Another day of training was over. Lu Ke relaxed his muscles a bit and then started to pack up the equipment on the field.
Using the off-season to train on the school's field wasn't something you could just do as you please. First, he had to get permission from a coach, who would then apply to the school. Finally, Lu Ke was responsible for packing up the equipment and cleaning up. Luckily, a professional staff was still in charge of field maintenance.
After just six weeks of training, Lu Ke was already very familiar with the routine. When he was a practice player, these tasks were shared by the practice players and freshmen.
"Hey, young man!"
A voice called out from the side of the training field. Lu Ke looked up and saw a short, stocky figure next to an old man with short gray hair. The sun was still a bit blinding, and he couldn't see their faces clearly, but Lu Ke wasn't stupid. The training had lasted for almost three hours, and these two had been sitting in the stands for almost three hours, so he naturally didn't miss their presence.
"Gentlemen, what do you think? Are you happy with what you saw?" Lu Ke took the initiative and said with a half-joking tone.
The two exchanged a glance and both laughed. The short, stout man teased, "This is an unusual one."
The old man next to him shrugged. "Didn't I tell you? He's a communication studies student, a top student. If he doesn't become a professional football player, he's sure to be an excellent journalist."
"Mr. Klein, please have a little more faith in me, will you?" Lu Ke said again. The subtext was that he would become an excellent professional player, so they shouldn't underestimate his abilities.
The two of them chuckled again. "This is Kipp Christ, the San Francisco 49ers' quarterback coach," Adam said, introducing the two of them.
Lu Ke casually tossed the football in his hand into the cart but didn't stop packing up the equipment. He walked to the side and started stacking the orange cones. Anthony, who was standing not far away, was also helping to pack up the equipment. He saw the three people talking, hesitated for a moment, but ultimately didn't walk over. Lu Ke was better than him at self-promotion and social situations, and he didn't need to mess things up.
"It's great to see you again, Mr. Christ," Lu Ke said with a big smile.
Kipp looked surprised. "You remember me?" There were over a hundred coaches at the training camp, plus hundreds of scouts. It was an almost impossible task to meet every coach.
"I'm from San Francisco, and I've been waiting for the 49ers' call. It's hard not to pay attention during training," Lu Ke's honesty made both Kipp and Adam smile. "It's a shame that this meeting was delayed a lot more than I thought it would be."
Kipp put his hands behind his back and looked interested. "Are the 49ers your favorite team?"
"No, my second favorite," Lu Ke's honesty surprised not only Kipp but also Adam.
What rookie would make such a mistake? When facing a team's quarterback coach who came to watch his training, he said so bluntly that this team wasn't his favorite?
Lu Ke wasn't a highly anticipated golden boy like Eli Manning, who could blatantly reject the San Diego Chargers' invitation with the number one pick and say that he would never play in San Diego. Lu Ke was not in a position to be picky.
Lu Ke, however, seemed oblivious. After bending down and standing up straight, he looked at the two with a sincere smile. "My number one favorite team is the Green Bay Packers."
Every player is like this. Their favorite team is one thing, a memory and a sentiment from childhood, while the team they play for is another, a professional plan and pursuit.
Most players might play for more teams than they can count on one or even two hands, but their favorite team remains the same from beginning to end. Only a very small number of players play for only one team for their entire career, and that team eventually surpasses their favorite team and becomes their home.
This sense of "home," however, is not something everyone can find.
Kipp's eyes lit up slightly. "The Packers are my favorite team too!" He had only just joined the 49ers' coaching staff this year, so he didn't have much of an emotional connection to them, but his favorite team had never changed. "I was born in Wisconsin, and I still remember the excitement and thrill of going to Lambeau Field for the first time as a kid."
Lu Ke's movements involuntarily paused for a moment. This was completely unexpected. "The first game I watched was the one where Brett Favre led the team to a victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in the final seconds!"
"Jesus Christ, that was Favre's debut with the Packers! He started his legendary career in that very first game!" Kipp was also amazed, and his smile completely bloomed. "But that was a game in 1992. How old were you then?"
"I hadn't come to the United States yet," Lu Ke explained. "Later, I watched classic game reruns on ESPN, and that's the game I saw. After that, I became the most loyal Packers fan, even though I live in San Francisco." These words made Kipp laugh out loud. "But the 49ers are my second favorite team. The first official game I watched in person was at Candlestick Park, between the San Francisco 49ers and the Washington Redskins."
"The Christmas Day showdown in 1999!" Adam also joined the conversation, a little surprised. "But the 49ers lost that game."
"Yes, but against all odds, they managed to push it into overtime. My God, my heart almost stopped beating." Even though ten years had passed, recalling those moments still made his blood boil. Lu Ke involuntarily stopped packing the equipment, his eyes shining as he spoke.
At this moment, they were not a coach, a scout, and a player. They were just three fans.
Kipp chuckled. "Is that why you started playing football? From what I know, the Chinese community isn't very interested in football. Even in San Francisco, the popularity of football in the Chinese community isn't very good."
"Yes, my father and I love basketball the most. The Lakers." Lu Ke's simple answer made Kipp and Adam exchange another knowing look. "But football is a very charming sport. The day I walked onto the field, I knew I would be a great football player."
The confidence and determination in his words lacked the traditional Asian humility and modesty. Instead, they had the vibrant spirit of a young American.
"But have you ever considered that maybe your physical talent is better suited for basketball?" Kipp asked sincerely, with a genuine look in his eyes. "Maybe you wouldn't become the second Yao Ming, but you could still have a place of your own in the NBA?"
"That's a 'maybe'," Lu Ke said with a smile. "Likewise, becoming a great football player is also a 'maybe'."
Kipp raised his chin, and a smile appeared in his eyes. He liked this answer, and he liked the way Lu Ke answered.
Afterward, Kipp and Lu Ke's conversation continued for a little while. Kipp asked Lu Ke in detail about his performance in high school and the ups and downs of his college years, including his freshman and sophomore years, for which there were no records.
Even with his vast experience, Kipp couldn't help but sigh. "You know, as a Chinese player, every step you take is making history." Even just winning the Rose Bowl and causing such a stir at the rookie training camp was new history, not because of his "Chinese" identity but because of his ability.
Lu Ke shrugged nonchalantly. "Before I make history, I should first make my professional career."
The humorous words made Kipp pause, and then he clapped and laughed, nodding vigorously. "I'm starting to like you." But this also made the regret in his heart even more intense.
As he was leaving the field, Kipp looked back at Lu Ke, who was still packing up the equipment, and sighed to his old friend. "I regret coming here today. If I hadn't, I wouldn't feel so reluctant to leave." He was just the quarterback coach. He was only responsible for training, while the team's plan was in the hands of the head coach and the team manager.
"That's your problem, not mine," Adam said nonchalantly, then turned and walked away. Kipp shook his head helplessly and then chased after him. "Hey, are you going to help me with dinner tonight?"
After watching Adam and Kipp leave, Anthony walked over and asked enthusiastically, "So, how was the conversation?"
"About the same as with the Saints," Lu Ke, the person involved, was calmer compared to Anthony. "But don't get your hopes up too much. The 49ers didn't invite me for an interview back then, and now they're just making inquiries. There's no need to overthink it."
The six weeks of silence were not as calm as they seemed on the surface. Lu Ke had also gone through a rollercoaster of emotions, including expectation, joy, anxiety, frustration, disappointment, sadness, and struggle. After all the ups and downs, he let go of all the messy thoughts and focused entirely on training. In the end, ability was the only way to overcome all obstacles.
He needed to stop himself from overthinking because the people around him were even more nervous than he was. Anthony was like this, and so were his parents.
Anthony was stunned, then let out a long, helpless sigh. "What... uh, what are your plans if the draft results aren't what you hoped for?"
Hope was slowly fading, and as an assistant coach, Anthony should have been even more aware of the rules and regulations of the NFL. No one was an exception to the cruelty of competitive sports.
"Then I'll just sprint to the finish line with all my might and see the view at the end of the road," Lu Ke said confidently. That strong confidence and determination stunned Anthony, and he even felt a little ashamed of himself. Dreams not only made life bearable, but they also made it colorful.
Suddenly, all the frustration and anxiety in Anthony's heart disappeared. He believed in Lu Ke. Or rather, he was willing to believe in Lu Ke, to believe that one day in the future, his dream would eventually come true.
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