On Wednesday, May 21, 2008, a large number of sports reporters gathered in Cleveland.
The Champion Coach, who had been silent for half a week, was about to announce his "decision."
Cavaliers owner Daniel Gilbert still respected Jeff Van Gundy very much.
After the comeback, he consistently stood by the coach and even criticized the league.
"We experienced the darkest moment in Cleveland sports. This was an unfair series, and we should have been on the stage of the conference finals."
In the past few days, Gilbert repeated the same point every time he was interviewed, but many fans didn't buy his explanation.
They were too disappointed and the comeback was unacceptable.
After sports reporters in Chicago broke the news that Tom Thibodeau would take over the Chicago Bulls next season, Chicago Bulls fans were also dissatisfied!
They had been hurt too deeply by the Champion Coach and lacked goodwill towards players and coaches from the New York Knicks.
Coupled with Thibodeau's seemingly unimpressive resume, many fans were protesting.
The future of Van Gundy has become the hottest topic in the league, with its popularity even overshadowing the conference finals.
The "appeal" of the Champion Coach is truly terrifying!
At 10 AM, Van Gundy, who chose the hotel as the press conference venue, appeared in a black suit, white shirt, and red tie.
Under the classic dresses enhancement, his expression was exceptionally serious.
Since those present had not been given an opportunity for an interview in advance, the atmosphere quickly became restless upon seeing Van Gundy's appearance.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please quiet down. Head Coach Van Gundy will patiently answer all your questions at the press conference!"
The Cavaliers staff began to usher everyone.
As Van Gundy took his seat, Gilbert, who had greeted the media, also sat next to the Champion Coach, a sign of respect.
On the first night after the loss, commentators only doubted his tactical arrangements.
On the second day after the loss, more people began to discuss his coaching resume.
On the third day after the loss, the Champion Coach had already been labeled "incompetent," useless except for riding on others' coattails.
Some fans even called him "Lucky Van Gundy."
Public opinion is sometimes a double-edged sword.
When you succeed, everyone praises you.
Once you fail, most people will leave you, and some will even belittle you to no end.
As the youngest Head Coach to win four consecutive championships, Van Gundy didn't expect so many people to show him no respect.
Every time he saw comments about "riding on coattails," he felt immense pain.
Fortunately, all of this was over.
After the humiliating comeback, Van Gundy felt physically and mentally exhausted.
After adjusting the microphone, he said in a somewhat hoarse voice:
"I apologize for ending this season's journey in such a way. I don't want to make any excuses, nor will I find boring reasons for the team's failure."
"We have top-tier talent in the league. We should have been on a higher stage, but I failed the fans' trust."
"I have decided to terminate my contract early and have no plans to coach again in the coming years."
As soon as Van Gundy finished speaking, the reporters below almost exploded.
Although they ridiculed the Champion Coach, they didn't want him to truly leave the league, as that would mean less fun.
Some showed regret, some excitement, and some sadness.
Van Gundy looked at the "myriad expressions" below and suddenly felt much better, consoling himself:
"At least I am still a Champion Coach."
Gilbert, with his short black hair, feigned a sigh and did not immediately give reporters a chance to ask questions.
He took the microphone and regretfully said in front of everyone:
"In these past few days, we repeatedly tried to persuade Head Coach Van Gundy to stay, but unfortunately, we couldn't change his decision."
"Head Coach Van Gundy will always be our family. He laid the championship foundation for the Cavaliers and led the team to over 50 wins consecutively. This is a sweet memory."
"I hate those commentators who question Head Coach Van Gundy. From being at the bottom of the standings to consistently achieving 50 wins, how many teams in the league can do that?"
"Don't judge an entire season by one series. The Cavaliers will always be Head Coach Van Gundy's home. The door will always be open for him here!"
Gilbert once again emphasized his "persuasion," which made Van Gundy feel a little uneasy.
In reality, he hadn't received support from management.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have made such a decision.
Lack of trust from management and his chief assistant coach being poached—Van Gundy thought it over and ultimately chose to retreat while he was ahead.
He couldn't bear to become an object of amusement for commentators.
An ESPN reporter didn't expect Van Gundy to be so "resolute," ending his coaching career after only one comeback.
When given the opportunity to ask a question, he eagerly said:
"It is rumored that San Antonio has extended an invitation to you? Do you have no plans to coach the San Antonio Spurs in the future?"
Gregg Popovich retired, and although the old man recommended an assistant coach, the team had not yet made a formal decision.
When Van Gundy showed signs of leaving, San Antonio publicly announced that they had extended an invitation.
Mentioning his old rival, Van Gundy immediately shook his head.
The San Antonio Spurs' meager roster did not align with his coaching philosophy, and he quickly gave his answer:
"No, right now I just want to go back to my family. I need to rethink basketball. Perhaps I'll consider writing a book, but currently, I have no plans to coach a team."
Yahoo Sports reporters also felt regretful.
They hadn't even written 10 articles yet, and the person involved had already left.
This made them reflect on whether they had gone too far.
"Setting aside the officiating factor, what do you think was the biggest reason for the Cavaliers' loss? Why were the New York Knicks able to easily defeat their opponents? In last night's game, they had 8 players score in double digits."
83:116. In last night's game, the Celtics, exhausted from Game 7, showed fatigue, and the outcome was clear by halftime, completely different from the intense situation in the semifinals.
Van Gundy's eyes twitched slightly when he heard the Yahoo Sports reporter's question.
"Setting aside the officiating factor"—was that something that could be "set aside"?
"Our game details weren't good enough. We missed some easy scoring opportunities."
"The New York Knicks performed perfectly in the game. That's where their advantage lies. Don't forget Clay Lee has played in 12 conference finals. In terms of game experience, no one in the league can compare to him."
"LeBron and Dwight are still too young. They still need to continue to hone their weak points. I believe the future belongs to both of them."
Upon hearing these words, many reporters subconsciously nodded slightly.
The Champion Coach still had his dignity.
At least he didn't shift blame.
The two young players performed generally in this series, only passable.
A TNT reporter quickly delivered a "stab" to Van Gundy, completely disregarding the Champion Coach's feelings, and asked about Thibodeau:
"We noticed that assistant coach Thibodeau seemed to have received an invitation from the Chicago Bulls very early on. Does this indicate that he always had the idea of leaving?"
Coaches also have their own factions.
Van Gundy was angry a few days ago, as Thibodeau was his most trusted person, but after a few days of reflection, he reluctantly accepted the fact:
"Tom is excellent, and the Chicago Bulls' invitation is clearly a recognition of him. I can only be happy about that!"
"Actually, I got the news very early. I only have blessings for his decision. We have experienced a lot together, and I believe he will succeed in Chicago."
Van Gundy did not directly answer the question, and he also lied to everyone.
This contract termination was largely related to Tom Thibodeau's departure, as he really needed his old partner.
The press conference continued.
Van Gundy was a bit nervous at first, but he gradually relaxed until a Fox Sports reporter asked a question that caught him off guard:
"Head Coach Van Gundy, after leaving the coaching position, will you consider Lee's suggestion to participate in more commentary work?"
The thought of Lee laughing at him made Van Gundy feel a surge of anger.
He had no interest in being a background, so he answered without hesitation:
"No, I just want to be with my family. It's time to start the next phase of my life."
Many reporters secretly chuckled when they heard Van Gundy's outright denial.
They felt that Lee's suggestion was very pertinent, but everyone was also happy to see such a "conflict."
By the time the press conference ended, Van Gundy had expected to see fans spontaneously try to keep him, but only the Cavaliers came to "send him off."
Embracing and greeting each player, Van Gundy didn't say much.
After a brief encouragement, he left first with Gilbert.
LeBron James, dressed in a gray suit, quickly became the focus of the scene.
"LeBron James, what are your thoughts on the Cavaliers' next Head Coach?"
"Do you support Head Coach Van Gundy's decision?"
"..."
With the help of the staff, LeBron James sorted out the questions and showed a confident smile in front of the reporters.
After expressing his regret, he said seriously:
"I haven't considered these questions yet. You know, Head Coach Van Gundy's departure shocked me. In these five years, he taught me how to be a great player."
"I support any decision made by Mr. Gilbert and the management. I'm not interested in complaining about the series anymore, but Dwight Howard and I did suppress our opponents."
Having been high and staying up all night recently, Dwight Howard looked listless.
When asked the same question, he immediately showed his white teeth and said with a smile:
"LeBron is too modest. We all know that the Cavaliers' opponents will only get older, and we will continue to improve."
"Although the Celtics defeated the Cavaliers, they don't get my respect at all. Next year I will teach them a good lesson!"
The big-mouthed Dwight Howard completely let himself go.
Without the restraint of the coach, he became even more inflated, continuously belittling the Celtics, which made everyone beam with joy.
When the two core players finished their interviews, LeBron James did not walk with the rest of the Cavaliers.
Instead, he called out to Dwight Howard and said seriously:
"The team needs a coach who will listen to our opinions! Remember to have Goodwin pressure the management. I don't want to work with a successful coach like Van Gundy again."
"What do you think, Bro?"
The two had discussed this matter via text message before.
Dwight Howard didn't object.
Van Gundy was too strict, he didn't even have a chance to have fun.
This time, he would definitely not look for an old guy again:
"You're right, we do need a Head Coach who can listen to everyone's opinions!"
"I don't want to train hard anymore. As long as those damn referees don't help the opponent, we have enough talent to win the championship."
Easily reaching a consensus, LeBron James immediately smiled and patted his partner's shoulder.
Taking further control of the team began at this moment, and perhaps he could even participate in this year's draft.
The feeling of manipulating the team was wonderful.
LeBron James became more and more excited the more he thought about it, while Dwight Howard next to him didn't think as much.
He was just high when he went fishing:
"Bro, do you want to come to my party? Many hip-hop singers are there, and there will be hot girls all night!"
Seeing the mischievous smile on Dwight Howard's face, LeBron James hesitated for a moment but still agreed.
Under Van Gundy's strict discipline, he had rarely been to nightclubs in recent years:
"Yeah! But it's best to keep a low profile. I don't want to be in the newspaper the next day."
As it turned to afternoon in New York, night had already begun in Moscow.
At 8:45 PM, the Champions League final officially began, witnessed by nearly 70,000 fans at Luzhniki Stadium.
Compared to the NBA, the Champions League has several orders of magnitude higher attention.
Sports reporters from all over the world would come to join the fun if they had the chance.
It was interesting that this year's Champions League final was an all-Premier League affair.
Manchester United had once again won the league with 87 points, narrowly beating Chelsea's 85 points.
The Champions League final was called a revenge match by Manchester United.
After the league ended, Red Football Capital launched viewing subsidies for Manchester United, and a large number of English fans were subsidized and flocked to Moscow.
The act of spending money earned Lee more fan support.
Building, renovating the Old Trafford, expanding stadium seats, Red Football Capital spent a lot of money after acquiring the club.
Spending the bank's money was still spending.
Although it couldn't compare to the Russian oligarch Abramovich on the other side, two consecutive championships had already satisfied most Manchester United.
After the kickoff, both players were too nervous, resulting in a rather clumsy match.
Manchester United was the first to find their rhythm, and several close-range collaborations made the fans cheer repeatedly.
In the 26th minute of the match, on the right flank, as Wes Brown delivered a precise cross, Cristiano Ronaldo leaped high in the penalty area.
He powerfully headed the ball towards the goal, leaving Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech with little reaction.
As the ball flew into the net, Manchester United fans jumped and cheered, celebrating wildly!
The director quickly focused the camera on Cristiano Ronaldo, and didn't forget to show Abramovich, who was returning home.
The latter waved in front of his female companion, clearly very dissatisfied with the match.
Outside the box on the other side, Lee, dressed in a black suit, was embracing David Gill and repeatedly pumping his fists in celebration.
Several board members were smiling and applauding.
Although they didn't have that much money, they had a championship...
Ken Griffin also wore a "red scarf" tonight.
Several of them were dressed in classic Manchester United kits.
The crazy fans made this American, who didn't pay much attention to football, exclaim loudly:
"Unbelievable! Are we going to win? If we hold this lead, can we win the Champions League?"
David Gill almost rolled his eyes.
Such an amateurish remark should not have appeared at Manchester United.
Fortunately, Lee was a football expert.
He smiled and fist-bumped the other party, jinxing it:
"Although Chelsea lost the league title, their squad is really too good. Andriy Shevchenko is still on the bench, and his value is higher than our young lads!"
"We might concede a goal in the first half. I like Didier Drogba."
"God! Lee, don't say that. Last night you said the match might go to penalties, and Ferguson was very unhappy. A few days ago, the lads even got into a fight during training..."
A bit superstitious, David Gill couldn't help but murmur.
He really hoped Manchester United would win, but Lee didn't care about that.
He winked at the female companions behind him, and after returning to the box, he said with a chuckle:
"Don't worry, David, we will win the championship, and our bonds will be successful!"
....
By the way, don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me :)