Chapter 345: Chapter 288: Unbelievable, the Day the Dream Team Didn’t Win a Medal
"Nelson, it’s not April Fools’ Day. Don’t joke with me."
’Is this a joke? The Dream Team... even if they choke, there’s no way they’d choke this badly.’
Nelson sighed. "I’m not joking. Why don’t you turn on the TV and see for yourself."
Chen Yu quickly changed his clothes, ran to the doctors’ lounge, and turned on the television.
TNT Television should be broadcasting it live.
The game was over, and they were already in the post-game analysis segment.
"Kenny, stop making excuses for them! They played like a pile of shit! No teamwork, just a bunch of one-on-one plays. I’ve never seen such an ugly game." On the television, Barkley was ranting, spittle flying everywhere. The constant bleeping was a clear indication of just how foul his language was.
It was only at this moment that Chen Yu truly believed the Dream Team had actually lost.
’What the hell?’
’Aren’t they the Dream Team? Aren’t they supposed to be invincible? How could they get knocked out in the quarterfinals?’
Just a few days ago, on the National Team, not only George Karl but all the players had been completely relaxed, thinking winning the championship would be a walk in the park.
And for good reason. They had won all three of their group stage games, even beating Algeria by a full 50 points.
And now this...
Chen Yu rubbed his temples. ’This is just great,’ he thought. ’I was hoping to coast along with the National Team and snag a championship title. Now, we won’t even get a medal.’
Picking up his phone, Chen Yu called Nelson again and asked him if there was a game tomorrow and what time it started.
"Yes, at five in the afternoon. Are you coming?" Nelson asked.
Chen Yu gave a wry smile. "Of course. Gotta see things through to the end, wrap it up properly."
After hanging up, Chen Yu glanced at the television again and couldn’t help but let out a long sigh.
’Fucking incredible. A day when the Dream Team doesn’t even get a medal!’
With this sudden turn of events, Chen Yu had no choice but to drop his work at the clinic. The next morning, he took a flight to Indiana.
When he arrived at the hotel, it was surrounded by a large crowd of reporters.
The previous night, Chen Yu had made a point to check the news. The story of the United States Team’s elimination was like a bombshell dropped on the American sports world, causing a massive uproar.
From the players to the coach, the major media outlets had blasted just about everyone, with a completely one-sided chorus of criticism.
They even took the time to berate the star players who had declined the invitation to join the Dream Team, accusing them of having no sense of honor and of bringing shame to the United States.
So, it was only natural for so many reporters to be there.
Chen Yu, carrying his bag, had no desire to deal with these reporters. Furthermore, with things at such a fever pitch, he didn’t want to get involved. But the reporters weren’t about to let him go, spotting him from a distance.
As Chen Yu was passing by, he abruptly stopped in his tracks.
"What did you just say?"
Chen Yu spun around and strode quickly toward one of the reporters.
He glanced at the man’s press badge. Los Angeles Times.
Suddenly being called out, the reporter was taken aback. He blinked, his voice lacking some confidence as he said, "I was just trying to ask if the Dream Team’s failure had anything to do with you. Did your medical team fail to ensure the players’ good condition?"
Chen Yu raised a hand, silencing the other reporters who were about to ask questions, and fixed his gaze on this one man.
Calvin Abel.
’I’ll remember you.’
"Are you out of your goddamn mind, asking a question like that?" Chen Yu cursed without reservation.
Trying to pin the blame on him at a critical time like this—it was a wonder Chen Yu had anything polite to say at all.
"Let me ask you something. During this entire World Championship, did a single player on the National Team get injured? No, right? So, how do you have the gall to say our medical team failed to ensure the players’ condition? Or are you suggesting our entire medical team knows Magic and can turn every single player into Michael Jordan?"
The reporter’s face turned green, especially as the other reporters around him started looking at him with expressions that seemed to say, ’How can you be so stupid?’
"I didn’t mean it like that," he quickly protested.
"Then what did you mean?" Chen Yu snorted. "If you’re trying to blame the medical team for the loss, then sorry, we’re not taking that responsibility."
With that, Chen Yu turned and walked away.
’What a joke. Blaming the team doctor for a loss. What kind of thinking is that?’
He met up with Nelson.
Needless to say, morale was at rock bottom.
When George Karl saw Chen Yu, he looked incredibly embarrassed.
It couldn’t be helped. It was a total disgrace!
On his way over, Chen Yu had considered giving them a pep talk to boost their morale, but now, he figured he’d better not.
’It’s already come to this. They’re not getting a medal anyway, so does it even matter what place they finish in?’
In the eyes of Americans, anything less than first place is a failure.
That evening at five-thirty, Chen Yu accompanied the team to Conseco Fieldhouse.
This year’s World Championship had only drawn moderate attention to begin with, and attendance had never been high. Now that the team was out, the attendance was even more pitifully low.
The entire arena was sparsely filled, with only about a third of the seats taken.
During the final pre-game warm-ups, as Chen Yu was watching from the sidelines, he suddenly heard someone call his name.
In Chinese, no less.
He turned his head and saw it was Su Jun.
"Oh, right. You guys had a game this morning, didn’t you? How did it go?" Chen Yu asked as he walked over.
Su Jun let out a long sigh. "We lost. Now we can only fight for 11th place."
His face was filled with melancholy.
So far in this World Championship, the China Team had managed to win only a single game.
And tomorrow, they would be playing Angola, a game they were also likely to lose.
To call this outcome ’dismal’ would be an understatement.
"Dr. Chen, that interview manuscript... I’m planning to publish it after tomorrow’s game. I really think our Basketball Association has to make some changes," Su Jun said with a serious expression.
He had been waiting for the right moment.
And now, Su Jun felt that moment had arrived.
This crushing defeat had to have taught them some kind of lesson.
