Where the noise did not reach

Chapter 83 Eye of the Storm
Roderick Craig's tweet directly linking Kobe Bryant to the "Eagle County incident" was like a nuclear bomb dropped into a calm lake. The tsunami it triggered swept through the entire basketball world within just a few hours, and even far beyond the scope of the sports world.

While the internet was still in its infancy in 2007, it was far from being as pervasive as it would become in later years. Therefore, when Xu Ling's remarks, which directly attacked the NBA superstar, appeared, it was like a fuse precisely thrown into a powder keg, igniting an unprecedented media tsunami within relatively traditional information channels. ESPN's sports programming, Yahoo Sports' headlines, and various sports talk shows—almost all sports media outlets were reporting on the matter repeatedly, analyzing its impact.

Los Angeles was naturally the first place to be in an uproar.

For Lakers fans who are already deeply embroiled in the long and painful soap opera of "Kobe forcing a trade," this is nothing short of a malicious attack on their faces. They are already on edge and extremely sensitive to any criticism of Kobe.

At this moment, a follower of an unknown Memphis rookie dares to use the deepest scar of their idol, who is suffering injustice and grievances, to shield himself from criticism.

"Who does he think he is?"

"That damn troublemaker can't even control his own dog?"

"This is the most despicable slander against a great player!"

Similar comments flooded the comment sections of various forums.

The Memphis Grizzlies' official email address and Xu Ling's already high-profile social media account were instantly flooded with condemnation and abuse, including death threats and extremely vicious racist remarks.

In Los Angeles, the Lakers' public relations department, already overwhelmed by Kobe's public trade request, is now facing even greater difficulties.

They were forced to issue a brief but strong statement: "We strongly condemn this extremely irresponsible and disrespectful behavior of dragging Kobe Bryant into irrelevant discussions for the sake of sensationalism. Kobe is a legend of the sport, and his achievements and character should not be so frivolously tarnished."

More Nike-affiliated media figures joined the fray, no longer debating whether Xu Ling or Durant was better, but instead adopting a unified narrative to fiercely criticize Xu Ling's team's "moral bottom line" and "professional ethics," attempting to completely portray Xu Ling as a despicable villain who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals.

However, this wave of public opinion did not turn out as Nike had hoped.

Firstly, because Adidas's massive public relations machine is by no means just for show.

They acted swiftly, privately reminding Craig to be more careful with his words in the future, while simultaneously directing their media allies to launch a counterattack.

David Aldridge of The Washington Post wrote: "What really 'crossed the line' is the organized smear campaign against a rookie. Mr. Chris Sheridan and his colleagues should perhaps first explain why they are blind to Eli Sho's outstanding performance on the court, yet so concerned about a single outrageous comment from someone close to him?"

Many neutral media outlets and commentators have also seen through the true nature of this controversy.

TNT commentator Charles Barkley bluntly stated on the show: "Come on! This is basically Nike and Adidas fighting! Some people are jumping up and down like cats whose tails have been stepped on, not because they care about any 'morality,' but because Eli Xu kicked the ass of the brand he represents! (Regarding Kobe) that incident certainly shouldn't be brought up, but let's figure out who started this underhanded trick first?"

More importantly, Kobe was in an extremely delicate and sensitive period at this time. His conflict with management had become public, trade rumors with the Bulls were intensifying, and his future with the Lakers was fraught with great uncertainty. Many fans and media outlets felt a complex sense of sympathy for him.

While Craig's remarks were foolish and offensive, they objectively prompted some to reflect: Why does the "Eagle County" issue seem to be a taboo subject that no one can touch? Do the media really have two completely different standards when dealing with different star players?
Xu Ling has remained silent on the matter.

However, the Grizzlies could not remain silent and issued a formal response on the team's official website: "Roderick Craig's remarks are his personal opinion and do not represent the official position of the Memphis Grizzlies. We support the principle of freedom of speech and believe that public figures and related events are a normal part of society, open to public discussion. We do not understand why some media outlets react so strongly to an extreme online comment while remaining silent about a real physical attack against our fans in our city. The Grizzlies are focused on the upcoming games and will not comment further on this matter."

The Grizzlies' official statement resonated widely with Grizzlies fans.

The physical injury incident they mentioned also involved Kobe Bryant. Two years prior, Kobe was in a slump in his career. Shaquille O'Neal had been traded as he wished, Phil Jackson hadn't yet returned for his second stint, and the Lakers were essentially his team. However, that season the team was mired in a slump, suffering not only a dismal record but also extreme chaos. When Kobe arrived in Memphis, struggling with his shooting, he crashed into a Grizzlies fan while trying to save a ball, causing the fan to be hospitalized. Furthermore, Kobe's attitude was appalling; he refused to apologize, and the two sides even went to court.

The matter was eventually resolved off the court by Kobe using his financial power, but it has been brought up again recently.

"Why can the Los Angeles media attack a young man's extreme remarks, but selectively forget the real pain that we Memphis fans have suffered?"

The leading questions from local media instantly ignited the emotions of Memphis citizens. A sense of victimhood and being bullied, mixed with inherent resentment towards the megacity of Los Angeles and superstar Kobe Bryant, quickly coalesced into a powerful, united local force against external forces.

The strangest thing about this incident is that neither of the main parties involved, Xu Ling and Kobe, made any statements. However, their close associates, fans, and media engaged in all sorts of conflicts except for physical altercations, fighting fiercely. Fans from both cities almost developed the kind of hatred between city rivals or generational enemies.

However, Grizzlies fans are generally at a disadvantage.

Because they are in a small market with few fans and insufficient media influence, while the Lakers' geographical location is self-evident, and their glorious team history is enough to make them stand out from all other basketball teams except the Celtics. The Grizzlies are like clowns in front of them. Lakers fans only need to use the ultimate weapon in sports fan wars, "What kind of champion are you?", to defeat the Grizzlies fans.

With things having come to this point, the media had no choice but to check the schedule to see when the two teams would meet, and the league also keenly sensed the market trend and began to publicize it extensively.

The Grizzlies' season opener against the Lakers quickly became known worldwide.

The Lakers will face the Grizzlies on the road on December 21, their last game before the Christmas Day games.

Before that, the Grizzlies had ten more games to play.

The argument continues.

Xu Ling has remained silent on the matter, and even when the media brings it up, he refuses to give a direct response: "I have nothing to say about it."

What followed was a series of matches with ups and downs.

The Grizzlies are by no means a strong team. Without Xu Ling, they would still be one of the worst teams in the league. That's why if Xu Ling's performance fluctuates even slightly, or if he has a bad night's shooting touch, the game is probably over.

Despite this, they maintained their eighth-place ranking in the Western Conference with a 6-4 record during this stretch of the season, defeating strong teams like the Utah Jazz and the Dallas Mavericks. The mid-season trade window quietly opened during this period.

But all eyes in the league were on the Grizzlies' season opener against the Lakers.

Even the rumors surrounding Kobe's trade have been somewhat overshadowed. Moreover, the delay in trading Kobe has left other teams unsure whether to make a move. The Celtics' Big Three in the East are formidable, and for those strong teams eager for a championship to have the strength to compete directly with them, they would have to acquire Kobe without causing significant damage.

Therefore, the lack of progress in the Kobe trade indirectly led to the stagnation of trade negotiations with other strong teams.

During this period, Kobe Bryant essentially played the role of DPOY in the trading arena, single-handedly preventing all the major trades from happening prematurely.

Then, the day of the Grizzlies' game against the Lakers finally arrived.

December 21, Memphis, overcast and rainy.

The gloomy sky and cold winter rain seemed to set a somber and oppressive tone for the Los Angeles Lakers' arrival. When the Lakers' chartered plane landed at Memphis International Airport, an atmosphere completely different from usual instantly enveloped them.

The roads leading to the city center and the area around the team's hotel were unusually crowded with fans and media.

The media approached, while fans hurled insults from the sidelines.

Kobe was the last to step off the team bus. He was wearing a black tracksuit, his headphones were tightly fastened to his head, and huge sunglasses covered most of his face. He was expressionless, seemingly oblivious to everything around him—the media, the fans, the hostile stares—and quickly walked through the hotel's revolving doors, surrounded by team security and staff.

The rest of the Lakers team also felt this unusual pressure.

When reporters pressed him for questions, head coach Phil Jackson simply stated, "We are focused on the game itself, and outside noise won't bother us."

Meanwhile, inside and outside the FedEx Forum arena, a tense atmosphere of impending battle was spreading.

Outside the arena, a local radio station's broadcast van was broadcasting live, and the host's tone was impassioned: "Tonight, we are not only protecting our home court, but also our dignity! We will let the despicable Lakers know that the pain of Memphis fans will not be forgotten!"

In the locker room, Xu Ling changed into her gear and calmly did her stretches.

His teammates reacted differently.

Pau Gasol looked conflicted, unsure of his own position. As someone who could be traded at any moment, he was surprisingly eager to contribute his best to tonight's game.

Because this kind of highly anticipated game may be unprecedented in the history of the Grizzlies.

This seems to be Xu Ling's usual practice.

Whether intentional or unintentional, someone like him attracts a lot of attention, and even a small place like Memphis cannot overshadow his brilliance.

"Eli, aren't you nervous?"

When Kyle Lowry returned from the bathroom for the third time, he saw Xu Ling doing stretches as usual and couldn't help but ask.

"What are you nervous about?"

“That’s Kobe!” Lowry’s fear of the Lakers’ number 24 stemmed from the lingering shadow cast by Kobe’s dominant performances in the regular season over the past few years. “He’s definitely going to unleash his full firepower tonight!”

After finishing a set of stretches, Xu Ling slowly exhaled: "Kyle, if he goes all out, it means our defensive strategy has succeeded."

Lowry was taken aback: "Huh? What succeeded?"

"This means he got caught up in our rhythm and chose the toughest, least efficient way to score—going against our entire team one-man show. Isn't that exactly what we wanted to see?"

Lowry opened his mouth, momentarily speechless. Xu Ling's logic was unique yet irrefutable, seemingly turning a terrifying situation into a favorable tactical outcome in an instant. This optimistic mindset strangely dispelled some of the tension in Lowry's heart.

“You have a point,” Lowry repeated instinctively, but his tone was no longer so certain.

“Yeah, he’s Kobe,” Xu Ling stood up and gently patted Lowry on the shoulder. “So what we need to do is not be afraid of the shots he makes, but make sure that every shot he misses becomes an opportunity for us to counterattack. Save your energy on how to get the ball up the court faster, that’s what you should be worried about.”

Just then, a faint, muttering sound came from the corner of the locker room. Everyone looked over and saw Darko Milicic with his eyes closed, clumsily making the sign of the cross on his chest with his fingers, his expression unusually devout.

“Hey, Dako,” Hakim Warrick asked curiously, “what are you doing over there?”

Milicic opened his eyes, looked at Xu Ling with a serious expression, and solemnly said in heavily accented English, "I'm praying for Eli. Praying he'll be safe tonight, praying God will protect him from being torn apart by Kobe... um."

The locker room fell silent for a moment, then erupted in a few suppressed chuckles. This strange piety and straightforward worry eased the last trace of tension in the room.

"Thank you for your kindness, Dako." Xu Ling's relaxed smile faded. "But I never rely on that."

(End of this chapter)