"This is the most important document, and it's also the most confidential. You wouldn't want it to have any mistakes." Kip stared at Lu Ke, saying each word slowly and clearly, his sharp gaze ensuring that his meaning was conveyed accurately.
All thirty-two teams in the league are the same. Their playbook is their biggest secret and their biggest weapon. On the field, the quarterback has to give all kinds of commands, and if these commands are figured out by the opponent, then the offense and defense would be defenseless.
Every year, teams change and update their playbooks. Additionally, before every game, the play calls are also changed. Even the playbooks from previous years are not easily made public. Generally, the preservation period for a team's playbook is ten years within the league. In other words, in 2011, the playbooks from 2001 were the ones that outsiders could access.
The thick stack of playbooks was actually a collection of about thirty small booklets. Lu Ke put them all in his backpack, and the weight of it pressed down on his shoulder. He could feel the weight, not just physically but also mentally.
They spent four hours in the tactical meeting room, where Kip gave Lu Ke a brief overview of Jim Harbaugh's tactical system. But the playbook was just the tip of the iceberg, and there was still a long way to go. It was no wonder that everyone said it was not easy for a rookie player to adapt to the professional game, and it was even harder for a rookie quarterback.
"Bambi! Bambi!"
Kip patted Lu Ke on the shoulder, waking him from his deep thoughts. He gestured with his chin toward the glass door and said with a chuckle, "You just joined the team, and you've already made friends. That's a good start."
He looked in that direction and immediately saw Logan and Marcus waving their hands excitedly, jumping up and down to get Lu Ke's attention. Clearly, they succeeded, maybe a little too well.
It was lunchtime, and the players were bustling around and chatting, walking toward the team cafeteria in groups. Now, with Logan and Marcus shouting and jumping around, almost everyone who walked by would make a joke, then look up with a laugh, looking for Lu Ke.
"Can I pretend I don't know them?" Lu Ke said with a hand to his forehead. It seemed a little too late to distance himself.
Kip laughed out loud. "Go on, get to know your new teammates. The first-year players have to be busy. You look way too idle right now. Who knows, maybe after lunch, the rookies will have to clean up the tables."
"See you later." Lu Ke waved goodbye. Kip suddenly remembered something and shouted, "After lunch, there's a tactical meeting for forty-five minutes, and then we'll have field practice."
Lu Ke made an "OK" gesture to show he understood. He quickly left the first-floor lobby, pushed open the door, and for the first time, he saw his San Francisco 49ers teammates. All the faces, whether familiar or unfamiliar, were packed together. It was overwhelming, and even if he wanted to say hello, he wouldn't know where to start.
At this moment, something needed to break the ice. It could be a veteran player or a coach, who would step forward and make introductions. Or it could be a player with a lively and outgoing personality who would take the initiative to talk and break the silence.
And then, the icebreaker came.
"Hey, Lu Ke!" A loud and cheerful shout erupted like a thunderclap. Not only did Lu Ke's eyes turn toward the source of the sound, but everyone else's did as well.
It wasn't Logan or Marcus, but a completely unfamiliar face, an Asian face. He had short black hair, a dark blue shirt, black dress pants, a black briefcase, and a camera hanging around his neck.
A reporter?
This was clearly a reporter. For professional players, dealing with reporters was part of their job because the league officially required players to be interviewed after every game or face a fine. Even the team had its own media open days.
But the problem was that today was not a media open day. And for this reporter to enter the training facility so openly, he must have had official permission. So, what was going on?
The Asian reporter walked over quickly, a big smile on his face, and extended his right hand. "Hello, I'm Lin Shuyuan, a reporter for the 'World Journal.'"
Today was Lu Ke's first day in the professional league. He had no idea about the team's rules, the interview protocols, or the restrictions on practice days. But Lu Ke's four years in college were not wasted. He knew one thing:
He was a nobody. He had just signed the contract this morning, and a reporter was already visiting before lunch. This would have been absolutely impossible without an official invitation from the team.
"Lu Ke." Politely, Lu Ke shook the man's right hand and simply introduced himself.
At this moment, Lin Shuyuan couldn't contain his excitement. The smile on his face grew wider, and his body was trembling slightly from all the emotion. "I can't believe it. You did it. You really did it." He tried to hold it in, but he just couldn't. The words of surprise burst out of his mouth, and he laughed heartily. "I'm sorry. Please forgive my unprofessionalism. But this is just so unreal."
Even though he was a reporter, Lin Shuyuan knew he had to remain objective and calm. But in the face of such a historic moment, he couldn't help but lose his composure. On top of that, he had only been a reporter for less than a year, and he still had a lot to learn on his professional journey.
Six months ago, a Chinese American quarterback in the rookie training camp caused a lot of discussion and left a deep impression. But after that, all news of him vanished. Six months later, this rookie had joined the San Francisco 49ers, officially signing a contract and making history as the first Asian American quarterback in the league.
When the "World Journal" received the tip, their first reaction was that it was a prank. But after confirming that the caller was indeed the San Francisco 49ers' general manager, Trent Baalke, the entire editorial department of the newspaper went crazy.
As Chinese American immigrants living in the U.S., they understood better than anyone what this meant. Even if he was just a backup player, this was news that would shake the entire league. If one day this player could actually play in a game...
Lin Shuyuan became the obvious choice to cover the story, so he rushed over and was given unrestricted access to the training facility, where he saw the Chinese American quarterback. His emotions and thoughts surged. Before he even realized what he was doing, Lin Shuyuan had already walked up to him and extended his right hand.
Lin Shuyuan's excitement was infectious, and Lu Ke's mood was lifted. But before Lu Ke could respond, a sharp, piercing voice rang out from the side. "Hey, hey, hey, everyone, look! We have a big star among the rookies! Let's give a warm welcome to Hannah Montana!"
"Hannah Montana" was a teenage idol TV show that started on the Disney Channel in 2006, and the main character was a sixteen-year-old female pop singer.
Comparing Lu Ke to Hannah Montana was clearly a jab and a sign of contempt.
Colin Kaepernick raised his hands, trying to rile up the crowd. The others started to cheer. "Hoo, hoo, hoo," and some even joined in, screaming like little girls. "Hannah, Hannah!" The sharp, piercing shouts made everyone burst into laughter.
"Relax, relax, Lizzie McGuire. Don't make that face, your makeup will run." Lu Ke shouted, gesturing to his cheeks as he spoke. His sharp, sarcastic tone fired back at them, not showing any weakness. The onlookers started whistling, and the cheers were deafening.
"Lizzie McGuire" was the main character of another Disney Channel show, "Lizzie McGuire," which started in 1999. She was a regular high school girl.
Colin's face turned red, and he looked around at his teammates, who were all jeering. He took an angry step forward. "Hey, Bambi, how do you know about these TV shows? Are you a big fan? Do you sit in front of the TV every week, waiting for your idol to appear?"
Bambi. The same nickname, but used in this context, it was full of sarcasm.
"Woe, woe, woe, Bambi, big-eyed Bambi. So lovable." Colin raised his hands and stretched open his eyes, perfectly mimicking Bambi. His clownish movements successfully made the crowd cheer.
Lu Ke, however, was in no rush. He slightly raised his chin and said loudly, "The same way you watch them. Or are you a big fan of Bambi? 'Mom, I love Bambi so much. Woe, woe, woe, Bambi is going to die. What am I going to do?'" Not only was Lu Ke not angry, but he also started to imitate Colin's tone.
"Colin, Colin, Prince Charming." Someone in the crowd yelled. It was Logan, who had his hands cupped around his mouth and was shouting loudly.
The loud and cheerful voices successfully made the onlookers jeer again. "Prince Charming, Prince Charming."
Colin and Lu Ke didn't have any personal grudges, but they were destined to be competitors.
In the short term, Colin's starting position wouldn't be challenged, and all of the team's resources would be focused on him. But there was only one quarterback position, and the relationship between the starter and the backup meant that they had to compete. In the end, only one of them would be on the field.
Even though Jim Harbaugh had announced that Colin was the starting quarterback, for the team's veterans, Colin and Lu Ke were both first-year rookies. So, if they were going to tease Lu Ke, they would naturally tease Colin as well.
This was Colin and Lu Ke's first confrontation.
In terms of his verbal skills, Colin was once again outmatched. He had clearly chosen the wrong battleground. Amidst the jeering, Colin clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. He couldn't move forward, but he refused to back down.
In the end, Lu Ke was the one who took the lead, saying to Lin Shuyuan, "I'm about to go to the cafeteria to eat. Are you joining us?" Then, he gestured for Lin Shuyuan, Logan, and Marcus to follow him toward the cafeteria.
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