629: 222: I’m not afraid of failure, not at all (seeking monthly tickets!)_3 629: 222: I’m not afraid of failure, not at all (seeking monthly tickets!)_3 Today, the wind by the river was strong, and its “whooshing” sound seemed to whisper to each person present.
Aside from Roger, the entire Hawks team was there, including boss Ted Turner and management staff.
Everyone’s expression was somber, and people standing close to one another were conversing in hushed tones.
Standing next to Roger was Stevie Smith; they were at the spot closest to the riverbank.
The two had been standing there for fifteen minutes, yet they had not spoken a word to each other.
“Roger,” Stevie Smith was about to speak when a black SUV arrived and parked by the riverbank.
This interrupted any conversation that might have taken place between them.
A couple got out of the car, carrying a flower basket, which contained characin roses.
Seeing this couple, the atmosphere at the scene grew even heavier.
The husband and wife slowly walked toward the riverbank, and everyone paid a solemn tribute with their eyes, yet the couple offered faint smiles to the people around them.
Finally, they reached Roger and Stevie Smith.
The couple handed the flower basket to Roger and Stevie Smith, “Andy hoped you would be the ones to do this.”
Roger and Stevie Smith exchanged glances and then accepted the basket.
In the basket, among the vibrant characin roses, there lay a basketball.
The surface of the basketball was noticeably worn, each mark a testament to Andy’s countless intimate encounters with the court, recording the days woven with sweat and laughter.
He had loved basketball so much, but in the end, he could only pass his final days in a wheelchair.
On the basketball, there were signatures from Roger and Stevie Smith.
And a phrase Andy himself added later on: “We are champions!”
Roger and Stevie Smith placed the flower basket and the basketball into the cold river water.
The basket drifted slowly with the current, as Andy’s soul carried his love for basketball all the way toward the Gulf of Mexico, continuing to soar freely in that vast expanse.
Watching the basket drift away, Roger slowly bowed his head.
In the wind, the occasional suppressed sob could be heard.
Roger turned and nodded to Andy’s parents.
Andy’s parents patted Roger and Stevie Smith’s shoulders, “His life had no regrets, and he is forever with his beloved.
Thank you for allowing him to leave with a smile.
He also wishes for you to continue embracing the future competitions with smiles.”
Only today did Roger find out that Andy’s condition had always been poor.
He had kept it a secret just to avoid disturbing the team, having his parents tell Roger everything was fine.
Now, Roger felt only relief, grateful that he had ended the game in G5.
Otherwise, it would have been his biggest regret in life.
The simple ceremony ended, and the mood of the day was not right for idle chatter, so most people went home on their own.
Before long, only Roger and Stevie Smith remained at the scene.
Roger continued to gaze at the river, as if still trying to calm his emotions.
“It’s all over,” Stevie Smith spoke first.
What they referred to was both Andy’s illness and their relationship.
As everyone knew, Stevie Smith and Roger might have cooperated well last season, but their personal relationship remained cold.
The one thing that had linked them was Andy.
Now, Stevie Smith had fulfilled his mission, won a championship, and seen Andy off.
He felt no reason to keep playing basketball alongside Roger.
He owed nothing to Atlanta.
And nothing more to the self that was upset about the lack of struggle.
Another championship?
No, Stevie Smith was not the kind of person filled with ambition.
The past championship season was simply draining for him.
The pressure was simply too great by Roger’s side.
If you didn’t want to move forward, Roger would whip you into action.
This wasn’t what Stevie Smith wanted; he preferred a slower pace of life, wanting to spend more time with his family.
He and his wife, Millie Smith, got married in 1996, and before that, they had endured a year of long-distance romance.
He had hoped things would get easier after marriage, but Stevie Smith was always away early and back late, and the tremendous pressure to win the championship made him neglect his family life.
This year, when Millie became pregnant, Stevie Smith couldn’t be there for her wholeheartedly.
Because Roger didn’t allow missing training, Roger didn’t allow missing games, Roger didn’t allow this, Roger didn’t allow that.
Roger tied you down to basketball, as if nothing else mattered.
This tyrant wanted you to put all your passion and energy into winning, making everyone act like “Groundhog Day,” pushing themselves day after day.
He was just like Oscar Robertson of the 90s.
Yes, the great Big O, as a former player’s union president, secured countless benefits for the players.
His bold style, the innovation he brought to the free-agency system, was the foundation enabling players now to easily earn eight-figure annual salaries.
But have you ever heard former teammates speak well of the Big O?
The respect his teammates had for him was matched by their reluctance to play with him.
His severity made it unbearable for everyone around him.
And that was how Stevie Smith felt about Roger.
He respected Roger, acknowledging his greatness and strength.