441: 169: I think I’ve said this to someone else before (asking for monthly votes!) 441: 169: I think I’ve said this to someone else before (asking for monthly votes!) Utah Jazz only became noticeable in the league when celebs like Olajuwon, Barkley, and Pippen occasionally took to the media to complain about the Jazz’s dirty plays like flopping, elbowing, and flying knees.
The team’s infamy was well known to all.
Pippen said frankly, “With Karl Malone on the court, it’s like he’s swinging a pair of Indian war axes at you.
Besides Detroit and New York, Salt Lake City is my least favorite place to play.”
Rodman loathed Stockton to the bone, “Stepping on heels, kneeing, dirty plays, little elbows, chokeholds, attacking opponents viciously…
John Stockton, that bastard always does the dirtiest things and then pretends to be innocent.
This tough style was ingrained in the Jazz, after all, their coach was once nicknamed the Chainsaw, the Gestapo.
He relied on tough defense to get his Bulls number 4 jersey permanently hung in the United Center.
Jerry Sloan demanded that his players maintain confrontation and physical contact on defense, be rugged and fierce, and his two disciples, Karl Malone and Stockton, added their own interpretations to this foundation.
Therefore, Utah Jazz became one of the least liked teams in the league by the players, and also one of the most feared.
But this time, Karl Malone, the tough guy who always ran with a parachute during the off-season and hunted bears in the woods with a shotgun, ended up lying in a pool of blood instead.
The most asshole player since the ’90s.
This was Roger’s new nickname after the game.
Compared to “The Truth,” this nickname wasn’t cool or classy.
But it simply and clearly described how other players in the league now saw Roger.
Yes, in the eyes of most NBA players, he was an asshole.
To media folks like Jim Gray, he was an asshole.
Even, in the eyes of some teammates, he was an asshole.
But in the world of competitive sports, such an image wasn’t a disgrace.
As long as he could win, he was a beloved asshole.
Even a three-year-old girl would love him.
Even the Baby-Faced Assassin had grown fond of Roger now, “The only comment I have about this is, Roger needs to toughen up.
It’s wrong he didn’t make Karl Malone get stitches on his head.
Against a bastard like Karl, you shouldn’t show mercy; you should go for the kill.”
The Baby-Faced Assassin, who once had over 40 stitches because of a Karl Malone elbow, said this.
Roger taking Malone down was considered by most stars in the league as sweet revenge.
Their only discontent was that the blow wasn’t fierce enough.
Of course, those who hated Roger hated him even more now.
Karl Malone now hated Roger through and through; he had one more reason to make it to the finals now.
But Magic fans didn’t care about this; they only cared that Roger’s 40+10 stats helped the team avoid a second consecutive loss and stabilize their record.
Now, Magic’s record was 46 wins and 7 losses—still four wins more than the Knicks and six more than Jazz.
And in this battle, Roger had figuratively taken a dump on Karl Malone’s head, the MVP candidate.
Considering Magic and Jazz wouldn’t meet again in the regular season, Karl Malone was basically beaten by Roger in the MVP race.
Unless, his Utah Jazz could overtake in wins in the last two months.
Otherwise, Malone had no chance of snatching the MVP trophy from Roger.
Unfortunately, the heat from Roger’s 40+10 performance and Karl Malone getting knocked out by Roger’s elbow didn’t last long.
Because after the game, a very hotly debated quote arose in the NBA, “We earn a lot, but we spend a lot too.”
This golden quote was from the Player Union’s chairman, Patrick Ewing.
This season, KG and the Timberwolves’ extension negotiation was creating a buzz.
Just a few days ago, he had rejected a 106 million contract, demanding 120 million instead.
The New York Times also disclosed a piece of news at this time, “During the 1997 All-Star rookie game, AI, KG, and Kobe had jokingly bet on who would earn more money in the future.”
KG refusing 106 million and rookies betting on big contracts caused many in the media to criticize today’s players for being too greedy, talking nonchalantly about contracts worth hundreds of millions.
Many team owners also came out to complain, “This era is full of hundred-million contracts, leading nearly half the league’s teams to be in loss!”
The owners were clearly hoping to renegotiate labor agreements next year and lower the players’ salaries.
All these complaints were just a pretext.
At this time, as the chairman of the player’s union, Ewing naturally had to step up.
Thus, he made the above statement to indicate that the players were not greedy.
You couldn’t say Ewing wasn’t smart, after all, he was a college graduate.
But his statement was indeed ill-considered.
As expected, once those words were out, the owners were infuriated.
What the hell kind of talk is that?
Because you spend a lot, we should give more money?
What kind of babble is that!
Probably only some feminist organizations would think “Because I spend a lot, you need to earn more money to spend on me” makes any sense!
Players now simply treat greed as a norm!