Objectively, a Heisman Trophy winner was a big deal and got a lot of attention. Every football player in the NCAA wanted to win that award and would work hard for it. Even journalists would focus all their attention on them. In every draft, the Heisman winner was a definite favorite to be the number one pick.
Cam Newton's name had been everywhere all season. However, Auburn University, where he went to school, was in the Southeastern Conference, and they didn't play against the Pac-12 Conference. So, it wasn't until today that the name and the person finally connected.
Seeing Cam's boundless pride and arrogance, Lu Ke decided not to let him get away with it. He just shrugged, "Sorry, Tom."
This time, Lu Ke's joke was about Tom Brady, another top quarterback in the league. However, Tom was average in college and was only drafted 199th by the New England Patriots. Who knew that after he got into the league, Tom would create his own era?
The subtext of Lu Ke's joke was, "So what if you're a Heisman winner? That's just college glory. I can't even count how many Heisman winners have failed in the NFL."
With just one simple sentence, it was like a slap across Cam's face. The fire in his eyes was almost visible. His menacing look seemed ready to tear Lu Ke to shreds. His muscles were tense, and you could tell that his anger was completely out of control.
Lu Ke was still calm and unhurried. He turned to his two friends, "This place is so boring. There are a bunch of flies buzzing around. What do you say, should we head back?"
"F***!" Cam lost his temper and charged forward with a fist. But Logan wasn't a pushover. He was standing in the front and held up his huge fist to block Cam's.
Before the two of them could start fighting, a gunshot rang out, and the young men all sobered up. Lu Ke and Marcus both stepped forward and pulled Logan away, and Cam's friends pulled him back. Then they heard the bar owner say in a rough voice, "I'm not kidding! Either be quiet or get out!"
After immigrating to the US at the age of eight, Lu Ke knew that guns were a common thing in this country, but this was the first time he had ever heard a gunshot up close. His eyes showed surprise, and he asked with curiosity, "Do you take this baby hunting often?"
The bar owner glanced at Lu Ke, and a hint of a helpless smile appeared in his eyes. He didn't answer and just tapped the table. "If you're going to keep drinking lemonade, you should find another bar. This isn't New York." People in the Midwest always had an opinion, or even hostility, toward big cities like New York.
Lu Ke chuckled. "Sorry, he's not old enough yet." Lu Ke patted Logan's shoulder and complained candidly. The legal drinking age in the US was 21. Logan was of course over 21, and Lu Ke was just joking, which made everyone laugh.
Lu Ke took out some cash from his pocket and put it on the counter, including the money for the lemonade and a tip. Then he told Logan and Marcus that it was time to go.
"Hey, you guys, do you have names?" Cam shouted unwillingly, but his body language was obedient because they all knew the bar owner wasn't kidding. "Which coward is all talk and no action?"
"And which loser can't handle losing?" Lu Ke replied casually, and another round of laughter came from around them. "If you have the skills, let's settle it on the field. Don't whine and groan like a child who hasn't grown up yet." With the same mockery, Lu Ke had just thrown it back at him. In the beginning, it was Cam who had an itchy mouth and provoked them.
With that, Lu Ke didn't wait for a reply. He pushed open the bar door and walked out. The three of them walked out, leaving a string of curses behind them.
The three of them exchanged glances and then all burst into laughter.
When they got to the parking lot, Marcus shook his head in amazement. "Bambi, are you serious? You really didn't know Cam Newton?"
"What do you think? I'm a journalism major." Of course Lu Ke knew. At first, he just hadn't matched the face to the name. And there were four of them, all huddled together, so Lu Ke didn't look at them carefully and couldn't tell who they were.
Marcus and Logan laughed even more brightly, and then Logan said, "Those four are all famous guys: Nick Fairley, Marcell Dareus, and James Carpenter. They should all be at least second-round picks."
"So? Are you scared?" Lu Ke's question was met with a punch to the chest from Logan, who said loudly, "Let them come. I'll take them all on by myself."
"Are you sure they won't be the ones taking you on?" Marcus joined in the teasing, and the three of them burst into laughter again.
The rookie training camp was a gathering of young people, all of them confident, arrogant, and hot-tempered. It was foreseeable that there would be all kinds of friction. They hadn't even gotten into the training camp yet, and the friction had already begun.
"Didn't they say the rookie training camp gets a lot of attention? Even if there are no fans, there should at least be a lot of journalists, scouts, and staff. Why was the bar so empty? And we still ran into a few wimps. How annoying!" Logan complained, and the three of them drove their two cars one after another to the hotel arranged by the organizers. After parking their cars, they walked toward the hotel lobby.
Although the rookie training camp wouldn't officially start until tomorrow, the rookies had to check in at the hotel lobby this afternoon.
"Swish," the automatic glass door opened, and a wave of hot, humid air rushed toward them. A wave of bustling noise was mixed in, and the scene in front of them was packed with people. A quick look showed that there was almost no empty space. It was as if this wasn't a hotel lobby but a summer music festival. The heat was scorching their skin, and the temperature of their blood was quietly rising, starting to boil.
Recalling the calm scene of only two or three people in the bar, the three of them were a little dumbfounded. The stark contrast was truly surprising, and their minds were filled with questions.
"Welcome to the Indianapolis Marriott." A bellhop in a black uniform came over with a slight smile on his face. "How may I help you?" The bellhop's eyes landed on the three of them, and then he asked tentatively, "The NFL rookie training camp?"
Logan nodded vaguely to confirm. After regaining his composure, he asked eagerly, "What's going on with all these people? Are all of them here for the rookie training camp?"
Two hundred, three hundred. These were just numbers they had heard. The actual sight of it was shocking and not as simple as a number. What's more, in the training camp, the rookies were the main characters, but they weren't the largest group. It seemed that the reason the bar was empty was that everyone was here.
"Yes," the bellhop said with a huge smile. "A lot of people just arrived and are checking in. After you check in, you can go back to your rooms to rest, or you can stay in the lobby to meet new friends." The bellhop looked between them. "Do you have any luggage you need help with?"
"Yes, thank you." Logan took the initiative to put his luggage on the luggage cart. They were at the training camp for four days, and the league provided uniforms, but they still brought their own casual clothes, as well as underwear, socks, and sneakers. Then he turned to Lu Ke and Marcus. "Guys, hurry up and put your stuff on. Let's go check in first and see our room arrangements."
Logan and Marcus rushed off excitedly, but Lu Ke's footsteps slowed down a little, his heart pounding. This was the rookie training camp. Six months ago, he had dreamed of coming here, but it was an almost impossible dream. But now, he was standing in the Marriott hotel lobby, right in the middle of it all.
He loved it here, including the hot air that made the oxygen in his lungs feel thin.
A quick glance showed him many familiar faces.
USC offensive tackle Tyron Smith, Wisconsin defensive end J.J. Watt, University of Washington quarterback Jake Locker, Cal defensive end Cameron Jordan, Louisiana State University cornerback Patrick Peterson...
Some were opponents he had faced during the season, some were faces from official NCAA media reports, some were names he had heard on the radio and online news. Some were juniors who had come early for the draft, but most were seniors. These players were either first- or second-round picks. They were destined to enter the professional league and get a lot of attention. They didn't have to worry about their draft prospects. As for whether they would live up to the hype or be a bust, only time would tell.
What Lu Ke was sure of was that there were future superstars right in front of him, and they were all in the same room, on the same stage, and even at the same starting line! Did this mean that one day, he too could become a top superstar who got a lot of attention? Just thinking about it made him excited.
"Ding," a voice suddenly rang out in his mind. This wasn't a sudden realization; it was... a system mission? Lu Ke didn't react for a moment. Why would a system mission appear at this very moment? Was this a good thing or a bad thing?
After calling up the system, he opened the unread messages and saw a bright word: Special Mission!
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