The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

[trekfan]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

Rapid Reaction: Bobcats 109, Rockets 64


By Aaron Vickers |ESPN.com


February 11, 2014



HOUSTON -- The Rockets played a good first quarter, jumping out to a 23-18 lead.


After that, they ran out of fuel. The early lead was due to the absence of defensive stopper MKG, who tallied three quick fouls in the first quarter and was forced to miss the rest of the second half. With him out Josh Smith had his way with the Bobcats.


But then the Bobcats shifted Evans to the three and put Jared Cunningham on James Harden. The lineup was very effective as Cunningham shut down Harden, who finished with only seven points on 2-of-14 shooting. Harden’s ineffectiveness and cold shooting made this game a joke by halftime.


For the Bobcats, Nerlens Noel continued his domination with 22 points and 10 boards, while Tyreke Evans scored 19 points. Both were named All-Stars earlier in the week, both earning their first births in the game.


Here are three takeaways from this game:

No MKG, No Problem


In what has to be a very comforting thing, at least for one game, is that the Bobcats bench stepped up in a big way with MKG held out of the first half due to his three fouls. Cunningham played well in his place, scoring 14 points and dishing out four assists.

60 is the New 50


The Bobcats have been on a hot streak of late, shooting above 50 percent most of the time over the last month. That trend continued in a big way as the Bobcats shot 60 percent from the field in this game and hit 40 percent of their three-pointers. The Rockets only hit 33 percent of their shots and missed every three-pointer they took.

Not Bored with Boards


The Bobcats continue to emphasize tough, gritty, inside play with Noel, pulling down 52 rebounds and making the frontcourt of the Rockets look very small.

[trekfan]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

Rapid Reaction: Heat 117, Bobcats 112


By Aaron Vickers |ESPN.com


February 13, 2014



MIAMI -- The game was a hard fought one and one that went back and forth a lot during the fourth quarter. The Heat started out the game on fire as Lebron helped them jump out to a big 27-16 lead in the first quarter. The Bobcats were turning the ball over and struggling to contain the Heat’s explosive offense.


That changed in the second when the Bobcats gave the ball to Tyreke Evans. Evans responded by dominating the Heat, putting on a one man show and scoring 19 points in the second quarter alone. The Bobcats had closed the gap to six by halftime. They went back to Evans out of the break but he was getting double-teamed.


That was all right. Evans began passing the ball and finding Nerlens Noel, who throttled the Heat interior after getting into foul trouble in the first half. Noel and MKG would be the recipient of Evans' passes. They converted early and often in the third, helping the Bobcats close the gap to three.


In the fourth, the game became another epic between these squads. The quarter started out with both sides exchanging turnovers before Ramon Sessions got the ball and jacked up a tying three. With the Bobcats now tied, the game changed into who could pull away for the win.


The game became a game of one upmanship between Lebron and Tyreke. Both players competed with one another at an incredible level, exchanging layups and dunks. The two players just couldn’t be stopped. With less than ten seconds left in the game Lebron drove in, dished to Ray Allen, who hit a three to give the Heat a two point lead with seven seconds left.


A quick timeout later and the Bobcats ran their own play. Evans got the ball, was promptly double teamed, and passed it to a cutting Ramon Sessions who nailed the easy layup with three seconds left.


The Heat couldn’t get a good shot up and overtime was here. The Bobcats lost the tip and the teams went back to exchanging buckets. With two minutes to go Chris Bosh fouled out, forcing the Heat to go to Joel Anthony at the center spot.


Anthony bothered Noel in a way Bosh couldn’t and the Bobcats couldn’t get Noel involved. Evans would drive in and dish, but the open shots were being missed. Eventually, a Ray Allen three with twenty seconds to go would stretch the Heat lead to five and that’s where it would stay.


James finished with 41 points, seven rebounds, and 10 assists. Wade finished with 33 points, five rebounds, and five assists.


Evans finished with 39 points, eight rebounds, and 12 assists. Noel finished with 22 points and three boards. MKG finished with 23 points and six boards.


Here are three takeaways from the game:

A Classic


It’s never been written before but it’s true: the Heat and Bobcats played in a regular season classic that had everything you could want. Drama, comebacks, hard fouls, nasty play, unbelievable star performances, and a finish that left you feeling just as exhilarated as you were exhausted. This has to be the first such time that has ever been said about the Bobcats.

Williams a No-Show


Derrick Williams had his breakout game against the Heat earlier this season but in this game he was nonexistent. Williams finished with a meek five points and five rebounds, missing most of his shots. Williams nickname of “The Sequel” reminded us more of Episode II than it did of Episode V this game.

Sessions Clutch


Ramon Sessions only scored five points too but he scored them at the best of times. One three to tie the game early in the fourth and a layup that sent the game into overtime. The rest of the time Sessions left the scoring to Evans and Noel … he dished out seven assists and gathered nine boards in an effort that won’t be forgotten anytime soon.

[TJVMagicUconn]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

great stories and is there anyway I could get this roster

[trekfan]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

great stories and is there anyway I could get this roster

The Rosters are the default rosters that 2k used ... uh, circa early February when I started this.

[BraedenG33]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

Just caught up with the storyline, its a great read just like andy mccutcheon, definitely following.

[Bamafanforlife]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

I'm loving this. Great job man, looking forward to seeing the big future Noel should have in front of him. Also, it'd be great if you could tell me what draft classes you're using?

Thanks in advance, and keep up the great work!

[Liam_93]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

Got caught up with the story and it is brilliant. I feel for Desmond, man does that guy have a troubled past. Really excited to see what happens next.

[trekfan]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

2014 All Star Lineups

East


Dwayne Wade (Heat, 9^th Selection)
Kyrie Irving (Cavs, 2^nd Selection)
Lebron James (Heat, 10^th Selection)
Carmelo Anthony (Knicks, 7^th Selection)
Greg Monroe ( Pistons, 2^nd Selection)
John Wall (Wizards, 1^st Selection)
Tyreke Evans (Bobcats, 1^st Selection)
Evan Turner (76ers, 1^st Selection)
Amar’e Stoudemire (Knicks, 7^th Selection)
Nerlens Noel (Rookie-Bobcats, 1^st Selection)
Jrue Holiday (76ers, Second Selection)
Goran Dragic (Bucks, 1^st Selection)



West


Russell Westbrook (Thunder, 4^th Selection)
Chris Paul (Clippers, 7^th Selection)
Kevin Durant (Thunder, 4^th Selection)
Kevin Love (Timberwolves, 4^th Selection)
Dwight Howard (Mavs, 8^th Selection)
Brandon Jennings (Suns, 1^st Selection)
James Harden (Rockets, 2^nd Selection)
Josh Smith (Rockets, 2^nd Selection)
Blake Griffin (Clippers, 4^th Selection)
Demarcus Cousins (Kings, 1^st Selection)
Stephen Curry (Warriors, 1^st Selection)
Damian Lillard (Trail Blazers, 1^st Selection)




Quick Hits:


1. NBA executives around the league are predicting an even quieter trade deadline than last season. "It's been rendered moot," said one Eastern Conference GM. "In past years teams could find at least on buyer for expensive players but now with the luxury tax, no one wants to touch them."


2. JR Smith, Kevin Martin, Aaron Brooks, Nate Robinson, DJ Augustin, and Vince Carter still remain in free agency. Each of these players has significant NBA experience and some (like Martin) are even coming off championship teams ... yet no NBA team has given them a chance this year. Why? "It's because they want too much money," said one Western Conference GM. "All these players want to get paid a couple of million for just this year alone ... none of them have been particularly reliable in certain aspects of the game. It's going to take a significant injury to bring one of these guys into the game."



3. It's a three dog race between Miami, Charlotte, and Chicago for top spot in the East. All three teams project to be pretty close to one another as the season ends and it should be interesting to see who can secure that precious home court advantage as the rest of the season plays out.

[trekfan]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story


2-20-14

Michael Jordan rushed into the locker room and though he should have been happy, he wasn’t. They had just won against the Hawks and it was a game till the very end. Atlanta shot their way back into the game in the fourth but clutch play from Noel and MKG helped stave off the Hawks.


But MKG took a nasty fall with thirteen seconds left in the game. He went straight to the locker room.


That’s where Michael was now. The mood in the place was enough to tell him that it was serious. The team was young and they feasted on victories like this … it was more a college atmosphere most nights than it was a professional one. Michael didn’t mind that as long as they won.


But the lack of celebration was missed tonight.


Michael made his way to the trainer’s room and watched through the glass door as MKG writhed on the table. The head trainer, Evan Reeves, stepped out. Reeves was short, about 5’2, but he knew his stuff … Gold had hired him earlier in the year to take over their training staff. He knew Reeves from their time in college together.


Reeves saw Michael before him and merely motioned for him to follow. Michael did. The two went into the back hallway, out of earshot of the rest of the players.


“Well?” Michael asked impatiently.


“He took a bad fall. We’ll have confirmation in a few minutes but I’m sure it’s broken.”


“What’s broken?”


“His arm,” Reeves answered. “And I mean broken like a plate dropped from a skyscraper. It wasn’t clean.”


Michael closed his eyes for a moment. “Pain?”


“A lot of it. He’s trying to bear it but I’m going to force meds on him before we’re done here if he doesn’t accept them. He’s not gonna be able to recover in the state he’s in now.”


“Recovery time?”


Reeves hesitated.


Michael pushed. “Recovery time?”


“He’s out the rest of the regular season for sure.”


It was like a punch to the gut. Michael slapped the wall with his open palm. “Damn!”


MKG was a huge part of the team’s success. He played relentless defense, fought for every board, and he had a nose for the ball. “What about the playoffs?”


“Probably a long shot but possible,” Reeves answered.


Michael nodded, but the gears in his mind were already turning. With MKG out that would mean a major lineup shift for the rest of the season. They could make a move to bring someone in but it’d be a panic one at best.


He’d leave it up to Gold. But he wasn’t going to force anything on the man. “Thanks,” Michael said with little enthusiasm. He walked down the empty hallway, alone, his mind weighed down.


With MKG gone, making the playoffs was no longer guaranteed. It was likely but it wasn’t guaranteed.


They were the Bobcats after all.

[trekfan]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

Rapid Reaction: Suns 98, Bobcats 92


By Aaron Vickers |ESPN.com


March 1, 2014



CHARLOTTE -- The Bobcats are struggling and have now dropped their third game straight. The Suns came out and started off hot, knocking down threes at a high clip from the beginning of the game. The Bobcats couldn’t quite get the adjustments they needed in order to slow down the barrage.


Brandon Jennings of the Suns scored 26 points, lighting up Ramon Sessions from all over the floor. Jennings, a dark horse MVP candidate, continues to battle to help bring the Suns up to a respectable record before the end of the season.


For the Bobcats Nerlens Noel again showed why he was the first rookie since Blake Griffin to get voted into the All-Star game, finishing with 25 points and 13 boards. Tyreke Evans had 16 points and 11 boards, but suffered a cold second half.


Ben Gordon, brought into the starting role at the two-spot thanks to the injury to MKG, scored only four points and was generally underwhelming. Gordon had difficulty finding his shot all night and the offense stayed away from him in the second-half.


Here are three takeaways from the game:


Missing MKG


The Bobcats are suffering in the absence of MKG. With Ben Gordon now manning the two and Evans manning the three, the mix has so far resulted in a 2-3 record in the last five games. GM Ronnie Gold declined to make a move at the deadline, like most GMs, and the team may suffer for it.


Miami Pulling Away


On the mind of every player on the Bobcats is the Miami Heat, who are now three games ahead of the Bobcats for the division. News of the Heat’s win broke during the third quarter of the game and you could just feel the arena lose its swagger. This is a young team, one that has much talent, but the Heat represent a difficult obstacle for them to overcome.


Bobcats Get Outrebounded


The Bobcats one again lost the rebound battle, 43-57, and this marks the fourth time in five games that has occurred. Without the presence of MKG to bang for those loose boards from the three spot it seems as if the Bobcats are going to have to get creative to win a battle they’ve won handily for most of the year.

[trekfan]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story


3-15-14

Ronnie paced back and forth, waiting for the call. He glanced back at the TV and frowned. They had lost.


Again.


Since MKG had gone down they had seen more losses than wins. It was hard for Ronnie to believe that one player could derail the season they were having but that injury might just do it. They were going to make the playoffs of course … Jordan was worried they’d miss but this was the East: the only way you missed the playoffs is if you were truly horrible.


No, they would make the playoffs. They would get one of the top four seeds at least. But they wanted the top seed, they wanted to control their own destiny … but more and more it looked like that control was out of their reach. The injury to MKG was part of that.


Desmond leaving was another part of that.


He’d been off the grid for what felt like forever. No one had heard from him. No one had seen him. It was like he didn’t exist. But he did exist and Ronnie couldn’t just let him go and get himself killed. They were friends and they had built this, together.


At the moment the only one who was getting any sort of credit was Ronnie though and that was wrong.


But he could fix that. He could fix this if he could just find Desmond.


Which is why he went out and hired the closest thing to Scooby Doo he could … a private eye. A detective for hire. Someone who wasn’t afraid to go looking in ways Ronnie wasn’t capable of. His man had been on the job for nearly two months now. The trail had gone cold but Ronnie had been told a few days ago that might change.


His phone rang.


Ronnie whipped it out and answered it. “Hello?”


“It’s me,” answered a soothing voice on the other end of the line. Private Eye Matt Gilley, a former Marine and a bodyguard. Ronnie had made some inquires with other executives in the league about whom he could trust with a sensitive situation and Gilley was the first name to come up.


Even NBA executives needed a private eye sometimes.


“Any news?”


“Our boy is holding up in a rat motel outside some no-name town in New Mexico. He’s waiting for someone.”


“Waiting for who?” Ronnie asked, a feeling of dread crawling over him.


“Gerard would be my guess. The motel has absolutely no one else in it … he’s the only one there. Everyone else has cleared out.”


Ronnie cupped his forehead. “Okay, okay … what should we do?”


“I can go and get him. Drag his butt back there. It’ll cost extra, of course, but I figure you don’t mind.”


Ronnie didn’t have to take long to consider it. “No, I don’t mind. Get him and get him back here. He can be pissed at me later … I’m not going to let him commit suicide just to appease these people.”


“Understood. I’ll call you when we’re on the road.” Gilley hung up.


Ronnie took a deep breath.


****


Desmond spun the coin again on the table. The sound of it was soothing. It was better than the silence. Better than the waiting. This was it.


This was the night where it was going to end.


He had run as long as he could. He had fought off more and more goons.

Finally, Gerard had agreed to meet. It would be here, in this place, in just a little while.


It would be here that Desmond would end Gerard’s violent, twisted life … it would be here his life would end as well more than likely.


He reached under the table and checked the gun taped to the underside. It was still there.


He glanced over at the bed. There was another hidden there as well, between the box and the mattress.


He was ready. He was ready to end this.


Once it was over, no one else would be at risk because of his past crimes.

He had paid everyone at the hotel to leave. They gladly took his money and that was fine. Desmond had plenty of it and frankly wasn’t going to need it after tonight.


You couldn’t take wealth to the afterlife.


The coin stopped its spinning and fell to the table.


Desmond’s hand hovered over it again, about to pick it up, when he saw something moving outside his window.


It was quick but it got his attention.


He picked up the pistol on the table and cocked it back. His finger hovered over the trigger. A sense of familiarity washed over him. This was what he had done for years.


He reached for the door and opened it slowly.


The night air hit him. It was chilly and there wasn’t a lot of moonlight. The parking lot lights were the only things that lit up the darkness and it was a murky light, the kind that made it hard to see much farther than a few feet.
Desmond stepped forward but a hand shot out, grabbing his gun and disarming him in the same motion.


Desmond stepped back, prepared to pull his reserve from under the table, but a man stepped forward.


A man who was not part of Gerard’s gang. He was white for one, an

automatic disqualifier for Gerard, and he carried himself differently than any thug Desmond had ever seen.


“Desmond,” the man said, completely at ease.


“Who are you?”


“We have a mutual friend who’s very worried about you. I’m here to take you away from this place before you get yourself killed.” The man stepped inside the room, his movement deliberate. “We can do this nicely or not.” He

dropped Desmond’s gun to the floor and cracked his knuckles. “Let’s do this nicely.”


Desmond cracked a smile. “Ronnie sent you.”


“He did.”


Desmond shook his head. “He doesn’t know when to take a hint … I told him to leave me alone. He’s just going to get himself hurt.”


“The only one who’s attempting to do that is you.” The man narrowed his eyes. “We need to go.”


“And if I say no?”


“Then we do things the hard way. And I used to be in the Marines, so when I say hard, I mean it.”


The two men stared at one another for a long moment.


Desmond didn’t like being threatened. He didn’t like this guy.


“I’m not leaving.” He sat down in a nearby chair and crossed his legs.


The man took a half step forward before a shot rang out.


A blood stain appeared on the man’s chest.


Desmond dropped to the floor as the man fell forward to his knees, his hand

clutching at his wound.


“You didn’t tell we’d be having guests, Desmond,” Gerard said from beyond the doorway.


Another shot rang out and the man crumpled to the ground, a hole in his head.


The blood slowly leaked out from the wounds as Gerard’s men flooded the room, all six of them armed with assault rifles. Gerard stepped in behind them, dressed in black and gold, and his pistol was still smoking. He always had a warped sense of style.


Gerard looked at the gun taped under the table for an instant but put the idea out of his head. He’d never get a shot off at Gerard before he was mowed down.


“Stand up,” Gerard ordered.


Desmond did as he was told. He smirked as he saw Gerard’s face. “Still got those scars.”


Gerard smirked back at him, touching the scars on his face from the last time the two had met. “I kept them as a memento.”


“They look good on you.”


“So do yours.”


Gerard looked at the man on the floor and bent down, rummaging through his pockets. He found his wallet and took out the man’s cash in it.


“Still as petty as ever,” Desmond said with disgust.


“He’s not going to use it,” Gerard responded. He pulled out the man’s cell phone. “Who was this guy working for, I wonder?”


“Who says he was working for anyone? He just wandered in here, looking for change for the ice machine,” Desmond lied. He had to keep Gerard away from Ronnie.


Gerard smirked. “His wallet says differently … Matt Gilley, private detective … private detectives don’t need change for ice machines.” He walked up to Desmond and leaned into his ear. “I’ll find whomever sent him. I don’t like people messing with my business.”


Desmond grabbed him by the collar but it lasted for only a few seconds.
The back end of an assault rifle came crashing into the back of Desmond’s head, blurring his vision and sending him to his knees.


“Oh, don’t worry, old friend … we’ll have plenty of time to catch up. I’m going to make you live a long, long time … and you’ll only be alive so I can watch you die. Slowly.”


Desmond felt another blow to the back of his head and he fell all the way to floor.


He had failed.


And there was nothing he could do about it.

[trekfan]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

Rapid Reaction: Bobcats 94, Knicks 89


By Aaron Vickers |ESPN.com


March 17, 2014



NEW YORK -- It was a rare win for a struggling Bobcats team and one that couldn’t have come at a better time. The Bobcats came into Madison Square Garden carrying a dreadful 2-7 record over the last nine games, one of those losses coming in a heartbreaking one point loss to the Knicks last week.


But they avenged that loss tonight and it all started with the play of Nerlens Noel, who again dominated on the inside as the NBA is growing accustomed to seeing. The young big scored 22 points, nabbed 14 boards, and dished out seven assists in a game where he was a key cog in getting the Bobcats the lead and making sure they never lost it.


Tyreke Evans stepped up behind him with 18 points, eight boards, and eight assists, as the two stars of the team meshed beautifully for the win.


For New York, nothing was easy. Carmelo Anthony scored 20 points and nabbed five rebounds, but couldn’t get his teammates involved in the offense. The rest of the Knicks struggled to get going in the first half and the Bobcats built and impressive 52-37 lead at halftime. In the second half the Knicks got going but by then it was too late.


Here are three takeways from the game:

Nine Lives


The Bobcats just wouldn’t let the ball get into the Knicks hands, grabbing 24 second chance points on 11 offensive rebounds. The battle of the boards is an important one for this team and the big men inside did their job tonight, keeping the Knicks off the boards.

Eyes Ahead


During halftime news broke of Dwayne Wade’s injury, a broken back, and the Heat’s loss. Wade is expected to be out for the rest of the regular season and possibly the first few weeks of the playoffs, leaving the precious number one seed and division title up for grabs for the first time since the All-Star Break.

Bobcats Got Bench


The Bobcats bench again showed themselves superior to the competition, scoring 21 points to the Knicks 16. Psycho T led the way with eight points, four rebounds, and two steals. His energy was infectious and the rest of the bench fed off him.

[trekfan]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story


3-31-14



She watched him, silently, as he worked at his computer. He wasn’t putting in as much effort into it as he normally would. He was worried about something but what he wasn’t saying.


At least, he wasn’t saying it to her. Whatever was going on was weighing on him. He wasn’t sleeping well, constantly tossing and turning, and he wasn’t eating much. He was getting wound up like he would when things were going badly on the basketball court.


Things weren’t going too badly though. Yesterday the team beat the Heat in a nasty 78-70 grind out affair and it exactly what they needed. They were tied now for the division lead and the number one seed … the rest of the season would be a race to see who could lock it down.


Ronnie wasn’t happy about it though. He had watched the game in virtual silence. He wasn’t talking to her. He wasn’t talking about much of anything … he was trying, bless his heart, but he wasn’t saying anything meaningful.


She bit her lip for a moment, not sure if she should go through with what she was thinking. He was zoned out in front of his computer.


He had left his phone on the dining room table.


She was curious and she was concerned.


If he wasn’t going to tell her, she’d just find out on her own.


Resolute in her decision, she went back into the dining room and picked up his phone. It was password protected of course but he was still using the same password he had been since they started dating.


She typed it in and held her breath.


What if she discovered something here she wasn’t prepared for?


What if he wasn’t worried about something but about someone?


She put the idea out of her head and proceeded. Ronnie was many things but a cheat he wasn’t. A sore loser, yes, but never a cheater … he did whine like a baby when he lost though.


She scrolled through his recent messages. They were to Jordan.

“No call in over two weeks, what happened?” read one message.


Jordan responded, “No one has heard from him. Something’s wrong. I can have people over there.”

“No,” Ronnie typed back. “Liz doesn’t know, not sure how to tell her. I need to tell her first.”

“Then do it. Quickly,” Jordan texted back.


That was the end of their most recent conversation.


But it was enough to confirm to her that something was going on.

Something that they needed protection from.


She marched into his room, phone in hand, and tossed it at him. “Explain this.”


He looked at her and then at the phone. Rather than anger, his eyes took on sadness. “I’m sorry, Liz … I just didn’t know how to say it.”


“Say what?” She demanded.


And then he explained it to her.


All of it.


It was a lot to take in. How someone like Desmond, who appeared so

normal, could have been something so horrible in a past life. Yet, even with his crimes, Ronnie counted him as a friend. Ronnie didn’t abandon his friends … a trait she loved but it had its drawbacks sometimes.


This was one of those times.


“Ronnie,” she finally managed to say, “what are we going to do?”


He picked up his phone. “We’ll call Jordan, we’ll get that security, and we’ll be okay.” He reached over and grabbed her hand, giving it a comforting squeeze. “He’s the greatest player of all time … he’s dealt with his share of threats.”


She nodded, but that was all she could manage.


She understood why he was so worried now.


She was worried too.

[trekfan]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story


4-5-14



Michael poured himself another glass and looked over at Ronnie. “You want more?”


The young man shook his head. The two were taking in the game from Michael’s mansion tonight. The Bobcats were facing off against the 76ers and the game was going well. Michael was sure they would win with the way Derrick Williams was playing. The kid was having a good game and was shooting the three ball like nothing else.


Michael sat down, glass of Scotch in his hand, and set the drink down. “How has security been treating you?”


“Fine … it’s a little weird.”


“It always is at first.” Michael reflected back on his first time getting

assigned security. “At least they’re there to protect you.”


“Well, they’re doing a good job.” Ronnie eyed the TV for a long moment. “What are we going to do about Gilley and Desmond?”


Michael frowned. He didn’t want to discuss either situation. “Let’s focus on the game.”


“We’re winning.” Ronnie turned his gaze towards him. “What are we going to do about Gilley and Desmond?”


He was asking a question Michael only had part of an answer to. It was an

answer he didn’t like but he didn’t have much choice in the matter. Ronnie was putting him on the spot … so he’d answer. “Gilley’s body was pulled out

of a river three days ago.”


Ronnie’s face went white. “Bo … Body?”


Michael downed his glass. “He was shot twice.”


“Desmond?”


“No sign of him.”


Silence overtook both men. Ronnie leaned back in his chair, his face pale. “I got him killed,” he whispered to himself.


Michael shook his head. “You did nothing. Gerard and his boys pulled the trigger.”


“I told him to get Desmond, I put him there.”


Michael could hear the engine of the guilt train express revving up. He wasn’t about to let him go down this path. “You did nothing. Focus on what we can deal with now.”


Ronnie’s eyes fell to the carpet for a brief second before he nodded. “Right, right … focus on the present. Not the past.” He looked at Michael. “How did you know?”


“Know what?” Michael asked with minor annoyance. The Bobcats had just let the 76ers nail an uncontested three. He hated it when the defense fell asleep on the perimeter but it was happening more often since MKG went out.


“Know that you wanted to get married.”


Michael’s attention was fully on Ronnie now. “The first or second time?”


Ronnie’s face scrunched up. “I don’t know … the second.”


“I had to ask myself if I could stand seeing her married to another man. The answer was no.” His eyes drifted to their wedding picture on the wall to the left of him. “The first time was … too easy. We had a physical connection but there was never much of a deeper understanding there. I needed a running mate and she was more Charles Oakley than Scottie Pippen.”


Ronnie smirked. “So, Yvette is your Scottie.”


Michael offered a shrug. “More or less, yeah. We work well together and we complement each other … I love her. You need to ask yourself if you feel the same way about Liz.”


“I do,” he said without hesitation. “All this stuff has made me think … maybe I’ve waited too long. Liz and I have been together for years now. We obviously work well together and I love her … she puts up with me when she really shouldn’t.”


“She’s damned understanding of you, that’s for sure,” Michael commented.

“Yvette is the same way with me … she knows I love her and I love

basketball. I have to spend time with both in order to be my best.”


“Yeah,” Ronnie said with a nod. “I think I should propose.”


Michael smiled. “If you do, this will truly be the season to remember.” Just then his phone rang and he whipped it out. It was his head of security. Michael stood from his chair and stepped back into the bar area to get himself a refill. He answered the phone as he poured himself a new drink.


“Go,” he said.


His head of security went.


Michael’s face paled. He set the bottle of Scotch on the counter and leaned on it for a moment.


“I’ll tell him. We’ll meet you there soon.” He hung up the phone and downed the rest of his glass.


He poured himself another one and downed it too.


He walked over to Ronnie and placed a firm hand on the young man’s shoulder. “Ronnie … we need to go.”


Ronnie’s face showed confusion at first but it quickly turned to concern. “Liz?”


“At the hospital.”


Ronnie rushed out his chair and towards the door.


Michael followed.



Gerard had struck.

[Undead]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

Quite literally the only reason I pop up on OS. Your **** is amazing!