A group of less well-known journalists gathered in front of Randy Blake.
“Is it true that Barron Phillip has left here and go to the AP Fitness Training Center?”
“Why is Baron Phillip changing his training center, is he not satisfied with the training results here?”
“You have worked with Barron Phillip for two years. When he chose to leave, did you try to persuade him to stay?”
“Barron Phillip has always been your signature athlete here. How much damage do you think Phillip’s departure will cause to the training center?”
“It is said that you have invested more training resources in Kevin Taylor, which led to Phillip’s dissatisfaction. Is that true?”
The journalists’ questions were like falling bombs. An ordinary person would have been blown up.
Randy Blake was not an ordinary person. He had been a sports commentator for a few years, so he was used to dealing with the media. Now, in the face of some small reporters, Blake was naturally at ease.
“In fact, things are not as complicated as you might think. Phillip and our organization just weren’t able to agree on training costs. A business transaction needs to be agreed upon by both sides, after all. Please don’t speculate too much,” Blake said with a smile.
“But Phillip went to AP Fitness Training Center. If he went because of price, does that mean that your center charges more than the AP Fitness Training Center?” asked a journalist at once.
Blake didn’t panic and said, “There is a saying that you get what you pay for, which is very true with our service. If you spend more money, you will naturally enjoy more and better service. Our center’s charges are divided into multiple levels, and different types of service have different associated fees. For example, pretend you’re a hair-stylist. The fees for different barbershops are different. Even in the same barbershop, the price of a perm and a haircut is not the same. Even if all the customers want perms, the prices are still not the same because there are different types of perming. All the service industries are like this, and so is our business. If you compare two fitness training centers with fees, there is no comparison.”
“But the AP Training Center is the most famous and largest fitness training center in Los Angeles. In this respect, your center is not as good as the AP Training Center. So, do you think it would be appropriate for you to charge more than the AP Training Center?” a journalist retorted.
“I admit that the AP Fitness Training Center is larger and more popular than us, but that does not mean that the training services they provide are better than ours. The United States is the strongest and most famous country in the world, but our per capita income is not as high as Luxembourg or Switzerland’s. Wal-Mart is also the largest supermarket chain in the United States, but the goods it sells are much cheaper than those of boutique stores. Therefore, small scale and low visibility do not mean that we cannot provide better service,” Blake said smoothly.
“Then what you mean is that your center’s training is better than the AP Fitness Training Center?” the journalist asked, a question full of traps.
Apparently, Blake found the traps in the question. He smiled and said, “This involves another question—how do you test the training level of a fitness training center? Compare the size, the equipment, or the coach? Of course not!”
Blake shook his fingers and went on to say, “A fitness center can be judged mainly by looking at the performance of the athletes. What an athlete can achieve in one training center compared to what he can achieve in another training center. Such a comparison should objectively reflect the different levels of the two training centers. What do you think? Is there a better way to test the level of training?” Blake said and looked at the crowd.
They were small journalists. Some of them were quasi-professionals of sports. In this respect, how could they trap the experienced Blake? They had long been entangled by Blake. So, in the face of Blake’s response, no one answered.
“Well, since no one has come up with a better method of inspection, I shall assume you all agree with me,” Blake said with a gentlemanly smile.
Having bantered with this group of journalists long enough, Blake returned to Dai Li’s office.
“I didn’t think the first thing I came to here to do was help you put up with these journalists.” Blake loosened his collar and then said, “Li, to those journalists, my suggestion of comparing the performance of an athlete in different training centers is tantamount to declaring war on the AP Training Center!”
“I’ve figured that sooner or later the AP Training Center and I are going to be competitors, not only in Los Angeles, but on the entire West Coast. With so many athletes, the high-end training market is so big. To become a new leader in this industry, stepping on the carcass of an old leader is the best way,” said Dai Li.
“I can’t believe you have such a strong sense of competition.” Blake sighed.
“It was the Taylor-Hopkins match that made me realize that,” Dai Li said.
“Then you are sure that the AP Training Center’s training is not as effective as yours? If Phillip goes to the AP Training Center, and his performance goes up, it will have a great impact on our reputation. People will think we’re not as good as the AP Training Center,” Blake said.
Dai Li did not answer, but a charming smile appeared on his face, exuding the brilliance of self-confidence.
Blake was in a bit of a daze. Dai Li’s behavior felt familiar to Blake. He had once seen this unique quality in someone.
This feeling, this pretend ability, how can he be so much like that old devil Elvis! Blake sighed in his heart.
……
“What an athlete can achieve in one training center compared to what he can achieve in another training center. Such a comparison should objectively reflect the different levels of the two training centers.” David Mills, the director of the AP Training Center, looked at the computer screen and repeated the words from the web page.
Is this a declaration of war on our AP Training Center? An unknown Chinese coach, do you think your training skill is comparable to that of our AP Training Center? Who gave you such courage to declare war on us! Mills suddenly became grim.
Mills picked up the phone and dialed a telephone number.
“What competition does Barron Phillip have in the near future? Oh? Next month? There’s a small race in New Mexico? Well, I know.” Mills put down the phone with a smug smile on his face.
What a pity. Phillip will have a match next month. That Chinese Coach Li, you would never have thought that you would be smacked in the face so soon. You dare to challenge our AP Training Center, and I’ll make you eat your words!
…..
Phillip stood in front of the starting block, moving his joints to prepare for the following race.
It was Phillip’s first official game since he changed training centers.
It was not a game for the disabled, but it was normal for Phillip to compete against able-bodied athletes. So, when he stood on the track, no opponent looked down on the guy who had lost his feet. Instead, his opponents saw him as an even bigger obstacle on the road to winning.
For Phillip, that race was just a small one. There were no top American athletes among them. His main competitors were two athletes who could be called the front-line athletes. As for other second-line athletes, they were long gone from Phillip’s eyes. In this race, Phillip was determined to win the championship.
Phillip once participated in the World Championship as a part of the US team, which had shrouded him with the halo of a track and field star. Moreover, his nickname “Blade Warrior” was known all over the world, and he was regarded as an inspiration by countless people.
In the front row of the audience, his agent Steven had a large cup of cola in his hand and with a smug expression on his face. He had met a sponsor yesterday who was interested in Phillip. An inspirational background coupled with good performance was very attractive for sponsors. In contrast, it was no wonder that no one loved Taylor, the guy who had once been jailed for rape, and who also bit people’s ears in the ring.
Phillip has already participated in the World Championship, and if he can maintain this momentum, maybe he really has a chance to get on the stage of the Olympics. By that time, the money will be rolling in! The more Steven thought about it, the more excited he felt.
At the same time, the starter gave out instructions. The athletes stood on the starting block in order and rushed out with the gunshot.
Phillip had a slow start and fell behind other athletes at the beginning, but it was not a new thing. The runner, the coach, and the audience all knew that Phillip’s start was slower than the others.
Since Phillip became famous, many professionals had analyzed Phillip’s technical characteristics and knew that he was at a completely disadvantaged starting point because he lacked the Achilles tendon. Therefore, people didn’t think too much of the fact that Phillip had started behind.
Phillip was used to this, knowing that he would do best in the second half of the race. In the final 100 meter sprint, he would be faster than the others.
Turning from the corner to the straight, Phillip had found his rhythm. According to past experience, it was time for him to perform.
He was accelerating!
However, when Phillip began to accelerate, his acceleration felt a bit slower than usual. He was completely unable to exert his usual explosive power.
My speed isn’t that great. Was my warm-up exercise not enough? Phillip thought, trying to adjust to make his physical condition better.
A few seconds later, Phillip finished the first 200 meters. As usual, the other athletes were beginning to enter the fatigue period, and Phillip’s advantage was coming into effect.
Speed up! Phillip, as usual, made great strides.
But he felt clearly that his acceleration was not as smooth as he had imagined it would be. At the same time, a slight pain came from the fixation of his cheetah-type blade prostheses.
“Damn it, it’s starting to hurt!” Phillip started to feel frustrated. Although he suffered from this pain regularly in training, the same pain in competition would affect his performance.
At the same time, Phillip felt that his legs were a little unnatural. He could clearly feel that he had a pair of prostheses on his legs, and whenever he took a step, he could even imagine the bending of the prostheses as they touched the ground.
In order to reduce the shock and wear on the prostheses, but also to allow Phillip to run better, this pair of sport prostheses were specially equipped with soles. But Phillip now felt that the shock was extremely strong when the prostheses touched the ground, as if the soles had fallen off.
“What’s going on? Why do I feel uncomfortable all over?” Phillip did not know what had happened.
The audience could clearly see that Phillip was not running as fast as usual. Unlike previous races, Phillip was not accelerating past all of his opponents as they neared the halfway mark. Although he strode very hard, he had no advantage in speed.
Finally, all the athletes rushed into the final straight. For the 400-meter event, it was time to clearly distinguish the forward and rear positions of the athletes.
“Phillip is at the end!” A child in the audience shouted, pointing at the track.
Entering the final sprint, Phillip was in last place. The last time this happened was in the final of the World Championship, when Phillip faced the world’s seven strongest opponents!
Today, there were no top runners of the United States competing with Phillip, and there were not even a few first-class runners. Facing a group of second-rate athletes, Phillip unexpectedly ranked at the bottom.
The sound of cheering suddenly turned into surprised exclamations. As a disabled athlete, Phillip’s victory over the able-bodied was a common occurrence. However, what was happening now was very different.
“Will Phillip be the last one?”
“I don’t think so. Phillip is the fastest in the last 100 meters. He has an advantage in the last sprint!”
The audience whispered, and their eyes fell on Phillip.
On the track, Phillip bit the bullet to speed up. His advantage in the final sprint was really reflected. His physical disability allowed him to produce less lactic acid and have faster sprinting speed.
“Phillip is speeding up! You see, he’s catching up!”
“He’s got the seventh place!”
“He caught up with sixth place, now Phillip is the sixth!”
The audience members who supported Phillip began to cheer, but their cheers had just begun as the first athletes crossed the finish line.
The game was over.
Sixth place, this was Phillip’s performance in this race.
For Phillip, it should have been an easy race, and his score was only sixth!