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Chapter 346 Revisiting Madison

On May 9, 1998, in New York, the twilight deepened the Manhattan skyline. Madison Square Garden, located in the heart of the city, had its iconic metal dome gleaming with a cold and hard sheen in the interplay of the setting sun and the first light of the streetlights, like a silent steel fortress, isolating itself from the noise and restlessness of the outside world.

However, this cold outer shell could not stop the surging heat from within. It was the fervor of basketball, the passion of the New York Knicks, like magma before a volcanic eruption, constantly accumulating and boiling within the arena, ready to burst forth and sweep through every corner.

As Ernst stepped into the VIP passage leading to the stadium, before he even reached the exit, a deafening roar, like thunder, swept over him. The sound was a cacophony of shouts, cheers, and whistles from the fans, along with the deafening drumbeats and music from inside the stadium, all converging into a powerful wave of sound that nearly made the walls of the entire passageway tremble slightly.

Ernst's lips unconsciously curled into a barely perceptible smile. This was his second time attending a Knicks home game, but this time, the atmosphere was completely different from the last time, as if he had instantly traveled from the dead of winter to the height of summer.

The last time he came here, he was the new owner who had just taken over the Knicks and was facing a lot of criticism and controversy.

At that time, the New York media criticized him harshly, fans were full of doubt and dissatisfaction, and some even held up signs outside the arena that said "Get out of the Knicks".

Now, in just a few months, everything has changed dramatically, all thanks to the miracle created by this young Knicks team in the playoffs.

It was as if the inertia of history was driving everything in the dark. The Knicks finished the regular season with a record of 43 wins and 39 losses, ranking sixth in the Eastern Conference. Such a record was hardly dazzling in the NBA, a league full of strong teams. In fact, many experts predicted that they would be eliminated early in the first round of the playoffs.

What Ernst didn't expect was that this historical momentum was so strong, so strong that this new team, with young players at its core, was able to unleash amazing energy on the playoff stage.

In the first round, facing the Miami Heat, led by Alonzo Mourning and ranked third in the Eastern Conference during the regular season, they showed no fear and fought hard, ultimately winning 3-1 in a thrilling upset and successfully eliminating their opponents to advance to the second round of the playoffs.

This victory not only boosted the morale of the Knicks players, but also set the entire city of New York ablaze.

After the Knicks advanced to the second round, The New York Times quickly published a lengthy commentary, overflowing with praise and anticipation for the young team.

"Now, this young New York Guard has fulfilled the expectations of all New Yorkers with their actions. They are like a group of fledgling warriors, writing their own legend on the basketball court with fearless courage and unwavering faith."

The article also took a jab at renowned coach Phil Jackson, who had previously dismissed the team: "Before the season, Phil Jackson confidently stated that a group of kids couldn't win a championship. Now, seeing this young team undergo a magnificent transformation in the playoffs, as if reborn, I wonder if he still has the courage to say what he did back then?"

"If this young team is given another two or three years to accumulate experience and continue to grow on the court, who dares to say that this Knicks team won't become one of the strongest contenders for the NBA championship?"

"A youth storm has already formed in New York, and what's even more frightening is that this storm is not a fleeting gust of wind, but rather a storm forged with an iron will and resilience. It will carry the hopes of New Yorkers and create even greater waves in the league."

"In this round of playoffs, we not only saw the growth of these young players' skills, but also the fighting spirit and iron will flowing through their veins."

"In three of the four games, they were trailing at halftime, with the biggest deficit being as much as 14 points in the third quarter. But even in such seemingly hopeless situations, they did not give up. With their indomitable and never-say-die spirit, they managed to snatch two victories from their opponents."

"The Knicks are more united than ever before. They are like a tightly connected whole, thinking and working together. Such a team is destined to create more surprises."

Finally, The New York Times turned its attention to Ernst, giving him high praise: "Perhaps the new owner Ernst was right. He did not come to destroy the Knicks, but to help them get back on track to contend for the championship."

"Look at the amazing growth these young players are showing, and think about the many valuable draft picks the Knicks have this year. I believe all New York fans can really have high expectations this time. In the next three to five years, we have every reason to believe that this dynamic and promising Knicks team will be able to bring that damn championship trophy back to Madison Square Garden and immerse New York in the glory of basketball once again."

Just like the change in attitude of the New York media, Knicks fans' views on Ernst have also undergone a dramatic shift.

Many fan groups have spoken out through various channels, giving high praise to the Knicks' series of operations at the beginning of the season, and also expressing goodwill towards owner Ernst. The harsh criticisms of the past have now been replaced by praise and support.

According to a survey released by a reputable local media outlet in New York, when the Knicks had just completed a series of blockbuster trades at the beginning of the season, Knicks fans gave new owner Ernst a dismal 3.5 points of satisfaction, which was undoubtedly a huge rejection of Ernst.

After the regular season ended and the team successfully entered the playoffs, the satisfaction rating rose slightly to 5.8 points, but it still did not reach the passing grade, indicating that although fans saw some progress from the team, they were still taking a wait-and-see attitude.

However, after the Knicks upset the Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs, creating a "Black Six" miracle, fans' satisfaction rating with Ernst skyrocketed, soaring to 8.4 points.

This huge leap is enough to prove that the fans' recognition of Ernst has reached a new level.

Among the fans surveyed, the vast majority gave a satisfactory evaluation, expressing that the team's future is promising. Only a few fans said that they need to continue to observe the team's performance in subsequent matches.

But at least they have accepted the team's preseason transfers and are no longer as strongly opposed as before.

Aside from a few die-hard Ewing fans who were still upset, everyone's attitude towards the team and the owner has changed significantly.

So when Ernst visited the Knicks' home arena for the second time, the entire crowd erupted in applause and cheers as he appeared at the VIP entrance, their voices filled with welcome and approval for Ernst.

The DJ on site was undoubtedly the most perceptive, immediately turning the background music volume up to the maximum without hesitation. The rousing melody intertwined with the fans' unified chants of "Ernst! Ernst!", creating a powerful sound wave that echoed throughout Madison Square Garden, pushing the atmosphere to its first climax.

To Ernst's surprise, as he slowly walked out of the player tunnel, he saw the Knicks players standing neatly on both sides of the tunnel entrance, each with a smile on their face, clearly waiting there to welcome him.

In NBA history, it's extremely rare for players to greet their bosses at the tunnel entrance, which speaks volumes about the significant change in Ernst's standing among the players.

Amidst cheers and shouts, Ernst took a deep breath, suppressed his excitement, and extended his hands, giving each player a high-five with a smile.

After a brief interaction, Ernst didn't linger and went straight to his assigned seat in the front row.

"Hey, isn't this our big star? How's it going? Getting used to being the center of attention?"

As soon as Ernst sat down, a teasing female voice came from beside him. The voice was clear and melodious, yet also carried a hint of slyness.

Ernst turned his head, raised an eyebrow, and said in a slightly frivolous yet teasing tone, "Tell me, if I did something special to you in such a public setting, like spanking you, do you think you'd receive far more attention tomorrow than you do now? You'd get to experience that feeling firsthand, and I guarantee you'd never forget it."

Giselle's cheeks flushed instantly, and she leaned back slightly, a hint of fear in her eyes. She quickly waved her hands, "No, no, I don't want to become famous this way, it's too embarrassing."

Seeing Giselle's panicked appearance, Ernst couldn't help but laugh, and his mood became even more cheerful.

The Italian goddess has left, as she had to travel to Europe for work to shoot an important endorsement video, and has temporarily left New York.

However, no sooner had Monica left than the Brazilian supermodel arrived.

The second season of "Playboy Spy" has just finished filming, and Gisele Bündchen, who has risen to fame through the show in the past year, has a rare period of free time, which she naturally wants to spend with her sugar daddy.

Ernst was very satisfied with Giselle's attitude, but what pleased him even more was that this clever canary actually knew how to seduce other birds back to him.

Next to Gisele sat a young model, also from Brazil, with captivating brown curly hair, delicate features, and an aura of youth and vitality.

This model is Alessandro Ambrosio, a newcomer recently signed by Playboy, but Ernst is more familiar with her nickname – AA.

This doesn't mean she has a flat, average figure; on the contrary, this woman's figure is much fuller than Gisele Bündchen's, something Ernst can personally attest to.

It was a bit of a shame, because on the same day that Adriana Lima and Gisele arrived in New York, Monica Bellucci was flying to Europe. If Monica had stayed a few days longer, he would have insisted on having this experienced Italian goddess teach these two newcomers how to maintain composure and present their most perfect selves while completely naked.

Ernst was chatting and laughing with Gisele and AA. The cameras in the stadium would occasionally pan to their area, which pleased the two of them. Being able to appear on camera frequently in such a high-profile setting would greatly help to enhance their fame and influence.

You have to understand that they paid a high price to get Ernst to bring them to this important playoff game, and it's all worth it now.

"By the way, when are you planning to go back to Los Angeles?" Giselle turned slightly to the side, almost leaning against Ernst. The faint scent of her perfume mixed with the fragrance of her shampoo lingered around Ernst's nose, making him feel a little distracted.

Clearly, Gisele is using this recently infamous tycoon to boost her own popularity.

Ernst didn't care; he'd just tag along.

If you take advantage of me now, and I take advantage of you when we get back, then we'll be even, right?

"What's wrong? Why are you suddenly asking this? Is there something you need?"

"Nothing particularly important, it's just that AA and I are going back to Los Angeles afterward, and if your schedule falls within these few days, you can take my private jet."

She had flown on Ernst's private jet, but it was leased.

She has never even been on his own meticulously modified second-hand Gulfstream private jet.

For her, flying on a private jet itself wasn't very appealing; what truly excited her was the opportunity to sit on Ernst's private jet.

This is not only a symbol of identity and status, but more importantly, it can bring enormous fame and attention.

There's no other way; there are too many competitors. If you want to leverage their influence, you have to find opportunities yourself.

Fortunately, Ernst didn't care much about these things, which gave them an opportunity.

For example, whenever they were with Ernst, they would always try to get him to buy them clothes.

Was it buying clothes? It was just a way to get the two of them in the public eye at the same time.

He felt a warm breath on his ear, and Gisele's unmistakably seductive voice whispered, "Have you ever wondered what it feels like to walk the runway in the air? I have several girlfriends who are currently staying in New York."

back.

I must go back.

Whether they're on the catwalk or not doesn't matter; they're all young girls without money. How can we not help them if we can?