Chapter 403
A New Journey
Chapter 403 A New Journey
On the first day, the media happily wrote a bunch of news articles—Fang Xinghe was parachuted into the men's basketball training base, suspected of becoming the national team captain!
The next day, media outlets from all over the country flocked to Hainan with great enthusiasm, only to watch helplessly as the men's basketball team captain drove away.
If you arrive early, you can still see his taillights; if you arrive late, you can only stare blankly at the empty entrance.
No, where have all my colleagues gone?
They all went to the airport with Fang Xinghe.
However, it's no use going back to the past. Now, Brother Fang travels with VIP access and private jets, so no one can stop him. When he doesn't want to be interviewed, you can't even get a single leaked photo.
His sudden disappearance caused panic among many sports reporters, who speculated that something had happened.
"Everyone else is at the training center, so why did Fang Shen leave the team early?"
Major media outlets tried to remain restrained, but a few tabloids, eager to capitalize on the hype, immediately produced a major story – Fang Xinghe's early departure from the team leaves the national basketball team uncertain!
The news caused an immediate uproar.
This is far more sensational than how much box office revenue Fang Xinghe's movies generated. There are probably three or four hundred million people across the country who are paying attention to the Olympic preparations. It doesn't usually show up, but once a trend emerges, it immediately attracts everyone's attention.
It only took one day for it to go from breaking into the mainstream to reaching T0 level popularity.
In reality, there is chaos and turmoil; online, there is widespread lamentation.
"Holy crap! Wasn't the participation already confirmed? Which idiot has offended the big boss this time?"
"May the entire central government unit die! May every single member of their family die!"
"It's all over, it's all over, what the hell is the point of fighting now!"
"Fang Xinghe is really going too far! It's one thing to be willful in other matters, but he should be more patient now. Doesn't he know what it means to prioritize the greater good?"
"Exactly! If we're talking about who's wronged, Yao Ming probably feels wronged too. He's just making a fuss!"
"Haha! Waiting for a new traitor to the nation."
"Many times I've doubted whether he's really as patriotic as he claims to be."
"Can you really believe what actors say? It's just a persona."
"So how much money have you donated to out-of-school children in impoverished mountain areas?"
"Damn! He has so much money he can't spend it all, yet he only donates that little bit of fame from his shopping spree. Are there really idiots who think he's a philanthropist?"
"??? Your mother grew the placenta?"
"Everyone, don't rush to argue. Let's wait until the information is confirmed before you start cursing!"
"Fuck you! You think you can teach your father how to do things?!"
……
I don't know when it started, but the negativity on the internet has been getting bigger and bigger.
When Fang Xinghe first became famous, around 99 or 2000, going online was still a rare and expensive activity. There were very few netizens, but there was a lot of interesting content. As the first generation of meme king, Fang once influenced the entire internet atmosphere.
As the price of internet access dropped from around 6 yuan per hour to 2 yuan, the number of internet users expanded rapidly, and the hostility on the internet also intensified.
It's gotten even more outrageous now. Illegal internet cafes seem to charge only 1 yuan per hour, and there are even bonuses for recharging. The threshold for speaking has been lowered to the point that anyone, human or ghost, can give opinions.
The development and changes of the times have brought some unexpected troubles to everyone.
The Basketball Association's response was far too slow and clumsy compared to the speed at which the rumors spread.
It wasn't until the morning of the fourth day that the Basketball Association held a press conference, which was absent from both Fang Xinghe and any other players, to officially refute the rumors.
"Nothing happened. Our communication went very smoothly. Fang Xinghe has taken over as captain of the men's basketball team and is getting along well with the players..."
The pronunciation was very clear, with no hesitation or evasion.
But... the audience didn't believe it.
One media outlet asked, "Then why did Fang Xinghe leave early?"
"Because this is not the time for a training session, it was just a simple meeting. Yao Ming is also about to go to the United States to continue playing games, which is normal."
"But of the four-day training program, Fang Xinghe only participated for one and a half days!"
The department heads were at their wits' end, and replied in a defensive tone, "Because he's so capable, he can arrange his time freely, okay?"
This topic has finally attracted the attention of a considerable number of media outlets.
They continued their stakeout, and on the afternoon and evening of the fourth day, they successfully waited until the training camp was disbanded.
When leaving the training center, the players all took a bus, and there was no opportunity for interviews.
Once everyone returned to their respective clubs, the media, who had caught up with them, finally had a chance to ambush them, bombarding the training camp players with questions.
"nothing."
"Nothing special really happened."
"Yes, Fang Xinghe is the captain, and he will most likely play in the Olympics."
"Me? I don't know if I can pass the selection."
The players vaguely confirmed some of the information, but didn't dare to confirm it completely.
Because the Blue Stream Management Center issued a gag order, they were not allowed to answer any sensitive questions.
So, the media, who were getting restless, had no choice but to press them for their impressions of Fang Xinghe.
This topic isn't sensitive, and each player interviewed could talk at length about it.
When Wei Zi answered, there was still lingering fear in her eyes; respect mixed with dread was clearly palpable.
"The formation isn't just strong, it's terrifying and horrifying! Those of you who haven't experienced it firsthand will never understand that feeling."
"Is it because you can't win, or what happened? Could you explain in detail?"
Liu Wei waved his hand: "No, no, it's certain I can't win, but it's not about whether I can beat him or not. It's just that, well, it's hard to muster the courage and fighting spirit when you're facing him..."
Zhu Fangyu has better communication skills and speaks more clearly.
"Despair, you know? It was okay at the beginning, but then it got more and more desperate. It felt like no matter how you fought, you couldn't win. Towards the end, you didn't know what to do with your arms and legs. The worst ones didn't even get a single successful move..."
"Did all of you have a one-on-one fight with Fang Xinghe?"
"Yes, pretty much, almost everyone."
"Lost everything?"
"Yes, all the teams that went up lost."
"Who didn't play? Many players' positions aren't really suited for one-on-one situations, like center and power forward..."
"This one-on-one match is not position-specific, since the rules don't restrict how players should play for each position."
"So you lost everything?"
"Well, apart from a few who didn't play... I can't say who they are."
The rumors about Fang Xinghe leaving the team subsided, and then the trend of "Fang Xinghe crushing the whole team in a one-on-one fight" took over, becoming the hottest topic on the internet.
Sports reporters swarmed the training camp participants, and the controversy grew increasingly intense.
Yi Jianlian avoided the topic, as he was already preparing to participate in the draft and remained silent on the matter.
Yao Ming didn't avoid it; American sports media were even more curious about it than Chinese sports media.
This season is a promising one for the Yao-McGrady duo. Yao suffered a fracture in December, but after recovering, he still managed to secure a playoff spot even playing conservatively. He took a two-game break at the end of the season to return to China for training, and when he came back, he was ready to prepare for the playoffs.
however……
American sports reporters are so impolite; instead of asking about the champion, they kept asking how the esteemed commander was doing.
“Extremely strong.” A serious, bewildered face.
"He completely dominated our national team's forwards and guards. Although it was just a one-on-one match, I saw an incredible superstar like Kobe Bryant..."
An American journalist asked incredulously, "You mean, SR's current offensive and defensive capabilities are already on par with Kobe's in every aspect?"
This season, Kobe delivered an exceptional performance on both offense and defense.
He scored 50+ points in 10 games in a single season, including 4 consecutive games with 50+ points, and won the scoring title for the second consecutive time. He was double-teamed in every game, and his shots were so powerful they seemed to be shooting sparks.
Before Jordan retired, he showed signs of fatigue, and Fang Xinghe's legend has long since faded. Now, the only representative of individual heroism in the league is Kobe Bryant, the Black Mamba.
With so much hype, the media, the league, and ordinary fans alike have come to believe that Kobe is the greatest basketball player of our time.
Yao Ming originally thought so too, until he saw Fang Xinghe fire the shot at the training center with his own eyes.
"Yes, he's so strong it's like a bug, faster, more aggressive, and more well-rounded than ever before. As for who's better between him and Kobe... they play different positions and have different styles of play, so it's not a simple comparison."
Yao Ming is too humble and reserved; he doesn't know how to boast.
The American media clearly didn't believe him, and he didn't offer much explanation, only telling a few truthful things to domestic reporters.
"I think his dominance is on par with peak Jordan. Kobe is very strong, but he is definitely no match for Fang in a one-on-one fight. Believe me, next year will be our most promising year."
……
The fear, respect, and excitement among the training participants were clearly revealed in the interviews, bringing a dreamlike hope to the people of the whole country.
The atmosphere on the internet quickly took a 180-degree turn.
"Is it really that exaggerated? I can hardly believe it..."
"Believe it or not, more than ten interviews have already been broadcast, and they all admit that Fang Shen is stronger than before. This time we really have a chance!"
"Based on the responses that have been broadcast so far, Fang Shen played about 20 consecutive best-of-three singles matches, winning them all by a huge margin. He played from position 1 all the way to position 4, and he really played like an animal."
"Hilarious! Even Sun Wukong has become a little fanboy after being beaten up. He keeps saying things like 'Brother Fang is awesome' and 'Brother Fang is super freakish'."
"I can't imagine how Fang Xinghe, who is 185cm tall, could possibly beat Sun Yue, who is 205cm tall. Could it be some kind of personal relationship issue?"
"It's unimaginable, but believing in the Fang God is all it takes."
"Looking forward to an Olympic gold medal!"
"I was terrified a few days ago, but now I'm just so glad—thank goodness we have a Fang Shen in our family!"
"The roster is for Fang Shen to select! The tactics board is for Fang Shen to draw! All members, charge with Fang Shen!"
"Go! Go! Go! Men's basketball team, win the championship!"
……
It's so easy to manipulate emotions. Just two days ago it was a mess, but by the eve of Fang Xinghe's birthday, it was all optimism.
In terms of impact, there are both good and bad aspects.
The advantage is that the emotions built up beforehand help in the final harvest.
There are still 16 months left. Start looking forward to it now, and when you finally take the stage, the more you hold back, the stronger the explosion will be.
The downside is that high expectations have also completely stabilized Fang Ge's casual fans and casual observers.
I wanted to wash off the excess powder, but now I can't get it off at all.
The best scripts are those with plot twists, those that start with a scare and then revive, those that are arrogant and then slap people in the face. But now it has become an invincible story with extremely high expectations.
Wang Charlie thought this was great.
"Junior brother, for the next year and a half, no one will dare to oppose us!"
Fang Xinghe, however, felt that this was not good.
Have you been following Liu Xiang? Do you know what the consequences would be if he failed in the Olympic Games?
Wang Charlie was stunned.
"Liu Xiang? His public profile is probably similar to yours now, of course I know him, but I don't understand how he could have failed?"
"It's hard to say," Fang Xinghe shook his head. "Anyway, the pressure is too great."
"Oh……"
Wang Chali looked bewildered, then changed the subject and said, "Shall we cool down the hype?"
"Well, try not to bring up basketball before July next year. The media will dig it up during training camp anyway."
Cool down the hype but not the expectations. There will be three more waves of hype before August next year, until the final wave of harvest, locking in the status of China's number one sportsman. Kuku's star value will soar. It's all set!
Fang Xinghe, the master of manipulating public opinion, continued to refuse all interviews. After a few days, the hype finally subsided and was overshadowed by his birthday.
He didn't hold any birthday celebration; instead, he simply held a signing event and continued to give out autographs.
But that's explosive enough, because this time it wasn't a book that was signed, but the latest LV-NIKE collaboration shoes—skate shoes.
Speaking of this, we must mention Fang Xinghe's strategic layout in the fashion industry.
Throughout his career, he has only been associated with two fashion items: colored contact lenses and sneakers.
Because the fashion industry praises his fashion sense while simultaneously denying him a voice in the fashion world, he has had no good opportunities to break through and has been stuck working with other people's products for a long time.
This is easy to understand; fashion is a business.
Europe and America are unlikely to relinquish their fashion discourse power, and Japan and South Korea are equally determined to do so. Only Singapore is willing to give them face, but Fang Xinghe doesn't have any exclusive items.
The reason why colored contact lenses can be made available is because they are a new product and don't have a large market in Europe and America; they are only popular in Asia.
The fact that sneakers rely entirely on Nike and the NBA is both an accident and a niche product category.
In fact, Nike also wants to transform into both streetwear and high-end luxury brands, but they face the same dilemma as Fang Xinghe – resistance from the fashion industry.
It wasn't until 02, with the rise of the Nike SB series, that things finally turned around.
Nike ushered in the era of sneaker resale through numerous collaborations, limited releases, and partnerships with street artists.
Four years have passed. Nike's Galaxy series has a stable market and an explosive reputation. Fang Xinghe's influence has grown day by day. The ambitions of the two parties have expanded and collided, finally giving birth to an ultimate collaboration - leading the street shoe fashion.
Nike SB series × LV × Fang Xinghe = Xinghe series lightweight sneakers, SR2007.
There are three series in total: luxury, classic, and graffiti.
The background color is uniformly pure white, and the high-end luxury features LV's printing technique and the iconic LV minimalist pattern.
Classic style is similar to the white sneakers that will be popular in a few years.
Graffiti features the most complex patterns combined with colorful shoe uppers, showcasing individuality.
With three companies collaborating on this, Starry Sky will definitely be a fan, but to make it a trend, it will need time and certain events to catalyze its development.
Fang Xinghe held a special autograph session on his birthday, which can only be said to have promoted the shoes. It takes time for the hype to spread, and it takes even more opportunity to sweep through the fashion trend.
For now, it's just another channel for exploiting people.
After promoting the SR2007, Fang Xinghe stopped paying attention to business and flew to Hollywood to check on Sony's work.
They finally finished editing "Taken", and Fang Xinghe also personally edited "The Intouchables".
This summer will be the prime time for these two films, one focusing on box office success and the other striving for awards.
As expected, Sony successfully cut out a pile of shit.
Director Fang arrived at the door wielding a 40-meter-long broadsword, and for a moment, the Sony Columbia Pictures headquarters became as docile as chickens...
***************
I'm in terrible physical condition, I'm so sorry everyone.
(End of this chapter)