport with his old teammates like Porter and Cauchy; they've worked together for many years and know each other very well.

Rockets coach Don Chaney noticed that the Trail Blazers were using a new tactical strategy that emphasized movement and frequently employed backdoor plays.

However, the new tactics had many flaws. The Trail Blazers committed seven more turnovers than the Rockets tonight, all due to unfamiliarity with the tactical positioning, incorrect passes, and hesitation.

During the break, Chaney instructed his players to aggressively press the ball, disrupt the Trail Blazers' passing, launch fast breaks, and gain an advantage on the court.

This tactic worked, with Larry Smith and Floyd helping their perimeter teammates aggressively intercept and disrupt the Trail Blazers' passes.

Sabonis attempted to pass the ball from the high post to the basket, but Kenny Smith anticipated the pass and intercepted it in mid-air.

During the counterattack, Smith leaped up and dunked with both hands!
Kenny Smith has an outstanding jumping ability. This somewhat thin and unassuming guy has participated in the Slam Dunk Contest.

The Trail Blazers changed their strategy, allowing Sabonis to post up, but Larry Smith successfully fronted him and stole the ball, allowing the Rockets to launch another counterattack.

Smith drew a foul on Petrovic and went to the free-throw line, making both shots to put the Rockets back in the lead.

After that, both teams entered a phase of shooting poorly, making it increasingly difficult for the players to score.

They only managed to score once every three rounds, and the goals were often sporadic and difficult, leaving fans feeling frustrated.

From 86 to 90, league coaches focused on developing defensive tactics and strategies, but there was little progress in offense.

Just like tanks, armor research is progressing rapidly, but the development of artillery and ammunition is lagging behind, so tanks can't penetrate each other's armor.

Of course, one day when the development of artillery and ammunition advances by leaps and bounds, while the progress of armor stagnates, the situation will reverse.

The NBA is now in a phase of rapid development in armored vehicles, while research on artillery and ammunition is relatively lagging behind.

The Trail Blazers and Bulls are among the few teams that are focusing on offensive research, but even so, both teams place a higher priority on defense.

The Trail Blazers' defense has always been incredibly resilient, and with Bellman inheriting the mantle of his Notre Dame professor, his half-court pressure defense is exceptionally strong.

In the fourth quarter, the two teams engaged in a tough defensive battle. After more than three minutes, the score remained at 66-65, with the Rockets leading by one point.

At that moment, Petrovic made a strong drive to the basket, but his final floater went slightly wide, and Larry Smith grabbed the defensive rebound.

During the counterattack, Kenny Smith passed the ball to Floyd on the wing, and Floyd made a jump shot, giving the Rockets a 68-65 lead over the Trail Blazers.

Bobby Bellman called a timeout, signaling for Gan Guoyang to come on, replacing Sabonis and pairing him with Mitchell Thompson.

“Sonny, we’re behind now, it’s up to you.” Behrman patted Gan Guoyang on the shoulder.

Gan Guoyang nodded, and in the final stretch of the fourth quarter, he returned to his most familiar center position.

With Hakeem Olajuwon back on the court, Don Chaney knew the decisive moment of the game had arrived.

After playing the Princeton offense for three quarters, the Trail Blazers returned to their most familiar pattern after a timeout.

Gan Guoyang held off Olajuwon in the low post on the left, received the ball, turned, faked Olajuwon out, took a step inside, and drew a foul from Olajuwon on the layup.

Against Hakeem Olajuwon, Gan Guoyang played smarter. Simple, crude shots or hook shots would backfire, and free throws could help him regain his touch.

Gan Guoyang has only scored 15 points so far tonight, which is much less than his usual score, no wonder the Trail Blazers are so close to the Rockets in the score.

Both free throws were made, making it 68-67, with the score difference reduced to 1 point again.

Hakeem Olajuwon received the ball with his back to the basket in the same spot, facing off against Gan Guoyang one-on-one against the Cavaliers.

The most troublesome thing about Hakeem Olajuwon fighting Gan Guoyang was that he was not strong enough to get the best position, and he couldn't push him in with his back to the goal.

Therefore, Hakeem Olajuwon had no choice but to turn around and walk away, then launch a difficult hook shot from a more distant position.

The ball bounced twice on the rim before finally falling out, and Thompson grabbed the defensive rebound.

The Trail Blazers launched a fast break, with Gan Guoyang leading the charge.

Petrovic accelerated too much and stumbled and fell near the center line.

But before he fell, he passed the ball to Gan Guoyang, who was rushing to the basket.

Gan Guoyang receives the ball and dunks it in with both hands! The Trail Blazers take the lead.

Hakeem Olajuwon received the ball at the top of the arc, faked a move, and then charged down the middle.

Thompson came over to help defend, and the two of them double-teamed Olajuwon. Olajuwon then passed the ball to Larry Smith, who was cutting to the baseline.

As a result, Smith's layup was blocked by Gan Guoyang from behind, and the Trail Blazers regained possession of the ball.

Gan Guoyang didn't rush to launch a counterattack. Petrovic slowly dribbled the ball across half-court, and Gan Guoyang squeezed towards the basket, overpowering Olajuwon.

Petrovic passed the ball to Thompson, who made a direct pass to the basket from the top of the arc. Gan Guoyang had completely shut down Olajuwon.

He caught the ball, turned around, and easily made a layup!
Gan Guoyang scored a 6-0 run against the Rockets, and the Trail Blazers easily took the lead.

Don Chaney called a timeout, and the fans in the arena cheered. "Why didn't you play like this earlier?"

This is the Trail Blazers and Forrest Gump they know and love: unparalleled low-post offensive success rate, high scoring rate in crucial moments, and tenacious half-court defense, capable of turning the tide of the game in a short time.

Bobby Bellman was shaken after seeing this combination of punches. If there was this kind of fighting style, why bother with Princeton?
After the timeout, the Rockets returned to the court, and they could still rely on Hakeem Olajuwon.

But by the crucial moments of the fourth quarter, Olajuwon had lost his composure.

He missed a turnaround jump shot and a Sigma step shot after facing the basket.

The Trail Blazers secured all the rebounds.

In the first three quarters, Hakeem Olajuwon had already taken on a large number of shot attempts.

He had an injury to his leg, with his left thigh wrapped in a thick bandage.

By the time he needed to exert himself in the fourth quarter, he had run out of energy.

Gan Guoyang, who had conserved a lot of energy in the first three quarters, was in excellent form.

He received a pass from Porter at the top of the key and made a mid-range jump shot.

Then, on the counter-attack, a brilliant behind-the-back pass found Reggie Lewis who was following up.

Lewis dunked, and the Trail Blazers used their sharp offense to break through the Rockets' defense in the latter part of the fourth quarter.

However, the Rockets did not give up. Kenny Smith hit a three-pointer, and then Olajuwon finally stopped Gan Guoyang's attack.

The attack remained low-post, with repeated spin moves failing to find an opening. The ball was passed to the perimeter, but Floyd's three-pointer missed.

Hakeem Olajuwon grabbed the offensive rebound and, despite being double-teamed, passed the ball to Mike Woodson, who drove to the basket and scored a layup.

The point difference remained around 5 points. The Rockets played tenaciously and tenaciously, creating opportunities through defense and aggressive play.

In the final two minutes of the game, the Rockets began to double-team Gan Guoyang, who unusually made a mistake when passing the ball.

Kenny Smith launched another counterattack, but this time his layup was blocked from behind by Reggie Lewis!
However, Larry Smith grabbed the offensive rebound, and the Rockets still had possession of the offense.

The ball was passed to the outside, and Mike Woodson made a crucial three-pointer!
The three-point shot is being used more and more frequently and is becoming increasingly important in the NBA.

Nowadays, NBA perimeter players are more willing to take three-pointers in crucial moments, and once they make them, they can be surprisingly effective in games with tight defense and low scoring.

The score is now 82-84, and the Rockets are only down by 2 points again.

Just when the fans thought Gan Guoyang would step up and deliver the decisive blow, Gan Guoyang, holding the ball at the high post, suddenly made an extremely unexpected pass to the basket.

Lewis received the ball but didn't go for a layup. Instead, he avoided the defense and passed the ball to the corner. Porter received the ball, faked a move to break through, and then passed the ball to Petrovic at the 45-degree angle.

After three dribbling maneuvers, Petrovic was completely open in front of him. He received the ball and launched a decisive three-pointer, which swished through the net! Another three-pointer!
The memorial stadium erupted in cheers, filled with the thrill of a brilliant team attack, fluid passing, and cannonball-like three-pointers.

This Trail Blazers team does have something new; as champions, they haven't stopped innovating.

This three-pointer not only re-established a 5-point lead, but also greatly dampened the Rockets' momentum in their comeback attempt.

Hakeem Olajuwon did not give up. With Forrest Gump almost covering his eyes, he scored two points with a difficult fadeaway jumper.

In the most crucial offensive possession, the Trail Blazers still chose to trust their ace.

After Gan Guoyang received the ball in the low post, the Rockets' defense hesitated, wondering whether they should double-team him.

After a slight hesitation, Gan Guoyang faked a move, quickly turned around, held off Olajuwon, and launched a forward-leaning jump shot.

He made the shot and drew a foul from Hakeem Olajuwon, earning him an extra free throw!

The opening match reached its climax at the Memorial Stadium, with Gan Guoyang clenching his fist after scoring.

Gan Guoyang's unique technique of quickly turning around with his heels and then leaning forward to shoot often leaves defenders helpless.

Not only did he get the shot in, but he also committed a foul, sending him to the free-throw line.

Apart from Bernard King and Forrest Gump, no one in the league uses leaning shots extensively anymore; most use fadeaway jumpers instead.

Leaning forward to shoot requires quick release, making it easy to be interfered with. Sometimes, instead of drawing a foul, the shot is blocked by the opponent.

Many players no longer study or master the technical details of the shot, since the fadeaway jumper looks cooler.

Hakeem Olajuwon had already committed 5 fouls. With Gan Guoyang making the free throw, the Trail Blazers led by 6 points, 84-90.

With 30 seconds left in the game, if the Rockets had defended this play, they still had a chance; but if they had been hit by a three-pointer, their fate was sealed.

Don Chaney called a symbolic timeout at the end, and with Kenny Smith missing a three-pointer, Gan Guoyang secured the rebound, ending the game.

The Trail Blazers won their opening game 84-90, marking their first victory of the 1990-1991 season.

The game was quite a rollercoaster ride, with the Trail Blazers employing their Princeton offense, which had both its advantages and disadvantages.

They executed many beautiful tactical plays, but also made many mistakes and wasted a lot of offensive opportunities due to operational malfunctions.

In the end, they secured the victory thanks to Gan Guoyang's strong support.

Gan Guoyang scored 28 points, grabbed 17 rebounds, dished out 8 assists, and blocked 3 shots.

Hakeem Olajuwon had 22 points, 12 rebounds, 5 blocks, and 2 assists. Gan Guoyang continued to steadily suppress Olajuwon; for Olajuwon, Gan Guoyang remained an insurmountable obstacle.

Reggie Lewis had a good debut, scoring 18 points, the second-highest scorer for the Trail Blazers, while Petrovic scored 12 points.

In a post-game interview, Gan Guoyang was asked if the Trail Blazers' new tactical system had affected his performance.

Gan Guoyang frankly stated, "The new system has strengthened the connection between me and my teammates, giving me more options during crucial moments in the game. Although I can score goals on my own, sharing and becoming part of the team is a remarkable thing. I firmly believe that we are becoming stronger. The road may be somewhat tortuous, but the future is definitely bright."

The road may be winding, but the future is bright.

Gan Guoyang's words perfectly summarize the situation of the Trail Blazers since the start of the new season.

After defeating the Rockets in Game 1, the Trail Blazers immediately traveled to Sacramento for a back-to-back game.

What seemed like a one-sided game turned out to be an incredibly tenacious affair for the home team, the Sacramento Kings.

The Trail Blazers, however, were affected by consecutive games and away trips, resulting in a generally poor performance.

This was another slow-paced defensive battle with a low score, the two teams remaining neck and neck and going all the way into overtime.

The Trail Blazers' Princeton offense remained effective, but in the post-game analysis, Bellman used data to find that these tactical combinations were not necessarily more efficient than isolation plays plus outside three-pointers.

Sometimes it's even less efficient, especially when the players don't coordinate well.

In overtime, Gan Guoyang once again dominated the game, scoring 7 consecutive points with his abundant energy, helping the Trail Blazers win the game and secure their second consecutive victory.

However, in the end, the Trail Blazers only won by three points.

In the third game, the Trail Blazers faced their old rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers, early in the season.

The Lakers strengthened their roster by acquiring Sam Perkins in the summer.

It was another tough battle for the Trail Blazers, and the game went into overtime once again.

The two sides remained neck and neck in overtime. In the final stages, Petrovic received a pass from Agam and hit another crucial three-pointer.

That three-pointer changed the game, followed by a steal by Porter, and the Trail Blazers countered with a layup by Reggie Lewis.

The Trail Blazers won 127-124, securing a three-point victory.

They won all three matches, but the victories were all thrilling and hard-fought.

Moreover, the Trail Blazers lost a key player in this game.

During the game, Jerome Kossie collided with a teammate while going for a layup, and fell headfirst to the ground.

Cox really took a hard fall, but luckily he was strong, especially with a thick neck, so he didn't injure his spine, otherwise he would have been paralyzed.

Kossi was carried off the field and never returned for the rest of the game. He was later diagnosed with a concussion and a shoulder strain, and was out for at least three weeks.

Injuries struck the Trail Blazers early on, but fortunately, they have a deep roster of forwards.

Reggie Lewis can play the small forward position, and there are Cliff Robinson and Mike Sanders on the bench.

However, every player who enters the NBA carries some kind of injury.

For example, Sabonis developed some fluid buildup in his knee at the start of the season and missed the key game against the Detroit Pistons on November 9th.

After a fierce battle in the 1990 Finals, the two teams had developed an even deeper hatred for each other.

With Sabonis absent, Gan Guoyang started at center, and the team continued to play a passing-oriented style of play for the first three quarters.

Before the game, Bobby Bellman was a little worried, wondering if the Pistons' unfamiliar Princeton offense would work.

Unexpectedly, during the game, the Trail Blazers discovered the Pistons' weakness: their defense was not as fierce as in previous seasons.

The introduction of the new rule on flagrant fouls is one issue; another is that the overall performance of the Pistons players is declining.

Bill Laimbeer is 33 years old, and he hasn't been able to reach double digits in rebounds since 1988.

His block and scoring statistics have been declining year by year, and this cunning white center is getting old.

Although players like Salley, Rodman, and Turpan have developed, Laimbeer was the soul of the Pistons' defense.

Once the soul ages, the decay of the body happens in an instant.

Laimbeer was completely dominated by Gan Guoyang in the game, and Gan Guoyang got his first triple-double of the season with 33 points, 18 rebounds, 11 assists, and 3 blocks.

The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Detroit Pistons by 18 points at home, 101-119.

The match where the final opponents met was the one he won most easily and comfortably.

That's how the NBA regular season is; it's often full of uncertainty.

Defeating the Pistons put the Trail Blazers in a good period, and they gradually recovered from their initial slump.

The criticisms of Princeton from the early part of the season have gradually subsided, but the players still say, "It's a bit too slow."

Petrovic and Reggie Lewis, in particular, with Lewis stating, "I feel like I'm back in the NCAA, where we could have easily gone on a fast break in some situations."

Lewis's questioning of Biellman resulted in him being subjected to a dirty bomb attack by Biellman during training, and some claimed that Lewis had tears in his eyes at the end of the training session.

However, at the start of Game 5, Bobby Bellman made a real adjustment. With Jerome Kossie absent, he moved Reggie Lewis to the three position and started Petrovic at shooting guard, forming a two-guard duo with Terry Porter.

At the same time, he further modified some of the requirements of the Princeton system.

For example, the Princeton offense requires a slow pace, avoiding fast attacks and using a slow rhythm to wear down the opponent.

Coach Capone even banned fast breaks at one point, requiring players to complete at least five passes before taking a shot.

Bellman believes that the situation is different in the NBA, where the Trail Blazers have excellent offensive resources, and a slow pace is a waste of talent.

In the past, the team revolved entirely around Forrest Gump, so a slower pace was reasonable, since Forrest Gump was, after all, a center.

Moreover, at that time, the league was generally fast. Slowing down and controlling the pace actually made the opponents feel at a loss.

Now, with a more team-oriented offense and talented players, a slower pace would easily stifle their offensive prowess.

And while the entire league was slowing down, Bellman insisted on going against the grain: you slow down, I'll speed up accordingly.

So, on November 11th, against the Los Angeles Clippers, the Trail Blazers combined Princeton offense with fast breaks and scored 138 points against the Clippers.

They ultimately won by a margin of 27 points.

On November 13, the Trail Blazers showed no mercy to the Denver Nuggets, who were known for their lack of defense, and swept their opponents 159-125, a 34-point advantage.

Without going into overtime, the 159 points set a new scoring record for the Portland Trail Blazers.

Petrovic scored a career-high 22 points in this game, while Gan Guoyang easily scored 40 points.

The first 40 points of the season came a little late.

11月15号，11月17号，开拓者又分别拿下144分和145分。

With three consecutive games scoring over 140 points, the Trail Blazers' offensive firepower swept across the league.

In the game where the score was 145 points, the opponent was the New York Knicks. The Trail Blazers scored 5 points in double figures, with Reggie Lewis scoring 31 points.

He unusually surpassed Gan Guoyang's 30 points, becoming the Trail Blazers' leading scorer in this game.

After the game, Reggie Lewis called Bobby Bellman the greatest coach he had ever met.

Unsurprisingly, he was scolded by Berman again, who claimed that he disliked any player who flattered him.

However, when Forrest Gump said at the press conference, "Bobby didn't rely on the system, but constantly tested how well the system fit us, and his adjustments were perfect," Bellman smiled and seemed very pleased.

The consecutive high scores showcased the Trail Blazers' exceptional offensive talent and highlighted the truly important aspects of the Princeton offense:
It's not about tactical routines or easy backdoor scoring, but about the spirit of sharing the ball and unleashing the offensive talent of perimeter players.

The Trail Blazers went on an eight-game winning streak and quickly secured their position as the top team in the league.

On November 18th, a highly anticipated matchup will take place as the Trail Blazers host the Chicago Bulls in the first game of the 1990-1991 season between Gan and Joe.

On the 17th, the entire Bulls team flew to Portland. Compared to the Trail Blazers' triumphant run and winning streak, the Bulls encountered setbacks after the start of the season.

They suffered three consecutive losses to start the season, and Jordan's scoring was not satisfactory. In the first eight games, they had a record of 4 wins and 4 losses, with a winning percentage of only 50%.

Before facing the Portland Trail Blazers, they lost to the Phoenix Suns—Charles Barkley outscored Jordan in that game, scoring 37 points.

Jordan only scored 34 points, which led to him constantly trash-talking Barkley during and after the game.

This greatly hurt Jordan's pride. He cared a lot about his stats and would check with the statistician during games to see how many points he had scored.

When he senses something is wrong, he will correct it. He has an excellent memory and rarely makes mistakes.

At the start of this season, Jordan could clearly feel that more and more people were challenging him.

Because he was very strong, but he couldn't win the championship, which was a psychological letdown, and he hated that feeling.

During a preseason game against the Seattle SuperSonics, Gary Payton, that greenhorn, met Jordan at a nightclub and dared to tell him, "I'm worth a million dollars, I can buy Ferraris and Lamborghinis!"

Jordan shrugged and said, "I have them too, but mine were all given to me for free by my sponsors."

These words naturally made Payton lose face, but Jordan was still very angry. How dare a rookie talk back to me like that?
Jordan was eager to establish his dominance through victories and scoring in games.

The problem is that Phil Jackson wants him to stop being a scoring champion and start sharing the ball with his players.

There is still much debate within the Bulls about how to integrate the triangle offense with Jordan.

Reinsdorf complained to Krause that the triangle offense was hindering Jordan.
Low-post players like Cartwright were tired of Jordan repeatedly solving problems with isolation plays.

As for Jordan himself, he wasn't quite sure what to do. His basketball philosophy was very simple, but now some people were trying to complicate things.

During practice, he stated bluntly, "If I had played for Phil from the beginning, I wouldn't be who I am today. And I don't understand why I should play in Winter's system. What exactly has Tex Winter won?"

These rude words infuriated Klaus, a staunch supporter of Winter and a proponent of the triangle offense.

Now, Krause is very worried about whether Phil Jackson can control the locker room and whether he can control Jordan.

Jackson, on the other hand, was very confident. He believed that the regular season was nothing special and that the process was more important than the result.

Before the game against the Trail Blazers, Jackson handed out books to the players en route, a habit he had during his road trips.

He hopes that the book will help the players calm down, reflect on their current situation, and gain guidance from it.

He gave Scottie Pippen a copy of "Vanity Fair," rookie Scott Williams a copy of "Baby in Tulsa," Purdue a copy of "The Great Santini," Bill Cartwright a copy of "Collapse," and Jordan a copy of "Song of Solomon."

In addition to publishing books, Jackson would also conduct psychological tests on the players and take them by bus instead of plane so that they could enjoy the scenery along the way.

Of course, the result was that the players didn't want to enjoy the scenery at all; they slept on the bus and played cards on the plane.

As for the psychological test, they held a pencil as if they were taking an exam at school, so they just scribbled something down. The test results showed that the entire Bulls team had mental problems.

Jackson once doubted whether he could communicate with the generation born in the 60s, while the players felt that Jackson was too pretentious and liked to preach too much.

However, Jackson soon discovered someone who could quickly unite the Bulls players – Forrest Gump.

After arriving in Portland, I sat on the bus, and there were billboards related to Forrest Gump everywhere along the way.

Portland has no other stars, whether in sports, pop music, or movies; Forrest Gump is their only one.

Jackson is aware of the Trail Blazers' recent performance, saying, "The Trail Blazers and Forrest Gump are playing like this in my mind, and we need to catch up with them."

Everyone knew this was a provocation, but the Bulls were all enraged, and the Portland Trail Blazers loomed over them like a ghost.

Jordan then mocked Jackson, saying, "Maybe Bobby Bellman would save you a spot next to him."

For once, Jordan's teammates sided with him, agreeing with his words. Jackson wasn't angry; he knew the Bulls would give their all to perform well on the night of the 18th.

Jackson looked out the window at the huge AVIA advertisement, with Forrest Gump's enormous eyes staring at everyone who passed by, and below it read "Now your time".

Jackson thought to himself, "Thank you for your kind words, Forrest Gump."

(End of this chapter)