Last December, I wrote about myturbulent, love-hate relationshipwith Steven Cheah.
The President of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jingping, comes to mind.
Outwardly, Jingping presents as entirely self-possesseda picture of quiet confidence and resolution.
If there’s a better summation of Steven Cheah, I’m yet to find it.
There is no other reason I make this comparison.
Is Steven worthy of our emotional investment?
But he brings it upon himself.
When you suggest bets to a growing following, you live and die by the sword.
As tempestuous as my feelings were during the season, the off-season brought an immediate peace.
It could be any car, really.
That’s just the car that popped into my head.
I have no idea what the Cheah’s drive.
But old habits die hard.
There he was, announcing “THREE WINS IN A ROW.”
But I stayed my hand, ignoring the siren’s call.
The next day, “FOUR!”
FIVE IN A ROW!"
Surely, to join the train now would mean ruin.
By the time he reached 10 straight wins (!!!
), my FOMAW (Fear Of Missing A Winner) was more than I could bear.
I joined the bandwagon…
… and immediately lost.
Karl Anthony-Towns fouls out.
Well, that’s ok!
Just the price of re-admission, I suppose.
Gotta lose one to pay my tax.
Haha, all good.
We’ll get it back tonight, right Steven?
The next night:
Huh.
I guess that’s just the way the cookie crumbles.
But I can’t lose two bets and then go quietly into that good night!
Back on the horse.
The next night:
Dude.
Are you fucking with me.
These bets aren’t even fucking close.
Dillon Brooks is out here airballing threes and Jayson Tatum has Swine Flu.
Am I the reason for this?
Will NBA players that I bet on start dying on the court?
I don’t want to be responsible for that.
Plus, by now I was with my family for Thanksgiving.
That resonated with me.
So I decided to sit out, let things cool off for a bit.
Take a breather, regain some perspective, make a sand castle.
Of course:
God damn you Steven Cheah.
Just when I think I’m out, he sucks me right back in!
Ok, fine, you win.
I’m back for…
You gotta be fucking kidding me.
At this point, it’s 100% my fault.
And by that, I mean it’s Steven Cheah’s fault.
He’s doing this on purpose.
He’s picking weak data on nights where he somehow knows I’m taking part.
What witchcraft is telling him that I’m following his bets on certain nights?
Is he a practicer ofMusok, the Korean folk religion centered around spell-casting and shamanism?
Which means I’m weak-minded for buying in to it.
Shame on Steven for manipulating me with his sorcery.
(I choseMusokas a random iteration of foreign witchcraft.
I spun a globe and my finger landed on Korea.
This is the life of Truster of the Dater.
Ups and downs, hatred and love.
Maybe this is the straw that turns the tide?
All I know is that I will continue to follow Steven Cheah until my dying breath.
And I will likely despise him for much of that ride.
But by God, we could use a win streak.
Christmas is right around the corner, and then we have the Chinese New Year!
Looks like another Year of the Dragon is coming.
Let’s hope it brings better fortune than this dismal year of the Rabbit.
Hop to it, Steven.
