Champion Rules

Chapter 103, Chapter 099: The Ruler (Seeking monthly votes!)
The game ended 87-78, with the New York Knicks holding on until the very end in this brutal battle.

LeBron James, who had hoped to see New Yorkers bow down, stood in the second row of the stands, only to be humiliated once again by the arrogant New Yorkers.

Spike Lee straddled two rows of seats, leaning over with a sneer, his spittle almost splattering onto the Akron prodigy's stiff face: "LeBron, the guy you called is fucking worse than you!"

The sharp taunts, accompanied by boos from the entire arena, nailed LBJ to the pillar of shame as well.

At this moment, he wished he were invisible, rather than the carefully crafted "Brothers Basketball" brand ambassador.

James looked at Anthony with disappointment, much like the expression on the face of Nicholas Harrison, the Mavericks general manager who should have been executed 20 years later, when he saw Anthony Davis injured—disappointment, anger, and no sympathy.

On the court, Carmelo Anthony hung his head, his jersey collar soaked with sweat, and left the court in a disheveled state, like an eagle struck down by a storm.

He ultimately couldn't break free from the "you won't get 10 points" curse that shrouded the entire night, and the defending champion's seven-game winning streak was abruptly shattered amidst the New Yorkers' celebration.

He knew, of course, that the 5000-point milestone was just one game late, and he could still become the second youngest player in NBA history to reach 5000 points.

But none of this matters anymore.

Nike's entire hype was an attempt to convince the world that the great Carmelo Anthony could score his 5000th career point against Lynch.

The point isn't the 5000 points; the point is Lynch.

Therefore, when he lost the game and his score stopped at 4998, the 5000-point milestone became meaningless.

The simple requirement of reaching the Temple of Glory with just 11 points has now become a chilling mockery.

The nationwide live broadcast exposed the marketing bubble of "achieving a milestone in the home of the arch-rival" as bursting through the cracks.

Lynch stood on the sidelines with his hands on his hips, giving an interview. He didn't score many points tonight; his 21 points seemed rather unremarkable by the standards of the King of New York.

But when his gaze cuts through the noise and lands on the Akron boys leaving, he can still proudly say, "It's a shame that LeBron didn't get to see what he wanted to see."

LeBron James slunk away, regretting why he hadn't left sooner.

At this very moment, he is frantically moving around amidst chants of "Go back to Ohio" from New York fans.

This should have been a highlight moment for the brothers' basketball team, but now he could only flee in a sorry state.

He didn't go to the player tunnel, didn't comfort Carmelo Anthony, and didn't stage a sentimental farewell as part of a marketing script; instead, he chose to leave directly.

If Anthony were standing in the locker room right now, holding the 5000th point commemorative basketball, he might go to him and force a social smile.

But when all the prepared celebratory messages turned into boomerangs that pierced his own back, LeBron James didn't want to linger any longer.

Now, he will only leave without saying goodbye.

LeBron James' friendships are precious, so precious that they are always linked to victory.

Of course, he always has his own set of excuses.

He texted Carmelo Anthony, telling him, "I'm heading back to Akron tonight, sorry Melo. Don't be discouraged, it's not over until we're eliminated in the playoffs."

I texted you before I left, isn't that enough of a friend?

Even when he's leaving a team, he'll inform his teammates in this way.

After finishing the interview, Lynch, as usual, went to the sidelines to sign autographs for the fans.

His patience with this matter surpasses that of 99% of people in the NBA, which is one of the reasons why he is so popular in New York.

As the camera panned across his warm profile, people almost forgot that just minutes before, this was the same guy who had cruelly torn apart the dignity of the defending champion.

This approachability is precisely a quality that previous Knicks legends lacked.

Ewing had absolutely no idea how to deal with fans and the media; all he loved was the New York Knicks and the strip club scene in New York.

Stephon Marbury is a grassroots hero at Coney Island, with a much larger fan base than Patrick Ewing. Yet, he has never tried to cultivate a good relationship with the media, nor has he ever sought media coverage for himself.

Lynch is different; both fans and the media love him.

This also led to his completely different fate from Ewing, Marbury, and others.

Lynch was arguably the most popular basketball player in New York since Willis Reed in the 60s and 70s.

After signing autographs for the fans, Lynch saw the owner of that alluring curve waving at him: "Linch, can we take a picture together?"

Alexandra Daddario's eyes were filled with admiration; this young actress, who had just transitioned to the big screen, loved Lynch just like any other New Yorker.

“Of course.” Lynch walked to her side. The 30-centimeter height difference did not make the plump Daddario appear petite.

Stephon Marbury patted Ariza on the shoulder at the player tunnel entrance: "Rookie, here's a chance to make some money. I bet $500 that Lynch will invite her to tonight's celebration party."

Ariza looked distressed: "How could I not take this opportunity? Because you always give me chances, I've lost $5000 to you since last season! Stephen, my salary isn't even a tenth of yours!"

"Enough talk, I'll accept the consequences of my bet."

Ariza: ???

I absolutely refuse to gamble!
After the group photo, Lynch and Daddario chatted for a few minutes, and Marbury witnessed Daddario writing a phone number on Lynch's hand.

The Coney Island genius whistled merrily and gestured with a money sign to Ariza: "Bad luck, kid. Remember to bring me some money when you get back to the locker room."

Ariza laughed too. "Isn't Marbury doing this much faster than robbing a bank?"

As Lynch walked into the player tunnel, Marbury reached out as far as he could and put his arm around Lynch's shoulder: "Is that girl coming to the party tonight?"

"Not coming."

"What?! God punishes liars. She clearly left you her number, and you clearly like this type of girl. Admit it, Lynch, voluptuous girls are your type!"

“She’s nice,” Lynch readily admitted. “She did leave her number, but I don’t think she’d like our party. The daughter of a lawyer, a prosecutor, the former head of the NYPD’s counterterrorism division, and the granddaughter of a Connecticut House Democratic representative is unlikely to like our kind of party. Dealing with a Brooklyn Spice requires tequila and rap, dealing with a prosecutor’s daughter is entirely different. Just like defense, Stephen, you have to find the right approach.”

Lynch blinked.

Stephon Marbury stopped and stared at Lynch's retreating figure, suddenly realizing how insignificant his more than ten years of experience in nightclubs seemed.

You deserve to eat with your mouth full of grease, you bastard!

Ariza also thought Lynch was impressive because he had managed to make $500 off Marbury.
-
Last night was an absolute night of shame for Nike.

They promoted Carmelo Anthony with great fanfare for a full month, creating a stage for him to be the center of attention.

As a result, he defecated a huge amount in front of fans all over the world.

Phil Knight's only consolation was that it was just a regular season game, and people's memories of regular season games are always short-lived.

You can hardly imagine what a nightmare it would be if Carmelo Anthony had a bowel movement like that in the Finals. Thankfully, that nightmare should never happen.

The cruel twist of fate didn't stop there; as if things weren't going to go wrong, LeBron James' Cavaliers suffered a shock defeat against the Rockets the following day.

The Rockets have been plagued by injuries this season, with Yao Ming and McGrady taking turns getting injured and barely playing together for most of the season.

Despite facing a Rockets team that now only has Yao Ming and has fallen out of playoff contention, James still lost the game.

He was off his game, and Yao Ming blocked his shots at the rim. He looked exhausted and completely lost at Quicken Loans Arena.

Losing to Yao Ming is nothing, but his behavior of going to watch the Pistons game yesterday has become a point of criticism for the media.

Charles Barkley was a pioneer in criticizing LeBron James.

"LeBron only rushed back to Cleveland early this morning, slept for only a few hours, and then went straight to the arena to warm up. No wonder he's not in good shape! Yes, when MJ was a player, he could stay up all night playing cards and then go on the court to torment his opponents as usual. But LeBron isn't MJ. If you don't have that superhuman gene, don't try to imitate him!"

James, who originally came to see New Yorkers bow their heads, ended up pleasing neither side, suffering humiliation in New York and getting himself into controversy.

The marketing campaign linking LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony has so far ended in failure, but this is not the end for Nike.

Nike will show the world what a marketing miracle is when the Detroit Pistons lift the championship trophy for the third consecutive year.

They will mold Carmelo Anthony into someone comparable to Michael Jordan.

In any case, Nike's marketing was a complete failure at this stage.

It's not just Nike that's affected; Germany, Herzogenaurach, and Adidas headquarters are also impacted.

Dozens of senior executives gathered here to discuss the company's next operational strategy.

With the rise of players like Lynch and Yao Ming, Adidas' market share in basketball shoes continued to shrink. Reebok, having finally caught its breath, also rejected Adidas's acquisition offer, completely thwarting Adidas's plan to integrate Reebok and sandwich Nike.

Lynch's impact on the sneaker market was revolutionary. Adidas, which could have been a contender for second place, is now not even qualified to be the number one loser.

Reebok was well aware that Nike and Adidas were in a slump, so they pressed their advantage and worked even harder on marketing.

Back in the 90s, Reebok was adept at hype, and the concept of the "Four Great Centers" made Shaquille O'Neal a sensation.

Reebok originally hoped to create a "Big Four" concept, but Sonny Vaccaro rejected the decision.

Because among the four top forwards, KG and Duncan belong to Adidas, while Dirk belongs to Nike.

This concept will also benefit players from other brands.

Back then, Reebok hyped up the four great centers in the hope that Shaq, who entered the league last, could close the gap with his predecessors in the shortest amount of time.

But now, Lynch clearly doesn't need to chase KG or Dirk.

Therefore, Sonny Vaccaro gave Lynch and Yao Ming two unique titles.

Yao Ming was portrayed as "the only Eastern giant who can defeat the shark".

Lynch, on the other hand, received an even more extravagant title from Reebok.

Following the rematch with the Pistons, Reebok launched new posters in its stores around the world.

In the picture, Lynch holds the ball with one hand, looking down at the whole field with the words "The ruler" printed in bold italics above his head.

This clever polysemous word perfectly aligns with Reebok's desired promotional effect, portraying Lynch as the definer and ruler of the new era's court rules.

Sonny Vaccaro also created a multi-dimensional brand offensive for Lynch. 48 hours after the Pistons' second game, Reebok launched the first chapter of its "Champion Ruler" advertising campaign, which was given a new nickname, globally with amazing execution.

In this visually striking 30-second ad, Lynch's consecutive blocks are presented in high-speed montage. As the ad progresses, the background piano music gradually softens, and slow motion captures the sweat splattering as his fingertips touch the basketball, accompanied by rhythmic enhancements of heartbeat sounds. Finally, a black screen reveals the gold-plated subtitle: "Championship Rule 1: Defense Forges Royal Power."

The ad was produced very quickly because of ample funding, which confirms Reebok's promise to Lynch when they signed the contract that they would spend most of the marketing budget on Lynch alone.

The series of advertisements will continue with 19 sequels, interpreting modern basketball philosophy through 20 ironclad rules, each rule corresponding to different dimensions of Lynch's dominance.

The New York Knicks entered February with a new nickname and the viral spread of their "Championship Rules" ad campaign.

This is the lull period of the regular season. With a quarter of the season completed and the All-Star Weekend approaching, most players are starting to lose focus.

But Shaquille O'Neal was unusually excited.

Because he will face the New York Knicks again in February.

Upon arriving in New York, looking at the "Championship Rules" ad series on the Times Square LED screen, Shaq shook his head: "What the hell is this? A rookie who hasn't even touched a championship ring, what right does he have to set rules?"

Gary Payton, standing nearby, laughed and said, "Loan-based consumption is popular among young people, and loan-based championships are popular among young players. Have you forgotten that the Pistons hung up this year's championship banner in advance during the opening game? Have you forgotten that LeBron James called himself 'The King' early on? Young players are all 'trading for championships,' converting future possibilities into cash and covering themselves with it."

This sarcastic remark made O'Neal grit his teeth; the devil of jealousy had returned to him.

Once upon a time, he was Reebok's top advertising star, whom they poured all their efforts into promoting.

But now, with Shark ceasing his collaborations with major sneaker manufacturers, his influence and commercial value are rapidly shrinking, and his self-branded shoes are going unsold in discount sections.

However, Shaq knew that a championship could solve everything and bring him back into the spotlight.

In fact, a win at Madison Square Garden in the next game would be enough to bring him back into the spotlight during this period.
-
I'm really looking forward to the second chapter of this ad campaign. Reebok has done everything it could for Lynch, and he deserves his current status. — Stephen A. Smith expressing his appreciation for the "Winner's Rules" ad campaign.

Reporters photographed Lynch and Alexandra Daddario practicing yoga together in a park in a luxury neighborhood on Long Island. Sorry to the female fans who like Lynch, but he's really in high demand. —US Weekly, a well-known New York gossip magazine.

In the latest jersey sales rankings, Carmelo Anthony is third, LeBron James didn't even make the top three, Dwyane Wade is second, and Lynch is first. Shaq? We didn't see him in the top ten; merchandise for centers seems cursed, struggling to sell. —Sports Illustrated

Yes, the Miami Heat thrashed the New York Knicks in their last meeting. But Shaq can forget about winning again in New York. Since being eliminated by the Knicks last season, Shaq has had to accept one fact: the rules of the East are now set by Lynch. —Spike Lee in an interview.

"Hello Shaq, it's New York again. Does this place make you sad? After all, last season, you were eliminated by the New York Knicks in a Game 7."

"There's nothing to be sad about, our whole team is excited. Because we know the Knicks are going to suffer, they're going to get burned by the Heat!"

"What do you think about Lynch's jersey sales topping the charts? He's only a sophomore, yet he's already demonstrated unparalleled commercial value."

"That doesn't prove anything. I also topped the jersey sales charts one year when I was in Los Angeles. I can only say that the market is important. Lynch has both the New York and Chinese markets, which is why he was able to top the sales charts. It has nothing to do with his ability."

"Let's talk about Eddie Jones. He had an outstanding season with the Knicks, excelling on both offense and defense. After Grant Hill's injury, he became the Knicks' third option. Do you regret letting the management get rid of him last season?"

"Eddie? Regret? In my opinion, Eddie just hitched a ride. He's a spineless, irresponsible guy. If Eddie can't succeed with me and Dwyane, he won't succeed in New York either. In my opinion, the Knicks' third option is Sam Cassell, who is absolutely underrated. Eddie? He's just a useless freeloader. Believe me, in the next game, Eddie will be equally ineffective. Nobody can make a guy like that succeed, nobody can."

"What do you think of Lynch's new nickname? It's become quite popular lately."

"Utterly stupid. The entire Reebok marketing department should be fired for this. This nickname is ridiculous. He has never achieved real success in the NBA, he has never won any honors. Therefore, he has no right to set any rules. In fact, I'm ready to smash his yellow face tomorrow night. Oh, and please don't associate this with racism. I learned that the hard way with Yao Ming. I'm just breaking a false rule."

—Shaquille O'Neal in an exclusive interview with NBA Time.

(End of this chapter)