Chapter 828 Sportsmanship (Two in One)

Lehman's stock price has been stable recently.

Although Fang Zhuo openly shorted this investment bank, he did not pay attention to it.

However, since there is an opportunity, he does not mind helping out.

Lehman is undoubtedly an investment banking giant. It is familiar with using high leverage to pursue profits. It is also tricky to issue commercial mortgage bonds CMBS in a large amount after problems with mortgage-backed securities MBS and collateralized debt obligations CDO.

However, commercial mortgage bonds CMBS also have a disadvantage that is not usually considered a disadvantage. The commercial real estate market is too small.

Compared with the vast residential market, the commercial real estate that Lehman wants to replicate is a market that is easy to feel hot and cold.

The problem with the former is like pouring a basin of cold water into another basin of hot water, while the latter is pouring a basin of cold water into a cup.

Even if Lehman's acquisition this time is more than 20 billion US dollars, the financial gameplay formed by using commercial real estate is prone to sudden death due to overcooling.

Fang Zhuo had a clearer picture of how Lehman died. It was estimated that it was subprime mortgages + commercial real estate + the opponent's upgrade to referee that could bring down such an investment bank giant.

The next day, while the Rockets still had time in the second round of the playoffs, Fang Zhuo called several friends and sincerely invited them to come to the home court to watch the game in the next few days.

The Rockets' second-round opponent has just been confirmed to be the Mavericks.

The Mavericks ranked first in the regular season this season, but they played six games against the eighth-ranked Clippers in the first round. In the sixth game, they narrowly won by 2 points and were almost dragged into a tiebreaker.

The Rockets and the Mavericks are both in Texas and have been old rivals for the past few years.

When Fang Zhuo called O'Neal, O'Neal knew that the Rockets would play the first team in the regular season this round, and still politely refused.

Not safe, not safe, just be a die-hard fan on the phone.

Fang Zhuo had expected this.

However, as a boss, he actually has a psychological advantage over the Mavericks. If I remember correctly, the Mavericks were very powerful in history and ranked first in the regular season, but they were overturned by the eighth-ranked Warriors in the first round of the playoffs, becoming the famous "black eight".

Coincidentally, the coach of the Warriors who created the black eight history was the current old Nelson of the Rockets.

Old Nelson spent six years personally training the Mavericks' ace player Nowitzki, and knew the latter inside and out.

Fang Zhuo felt that he flapped his wings to prevent the Mavericks from being nailed to the shame rack of the "black eight", and collecting interest in the second round should be something that both parties can accept.

After being rejected by O'Neal, he called Summers of the New York Institute of Economics.

Summers, an economist with a strong administrative background, was not interested in basketball and also declined the invitation.

But Fang Zhuo took the opportunity to talk to Summers about the difficult research report of the New York Institute of Economics.

Originally, Summers was very enthusiastic about conducting research on the current financial securities market in the United States in the name of the New York Institute of Economics. However, this field has been undergoing strong changes, and even he has difficulty in giving a very definite direction.

This report has been delayed in being issued.

Fang Zhuo provided a new idea.

Such a big proposition is not easy to write. Otherwise, let's try to write about Lehman's commercial real estate acquisition case?

The New York Institute of Economics, an objective and independent third party, will study the situation and see when it is appropriate to release the report after a while.

Summers is still not interested. What he wants to do is to study social economy. What is there to write about an ordinary acquisition case?

However, considering Mr. Fang's funding for the New York Institute of Economics, he agreed to let his subordinates analyze the business operations here.

Fang Zhuo thinks it is feasible. Anyone can come, even Harvard students, as long as the general direction is right and Summers endorses it, they can find the media to help.

On May 12, the Rockets' second-round match against the Mavericks started at the latter's home court, the United Airlines Center.

Because they are old rivals, because the Rockets have advanced by stepping on the Mavericks in the past two years, and because the Mavericks, Rockets, and Spurs are known as the "Texas Three", the playoff atmosphere in the United Airlines Center is quite strong.

When Fang Zhuo was sitting in the audience, he was captured by the camera and appeared on the big screen at the scene, and boos were heard in the arena.

Although the owner of the Rockets does not often play with the team, he has left a deep impression on the fans and audience in the past three years.

The Rockets formed a trident.

Who is holding this trident?

Compared with the quiet head coach Nelson off the court, Fang Zhuo, the owner who often stirs up public opinion, has a stronger presence.

At the beginning of the first quarter, Yao Ming successfully jumped to the ball.

"Brother Fang, do you think this game is easy to play?" Jay Chou, who was sitting next to him, has been playing with the team for a long time. Now facing the Mavericks, who are the first in the regular season, his palms are sweaty.

"Easy to play." Fang Zhuo said confidently.

Sure enough...

The four quarters are over.

The Rockets lost by 9 points.

Jay Chou rubbed his face: "Brother Fang, didn't you say it's easy to play?"

Fang Zhuo's face was serious: "It seems that I may have said something wrong?"

Jay Chou suspected that Brother Fang was joking with him from the beginning.

The local sports media of the Mavericks had come to interview with a smile and took the microphone.

"Fang, do you still have confidence in the Rockets' three consecutive championships?"

Fang Zhuo gave a conventional two-word answer.

The reporter asked again: "Do you still have confidence in the Rockets surpassing the Mavericks, who ranked first in the regular season?"

The problem is actually ridicule. If you have confidence in the championship, you certainly have the confidence to cross the Mavericks.

Fang Zhuo wasn't angry, just smiled: "Of course."

Jay Chou, who was watching, noticed that Brother Fang took his hand out of his pocket and felt that he also had complicated emotions in his heart.

The second game, two days apart, was still at the United Airlines Center.

At the start of this game, simple boos did not seem to be enough. When the Mavericks were still leading in the first quarter, the audience's "Beat Hou" chants appeared in the arena, and the waves became louder and louder.

In a venue with 20,000 people, sitting in the front row and looking back is the head of Wuyang Wuyang, and these 20,000 people shouting one sentence at the same time, it really feels like a landslide and a tsunami.

Jay Chou suddenly had inspiration for a new song in this environment.

Fang Zhuo was aroused in this situation. Looking at Carter's hesitant handling of an open ball on the court, he jumped up from his seat and roared.

"Vote, vote! Carter, you should vote!"

"I'd rather you miss and lose than be a coward and use 24 seconds as an example!"

Carter is a star player, and he has decided not to renew his contract in advance this year, but to test the free market.

He was originally annoyed with the loss in the first game and falling behind in this quarter, but now he heard the outsiders pointing fingers, and even when he was facing the boss, he made a gesture of passing the ball when he got the ball.

——I'm playing ball, don't be a bastard, come and do it if you have the ability!

Fang Zhuo, who had just sat down for a short time, looked at this scene without any fear. He pulled off his shirt and started to do warm-up exercises.

Carter was amused, especially when he saw the T-shirt under the boss's shirt with the letters "Why not" on the front.

He decisively made a three-pointer and said as he passed by the audience: "Boss, you should have exposed your T-shirt earlier. If you had exposed it earlier, we would have won."

Fang Zhuo sat down again angrily.

The small tidbits were broadcast live by the camera and captured on the big screen at the scene.

The cry of "Beat Hou" at home was louder, but the mentality of many Rockets players was strangely relaxed again.

From the second quarter onwards, every time the Rockets scored a goal, Fang Zhuo would pull on his T-shirt and roar "Why not".

How overwhelming the Mavericks' home crowd was, and how weak the Rockets boss's response was.

However, the situation on the court gradually changed.

At the end of the second quarter, the Rockets and Mavericks were tied.

In the third quarter, the Rockets took the lead, and in the fourth quarter, the Rockets maintained a slight advantage until the buzzer sounded that announced the end of the game.

"Wuhu, we win!" Jay Chou waved in celebration, his voice was hoarse, and he couldn't help but follow the passionate shouting.

This feeling of being alone against tens of thousands of spectators at the opponent's home court is both tragic and enjoyable!

"Well, the next step is the home battle. I think the defense against Nowitzki is quite effective. I hope it will continue in the future." Fang Zhuo said.

Jay Chou nodded, and suddenly said with some surprise: "Brother Fang, your voice is not hoarse yet? You shouted so loudly!"

Fang Zhuo took out the throat lozenges from his pocket and threw them to Jay Chou: "Of course you have to protect your voice when you shout. You can shout, but you can't shout blindly."

Jay Chou: "..."

The sense of tragedy seems to have been weakened a bit.

But victory tastes good.

Fang Zhuo was not interviewed by the local media after the game, but his performance during the game was broadcast on live television.

May 17, the third game between the Rockets and the Mavericks.

This game moved to the Rockets' home court. As soon as the live TV signal was connected, all the spectators watching the game saw a sea of ​​red in the Rockets' home court.

The Rockets have prepared uniform T-shirts for home fans.

It was the one the team owner wore in the second game. The nearly 20,000 spectators had "Why not" printed on their chests, and they were all gearing up to show the Mavericks, who bullied their own team owner, what a devil's home court was.

In the first quarter of the game, in addition to the regular chants of "Defence" and "Let's go Rockets" by fans, some spectators also shouted "Why not", but this sentence was stopped by Boss Fang who put his index finger to his mouth in the camera.

Shhh, no no no, don't shout.

Although a little puzzled, the audience did not continue.

However, when the Rockets led by 5 points in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter of Game 3, Fang Zhuo stuffed two lozenges and stood up.

Whenever his opponent missed a shot, he led the audience to ask "Why".

Whenever his opponent missed a goal, he would lead the audience in shouting "Not".

When the final whistle sounded, Fang Zhuocai led the home fans to shout "Why not" and "Why not" in two words. For a while, even a normal post-match interview was not possible.

Fang Zhuo stopped shouting, but the home fans still refused to disperse.

Two consecutive championships + the haze of injuries this season + the team owner's bold words about why not to win the championship. The outside world is questioning and ridiculing, and Houston and home fans have been united together.

"Brother Fang, it's 2:1." Jay Chou was very happy.

Fang Zhuo was also very happy: "Yeah, it looks like we can win. Well, it's also easy to make money around the team."

There is no conflict between winning and making money. On the way to the third championship, the team has the most influential team culture in the past three years, with full seats + public opinion topics + peripheral sales.

After the game, Fang Zhuo quickly ended the immersive experience and received the Yike Mars, which was optimized again.

And there was also a capacitive touch screen mobile phone released by LG in South Korea.

This LG mobile phone is a joint venture with the fashion brand Prada. It is about playing fashion and light luxury. In addition to the touch screen, it can only run simple JAVA programs.

In Fang Zhuo's opinion, this is not to make a good mobile phone. In addition, it is not sold in the United States. It was only sent to the boss as an example of Yike's market research.

On May 19, the fourth game started.

Fang Zhuo was shouting in the first quarter, and his secretary Liu Zonghong quietly came to the front row to report the latest news from Silicon Valley.

"Mr. Fang, Director Xu said that he has found a company that is conducive to solving battery problems and wants to acquire it."

Fang Zhuo was stunned: "Acquire again? Where is the company information? Ask him to send a complete copy, I will take a look and consider it first."

Liu Zonghong took the order and left.

Only before the end of the fourth quarter, Liu Zonghong interrupted Mr. Fang's immersive cheering again.

"Mr. Fang, Mr. Fang, Director Xu said Apple might also want to acquire this company."

Fang Zhuo stopped waving the Rockets flag, moved his hands, and didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "What does this mean? Teacher Xu has become bad."

He murmured in the cheers of the audience: "You ask Silicon Valley to prepare a conference call, and call Mr. Yu and others to attend the discussion in the evening. As far as I know, the abnormal battery problem is also related to the system. I need Silicon Valley to give me a strong acquisition reason that I can understand."

It's not possible to acquire just because Mr. Xu says so. At least you have to struggle.

Liu Zonghong took the order and retreated again.

The game ended with the Rockets' victory, and Mr. Fang was still thinking about new acquisitions.

The Rockets 3:1 Mavericks, Nowitzki seemed to be successfully restricted.

This surprised many experts who were not optimistic about the Rockets before the game.

After the game, Mavericks owner Cuban had already complained about the game arrangement, thinking that the 2-3-2 playoff schedule was unreasonable. Obviously, he had the home advantage, but the opponent actually enjoyed 3 home courts in the middle, which made the situation difficult.

In particular, the Rockets' home atmosphere is too devilish.

Fang Zhuo was interviewed after the team took the lead, and he was much more modest: "No matter success or failure, the Rockets' tenacity is a display of sportsmanship. Our Why not is not that we are sure we can win, but that we always have a champion's heart."

"Why not?"

"Yes, we can!"

Fang Zhuo said a declaration that O'Neal made when preparing for the election.

These two sentences go well together.

It's best to say them together during the finals.

It's not arrogance, it's sportsmanship.

Regardless of success or failure, never underestimate a champion's heart.

On May 23, under the command of head coach Nelson, the Rockets successfully continued to restrict the core of the Mavericks Nowitzki, and advanced to the Western Conference Finals with an unexpected score of 4:1.

On the same day, in the European Champions League final held at the Olympic Stadium in Athens, Greece, AC Milan players shouted "Why not" after scoring, which made the champion spirit break the circle.

While Fang Zhuo was launching media publicity, he was also thinking that if they won the championship in June, it would be okay to use this sentence as the theme or part of the theme of the subsequent Yi Ke press conference.