“Put ‘Career High’ in the title you stubborn bastard. Do you think I’m playing around here? Just do it!”, Adam Silver yells at me through our forced Skype chat, his face contorted with rage.
“I defy you!”, I respond coolly, my face not betraying my inner fear.
“DO IT!”
“I shall always defy you!”
“Defiance will get you nowhere, DownToBuck. I AM the NBA. I wield the power here, and you are nothing but a minor cog in the machinery of MY league. You know what we do to content creators who don’t follow our orders?”
I know all too well. I turn to look at the framed picture I have of Stylish80, cut down in the prime of his highlight-making career. I try to not let Silver’s subtle threat of a similar fate affect my words. “You will do nothing, and you know it. Nik Stauskas will surely score at least 20 before the season is up, thanks to your failed project, the 76ers.”
I have gone too far. The commissioner’s eyes widen threateningly behind his glasses. “Don’t speak to me about my team like that! They’re not tanking! They’re rebuilding, and it HAS BEEN A ROUSING SUCCESS!”, he screams as he puts his face right up to the camera. “You WILL indicate that Nik has a career high tonight! Must you always think of yourself?”. His voice suddenly grows soft and pleading. “Think of the Canadian views we, no, YOU, would be missing out on, DownToBuck! All those views… gone! Poof! Just like that!”
I am not fooled by his display. “Screw you, Adam.”
“FINE! It will be YOUR downfall!” he shouts as he runs a finger slowly across his neck. The chat ends, and I am left alone in my darkened room. My cat, Japurri Purrker, wanders over to me and meows.
“That’s right, Japurri. No career high for Mr. Stauskas tonight. We shall see if Silver is a man of his word.”