He clenched his fists, then clenched them again. The anger still wouldn't subside, gurgling in his chest, erupting like a volcano.
As one of the few Chinese faces on the football field, Lu Ke had been trying to break down all kinds of prejudices since he was a child. He was constantly proving himself and proving that Chinese players could still be a dominant force in the game.
For the past three days of the training camp, he thought he had proven that regardless of skin color or race, Chinese players could be excellent football players. But it was clear he had overestimated the team's management and underestimated the athletes' pride and arrogance.
Seattle Seahawks, one day, sooner or later, he would make them understand what true strength was! And what true regret was!
He quickly left the hallway and hid in the restroom. Before he lost control of his emotions, he splashed some cold water on his face, and the turbulent, boiling emotions gradually cooled down. This was only the second interview, and it was going to be a long day. He needed to calm down. If he wanted to prove himself, win, and stand on top, he had to first get on a team, have a stage, and earn a chance.
So, he couldn't lose his mind.
After a short break and some adjustment, Lu Ke returned to the hallway and resumed his interviews for the day.
In addition to the Cleveland Browns and the Seattle Seahawks, the other thirteen teams included the Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, and Arizona Cardinals, all of which had frequently changed quarterbacks in recent years.
It also included the Houston Texans, Tennessee Titans, and Chicago Bears, whose starting quarterbacks' abilities were never quite satisfactory, and who were looking for a rookie quarterback every year.
It also included the New Orleans Saints, San Diego Chargers, and Indianapolis Colts, whose star quarterbacks were excellent, but who were looking for a reliable backup.
Finally, surprisingly but understandably, the Carolina Panthers, who held the number one pick, also sent an invitation. Lu Ke was not the only quarterback they invited for an interview. Four other quarterbacks also received invitations, and along with Cam Newton, Carolina had interviewed a total of six quarterbacks. It was clear that they were considering more possibilities beyond Cam.
As for the Green Bay Packers and the San Francisco 49ers, neither team interviewed Lu Ke.
The Packers had no reason to worry about their quarterback position. Their star quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, was in his prime. In the Super Bowl that had just ended in February, they defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers to win the fourth Super Bowl in the team's history, so they were one of the teams least likely to draft a quarterback.
The 49ers' situation was a little more complicated. Their starting quarterback, Alex Smith, was the number one pick in the 2005 draft—the year the 49ers chose Alex Smith instead of Aaron Rodgers. However, since 2002, the 49ers had not made it to the playoffs for eight consecutive years, and the results of that draft seemed to be a mistake now.
But maybe Alex wasn't a top-tier quarterback in the league, but he was still above average. So, they needed a quarterback, but they weren't in a desperate rush. It was not surprising that they didn't interview Lu Ke.
Although the Packers and the 49ers didn't send invitations, Lu Ke still had a productive day of interviews.
The most proactive team was the New Orleans Saints.
Their quarterback coach, Joe Lombardi, had a very good impression of Lu Ke. He asked Lu Ke in detail about his college career, daily training, and professional plans. After using up the entire ten-minute interview time, they signaled that Lu Ke could leave.
Next were the San Diego Chargers and the Miami Dolphins.
The former's quarterback, Philip Rivers, was one of the most solid players in the league, but the Chargers had been looking for a more reliable backup. The latter had not been able to find a leader to lead the team to victory since Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino retired.
The Chargers' attitude was undoubtedly more friendly and kind. Not only because San Diego was also in California, which was one of the areas with the most Chinese immigrants, but also because they had heard about the comeback victory in the Rose Bowl. Strictly speaking, they had shown interest in Lu Ke before the training camp. Choosing a backup quarterback was far more relaxed and leisurely than choosing a starting quarterback.
However, the interviews at the rookie training camp were just a ten-minute probing session to exchange preliminary intentions. Over the next two months before the official draft, teams would continue to collect information, evaluate, and communicate, so the content of today's conversations was very limited, and the results were naturally impossible to judge.
The interviews lasted all day, from 8 a.m. to well after 10 p.m., and they were still not over. Lu Ke had only attended fifteen interviews and was already mentally and physically exhausted. It was hard to imagine what the top-tier players who had to attend interviews with all thirty-two teams felt.
Now, Lu Ke was waiting for his last interview of the day: the Washington Redskins.
The Washington Redskins were a traditional powerhouse in the league, with three Super Bowl titles and five NFC championships. In the past few years, they had always lacked a top-tier quarterback to lead them. Although they made it to the playoffs in 2005 and 2007, the team's overall strength was inconsistent and unstable.
In the past four seasons, they had changed head coaches three times, and their roster had been constantly fluctuating.
Now, their starting quarterback, Rex Grossman, was a veteran. He entered the league in 2003 as the 22nd pick in the first round, but after so many years in the league, he was still only at the level of a backup quarterback. His performance was inconsistent. Last year, he led the team to a 6-10 record and failed to make it to the playoffs.
When people talked about teams that needed a rookie quarterback, the Washington Redskins were always on the list. The team and fans believed that they were only one top-tier quarterback away from winning their fourth Super Bowl.
This year, Cam Newton was clearly the top pick favorite, so the Redskins probably wouldn't have a chance at him. But besides him, there were at least a dozen other quarterbacks worth picking. So, the Redskins, who held the tenth pick in the first round, were eager and interviewed a lot of quarterbacks today.
After waiting for about forty-five minutes, it was finally Lu Ke's turn. Under the guidance of a staff member, he entered the hotel room. The similar layout, decor, and space gave him a sense of déjà vu. After a long day of interviews, everyone was a little tired.
Nevertheless, Lu Ke perked up, straightened his back, and introduced himself with a strong voice. After sitting down on the couch in front of him, he met the gaze of the four interviewers with a calm look.
On the left were probably the team's offensive coach, Kyle Shanahan, and defensive coach, Jim Haslett. On the right was the head coach, Mike Shanahan, and the person in front was the team manager, Bruce Allen.
It was worth mentioning that Bruce Allen was also the Redskins' executive vice president, and Mike Shanahan was Kyle Shanahan's father.
"Thank you for coming to the Redskins' interview," Bruce said.
As the team manager, he had the power to hire and fire everyone on the team and was directly accountable to the owner, so he was definitely the most direct manager of the team. However, some team managers like to delegate and trust the head coach, while others like to control everything and be hands-on. Bruce seemed to be the latter.
"After a long day of interviews, we're all tired, so let's just relax and chat," Bruce said with a kind, friendly smile. His short, gray hair was firm and neat from the hair wax, and his deep gaze had the composure of an old schemer.
Bruce seemed to be just making small talk. He said casually, "You seem like a mysterious person. You only became a backup in your senior year. Why didn't you leave UCLA before that? With your ability, if you had chosen another school, you might have been a starter and had more opportunities to perform."
As a reporter, being good at reading people was one of his necessary skills. Lu Ke had spent a lot of time on the training field during his four years in college, but he was only a practice player and didn't have to participate in the team's daily games. The good thing was that he didn't fall behind in his studies, and he completed his internships and practical training successfully.
So, Lu Ke could feel the probing in Bruce's words and the judgment hidden behind his eyes. This wasn't strange. People in positions of power always inadvertently revealed such attitudes in their words and actions.
"If I say that besides football, my studies were also very important, would that be a good enough answer?" Lu Ke's rhetorical question had a hint of humor that made people smile.
After a slight laugh, Lu Ke said seriously, "I did consider transferring, but for various reasons, the transfer applications didn't go so well. On the other hand, at UCLA, I gradually earned an opportunity. So, I chose to stay."
Although he didn't say it directly, his words hinted at an undeniable issue in the football world: his Chinese identity. It wasn't just the isolation that came with his race, but also the shortcomings in his physical abilities. It was a double whammy.
Compared to the open-minded regions of the East and West coasts, where ethnic integration was closer and more tolerant, Lu Ke was indeed able to get more opportunities. However, it was also harder to get into colleges on the coasts, like Harvard University, Stanford University, and so on.
Bruce slightly lowered his chin, and a look of interest appeared in his eyes. "I need you to answer one question seriously. What does winning mean to you? Because in your words just now, I didn't hear any information about that. It seemed like football was just a hobby for you."
A fatal blow!
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