The Golden Age of Basketball

Chapter 806 Biting Off His Ear
1997年6月28日，NBA总决赛已经过去了两周，1997年的NBA选秀大会则在3天前落下了帷幕。

In Charlotte, North Carolina, David Stern and representatives from all 27 NBA teams publicly showcased the most crucial element of the NBA's big show: talent development.

Two rounds of selection are used to choose just over 50 young people each year to enter this basketball empire, become a part of the empire, enjoy money, honor, and fame, and bear all the blood and tears of professional sports.

Of these 50-plus young players, more than half will survive in the league for more than three years, half for more than five years, and half for more than ten years.

Those who can truly survive in the long run are the very top of the pyramid, and at the very top of the pyramid are the chosen ones who are destined to be picked first in the draft as soon as they participate in the competition.

Tim Duncan was such a player, a player destined to be selected first overall, a player hailed as "the most likely to become the next Forrest Gump".

He could have entered the draft in 1996, but to keep his promise to his mother, he completed four years of college before entering the draft.

In order to secure his draft pick, several teams engaged in bottomless tanking during the 1996-1997 season.

Ultimately, the Boston Celtics, who were lucky enough to win the draft lottery in May, did not hesitate to select Tim Duncan with the first overall pick in the draft.

Without the slightest hesitation, ever since the Celtics received the number one draft pick in May, the entire city has been preparing for the arrival of this superstar center.

The Spurs, who had the second overall pick, were willing to trade any player on the team—including David Robinson—for the Celtics' first overall pick, but the answer was a firm no.

"Don't even think about it, we've already started preparing a new jersey for Tim. Bill Sharman is going to give up his number 21 to Tim, forget about it, Greg."

Auerbach responded ruthlessly to Popovich, saying that Redhead hadn't been involved in draft and trade matters for many years, but when it came to acquiring Duncan, he had staked all his past reputation, pride, and expectations for the future. This was the first time he had tanked for a high draft pick, so how could he possibly trade away the opportunity to select Duncan?

Duncan wore number 21 in college, but that number has been retired by the Celtics.

Given the Celtics' jersey retirement standards, they don't have many of their usual jersey numbers left to use.

However, when the Celtics drafted Dave Cowens, Jim Loscutov, the owner of the number 18 jersey, gave up that number to Cowens.

Ultimately, Cowens' performance led to the retirement of number 18 once again, which was then hung on the ceiling of the Celtics' home arena.

The situation is similar this time. Bill Sharman, president of the Los Angeles Lakers, who are already the Celtics' arch-rivals, generously offered to give his No. 21 jersey to Tim Duncan, saying, "It's an honor for me and No. 21. It would be wonderful to see it back on the court, and I have no objection to it."

The Celtics' desire for and recognition of Duncan was evident; no one could stop this seemingly dull giant from going to Boston.

After being selected, Duncan immediately received a warm welcome from fans all over Boston. At a grand meet-and-greet, Duncan confidently announced to the fans: "Get ready to win big and take the championship again!"

Auerbach, standing to the side, beamed with joy, a smile he hadn't seen on his pale face for ten years.

This draft pick, in which he will acquire Tim Duncan, is comparable to the 1956 draft in which he acquired Bill Russell through various maneuvers. That maneuver led the Celtics to an unprecedented and unparalleled 11-championship dynasty, truly transforming the Celtics into the most notorious evil empire in NBA history.

Forty years have passed. Auerbach has aged and undergone heart bypass surgery. He can no longer support a team.

Moreover, many of his ideas are outdated and can't keep up with the times. The Celtics need a new head coach and manager to help Duncan revitalize the team's reputation.

For many years, the Celts have followed the ancient family-run business model, cultivating their own people from humble beginnings. Every position, from top to bottom, has someone with the blood of the Celts, which is their tradition of unity, strength, and steadfastness.

But this approach stopped working in the 90s, so Auerbach began hiring outside professional managers who issued stock in an attempt to make changes and transform Celtic into a modern team.

Auerbach now has two options: one is Rick Pitino, a legendary coach who coached the New York Knicks for a time, achieved some success, and shone brightly in the NCAA.

Another one is Bobby Bellman, the legendary sidekick who followed Forrest Gump around and won every honor in the basketball world.

In June, Berman received a call from the Celtics, informing him to come for an interview at the end of June, where the team would choose between him and Pitino.

On June 28th, two days before the Celtics' interview, Bellman went to the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas to watch the boxing championship fight between Mike Tyson and Hollisfield with Gan Guoyang.

The arrival of Gan Guoyang and Bellman attracted the attention of the cameras on site.

This highly anticipated boxing match garnered just as much attention as the NBA Finals between the Jazz and the Bulls.

This is their rematch; in their first encounter in November 1996, Tyson lost to Holyfield.

After being convicted of rape and imprisoned, Tyson wasted many years, and when he made his comeback, everything had changed.

Although he quickly won two world championship titles, he appeared powerless in his loss to Holyfield.

Gan Guoyang felt this deeply. He returned to the NBA after two years, and although he was still invincible, the NBA no longer seemed to be his domain.

He lost the Western Conference Finals for the fourth time in his career, watching John Stockton excitedly advance to the NBA Finals.

He wished John well, but the Jazz were no match for the Bulls and Jordan in the Finals—the Bulls' roster was a match for the Jazz.

In six games, the Bulls defeated the Jazz, and Jordan won his third championship—almost half of what Gan Guoyang has achieved.

However, Gan Guoyang recovered from the defeat faster than ever before. The day after the Western Conference Finals ended, he began training at the gym and implemented a new fitness plan.

I came to Las Vegas at Old Tang's invitation to support the game. There are quite a few celebrities and socialites here tonight.

Besides Gan Guoyang, Hakeem Olajuwon was also present at the basketball event, and he also received a lot of attention from the cameras.

During Mike Tyson's imprisonment, he claimed that he converted to Islam to seek peace of mind.

In 1994, Hakeem Olajuwon, who had changed his name, visited Tyson in prison. The two talked for an hour and a half and became good friends.

In 1995, Tyson was released from prison and returned to the boxing ring, while Hakeem Olajuwon won his long-awaited championship that same year.

By 1997, the situation had changed again.

The Heat made it to the Eastern Conference Finals again, but they were decisively eliminated by the Bulls 4-1, with their four superstars offering no resistance against the Bulls.

Shortly after the season ended, Hakeem Olajuwon announced that he would not re-sign with the Heat. He might go to a new place and a new team, or he might want to return to Houston and become a Rockets player again.

Charles Barkley and Drexler were disappointed with Olajuwon's decision.

Drexler may retire, while Charles Barkley still wants to pursue another championship.

As for the Trail Blazers, PJ Brown also failed to reach an agreement with the team, and the Trail Blazers will see personnel changes.

In short, this summer is destined to be exciting.

"Who do you think will win, Sonny? Want to place a bet?"

Before the boxing match, Bobby Bellman asked Gan Guoyang, who looked to be in good spirits.

He arrived in Las Vegas three days ago and gambled heavily there. Having left the Lakers and ended his second marriage, he seemed to be letting loose.

Although he longed to work for the Boston Celtics, he had absolutely no clue about interviews, how to develop Duncan, or how to sort out the complex and tangled relationships within the Celtics.

With two days left until the interview, he was completely unprepared, his mind entirely on gambling.

Gan Guoyang's visit to Las Vegas to watch the boxing match gave Berman an opportunity to seek help, and he was eager to hear Gan Guoyang's opinion.

"I'm optimistic about Holyfield. Although I like Mike, he won't be a match for Holyfield," Gan Guoyang said, making his assessment.

In fact, Holyfield is four years older than Tyson. While Tyson wasted many years, Holyfield also experienced a long period of low points in his life.

At the age of 34, Holyfield returned to the pinnacle of boxing, and his experience inspired Gan Guoyang as well.

Gan Guoyang's desire to return to the highest stage was stronger than ever before. Every failure felt like a thorn stuck in his heart, keeping him awake at night.

Coming to MGM to watch the boxing match was a way to relax and change his mood, and also to offer advice to Billman, who knew that Billman had the opportunity to coach Duncan.

Surprisingly, the Celtics got the number one pick, which suggests that David Stern and other owners' dislike for Auerbach isn't as deep as it seems.

Furthermore, the East definitely needs a strong contender to balance the power between the two divisions. Although the NBA draft lottery has always touted itself as fair, open, and impartial, it's hard to say there hasn't been some internal manipulation, given the involvement of commercial interests, team fates, and the league's dramatic high draft picks.

After a long and somewhat dull undercard game, the MGM Grand finally reached its climax tonight with the appearance of Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield.

The rivalry between the two has been hyped for many years, and this rematch will be the final word.

"The Celtics' internal situation is very complicated, more complicated than I imagined. Auerbach's authority is supreme. Although he chose to retire in 1990 and underwent heart surgery in 1993 to no longer be involved in basketball affairs, his influence is everywhere. Whether it's players, coaches, or general managers, they are constantly affected by him. I don't like this coaching environment."

"Dave Garvitt, you know, he's a phenomenal guy. He built the Big East in the NCAA, bringing together Georgetown, Providence, Syracuse, Villanova, and other top universities. He's incredibly talented. The Celtics hired him and gave him complete control, but as you know, his very first decision was opposed by Auerbach. Garvitt wanted to hire Coach K as head coach, while Auerbach only wanted to give the head coaching position to his own people, Chris Ford."

"This guy is a tyrant, you know. The more glorious the past, the heavier the burden now. ML-Carl called me and said he could give me all the power, the greatest power. To be honest, I don't really believe it. Power without a foundation is just a mirage. It's not power at all, but making you a temporary navigator in a sea of ​​confusion. They're gambling that this navigator has the experience and methods to lead them out of the fog. If they can get out, the navigator is still the navigator; if they can't, they'll be kicked into the sea!"

While waiting for the boxing match to begin, Behrman talked with Gan Guoyang, pouring out his worries.

He clearly conducted in-depth research on the Celtics and discovered that this ancient basketball empire was by no means so easy to manage.

There are too many meritorious former nobles, too many outdated customs and bad habits, too much historical baggage, too heavy expectations from fans, and an emperor emeritus weighing heavily on their heads.

Bellman was not a naive young man without merit or experience. He clearly realized that the Celtics were not so much looking for a mentor to cultivate Duncan as they were looking for a scapegoat for him.

In any case, superstars cannot be easily criticized or attacked, and Boston is so demanding that finding a good protector for Duncan is an important task.

Gan Guoyang paid little attention to Bellman's nagging; his eyes were mostly focused on the boxing ring, where Tyson and Holyfield's fight had already begun.

The match was filled with grappling, and Holyfield skillfully deflected Tyson's powerful punches.

Tyson's signature fast-paced attacks were ineffective; aside from a heavy blow to the ribs, he made few offensive moves.

In the first two rounds, Tyson had already begun to show signs of weakness. When the third round began, Holyfield was surprised to find that Tyson was not wearing a mouthguard.

Holyfield pointed out the problem to the referee, Tyson went back and put on his mouthguard, and the fight continued.

Less than a minute before the end of the round, without any warning, Tyson suddenly grabbed Holyfield with his arm, turned his head over Holyfield's shoulder, and spat out his mouthguard.

What happened next was shocking—those present could hardly believe their eyes:
Tyson brought his mouth close to Holyfield's right ear and bit Holyfield's ear hard with a primal savagery!
The entire audience was stunned into a state of bewilderment.

Bellman, who had been rambling on and on, was unaware of what had happened.

He glanced at the platform and saw Holyfield hopping on one leg in agony.

Tyson's mouth was full of blood; he appeared to have bitten off a piece of Holyfield's ear!
When referee Mills Lane tried to control the situation, Tyson suddenly attacked and shoved Holyfield from behind.

Holyfield, who was pushed and whose ear was bleeding, was completely stunned, and everyone was stunned—except for Gan Guoyang.

"What happened? What happened, Sonny?" Bellman asked, puzzled.

"Tyson bit Holyfield's ear, it looked like he bit off a piece."

"What? What?" Bellman was shocked.

After this incident, the match continued, and the referee only deducted two points from Tyson.

As a result, during the entanglement, Tyson accurately located Holyfield's left ear and bit it again with a clear intention!

The referee stopped the fight. Tyson, knowing he was going to lose, went into a frenzy, venting his anger and discontent in the most unsportsmanlike and primal way possible—he was dissatisfied with the control of his agent Don King, dissatisfied with being a slave to sports commercial capital, and of course, most dissatisfied with the fact that he was no longer the best boxer in the world.

It's over. This highly anticipated heavyweight fight ended abruptly in a dramatic ear-biting incident, with Tyson being declared the loser.

The scene was filled with insults, screams, and shouts. Many boxing fans threw water bottles, popcorn buckets, and all sorts of trash at Tyson, who was escorted away from the scene by police.

The entire MGM Grand Hotel was thrown into chaos, with stampedes occurring in some areas. A woman fainted at the scene after seeing Tyson spit out a piece of his bitten-off ear flesh onto the boxing ring.

A staff member at the scene wrapped the ear fragments in a latex glove and took them to the locker room so that doctors could repair Holyfield's ear. In short, everything was in chaos.

Bellman and Gan Guoyang left the audience under the protection of bodyguards, leaving the MGM Hotel lobby in a mess, chaotic and disorderly state.

Gan Guoyang remained calm throughout. He joked, "Anyone who didn't know better would think the People's Liberation Army had attacked. Let's hurry and escape to the airport."

Behrman looked shocked and bewildered. He shook his head and said, "What's wrong with this world? It's so chaotic, so chaotic, just like the Boston Celtics."

Behrman, panting heavily, was filled with anxiety about his prospects of interviewing for the Celtics job, thinking about the shocking chaos of the night.

The two got into the car, and Gan Guoyang asked, "What's wrong? Don't you have confidence in yourself?"

"Hey," Bellman said, "did I waste all my time telling you? What's the Celtics like? What kind of person is Auerbach? You don't know, but doesn't Larry know? Even Larry couldn't work there."

Gan Guoyang said, "I listened to everything you said, Bobby. You said so much, but you only meant one thing: I really want to go to the Celtics. It's full of challenges and temptations."

"Shit!" Behrman yelled, "Did I mean that? Fuck, you can't even understand me now, Sonny! I clearly meant... clearly meant..."

Behrman wanted to deny it, but when he looked into Gan Guoyang's burning gaze, those all-seeing black eyes, he couldn't say a word.

Seeing that Behrman remained silent, Gan Guoyang smiled smugly, took out two cigars from his pocket, tossed one to Behrman, and lit one for himself.

Exhaling a smoke ring, Gan Guoyang said, "Bobby, you have all the knowledge and skills to become a great manager. What you lack is some practice, and I believe you'll be fine. Rick Pitino and Garvert, those college basketball players, can't compare to you. College and the NBA are two different things, and you know that better than anyone."

Bellman calmed down. He knew Gan Guoyang was right. He had countless good ideas in his mind, but he just didn't have a stage to put them into practice.

With the Trail Blazers, he had Forrest Gump; in Los Angeles—to be honest, Los Angeles wasn't a good stage for him, with too many constraints from the owner and general manager.

For so many years, people have always called him a pendant, but even a blade of grass in front of the Buddha can become an immortal after listening to the chanting of sutras. How much more so for Behrman, who has been learning and improving all along.

Boston might really be his chance to put his ideas to use. He just needs a little courage and a little encouragement, and only Gan Guoyang can give him those.

"There are many reasons why the Celtics have failed so many times over the years. But I think the most important reason is that there are too many voices within the team, too many people trying to justify their decisions, too many values, and too many people who believe they are right. Everyone will jump out and say some nice things, everyone has a successful past, and everyone has something to say. But in basketball, there is only one path to victory, and there can only be one voice, and that is the voice of victory. You have to firmly believe that everything you are doing is right, and you will not compromise. If you have to compromise, it's better not to do it at all. You can do it, Bobby."

Gan Guoyang's words made Berman thoughtful. He was silent for a moment, then said, "What if Auerbach stands up against me and stops me?"

Gan Guoyang smiled and said, "Then you should bite off his ear."

Berman smiled too; at this moment, he was ready to embark on his Celtic journey.

Shortly after I took office, I clashed with the Celtics administration, led by Auerbach, over team trades.

They didn't directly oppose my opinion, but kept trying to persuade me to reconsider, saying that such a deal could very well ruin a great situation.

Some people even slandered me, saying that I was showing favoritism. The Boston media supported me for only one day before they started attacking me in a sarcastic and malicious way.

I did not compromise like my predecessors, nor did I blindly obey Auerbach, this de facto ruler, and obtain his tacit approval.

I stand by my opinion. If I don't agree to this trade, I'll quit. And by the way, I'll curse the Celtics to never win another championship because they've lost the best coach who's best suited for them.

My persistence paid off; they backed down. Auerbach said he had heart problems and needed to go to the hospital to rest, which was a good option.

So I sent Antoine Walker to the Suns and traded for Steve Nash and Cliff Robinson to start building my ideal roster.

This was a difficult decision, and it was also a difficult time, with a flood of questions coming in.

During that time, I often thought of Forrest Gump's encouraging words:

"You guys can definitely win the championship, after I retire."

—Excerpt from Bobby Bellman's autobiography, Moonlight, published in 2005.

(End of this chapter)