The draft officially came to an end on April 30, which meant that the early preparations for the new season were in full swing.
On one hand, team managers continued to pick and choose from the free-agent market, looking to fill any remaining gaps or holes after the draft. On the other hand, the coaching staff began to formulate tactics and discuss player lineups, getting ready for the new season.
At the same time, the voluntary training camps had officially started. Rookies who had just entered the league and newly signed free agents would all join the training camp to get in sync with the team and learn the team's playbook. Soon, the official training camp would begin, and they had a lot of work to do to keep up with the team's veterans.
The preseason in August seemed very far away, a full three months away, but it would be here in the blink of an eye. The rookies' celebratory parties might not even be over yet when the bell for the 2011 season would start ringing from far away.
So, after the draft ended, the entire league went into high gear, as if it had never really rested.
This was even more true for the undrafted rookies. Time was running out, and opportunities were becoming scarcer. Every day that passed meant they were a little further away from the professional league. Everyone wanted to be Kurt Warner, but there was only one Kurt Warner.
Kurt Warner's story is one of the greatest "Cinderella stories" in NFL history.
During his four years in college, Kurt was a backup quarterback for the University of Northern Iowa. The school's football program was not well known and was almost a wasteland. But even so, Kurt remained a backup until his fifth year when he finally got his chance. He performed exceptionally well and was named the best player in the conference of the University of Northern Iowa.
But because the conference was not very competitive and the school had no reputation, Kurt did not receive an invitation to the 1994 rookie training camp, nor did his name appear on the draft list. It wasn't until just before the start of the 1994 season that the Green Bay Packers, who were looking for a third-string quarterback, sent him a tryout invitation. Unfortunately, he did not pass the tryout.
With no teams calling, Kurt had to work at a local grocery store to make a living and help support his family. He also played for a team in the Arena Football League and went back to his alma mater, the University of Northern Iowa, to be an assistant coach, where he listened for news about tryouts, hoping to get another chance with an NFL team.
During his three years in arena football, Kurt performed exceptionally well and got a tryout with the Chicago Bears, but he missed it because he was bitten by a spider during his honeymoon. After that, Kurt went to play for an NFL Europe team, which was a peripheral team created by the NFL to develop the European market. Through his excellent performance, Kurt was recommended to the St. Louis Rams' coaching staff.
In 1998, Kurt was the Rams' third-string quarterback and spent the entire season on the bench, only playing in the final game as a substitute during garbage time. In 1999, Kurt was twenty-eight years old.
That year, Kurt's training impressed the coaches, and he was promoted to second-string quarterback. But during the preseason, the starting quarterback tore his ACL and was out for the season. The Rams were forced to put Warner in the starting lineup. So, at the age of twenty-eight, after five years of wandering, Kurt stepped onto the NFL stage for the first time as a starter.
After that, he began his legendary career. In that 1999 season, Kurt led the Rams to a magical 13-3 record, made it to the playoffs, and went on to win the Super Bowl that year. Kurt was named regular season MVP and Super Bowl MVP, putting a perfect end to his legendary journey.
After that, Kurt led both the St. Louis Rams and the Arizona Cardinals to the Super Bowl once more, but they both lost. He was also named regular season MVP again and finally announced his retirement in January 2010.
Kurt was the best undrafted player in NFL history and also the greatest Cinderella story of all time!
Everyone longed to be Kurt and replicate his miracle, but such a legendary story was a one-off.
For an undrafted rookie to join the league, it's incredibly difficult. The stars must align perfectly: they have to find an opportunity, a person who believes in them, and a team that needs them. Most importantly, they must have the ability to match. Otherwise, after a player goes undrafted, why would a team choose them again?
After the draft ended, the coaching staffs of each team began to deliberate and discuss, repeatedly examining the player rosters and checking the depth of each position and the strength of the starting players. According to NFL requirements, each team can only keep a roster of fifty-three players, so they have to trim, expand, or supplement their player list.
After the discussions, based on their needs, a team might hold a tryout camp to continue picking suitable players and finalize their fifty-three-man roster.
In these tryout camps, teams would send out invitations to potential players based on their needs and scouting reports, asking them to come for a tryout to be re-evaluated and fill the vacant spots. In addition, any free agent or undrafted rookie who heard the news could go and show off their skills, hoping that a team would see their potential.
After missing the draft, the tryout camp was Lu Ke's last chance. Otherwise, even if he were to become a miracle like Kurt Warner, Lu Ke would have to play in a league in Canada or Europe for a few years to prove himself before he could even have a chance at a miracle.
However, the competition at the training camp was even more intense, not only because the selection pool was larger but also because the rookies had to compete against the league veterans. The disadvantage of their lack of experience would be further magnified, which would increase the difficulty and intensify the competition. Obviously, the chances were even slimmer.
Ultimately, the solution was to increase his competitiveness and do everything he could to stand out in the tryouts. So, after the draft, Lu Ke left San Francisco and returned to Los Angeles, where he went back to his daily training. He continued to work hard to improve his skills through his daily routine.
Before he knew it, life seemed to have returned to a sense of calm. In fact, it was calmer than before.
The NCAA season had ended, and the league was in its off-season, so the training fields were also in a state of rest. After the draft, Lu Ke was the only player at UCLA who was still training for a tryout. So, the entire field was empty, becoming Lu Ke's personal training ground.
Not only that, but the school had also entered its graduation and final exam season. The students' schedules became chaotic, with some staying up all night in the library, some studying intensely in their dorms, and others working on reports all night in coffee shops. The pace of the entire school had started to speed up.
Everyone was focused on their studies, and the noise and chaos around Lu Ke, who was tirelessly training, had also quieted down.
In the morning, he jogged along his familiar route to school. This route had been repeated so many times over the past six months that he knew it like the back of his hand. Lu Ke even knew the timing of every traffic light. He had to; running was so boring, and his mind needed something to focus on to distract him.
He passed the last traffic light and went straight down the road. After making a right turn, he entered the main school road. The wide road that could fit six cars was incredibly empty. Occasionally, he would see a student on a bicycle whizzing by. The sound of the wheels would echo in his ears for a while and then fade away.
"Tap, tap, tap," he heard a running sound behind him. It seemed to be accelerating. Lu Ke didn't look back but moved slightly to the side, giving up the main road. He guessed it was a student running quickly, maybe to the library.
The footsteps got closer and closer, and eventually, they were echoing in his ears, but they never passed him. They just stayed side by side.
Lu Ke turned his head and gave a questioning look. "Why don't you pass me?" But the next second, he saw the person next to him, and his eyes widened slightly before he let out a wry smile.
It was a vibrant young woman, wearing a white T-shirt and light blue athletic shorts, with a pair of black Nike running shoes. It was a simple outfit with no frills. Her flat stomach and slender waist outlined her stunning figure and perfect proportions. Her long, toned legs had a healthy bronze glow. Even in a simple tracksuit, she exuded a charming aura.
Her long blonde hair was tied in a high ponytail that bounced playfully with the rhythm of her steps. Her white teeth were gently biting her pink lips. Her blue eyes, which were as vast as the ocean, were filled with star-like lights that shone brightly in the thin, clear morning sun. A cunning and bright smile flashed in her eyes.
She seemed to have caught Lu Ke's look of surprise and helplessness, and she raised an eyebrow. The look of provocation flashed by, and then, she suddenly started to speed up, sprinting ahead like an arrow released from a bow, and she didn't look back. She had completely maxed out her speed.
Even without words, the challenge was clear as day.
Lu Ke gave a wry smile, but without a word or any interaction, he kept his original pace and jogged for about three more seconds. After watching the girl's figure get further and further away, he finally started to sprint at full speed.
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