Jeff looked carefully at the signature on the scarf, but he couldn't make it out. It wasn't even English. He hesitated, knowing it might be rude, but he asked, "Bambi, what... what's your name?"
He knew "Bambi" was just a nickname. He had heard the Bruins players cheering it at the end of the game last night, so he remembered it. But he had no idea what Bambi's real name was.
"Lu Ke."
"Luke?" Jeff said, confused, because Lu Ke didn't look like a person named "Luke."
"That's the pronunciation, but it's two completely different characters in Chinese," Lu Ke explained with a smile. "Actually, 'Bambi' is fine, too. At first, it was just a joke among friends, but now I've gotten used to it."
A name was just a way to be addressed. At first, Lu Ke didn't like the nickname, but gradually, he started to call himself that, too, in a self-deprecating and humorous way. This had an unexpected effect: it helped him make many friends, and his school life after immigrating gradually improved.
Now, his close friends, neighbors, and the other kids in the neighborhood also called him that.
"Lu Ke. I think I can pronounce that in Chinese. At least it's easier than 'ni hao,'" Jeff laughed heartily. After he was done laughing, Jeff hesitated for a moment, then clenched his fists and said, "If there's a bowl game, and I'm just saying 'if,' then you have to bring the Rose Bowl back to us, okay?"
The last game of the season had just ended yesterday, and the Rose Bowl was an invitational game. They still needed to discuss which team from the top four would be invited. The Bruins were ranked fourth in their conference this season, so whether they would get an invitation was still unknown. Not to mention, their potential opponents would be much stronger than they were.
Even though Jeff emphasized "if," his excitement and sincerity were palpable.
UCLA hadn't been to the Rose Bowl in a very long time. This once-great football team had been in a slump for too long. In fact, the last time they were in the Rose Bowl was in 1999, and the last time they won it was in 1986, which was so long ago that many of the students weren't even born yet.
In stark contrast, USC had won five Rose Bowls since the new millennium, including four consecutive victories in the last four years. They were a dominant force!
Every year, the Bruins had to watch their crosstown rivals win on their home turf at the Rose Bowl stadium. It was like watching the enemy celebrate a victory in your own backyard. This torment was worse than death, a form of extreme torture. This was also a major reason why the final game was so sweet. They not only beat the Trojans but also stepped on their shoulders to get into the top four.
The celebration was just getting started.
Lu Ke understood the emotion behind Jeff's request. After all, for the past three years, he and every other UCLA student had gone through the same torment. So, Lu Ke smiled and chuckled softly. "If so."
"I believe in you!" Jeff clenched his fists and pumped them twice. "Guys, we should go. Lu Ke needs to train, recover, and rest. We're getting in his way."
"Actually, you're the one to blame, okay?" Nate's retort made everyone, including Lu Ke, burst into laughter.
As they turned to leave, they were still shouting, "You're the man! Yes, you're the man!" They were cheering, jumping, and running, making the training field livelier than ever in the early morning.
After the supporters left, Lu Ke saw his training partners, John, Logan, and Marcus. All of them were there.
Lu Ke was a little surprised. A big part of the reason he was running today was because of a system mission, but what about them? "Why are you guys here?"
"Habit," Logan said first, complaining. "I woke up at 7:15. I tried to go back to sleep, but I couldn't. Bambi, this damn biological clock. I want to go back to sleep!" As he spoke, Logan deliberately ran his hands through his hair, showing a look of frustration that made Lu Ke laugh out loud. But John and Marcus nodded in agreement.
Lu Ke laughed even more. "I'm creating the conditions for you to become superstars. When you get your bonus from your professional career, remember to give me a cut." This made everyone laugh.
John walked forward. "Shall we start today's training?"
"Let's start with a warm-up. Bambi's already warmed up. If we don't warm up, we won't be able to keep up with him," Marcus said, laughing.
Logan shook his head, looking like he was trying to distance himself. "I'm guessing you're the only one who can't keep up. I'm definitely fine."
"Can't." That word could have many meanings when used for a man, and Logan's tone was full of innuendo. This made Marcus shout in frustration, "Hey! I never said I couldn't! If you don't believe me, let's have a race?"
Then, Logan and Marcus started sprinting toward the field. With no agreement or rules, they were simply racing each other. Lu Ke raised his chin at John. "Aren't you going to join them? If you fall behind by a second, you won't be able to catch up."
John gently shook his head, looking at the field with a sad expression. "Did you realize? Yesterday was the last game of our college careers. If we don't get the Rose Bowl, our four years of college football are over. It's very likely that my professional career is also over."
If John hadn't mentioned it, Lu Ke wouldn't have realized it. Now he suddenly remembered: the last game of the 2011 NCAA regular season was over. If there was no Rose Bowl, it meant that this group of seniors had made their last appearance on the NCAA field. Luckily, they ended with a victory. Unfortunately, he hadn't even had time to enjoy it before college was over.
This was true for John, Logan, Marcus, and Lu Ke himself.
For most students, this was the end. The professional league was a completely different level, and not all college students could get in. To be more precise, even if they did get into the professional league, it was a new challenge. Many talented college football players, even Heisman winners, faded into obscurity after entering the league.
The Bruins had been a weak team for a long time, and the average level of this year's seniors was still inferior to the Trojans. In next year's draft, the number of players who could successfully enter the league would be very small. Even Lu Ke himself, with his current skill level, whether he could get into the league was a big question mark.
"Do you mean...?" Lu Ke came from a journalism background, so he was very sensitive to these details. He could hear the regret and disappointment, and also the acceptance, in John's words.
John gave a big smile. "Yes, I've decided not to enter the draft." This meant that after he graduated, his football career would be over.
Turning around, John saw the surprised look on Lu Ke's face. Before Lu Ke could say anything, John continued with a smile, "I know the last six months have been great memories. I never thought I'd be able to get back on the field as a starter. But I also know my limits. This is all I've got. This is my peak. Even if I manage to get into the professional league, I'll probably be cut after a year, two years at most. Instead of that, I'd rather end it with some dignity."
"At least, the last touchdown in the Bruins' comeback against the Trojans was caught by me. That's the highlight of my career. Everyone will remember this moment." John winked, a hint of pride and excitement in his eyes. "After the game, my dad called me, and he... uh... he was really emotional."
What John didn't say was that he could hear his father wiping away tears on the other end of the phone, even though his father refused to admit it.
"So I think this is a perfect ending," John sighed. He had made his decision, but when he actually announced it, the sense of loss was still indescribable.
He once thought he could become a professional player and fight on the field for the rest of his life, but reality was harsh, and he had accepted it, hadn't he? The last six months of playing were like stolen beautiful moments. He should be grateful.
"We still don't know which two teams will be invited to the Rose Bowl this year, but I'm thinking of coming here every day to practice until the NCAA announces the invitations. You know, before I say goodbye forever, I should remember how much I hated this place and how much I wanted to escape it," John said. They both laughed. "What do you say? Will you join me? Will you practice with me?"
Initially, John and the others were the ones helping Lu Ke practice, but now the roles had been reversed.
Lu Ke didn't correct John and nodded with a smile. "Of course, no problem. It's my honor! Why don't we start now?"
With that, Lu Ke started running and motioned for John to join him. The two of them ran toward Logan and Marcus.
"Hey, Bambi, did you see today's school newspaper? It's on the front page. The whole page is a picture of you! I heard the school newspapers are already sold out!" Logan shouted. "When we were walking to the training field just now, we heard girls screaming and cheering all the way. We haven't had that kind of treatment in years, haha!"
"We won the Los Angeles Derby. We're gods! At least for the next week, we are!" Marcus also cheered. "Front page of the school newspaper, next up is the 'Los Angeles Times,' right? And then scouts, and then the league?"
"Marcus, you should worry about your final exams in two weeks first," Lu Ke's words made the other three groan. "Hey, Bambi, I was just trying to forget about that! You're a demon, a demon!"
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