Chapter 532 Jobless Youth +1

Zhao Liang didn't know much about the NBA, but he could guess from the words "All-Star Game" that all star players in the NBA would participate in this game.

However, the name "Kobe Bryant" shocked Zhao Liang even more.

Zhao Liang had personally asked his senior brother in the United States before and learned that the player named Kobe was a young player who could only play as a substitute in the team and could not even make the starting lineup. He must be relatively mediocre.

But Mr. Su, the commentator on the scene in the United States, said this name, and he was also the starter in the All-Star Game!

A player who can't even start in his own team, why should he start among all the stars?

It must be the same name!

"There are only a few American names that come back and forth, such as Tom, George, and James. It's normal for them to have the same names! Maybe there are many people in the United States named Kobe." Zhao Liang comforted me in his heart.

After 2020, many people have indeed named their children "Kobe" in memory of Kobe, but even so, the name "Kobe" is only ranked outside the 200th name of American newborns.

Americans still like names like James or Mary.

As for the surname "Bryant", although it is not uncommon in the United States, it is not a common surname among Americans.

Kobe and Bryant, the chance of having the same name is not high.

What's more, this is the NBA, and not just cats and dogs can get in, so how could they just have the same name?

Although there have been more than 70 Williams, more than 60 Johnson, more than 50 Smith and Jones, and several James, Wallace and Howard in the NBA.

But apart from father-son parties like the Hardaways and the Nances, there really are no people with the same name and surname.

As for the pair of Isaiah-Thomas, the Smiling Assassin and the Strongest on the Surface 175, they only have the same pronunciation, but different spellings. The Isaiah of the Smiling Assassin is "lsianh", while the Isaiah of the Strongest on the Surface 175 is "lsaiah"

”.

…

Zhao Liang was constantly comforting himself, but Teacher Su Qun on the TV immediately broke Zhao Liang's fantasy.

"What we want to focus on is Kobe Bryant from the Los Angeles Lakers. He is only 19 years old this year and is the first All-Star. He is also the youngest All-Star in NBA history and the youngest player in the All-Star Game.

Star starting lineup players!

Kobe Bryant is regarded as Michael Jordan's successor, and in the next game, Kobe Bryant will also face off against Michael Jordan, which is also one of the focuses of today's All-Star Game!"

"Jordan's successor?" Zhao Liang was stunned when he heard such comments!

Didn't American newspapers say that high school players can't adapt to the NBA? Didn't senior brother Liu Jing say that he was a rookie on the bench? How did he become the heir to Jordan?

He is also an All-Star starter, and he is the heir to Jordan. There is huge commercial value behind this!

Zhao Liang stared blankly at the TV until the All-Star Game started.

The broadcast screen always pays special attention to the matchup between Jordan and Kobe. Even if the two are not holding the ball, they will try their best to keep the two in the camera.

Whenever Kobe holds the ball, the deafening cheers on the scene are no less than those of Jordan, and they seem to tell Zhao Liang how popular Kobe, a young man, is in the United States.

Every cheer was like a heavy punch, hitting Zhao Liang's heart hard. Kobe's wonderful goal was more like ringing the death knell for Zhao Liang.

In the end, the Eastern All-Stars defeated the Western All-Stars, and Jordan was successfully crowned All-Star MVP. However, facing Jordan, Kobe also scored 18 points and 6 rebounds, becoming the highest-scoring player in the Western All-Stars.

, fully worthy of the title of "Jordan's successor".

Seeing Kobe's popularity and performance, Zhao Liang couldn't help but think of three words in his heart: "It's over!"

…

At the dinner table, people were drinking and drinking. Director Hu, who was in charge of the advertising business of a sports newspaper, was toasting to Zhong Yemao with a smile on his face.

"Mr. Zhong, I want to toast you and thank you, the Puppy Group, for placing an advertisement in our newspaper." Director Hu raised his glass as he spoke.

"Easy to say, easy to say." Zhong Yemao smiled slightly and continued: "This bit of advertising is nothing to our puppy group, it only accounts for a drop in the bucket of the advertising we place every year!"

"That's right, the Puppy Group has a huge business, and a tiny bit of advertising money flowing out from under the fingernails is enough to support our newspaper office." Director Hu said quickly.

Zhong Yemao continued: "We have never placed advertisements in sports newspapers before. This time we are testing the waters to see how the effect is. If the publicity effect is good, we will continue to place advertisements in the future."

"Our newspaper office is very much looking forward to establishing a long-term cooperative relationship with the Puppy Group." Director Hu said quickly.

Zhong Yemao continued; "Director Hu, having said that, I actually have something that I want to ask Director Hu for your help."

"You are looking down on me, Old Hu, when you say you are helping! If you need anything, just ask Mr. Zhong. As long as I, Old Hu, can do it, I will do it without any hesitation!" Director Hu immediately patted his chest.

"It's like this. Our boss has made an investment overseas before, but some people in China have misunderstandings about this investment, so I want to pick up your newspaper and write a few articles to help explain it." Zhong Yemaoxian

Said slowly.

"Well..." Director Hu hesitated for a moment and then said: "Mr. Zhong, we are a sports media, and we are good at reporting sports content.

However, reporting on overseas investment is not within the scope of our business, and it is not in line with the purpose of our newspaper! This matter may be a bit difficult to handle."

"Director Hu, news related to sports brands can be regarded as sports content, right?" Zhong Yemao asked with a smile.

Director Hu nodded in confusion: "As long as it has something to do with sports, it should be considered."

"That's no problem!" Zhong Yemao said, raising his glass.

…

The next day, one of the top domestic sports newspapers published such a news article, with the title "With the help of Jordan's successor, domestic sports brands rise in the United States."

"In the just-concluded NBA All-Star Game, the young player Kobe Bryant, who is known as the "successor of Jordan," performed well, scoring 18 points, second only to Michael Jordan.

And during the game, the basketball shoes worn by Kobe Bryant were a leap forward for our Chinese sports brand, a national time-honored brand with a history of 60 years, appearing on the highest level sports arena in the United States!"

Looking at this beginning, Zhao Liang's heart felt stinging.

As a media person, Zhao Liang can guess what follows without reading. He must be bragging about Feiyue shoes and then promoting Feiyue as the pride of a national brand.

For Chinese brands at that time, being able to enter the U.S. market could indeed be regarded as the pride of a national brand.

What worries Zhao Liang the most is the $10 million endorsement fee.

Zhao Liang's previous article regarded the US$10 million in endorsement fees as a loss of foreign exchange, and it also attracted a lot of attention.

But now things have turned around. With an endorsement fee of 10 million US dollars, signing a Jordan spokesperson, and allowing a national brand to successfully enter the US market, this deal is extremely worthwhile no matter how you look at it.

For ten million US dollars, in exchange for the pride of a national brand, ordinary people will definitely not say NO.

Moreover, this kind of thing can increase the popularity of national brands and boost national self-confidence, and the country will definitely vigorously promote it.

By then, Zhao Liang's report about the loss of tens of millions of US dollars in foreign exchange will become fabricated and fake news again!

At this moment, a very gossipy colleague walked into the office and whispered: "Everyone has an idea. I will see the director hiding away soon. Don't cause trouble!"

"What happened?" someone asked immediately.

"I just delivered materials and passed by the president's newspaper company. I saw that the president was criticizing our director, and his tone was very unkind! The director was criticized by the leader, and he was not allowed to vent it on us when he turned around. So we should take it easy and hide.

Just hide and don't get into trouble with the director." The man said.

"Then why does the old leader criticize our director?" someone asked.

"I don't know the specific reason, but when I was passing by, I heard the leader say fake news and so on. I guess there was something wrong with one of our previous reports!" the man replied.

After hearing this, Zhao Liang was suddenly startled, and an uneasy feeling surged into his heart.

At this time, Zhao Liang had already realized that the fake news mentioned by the leader was most likely referring to himself.

After a while, the director returned to the office with a gloomy face.

Everyone immediately lowered their heads and pretended to be busy with the work at hand, so as not to get into trouble with the director.

The director walked directly in front of Zhao Liang, glared at Zhao Liang angrily, and said coldly: "Follow me in."

Zhao Liang followed the director into the office, and the director directly threw the sports newspaper in Zhao Liang's face.

"What the hell is going on? Didn't you say that the US$10 million was a loss of foreign exchange? How did it become the pride of a national brand?" the director said angrily.

Zhao Liang quickly defended: "Director, you also saw those foreign newspapers at that time. They said that the player named Kobe was unlikely to become a great player. Signing him with 10 million US dollars was just a waste!

Moreover, my senior in the United States has also asked about it. This Kobe is a substitute. He can't even start in the NBA. He must not have the ability. You also agreed at the time."

"I believed your rumors!" The director pointed at the newspaper angrily, and then said: "I asked you to make news reports based on facts, why didn't you listen?

The face of the newspaper has been completely shamed by you! Do you know what our colleagues say about us now? They say that our newspaper fabricates fake news to win readers’ attention, and that we are an unscrupulous media! The reputation that the newspaper has accumulated over the years has been destroyed.

Once!"

"This is not fake news. I wrote the report based on facts." Zhao Liang continued to defend.

"Bullshit facts! It's already here, and you still haven't admitted your mistake! Is it a lie that Kobe Bryant was selected as the NBA All-Star starter? The games in the United States have been played, and they are still broadcast live around the world! You can deceive me, and you can still deceive me.

The eyes of billions of people around the world?”

The director was really angry. He pointed to the door and continued: "Zhao Liang, you are completely hopeless. Pack your things immediately, get out of here, and don't stay in the editing department!"

Zhao Liang had already expected this result, so he did not resist, but said firmly, "Okay, I will go back to the data room right away so that I won't cause any trouble to you, Director."

"Do you still want to go back to the reference room?" The director snorted coldly, and then said, "I want you to go back to the reference room, continue to flip through foreign newspapers from a few years ago, and then come up with fake news for me? There is no way! You still think it's harmful.

Have I not done enough harm?”

"Then where should I go?" Zhao Liang asked.

"The security department is short of a security officer. You can report there!" the director said.
To be continued...