Chapter 7 Missouri on the target of public criticism

Anthony scored 26 points, 11 rebounds; Carman scored 24 points, 15 rebounds; Chen Junhao scored 121 points, 12 assists. This is the report card handed over by the Missouri Trident in the game against Kentucky. The data cannot explain everything, and the data is usually the most convincing. "The Trident flew together in three lines, and Missouri sang a high-profile song." Major media outlets across the United States chose Missouri's victory as the front page. The biggest favorite of the championship, Duke led by Lao K, had to surrender to the second page.

Although Missouri had become famous before, no one dared to underestimate it with the momentum of the quarterfinals for two consecutive years. However, after the game against Kentucky this year, the media and fans' understanding of Missouri had to rise to a whole new level: one of the biggest favorites in the NCAA, perhaps even stronger. At least they have maintained a record of winning all the games so far, right?

Kentucky did not find an effective way to suppress the trident from beginning to end. Apart from starting a short lead, Kentucky gave his opponents the initiative in the whole game. This situation happened to Kentucky, a strong team with all the United States, which would be amazing. Perhaps no one compared Missouri and Duke before the invitational tournament, but at this time they had to face the deterrence from Missouri. The two undisputed victories and the invincible power of the Missouri Trident shocked the strong teams in the United States.

Missouri is not a nouveau riche. They have had the experience of reaching the quarterfinals for two consecutive years. It can be said that one foot has stepped on the threshold of a powerful man. From the media's standpoint, he is happy to watch Missouri. Witnessing the birth of a giant team and the birth of a legend are the interests of the audience and the media. From Missouri, the media has found three people who may eventually enter the NBA and become superstars in the future: Anthony, Carman, and Chen Junhao, pay attention to them and predict their growth. Witnessing the growth of a superstar is the fun of many American fans and one of the work of the media.

The most important thing is: paying attention to Missouri can bring them benefits. For the media: newspaper sales and TV ratings are the most important. In an emerging dynasty, an invincible strong man, Missouri can provide everything that fans are interested in.

The evening of the two games, media reports were already out. Newspapers, TV news, and even the upcoming finals were the upcoming finals. The finals of the NCAA quarterfinals invitational tournament were truly the last feast of the preseason. Teams and college students across the United States are paying attention to this battle between the dragon and the tiger.

The champion of the quarterfinals invitational tournament may not be able to explain anything, but for the two teams that are determined to win the championship, the opponent is the opponent that must be defeated. Be the first to win, at least to gain a psychological advantage in future confrontations. Before the game began, the fire smell has already spread.

The media enthusiastically predicted the results of the final final of the invitational tournament, from the match between the main lineups of the two teams to the competition of substitutes, the two teams were compared in all aspects. The results of the comparison made the media themselves dumbfounded: Missouri was the one who had the upper hand.

The emergence of reports was like a new world was discovered overnight, as if Missouri changed from a "Missouri University Basketball Team" to a Bull Dynasty overnight. It was full of praise and spared no effort.

This is what the media does!

Media reports have made Missouri famous, but it has become the target of public criticism. Missouri, standing at the forefront of the storm, has to face the speculation, research and challenges of the entire NCAA before the start of the season. In the past, this was a treatment that only tycoons like North Carolina, Duke, and Kentucky could enjoy.

The change came suddenly overnight, and the entire Missouri basketball team was stunned. When they stepped out of the door, the white light flashed, "Click, click..." The sound of the camera kept ringing. Even Anthony and Carman, a veteran who had been tried, retreated in fear and quickly closed the door.

"What's going on?" Kaman said in surprise. "Is there a fire?"

"It's even worse than the fire!" Anthony's expression was terrifying, "It's a reporter!"

"Tsk!" Kaman disagreed and thought Anthony was pretending to be mysterious and sneered, "Several reporters can also make you afraid that you will be like this. Could it be that you did something wrong and afraid of exposing it to the reporter?"

Anthony didn't argue with Kaman, let him beside him, and said, "Then you go out first."

Seeing Anthony so serious, Kaman was really curious. His eyes reached the peeping hole and looked at it, and took a breath: "Damn, so much." The two of them looked at each other, both with a look of cowardice.

The outside was completely occupied by the reporter!

Anthony and the other two looked at each other, then looked at the remaining person in the room - Chen Junhao. He was sitting leisurely on the sofa, drinking tea and reading the newspaper.

"Jack?"

"Yes!" Chen Junhao looked up and looked.

"Do you know what's going on outside now? It's so leisurely!"

Chen Junhao opened a page of the newspaper and continued to read it, and said lightly: "Are you a reporter? I know. Call the security guard, and all these reporters will be exposed within ten minutes."

"Yes!" Kaman applauded, "Why didn't I expect it!"

"Is this OK?" Anthony said with concern, "They are journalists, and you are from China."

Chen Junhao raised his head and said, "Then stay in the house. The coach will deal with it later. Anyway, breakfast time is not yet here."

Kaman touched his stomach and said strangely: "Aren't you hungry?"

Chen Junhao smiled and said, "I called room service."

"Damn! Why didn't I expect it?" The two of them screamed and rushed to the phone. All the food and accommodation fees for Missouri in the quarter-finals were provided by the invitational organizing committee. Such a small fee was a drop in the money compared to the benefits that the invitational tournament brought to the organizers. Chen Junhao and others didn't have to save money for them.

After reading the last page of the report, Chen Junhao put away the newspaper and threw it on the table, sighing: "What an annoying report."

"Today's newspaper?" Anthony asked curiously, "Have you written anything?"

"On the overnight, Missouri became the greatest team in the NCAA. These reporters were talking nonsense, just winning a game. Even if the opponent was Kentucky, there was no need to exaggerate it."

Carman leaned into the aisle and said, "Look at what you're writing. The trident combination is so sharp that Missouri is invincible. The biggest discovery of NCAA, the five Michigan tigers reappeared in Missouri... After that, there is a comparison between us and Duke. Yay? We actually have the upper hand!"

After browsing a little, Anthony looked up and said, "Don't Jack like it? This is a great praise for you. The first point guard in the league, the little emperor from China. Hehe, I really admire these reporters for even getting photos of you in high school."

"I don't like it, the report is too flattering. I feel like I've become a billionaire overnight, and the money comes inexplicably."

Kaman smiled carelessly: "What's wrong with a billionaire? If I care about his money, wouldn't it be strange."

Anthony spat: "Idiot, Jack is talking about us like nouveau riche."

"There is $100 million, what does it matter even if the nouveau riche?"

Anthony nodded and said, "That's right." Suddenly he woke up again and cursed, "Damn, now we are talking about basketball, who said $100 million?

Kaman rolled his eyes and said, "Which fool nodded in agreement?"

Anthony was speechless and quickly changed the subject and said to Chen Junhao: "This is a bit too much, but it basically conforms to the facts. We at Missouri are very strong. Even if our opponent is Duke, there is absolutely no reason to lose the game together. After yesterday's battle, my confidence is now inflated!"

"So too," Carman echoed, "even in North Carolina last year, Kentucky the previous year, I am confident that we Missouri can defeat them."

Chen Junhao said lightly: "That's just a feeling. Who can definitely win without a real game? The media is irresponsible to praise it. Now all teams in the United States are sharpening their swords and spy on us Missouri. If Missouri is really strong enough to stand out as the champions, Coach Smith would not have looked worried before the game. From now on, we Missouri may be the public enemy of all teams in the United States and are truly the target of public criticism."

Anthony smiled faintly and said, "Which big team is not like this? This is how the favorites to win the championship every year."

"But we are not a wealthy family yet. And even a wealthy family can't stand such flattery. Are you two so light that you don't know the north and south now?" Chen Junhao's words were rarely mean.

Anthony and Kaman were both hot. The two teams were one of the best aces and the longest ones on the team. They were not disgusted with Chen Junhao's surprisingly sarcasm. Perhaps Chen Junhao had this charm, and no matter how angry it was, it made people feel infuriated.

The teammates who were always humble and cautious this time were so mean that they did not leave any mercy. Anthony and Kaman couldn't help but reflect on themselves: Are they really too proud?

Seeing the two people silent, Chen Junhao woke up and said, "Sorry, I'm saying too much."

Anthony shook his head generously and said, "It's okay. But are we really proud?"

Chen Junhao smiled and said, "You two are not yet proud. We are very strong in Missouri. As you said, I have the confidence to win this afternoon against Duke. However, we are not a perfect team, and the difference between the "greatest team" and "invincible" that the media praised. I don't like this feeling, it's true, it's like telling a big lie and deceiving everyone."

Kaman laughed: "The typical Chinese idea. This is in the United States, no one will fully believe in the newspaper, and readers will automatically filter out the false parts of it. The media just wants readers to know that Missouri is strong, strong enough to become the hottest team for the championship. In this regard, there is no exaggeration."

Chen Junhao nodded and said, "The same is true in our China. Few people completely believe in the things in the newspapers. I should be thinking too much."

Anthony grabbed the newspaper and browsed the title up and down, and suddenly said: "Jack's worries are not unreasonable. I'm afraid that others will not believe it, but our own players believe it. Piaopiaoran didn't know how many heads he had."

"Can you?" Kaman said. Several people looked at each other, and suddenly the images of Mario and several first-grade rookies flashed in their minds at the same time, and they said in unison, "It's very likely!"

Not to mention whether Mario and others were so proud that they grabbed the newspaper and pounded their chests and laughed: "We are the strongest" and other unnutritious words.

The players of Duke were also reading the same newspaper. Rydick, Wilson and others smiled lightly after reading it, and threw the newspaper aside. However, Mai Robert and others said angrily: "This report is too exaggerated. What kind of trident is invincible, Missouri is invincible. They are completely forgetful and nonsense. Did these reporters take Missouri's benefits and praise them so hard?"

Rydick laughed and said, "Yesterday, this newspaper wrote 'May Robert Duke's genius is very happy to read it?"

Robert said with a hot face: "That's not that exaggerated."

Wilson said: "This is the newspaper, don't take it too seriously. I guess Missouri must be more troublesome than us now. After this report is released, they will be the target of public criticism. This is also good, and we will be less pressure in the future."

"Yes!" Rydick smiled, "For this reason, should we lose the afternoon game?"

Robert and Wilson looked at each other and shook their heads: "No way!"

Rydick said: "I think so too!"

The three of them looked at each other, and burst into laughter.

Outside the door, the old coach K who was passing by heard the laughter inside the door and smiled faintly. He originally wanted to knock on the door and suddenly changed his attention when he entered. He turned around and left the corridor. Do you still have to worry about such a player? When did he feel so unconfident in the players he selected?

At the same time, in the Missouri coach's room, there was also a newspaper today in front of Smith. His expression was filled with sorrow. As Chen Junhao said, this report pushed Missouri to the forefront and became the target of public criticism. And all this came too early. His Missouri was not ready yet and was not ready to face the entire NCAA sniper. Missouri is very strong now, so they can defeat Kentucky, but they are far from reaching the perfect level. In Smith's original plan,

Before March next year, we will gradually improve our current lineup and tactics through a series of games. Then we will challenge the semi-finals of 64 with the strongest posture and challenge the championship. But now we will advance all this. Under the mentality of "defeating the king and subverting the dynasty", we can imagine that the opponents will fight hard in every game in the future. With the strongest team as the opponent, we will win a huge surprise, and it doesn't matter if we lose. Few college players with strong spirits understand the practice of keeping their strength like professional players.

Smith is not afraid of meeting strong opponents. No matter how strong the opponent is, Missouri is confident of winning. However, if the opponent encounters every game in a season, the team's difficulties in moving forward will increase significantly. In a regular season, players are not physically strong and the probability of accidental factors such as player injuries will increase greatly.

Isn't Duke like this last year? The biggest favorite to win the championship, the undisputed king of the preseason, when they reached the semi-finals of 64, three players in the main lineup were unable to play at the same time due to injuries. If it weren't for the hard work of Rick and Wilson, it might not be possible in the quarterfinals.

Smith doesn't want his team to suffer from Duke's fate last year. And although Missouri now has a main lineup comparable to Duke's last year, the depth of the bench is far from comparable to Duke's last year. Smith himself cannot guarantee how much power it can maintain if a corner is missing in the trident.

But now all this is out of his control.

Smith was not worried about the afternoon game against Duke. In fact, even losing this game is no big deal. If possible, Smith was even willing to give up this game in exchange for Missouri's temporary low-key moment. However, the player would not agree. A coach who voluntarily gave up his victory was not worthy of respect. Even for strategic considerations throughout the season.

"Missouri is the strongest, and the Missouri basketball team will never stop pursuing victory and fight to the last moment." Smith has always instilled this belief in his players, and this has become the spirit of the Missouri basketball team. Smith will never be able to subvert this spiritual belief.

I have to win the afternoon game, and I have to win with all my strength!

With a sigh, Smith could only concentrate and focus on the afternoon game against Duke.

"Ridick, Wilson, Mai Robert, Jack, Mike, Jason" stared at the names written on the paper, and Smith's smile inadvertently appeared on his face: Ace's offense and defense, this time the advantage is not on Duke's side!
Chapter completed!