r/FantasyBookingElite, Please, for the love of god, don't give me Daniel Storm. I'll shine a light on any new talent but him.
The majority of people seemed to enjoy me bringing back into light the 1972 WCF against Kareem, so here’s another Wilt story, this time post retirement in 1979. This story comes from an anecdote from legendary coach Larry Brown.
After Magic and his stacked squad had won the previous game via a controversial goaltending call by Magic on Wilt, Wilt demanded a rematch, and according to Brown, exclaimed “There will no more shots made on this basket.” Wilt then went on to dominate the subsequent game, shutting down the rim and leading his squad to victory, with Brown recalling that Wilt “blocked every single shot, 43 years old old. He blocked everything, it was unbelievable.” Although I doubt he literally blocked every shot, it’s incredible to know that a retired Wilt was still holding his own against the best.
EDIT: Just noticed I put freshman instead of freshmen. Also made some edits to make for a smoother read.
UPDATE: After additional research, it seems like Larry Brown probably was recalling a pickup game from the 80s, as Magic and his Lakers teammates were known to go to UCLA pick up games in their off time during that time. Even more impressive tbh.
James Scott's music hits and moments after the amazing guitar riff, he swaggers out to the stage to address the crowd. He cut's straight to the point.
Scott: "The choice I've made in regards to my opponent on Night 4 of this amazing Carnage Tour is a man I faced before in a Chaos Reigns match a few months ago at B.T.E III... ICON!!! I knew I could beat you with every weapon under the sun. But can I beat you fair an square? Better yet, will you be the World Heavyweight Champion by Night 4... to put it on the line against me? I hope so. I'm counting down the days... one by one".
James drops the mic and leaves, not overstaying his welcome and making a massive point. Scott/ICON II on Night 4. Will the World Title be on the line? Who will win? We'll find out sooner rather than later.
The rumors turn out to be true. As the broadcast goes live, the chants "One By One, One By One, One By One" ring throughout the arena. Louder and louder until it's a unified force beckoning the arrival they desire. A man unseen since September but missed by the fans and wrestlers alike.
The music hits and the crowd erupt in pure joy to hear the guitar riff of the relatable one himself. Patchwork attire, confident swagger, nothing cool about him but adored anyway, James Scott hits the stage and breaths the air of being... home. The biggest stage he's been on since BTE III and he's soaking in every second of being back. On his way to the ring, high-5ing everyone in the front rows, joking around with the young ones, signing autographs, enjoying being there. James Scott may have been gone but the fans never forgot him and he never forgot them. James Scott finally makes it into the ring and as the music dies down, the crowd still brings the energy and passion you can only see in FBE.
Scott: "Wow. You never forget, do you? FBE crowds never forget who we are and that's why I love being able to perform in front of you guys, gals and other pals. You remember story beats, moments even we forget. But guess what, we'll all remember this moment together. The night The Protagonist, James Scott returns to FBE. So, since I was given the green light to come out here and talk, I wanted to give you all an update. Where I've been, what I've done and how I am. First things first, I've not retired. I still have the passion, the enjoyment and the love for this place as I did nearly 2 years ago. I remember wanting to challenge for that Junior Heavyweight Championship to give myself and everyone else a chance. I wanted to end the Brotherhood to get there. Anyone remember Jay Lynwood? I wanted the IC and world title from Thaddeus Hemmingway and he brought the best out of me. I wanted to win the lifeline tournament. I wanted to win wargames, I wanted to do so much but life got in the way. So I walked away from this place to clear up my life a bit. I traveled the world with no commitment, I saw places I'll always hold a special place in my heart for, I met so many incredible people, I pet a dog but most importantly, recharged. When you in a place you love for so long, you forget to love it and I wanted to love it. But to love something, you need to want it. I didn't want to be here because it felt like a commitment and th
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For some context, he's discussing the collapse of early states, not collapse as this sub envisions it, but I found that it may still provide a beneficial shift in perspective on what "collapse" looked like through history. I'd recommend reading the entire chapter for full context, or better yet, the whole book.
From Against the Grain, Chapter 6:
>"From [archaeologists'] findings we are able not only to discern some of the probable causes of “collapse” but, more important, to interrogate just what collapse might mean in any particular case. One of their key insights has been to see much that passes as collapse as, rather, a disassembly of larger but more fragile political units into their smaller and often more stable components. While “collapse” represents a reduction in social complexity, it is these smaller nuclei of power—a compact small settlement on the alluvium, for example—that are likely to persist far longer than the brief miracles of statecraft that lash them together into a substantial kingdom or empire. Yoffee and Cowgill have aptly borrowed from the administrative theorist Herbert Simon the term “modularity”: a condition wherein the units of a larger aggregation are generally independent and detachable—in Simon’s terms, “nearly decomposable.” In such cases the disappearance of the apical center need not imply much in the way of disorder, let alone trauma, for the more durable, self-sufficient elementary units."
Later on,
>"Why deplore “collapse,” when the situation it depicts is most often the disaggregation of a complex, fragile, and typically oppressive state into smaller, decentralized fragments? [...] "What I wish to challenge here is a rarely examined prejudice that sees population aggregation at the apex of state centers as triumphs of civilization on the one hand, and decentralization into smaller political units on the other, as a breakdown or failure of political order. We should, I believe, aim to “normalize” collapse and see it rather as often inaugurating a periodic and possibly even salutary reformulation of political order."
As far as I see it, as an anarchist, as collapse occurs, a breakdown into smaller yet more stable and resilient units may be our safest bet, and thus building such units now should be one of our top priorities, for those of us who wish to survive.
James Scott used to have a particular expression that I still picture when I am watching. I didn't find the exact one yet but the picture in this link is pretty close.
https://michaelfairmantv.com/james-scott-celebrates-his-birthday-at-days-watch-the-video/2011/01/25/
