"Everyone heard that, as a coach, he actually blamed the loss on the players. He's implying that our children aren't good enough…" Greer took the opportunity to twist George's words.
The row of sponsors seated below almost all had children playing on the team. At this moment, hearing Greer's instigation, they all turned their spearhead towards George.
As parents, who would want to admit that their child is not capable?
Looking at the agitated crowd below, George quickly explained, "I didn't say your children aren't capable. In fact, they've worked hard enough this year. I meant to say that they could have become even better."
George had actually fantasized about it before: if the team had a few more talented players like Mike, it would be much easier for the team to achieve good results.
In football, sometimes the power of talent is indeed more useful than effort.
And now, in the Medford Team, there are indeed few truly talented people.
A clever housewife cannot cook without rice; given the current situation of the Medford Team, it was clearly asking too much for George to achieve greater honors.
However, the team's sponsors didn't care about this. They only knew that the team's performance this year was good, and there was a great chance to achieve even better results.
This involved a matter of expectations.
So, in some ways, the team's good performance this year became George's vulnerability to attack.
At this point, Greer continued to instigate, "Everyone heard it, right? He admitted it himself, saying our children aren't good enough."
This time, the sponsors' emotions were stirred up again.
No matter how George tried to explain that he didn't mean it that way, how could his one mouth argue against a dozen mouths below the stage?
Finally, George couldn't even get a word in and could only stand helplessly on the stage. He looked as if he was enduring a public criticism session from the crowd below.
"How can they be like this!" Outside the door, Georgie clenched his fists, expressing his dissatisfaction.
"This really can't go on…" Mike said, pushing open the conference room door and walking in.
Seeing a young, handsome student walk in, the sponsors quieted down for a moment, then began to speculate about the newcomer's identity.
"I want to remind everyone of one thing: this year, the Medford Team achieved its best results ever." Mike scanned the crowd below and continued, "George absolutely deserves credit for the team achieving such good results, so you have no reason to criticize him now.
On the contrary, if you want the team to achieve better results, you should continue to support George's work…"
Hearing Mike's words, the sponsors below all fell silent. In fact, they didn't have that much dissatisfaction with George; Greer was the one who started it all.
Seeing the sponsors' attitudes showing a tendency to change, Greer quickly said, "Kid, don't think I don't know your relationship with the Coopers. You're all in this together, so of course, you'll side with him…"
With that, Greer explained Mike's identity to the sponsors.
Afterward, he continued, "Moreover, in the last game, if George hadn't made you the quarterback, the team might not have lost. Your performance on the defensive end was simply criminal… So, both of you have a large part of the responsibility for the team's failure."
Anyone who could sit here was at least a football enthusiast, and they had all obviously watched the last game.
Although these people's football knowledge wasn't very professional, they could all understand some basic tactical arrangements.
At this moment, they finally connected Mike with the quarterback from the last game. Regarding the absurd tactic of the quarterback not defending in the last game, some people also began to express their opinions.
Of course, these opinions were not positive.
Mike saw the reactions of the crowd in his eyes, and he had no intention of indulging them: "For the last game, I believe anyone who watched it knows what the team's situation was. Do you think anyone could have done better than me in that situation?"
Passing the buck, who can't do that?
Moreover, Mike's performance in the last game was clear for all to see. Any discerning person could tell that if it weren't for his teammates' lack of effort, he would have gone even further.
"Even if you have some skill, your non-defensive strategy in the last game was definitely the key to the team's loss. You have to take responsibility for this…" Greer remained stubborn.
He hadn't forgotten the grudge from last time when Mike sent his son to the hospital.
Looking at the aggressive corners of his mouth, Mike retorted, "What responsibility do I need to take? In that situation, would changing the quarterback allow the team to beat Austin? Can your son do that?"
Mike indicated that he was not taking the blame.
Since the other party was so targeting him, Mike didn't mind dragging the other party's son, Sam, out for a public shaming.
"You, you're just quibbling…" Greer was exasperated. However, he also had to admit that his son's football skill was simply no match for the other party's.
If Sam had been put in that situation, the result would only have been worse.
However, Greer would not admit he was wrong, and he remained stubborn: "If Sam undergoes training, he will definitely become a qualified quarterback. At least he won't let his teammates give up resistance on the defensive end."
"Heh. You also said 'after training,' but where would he have had time to train in that situation? You're the one who's quibbling…" Mike said with a sarcastic look.
Moreover, from Mike's understanding of Sam, even if he underwent training, it would be difficult for him to become an excellent quarterback.
Being the team's "brain" is not that easy.
"Alright, Mike. Don't say any more…" George pulled Mike and shook his head slightly.
As the team's coach, George did not want to involve any particular player in the conflict, even if that person was Sam.
Afterward, George no longer wanted to deal with the sponsors. So, he called Mike, and they left the conference room together.
George now wanted to go find the principal to see what his attitude was, as the coach's salary was decided by the school, and there was no need to continue arguing with the sponsors.
After leaving, the two met up with Georgie, and the three of them went to the principal's office door together.
"You two don't go in, I want to talk to the principal alone," Georgie said seriously.
Without waiting for their reply, George entered the principal's office alone.
"George, you're here. Would you like a cup of coffee?" Principal Tom asked with a smile when he saw George walk in.
"No, thank you." George shook his head, stood opposite the desk, and got straight to the point: "I want to know how the school plans to arrange me next."
Principal Tom looked at George opposite him, remained silent for a moment, and then said, "You also know the school's situation; sports funding has always been insufficient. This time, those sponsors donated a large sum of money to the school. This money is enough to update all the football team's training equipment. With good equipment, the football team's strength will also improve next year…"
Insufficient funding for public middle schools is indeed a big problem. As principal, Tom, for the sake of his own achievements, had to selectively appease the sponsors when necessary.
In the current situation of the football team, bringing in sponsorship for the team would also be counted as part of the principal's performance.
Listening to the principal's rambling, George frowned. He interrupted the other party's speech and continued to ask, "I just want to know what the school's arrangement is for me?"
"Considering the sponsors' feelings, the school has decided to let you serve as an assistant coach first." This time, Principal Tom finally answered the question directly.