Chapter 9 What You Need To Do

  "Miss Nays, the principal wants to see me?" The next morning, after supervising the players' training, Zhuang Fei was stopped by a young and beautiful white girl in her twenties.

  Nais is the administrative secretary of Weixing Forest University and the official leader and manager of the Devil's Service Team, who is only 24 years old. In addition to these identities, he also has another identity as an assistant to the president of Weixing Forest University. However, according to Zhuang Fei's understanding, this first secretary of Weixing University actually doesn't understand basketball and just hangs a name on the basketball team, usually doesn't appear, only responsible for conveying the president's instructions.

  "Yes, Principal wants to see you right away" Miss Nays replied with a smile that was somewhat business-like.

  "Alright, I'm going now."

  This was the first time President Weiksen of Wrixen University had asked to see Zhu Fei, and of course it was Zhu Fei's first time since crossing over, he didn't know if he had seen him before.

  The administrative building where the president's office of Wake Forest University is located is not far from the stadium. American universities are different from Chinese universities. In the United States, the rights that each university president has are unimaginable. American universities are more like an independent institution outside the national education system. If necessary, it can ignore the Ministry of Education and even ignore the orders of the White House. Wake Forest University is a private school, and Coach Zhuang Fei's career life and death depend on the president.

  "What could have prompted the principal to meet with me in person, I wonder if it's to fire me?" Zhuang Fei thought to himself, recently there had been rumors flying around about this principal and famous university coaches, to be honest, Zhuang Fei didn't have a good impression of this principal.

  What's that? As soon as Zhuang Fei entered the principal's office, he was attracted by a huge black and white photo in front of him.

  "Many people's first glance when entering my office is this photo on my head, but few can tell the origin of this photo. Zhuang, do you know who the two people in the middle of this photo are?" The president of Weikselin University, looking over 50 years old, smiled and looked at Zhuang Fei standing at the door in a daze.

  Zhuang Fei shook his head apologetically, he had just crossed over and wasn't too familiar with the history of Wicksen University, let alone the recent years. Judging from the black and white color of this photo, it was definitely an old photo from decades ago, a real antique.

  The principal didn't get annoyed by Zhuang Fei's ignorance, but just smiled and turned around with his hands behind his back, looking up at the photo with a nostalgic expression.

  "This is a photo from 33 years ago, the two people in the photo are Mr. Horace McKenna, the head coach of the team at that time, and Ron Chapell, the ace player of the team at that time, I remember it was taken in March 1962, if I'm not mistaken"

  "Principal, has this photo been hanging in the principal's office all along?" Zhuang Fei asked puzzledly. He knew that Viksenlin University only had one NCAA basketball team, so the university attached great importance to the team. It was likely that the photo had been passed down by generations of principals, after all, it had already been thirty years.

  The principal shook his head.

  "This is something I brought myself, it wasn't here before"

  What did you bring yourself? Zhuang Fei was surprised again.

  "You know, I took this photo myself. I remember that at the time, I was just a sophomore student, of course, I was also a member of the basketball team, but only as a small substitute player. However, back then, our team was the absolute ruler of the NCAA and ACC league, no one could match us, not even North Carolina or Duke." As he said this, the principal smiled, his face filled with nostalgia for those bygone years.

  "That was the most glorious period in Vicksen Forest's history, we only entered the NCAA semifinals once and that was during the reign of Cincinnati University and Ohio State University, we could only make it to the semifinals at best." The principal's face was filled with regret.

  "But every time I think back to those days, my blood still boils with excitement. Unfortunately, since then, we have never again entered the NCAA's Final Four, and it has now been a full 33 years. In fact, since then, even making it into the Elite Eight or Sweet Sixteen has seemed so difficult."

  "Of course, basketball has changed a lot since then. Nowadays, players are more arrogant and utilitarian. In 1994, we had the opportunity to relive our glory days. If Rodney Rogers had stayed for another year after his senior season and entered the draft in 1994, I believe that with him, Randolph Childress, and Tim Duncan, we could have achieved something. Even this year, if Childress had stayed for another year, couldn't we have done better than last season? I don't understand why every time I have high hopes for the team, they suddenly fall apart. I'm sorry, Zhuang, it's laughable."

  This now somewhat agitated middle-aged man looked so wronged, Zhuang Fei suddenly felt a deep and profound respect for this principal who was once despised.

  "Zhuang, don't blame me. I know you must be extremely annoyed with the recent news about the team's coaching selection. However, no matter what you think, for the sake of the team's revival, I will have my own choices and methods. I am not a person who follows the crowd; otherwise, I wouldn't have become the president of one of the top 30 universities in the US. You are an intelligent person, and the intelligence of Chinese people has always made me deeply admire. However, I hope you can understand that for the sake of the team's revival, I am willing to sacrifice a lot, even suddenly terminate your contract if you don't perform well enough to satisfy me."

  The principal said, turning the conversation around: "Recently, many teachers have come to me to complain that basketball team members often sleep during class. I'd like to hear your explanation about this."

  "My players work very hard in their daily training, and these things I have no way to control," said Zhuang Fei helplessly. He couldn't possibly ask his players to both train desperately and study desperately at the same time; that was just not feasible. As long as they could complete the tasks he assigned during training, he didn't want to bother with anything else.

  "Hmm, I see. Alright then." The principal said thoughtfully after a moment of consideration.

  "Is that it?" Zhuang Fei was puzzled and dissatisfied. Shouldn't he be criticized a bit? Or taught a lesson?

  "When students fall asleep in class, it's not entirely the student's responsibility. Teachers are also accountable. If teachers can make their classes lively and interesting, I think no student will fall asleep during class," said the principal with a meaningful smile.

  "What? The teacher's responsibility?" This made Zhuang Fei speechless.

  The principal's face turned stern and he said, "Zhuang, I've told you before that for the sake of the team's revival, I can do many unconventional things. On this matter, I will fully support you, but I need you to give me a return in terms of results. I can ignore these complaints, but I won't ignore the team's performance. I hope you understand this point."

  The principal's words made Zhuang Fei's back feel a chill.

  Zhuang Fei left the principal's office with reduced pressure, but unexpectedly encountered an unspoken rule here, and Zhuang Fei couldn't help but smile bitterly.

  The second training session after school in the afternoon, Mark Allen and Bill Lambo obviously felt that Zhu Fei's requirements were more severe. The training hall was filled with Zhu Fei's angry roar and the players' tired gasps.

  "Raja, is this pervert stimulated again? Today's worse than yesterday," James Bosie muttered quietly.

  "James, don't speak, be careful of being penalized," Lagabelle whispered back.

  "James, Raja, what are you whispering about? Stay after practice today for individual training," Zhuang Fei shouted at James Posey and Raja Bell.

  In an instant, Lagabere and James Posey's faces turned deathly pale.