Reinventing the Millennium

Lehman's share price has been stable recently.

Although Fang Zhuo openly shorted this investment bank, he did not focus on it.

However, since I have the opportunity, I don’t mind showing my spirit and helping out.

Lehman is undoubtedly an investment banking giant. It is familiar with using high leverage to pursue profits. It is also very skillful in issuing commercial mortgage bonds (CMBS) after problems occurred in MBS and CDOs.

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

Compared with the vastness of the residential market, the commercial real estate market that Lehman wants to replicate is a market that can easily feel hot or cold.

The problem in the former is like pouring a basin of cold water into another basin of hot water, but in the latter it is like pouring a basin of cold water into a cup.

Even if Lehman’s acquisition this time easily exceeds 20 billion US dollars, the financial method formed by using commercial real estate is prone to sudden death due to overcold conditions.

Fang Zhuo roughly has a clearer outline of how Lehman died. It is estimated that subprime debt + commercial real estate + the opponent's upgrade to the referee level can make such an investment banking giant collapse.

A day later, while there was still time for the Rockets' second round of the playoffs, Fang Zhuo called a few friends and sincerely invited them to come to watch the game at home 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 lost by 2 points and were almost dragged into a tiebreaker.

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

When Fang Zhuo called Xiao Ao, Xiao Ao knew that the Rockets were going to play the first team in the regular season this round, so he still politely refused.

No insurance, no insurance, just be a big fan on the phone.

Fang Zhuo had expected this.

However, he, as the boss, actually has a psychological advantage over the Mavericks. If I remember correctly, this Mavericks team has been very powerful historically, ranking first in the regular season, but was defeated by the eighth-ranked Warriors in the first round of the playoffs. Overturned, it became the famous "Black Eight".

Coincidentally, the coach of the Warriors team that created Black Eight history is the current Rockets' Nelson.

Nelson spent six years personally training the Mavericks' ace player Nowitzki, and he knows the latter thoroughly.

Fang Zhuo felt that by fanning his wings, the Mavericks could avoid being nailed to the shameful frame of "Black Eight". Charging interest in the second round should be something that both parties can accept.

After being rejected by O'Brien, he called Summers at the New York Economic Institute.

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 chat with Summers about the New York Economic Research Institute's research report on dystocia.

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 Economic Exchange. However, this field continued to undergo drastic changes, and even he could not give a very definite direction.

This report has not been released for a long time.

Fang Zhuo provided a new idea.

It’s difficult to write such a big proposition. How about we try writing about Lehman’s commercial real estate acquisition case?

Let the New York Economic Institute, an objective and independent third party, study the research situation and see when it is appropriate to release the report after a period of time.

Summers was still not interested. What he wanted to do was to study social economy. What was there to write about an ordinary acquisition?

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

Fang Zhuo thinks it is feasible and anyone can join, even if it is a Harvard student. As long as the general direction is right and there is Summers' endorsement, they can find the media to add fuel to the fire.

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

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

When Fang Zhuo was sitting in the audience and was captured by the camera and appeared on the big screen, boos erupted in the arena.

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

Team Rocket formed the Trident.

Who is holding this trident?

Compared with Nelson, the quiet head coach off the court, Fang Zhuo, the boss who often stirs up public opinion, has a greater sense of presence.

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

"Brother Fang, do you think this is a good game?" Jay Chou, who was sitting next to him, had been playing with the team for quite some time. Now that he was actually facing the Mavericks, the number one team in the regular season, his palms were sweaty.

"It's easy to fight." Fang Zhuo said firmly.

really……

The fourth quarter is over.

The Rockets lost by 9 points.

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

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

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

The local sports media of the Mavericks have already come to interview with smiles and microphones.

"Fang, are you still confident that the Rockets will win three consecutive championships?"

Fang Zhuo answered with the usual two words.

The reporter asked again: "Then do you still have confidence that the Rockets will surpass the Mavericks, who are 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 was not 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 handing 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 and was not afraid at all. He took 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 at his T-shirt and roar "Why not".

The response from the Mavericks boss was as weak as the response from the Mavericks at home.

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 to shout "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.

At the end of the game, Fang Zhuo quickly ended his immersive experience and received the once again optimized Yike Mars.

Also, there is a capacitive screen touch screen mobile phone sold by South Korea's LG.

This LG mobile phone is co-branded with the fashion brand Prada. It is designed to play with fashion and create light luxury taste. In addition to the touch screen, it can only run simple JAVA programs.

In Fang Zhuo's view, this was because he didn't want to make a good mobile phone, and since it was not sold in the United States, it was only sent to the boss as an example of Yike's research on the market.

On May 19, the fourth game started.

Fang Zhuo was shouting vigorously in the first quarter when 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 can help solve the battery problem and wants to acquire it."

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

Liu Zonghong took the order and left.

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

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

Fang Zhuo stopped waving the Rockets flag and moved his hands, wondering whether to laugh or cry: "What does this mean? Teacher Xu has gone bad."

He mused amidst the cheers from the audience: "You asked Silicon Valley to prepare for a conference call, and called Mr. Yu and others to attend the discussion in the evening. As far as I know, the battery abnormality problem is also related to the system. I need Silicon Valley Give me a strong reason for the acquisition that I can understand.”

You can't just buy it when the teacher says, you have to struggle for a while.

Liu Zonghong once again took orders and retreated.

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

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 begun to complain about the game arrangement, believing that the 2-3-2 playoff schedule was unreasonable. He obviously had the home court advantage, but his opponents actually enjoyed three home games in the middle, which made the situation difficult. .

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

When Fang Zhuo was interviewed after the team took the lead, 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 certain to win, but that we will always have a champion." heart of."

"Why not?"

"Yes, we can!"

Fang Zhuo said Xiao Ao's declaration for preparing for the election.

These two sentences go well together and are very suitable to be said together.

It would be best if both of us can talk about it together during the finals.

It's not arrogance, it's sportsmanship.

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

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

On this day, in the UEFA Champions League final held at the Olympic Stadium in Athens, Greece, AC Milan players roared "Why not" after scoring a goal, breaking the championship spirit.

While Fang Zhuo was launching media promotions, he considered that if he won the championship in June, it would be okay to use this sentence as the theme or part of the theme of the Yike press conference that followed.