Champion Rules

Chapter 13 013: The winner’s mother will be the most beautiful person that night (Please read!)
More than a decade later, media narratives tend to portray Darko Milicic as a tragic victim.

A young genius with dreams in his heart comes confidently to realize the American dream, but he meets a devil coach who wears thick glasses, is stupid and stubborn.

He found that basketball was not as good as he had imagined.

From then on, the genius became mediocre, fell into the abyss, and could never get up again.

He should have been a legend, or at least a great starter.

But because of the wrong team and the wrong coach, people will never see what the best of Darko Milicic is like.

This is undoubtedly the media's favorite script, which successfully created a tragic genius in the 03 generation, one of the most important drafts in history.

But this script selectively ignores the other side of the coin.

Granted, Larry Brown was a complete jerk coach with a terrible reputation among players. He won a championship in Detroit, but almost no one on that Pistons team liked him.

Back before the 2003 draft, Larry Brown wanted the team to select Carmelo Anthony, but we all know that Pistons general manager Joe Dumars eventually picked Darko.

Therefore, it is difficult to say whether Larry Brown's refusal to let Dako, "Old Joe's man", play is a protest and demonstration.

Given his reputation and character, this seems like something he could do.

No matter what the reason, it is unforgivable to bench a second-place pick like a marginal player.

But is Darko Milicic truly a perfect oath of grace? Is he truly just a victim of Larry Brown's stubborn rule?

No, he himself is not a good person either.

Drinking before training, fighting, having emotional breakdowns that leave the house in tatters, and blaming everyone but himself for it all.

He once revealed his mentality at the time in an exclusive interview with ESPN columnist Sam Boden in 2017.

“I could say I didn’t get the opportunities I deserved, but that’s just an excuse.

If a young player wants to prove himself, he must train hard, play hard and wait patiently for his chance.

But I did the opposite. As a second-overall pick from Europe, I arrogantly thought I was sent by God and that success would come naturally.

When reality shattered my fantasy, I chose to vent through alcohol and violence rather than facing the difficulties head-on.

In fact, I never seriously thought about or planned my basketball career.

I was tall, so I played basketball. I was good, so I joined a local club. I attracted attention, so I went to the United States. I needed an idol, so I made one up. (Milicic once said in an interview with American media that his idol was KG, but in fact, he had never seen KG play at the time.)
Before entering the NBA, all the success I experienced was just a matter of letting things flow. When I got to the NBA, I still believed that this was the way it would be, without making any effort or change.

To be honest, I hated myself at that time.”

This confession revealed a truth: Larry Brown's bizarre personnel decisions certainly destroyed the rookie's growth environment, but Milicic's self-exile and decline were also the driving force behind the fall of the genius.

While the media focuses the spotlight on the coach's tyranny and the team's poor decision-making, the rebellious teenager who drank and caused trouble on the streets of Belgrade, gave the middle finger to the camera, and still did not restrain himself in Detroit, also needs to take responsibility for the career he ruined.

At this moment, Dako would never have expected that his future self would hate his present self.

At this point he was enjoying playing a Serbian bastard.

This morning, the bastard Darko was in newspapers all over Serbia.

His mockery of Lynch and Theo as toddlers who needed to watch children's channels angered every Belgrade fan.

So, the early morning in Belgrade was ignited by anger.

This season, FMP, Red Star, and Partizan have frequently engaged in fierce competition, with their fans often engaging in heated exchanges during matches. On several occasions, they have even nearly come to blows outside the stadium entrance.

But if any outsider dares to disrespect the players here, all Belgrade fans will unite against him.

This was proven by the street interviews conducted by TV reporters today.

"This bastard forgot his last name!" The old welder from the northern suburbs factory shouted excitedly at the reporter's camera.

In a cafe, young girls poured Turkish coffee on a poster of Darko Milicic: "Who is our idol? Let me put it this way, if Lynch is behind me, then Darko is only worthy of being behind Lynch!"

Even the old lady selling newspapers on the street muttered after seeing the camera: "I will walk to the stadium with my cane and watch Lynch and Milos scatter Darko's ashes into the Danube! That kid is so rude!"

Lynch was sitting in his restaurant reading the newspaper and felt that Darko Milicic had something wrong with his brain.

"Have we met before? I've never mentioned him in front of the media. He's a mad dog."

Wu Lan brought milk, eggs, and a few slices of toast and sat down next to Lin Qi. "Don't worry about this yellow-haired kid. Look at his hair color and earrings. He's a typical Eastern European thug. By the way, Lin Qi, does the team still have free tickets for the next game? I want to close the shop for the night and go to the game."

Lin Qi looked up with a little surprise. It had been nearly half a year since he started playing for the youth team, and Wu Lan had never been to a game.

It’s not that she is indifferent to Lynch. She certainly wants to cheer for her pride on the scene.

But she needed to make a living, so she had to give up some things.

"Why do you suddenly want to go?" Lynch asked casually while holding a piece of bread in his mouth.

Wu Lan's eyes were filled with guilt. "I just feel that this might be one of the most important games in your life. I can't miss anything."

"Of course there are complimentary tickets," Lynch nodded, "ask the Mediterranean Commander to give them to me tomorrow."

"Lynch, don't be so rude to Mr. Boshko. He's a nice guy pretending to be mean."

"Rude? How could that be? He really likes this nickname. Every time he hears me call him that, he's so happy he wants to buy me new clothes." Lin Qi's mind echoed with the shouts of "I'm going to make you wear a women's swimsuit on stage." God knows what kind of fucking fetish this is. Wu Lan narrowed her eyes: "Really?"

"I swear by his thick hair, I really do."

"Okay, I'll ask him myself on the day of the game if he likes it."

After saying that, Wu Lan stood up and looked at herself in the mirror in front of the window.

"Oh, I don't know if I can still wear that skirt. I haven't worn it in years. Tsk, tsk, why are the wrinkles so deep? I can't wear cloth shoes. Should I buy a pair of high heels? Forget it, there's no need."

Since her husband passed away, this woman's hands have been busy cooking on the stove and weaving a cradle for her son's basketball dream. Over the years, she has long forgotten to take care of her face and maintain her skin.

After all, these things are redundant in the kitchen fumes.

Every woman loves beauty, but she had given up this right. Only now, when she was about to watch Lynch's game, did she remember to pick up this right.

The reason she picked up this right was simply because she didn't want to embarrass her child.

In fact, Lin Qi never knew why Wu Lan would rather live such a hard life to support her son's dream.

He had no memory of this part in his mind because she had never expressed it.

Contrary to what many people think, playing professional basketball is actually very expensive in most European countries.

Many unscrupulous media will tell you that as long as European children like it, they can go to the club to practice and play games for free at any time after school, so their professional basketball is so good.

This is obviously bullshit that covers up part of the truth.

Those clubs that are free or charge very low fees are actually not professional clubs and can only be used as hobbies for children.

It is very expensive to train in the echelon of a professional club like FMP. Even for a wealthy club like Red Star, in addition to paying extremely high training fees, you must have the best talent, otherwise they will not accept you.

It was only after Lynch joined the youth team that FMP waived the training fees.

And those numbers that never appear in the conversation between mother and son have long turned into grease on the kitchen tiles, eroding the woman's youth day after day.

Therefore, if you look closely, you will find that most of the famous basketball stars in Europe come from middle-class or above families. Only places like North America, where there are only a lot of fatherless black children, can produce a large number of millionaires in the slums.

It's hard to say that Wu Lan invested in Lin Qi for future returns because she believed he could play professional basketball. After all, judging from Lin Qi's fragile body, this future was not secure.

No matter what the reason was for her to support Lynch in pursuing his dream, she persisted and had no complaints over the years.

Even during the period when Lynch was injured most frequently, she never said to him, "Forget it, kid."

Lin Qi looked at Wu Lan who was talking to herself and drank the hot milk in the cup in one breath.

"Mom, at the last game, Luka Bogdanovic's mother got a new hairstyle and new clothes. But there were no cameras filming her, and no one paid any attention to her. Do you know why?"

Wu Lan shook her head.

"Because only the winner's mother will be the most beautiful person that night, and no one can deny that. Don't worry too much, just go as usual. Let's go, we have extra practice today."

Wu Lan looked at the tall boy's back and smiled with relief.

There was finally a man in the family again. She hadn't experienced this feeling of security for a long time.
-
With planned training, a month passed quickly.

FMP's match against Vrsac also took place as scheduled.

Compared with previous rivals such as Red Star and Partizan, Vrsac is not a club with a glorious history.

It wasn't until 1998 that they managed to climb into the Serbian and Montenegrin top flight.

There is only one reason why Vrsac is so influential right now - they have Darko Milicic.

Look at this kid. As Darko Milicic entered the arena chewing gum, dozens of cameras greedily followed his golden hair.

The scene was very lively, and this match between Belgrade's two stars and Serbia's top youth player was naturally broadcast nationwide.

Just like the previous match against Red Star Youth Team, FMP also gave up the first team's home ground, Zelenik Hall, tonight.

Everyone knew that the small stadium that originally belonged to the youth team was simply unable to bear the weight of this epic showdown.

Before the game started, the reporter interviewed Teo: "A month ago, Dako made some disrespectful remarks to you and Lynch. Will this affect today's game?"

"No." Theo's answer was still brief and inhuman.

But he quickly added: "He should apologize."

"Apologize?" Darko Milicic's eyes widened after hearing what Theo had said from the reporter. "I wouldn't apologize to a crybaby. Don't get me wrong, Theo is certainly a very good player, but let's be honest, what else can he do besides complain to the media? Have you ever seen a winner apologize to a loser?"

After saying that, Darko Milicic deliberately screamed and cried, "Mr. Reporter, that bad guy told the truth and hurt my fragile heart. He must apologize!"

Darko's words and his actions quickly spread throughout the stadium. At this time, the warm-up had just ended, and Lynch walked to the sidelines and tore off his training clothes.

"To be honest, Theo," Lynch's eyes had never been so blazing, "I've really had enough of that bastard! Kill him, are you coming?"

"Stop the fucking nonsense and get him!"

This was the first time Lynch heard Teodosic swear.

(Thanks to the leader of the harmony god 404, I am so grateful that I can’t express it in words, I kowtow!
Thanks to the tips from big guys like Confirming the Product Has Been Signed for, Ximen Doesn't Like Blowing Snow, Xiaogao Is Not Cold, Tian Cangren, Red Horned Triple Cat, Sitting Alone on the Beach Watching the Sunrise, Lan Shui Wu Bo, Dong Ni Dong, Boss Mei Doesn't Dig Coal, Super Handsome Old Pigeon, Dog Is Too Clingy, Ink Color and Fragrance, etc. Thank you very much!)
(Don’t ask me why I updated so early today. I definitely didn’t go to watch the Lakers vs. Celtics game.)
(End of this chapter)