"Who?" Lu Ke slightly furrowed his brow, looking confused, as if he didn't understand the reporter's question.
So the reporter had to raise his voice again and ask, "I mean, Richard Sherman. He was constantly challenging your ability before the game..."
"Yeah, I'm asking, who?" Lu Ke interrupted the reporter, asking again. And he didn't look like he was joking at all, just sincere.
The reporters looked at each other and then slowly realized what he meant: In today's game, Sherman was practically invisible. Lu Ke completed at least six passes in his direction, and every one of them was a crucial pass, including two touchdowns. In the matchup between Lu Ke and Sherman, the latter was completely dominated, not even on the same level, and there was no real competition to speak of.
It was no exaggeration to say that Sherman was completely destroyed today, so much so that the reporters couldn't help but wonder if he was going to be psychologically scarred—after all, this was his first career game too.
So, as Lu Ke said: Who? He didn't need to care who his opponent was, and he didn't have any specific intention toward him. In his fluid and unstoppable offense, the opposing defensive player was just a small pebble.
As they exchanged glances, the reporters became even more excited.
Peyton Manning and Tom Brady are at ease and familiar with dealing with the media, but they're both old foxes who are masters at giving formal, non-committal answers, never leaving any weaknesses. This is good for the team, but bad for the media. No big news means no headlines.
Now, this Asian quarterback not only lacked the stereotypical image of an Asian but also showed his sharp edge. It wasn't the kind of sharp-tongued talk that was all over the place, but a smart, composed, deadly, and experienced aggression. For the reporters, this was like discovering a new continent!
First, he's humorous, and then he's assertive? God, the reporters' blood vessels were about to burst. They had truly struck gold today.
"Do you have anything to say to Pete Carroll?" The reporters, wanting more drama, continued to fan the flames.
Lu Ke showed a brilliant smile. "I hope they find a suitable quarterback."
The same sentence, spoken before and after the game, had a completely different meaning, and the reporters immediately got excited.
What made the reporters even more thrilled was that when they later interviewed the Seattle Seahawks' head coach, Pete, he roughly pushed away the reporters' microphones and simply replied, "He should learn to keep his feet on the ground. See you at our home game next time." Then he left the interview area in a rage.
Headlines, headlines, so many headlines!
The questions came in a flurry, one after another, about his college experience, his journey as an undrafted rookie, his thoughts on today's performance, his thoughts on his teammates, and his thoughts on the coaches. The questions were endless.
Until Kipp ran out, protected Lu Ke, and apologized repeatedly. "The players have to go back to the locker room. We just finished a tough game, let the players rest!" He then escorted Lu Ke, preparing to leave.
The reporters on the outside still wouldn't give up. It had been a long time since they had met such a worthy subject for an interview. They wouldn't let him go easily. "Lu Ke, one last question, just one. What do you want to say to the San Francisco 49ers fans?"
"Show some respect to my parents!" Lu Ke turned his head, raised his voice, and said with a serious and determined tone. His dark, ink-like eyes shone with a sharp light that was clearly and accurately conveyed, and every reporter felt a chill in their hearts.
Brian Westbrook, a columnist and dedicated reporter for the "San Francisco Chronicle," watched Lu Ke's retreating back and gave a wry smile. He had an indescribable feeling: The San Francisco 49ers' fans seemed to have touched a dragon's scale. They had gained a talented and sharp-edged quarterback, but he didn't know if this was a good thing or a bad thing.
If Lu Ke could keep winning, then it would be a good thing, and the whole city would cheer for him. But, Lu Ke was just a rookie with no foundation to speak of. As soon as he started losing, his comments today would lead to disaster.
Brian let out a long sigh, his tongue tasting a mix of emotions. Alex Smith was a gentle and friendly quarterback. Now the 49ers had a quarterback with a distinct style, and no one could predict what the future would hold.
But then, Brian shook his head, shaking off those tangled thoughts. This was only the first game of the season. Not to mention whether Lu Ke could keep the starting quarterback position, as Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick would soon be back from their injuries. Just looking at the next game, against the Dallas Cowboys, it would be a tough battle.
Let's wait and see!
The future's direction was unpredictable, but what was certain was that a storm was coming! After the first game, the San Francisco 49ers' fans were in a frenzied celebration because they had won the season opener, and also because they had shown a new spirit. The toughness, aggression, and vitality they displayed throughout the game were full of hope and truly opened up infinite possibilities for the entire season.
For the fans, they didn't care if they were proven wrong, they didn't care if they had made a mistake in judgment, and they didn't care that they were condemning him one second and praising him the next. At this moment, only victory was important!
Everyone, and I mean everyone, joined in the celebration. Such a passionate and bloody victory had been a long time coming. They were cheering, celebrating, and enjoying it to their hearts' content.
And so, the entire city was boiling.
But for the commentators, analysts, and experts, the result of the game was not so pleasant. It was a complete disaster.
The slaps came one after another, a continuous slapping sound, as if they had been thoroughly humiliated. Lu Ke's five touchdowns throughout the game, each one louder than the last, were so brutal that the "experts" had no comeback.
These professionals couldn't find a logical explanation: Why did an undrafted rookie become the best-performing player in the first week of the regular season? And why did he have such an explosive performance in both the quarterback rating and PFF grade? He was almost certainly going to be the most dazzling star of the week!
Everyone was at a loss for an explanation.
Amid the chaos and controversy, Charles Davis was at the center of the storm. This famous ESPN professional commentator had done his best to mock, ridicule, and despise Lu Ke on a show before the first game was broadcast. But now, the facts had hit him squarely in the face.
Such a result was truly difficult for Charles to accept. He felt a heavy weight on his chest, and to make it worse, the other members of the show were egging him on, constantly challenging his sensitive nerves.
Edward Bowen, once again fulfilling his role as the host, said, "Charles, Charles..." He stopped the others from teasing by repeatedly calling Charles's name and then summed up the situation. "Let's be realistic, in the first regular season game, this rookie Asian quarterback's performance was perfect! Flawless! What do you think about that?"
"It's a joke." Charles, unwilling to admit defeat, immediately pushed back. "Yes, I said it just now, a joke! As you said, this is just the first game, it doesn't mean anything at all! Tim Tebow even had six passing touchdowns and six rushing touchdowns in the last three games last year!"
Tim Tebow, a 2010 rookie, was a special presence in the NCAA and NFL.
He was a devout Christian who attributed all his victories and successes on the sports field to God. His celebration after every touchdown was to kneel on one knee and thank God. It wasn't his athletic talent, his personal effort, or his teammates' and coaches' teamwork; it was God.
After one or two times, people accepted it and respected his personal beliefs, but he didn't know how to tone it down and got more and more intense, even forcing the league to introduce a "Tebow Rule."
In football games, to avoid glare that could blur their vision, players would paint two black stripes under their eyes, especially quarterbacks. But Tim would write a Bible verse chapter number on the black paint, such as "John 3:16," which would cause a distraction in every game.
The league had to introduce a rule that no words or graphics were allowed on the black paint.
In addition, Tim's personal ability was repeatedly questioned. His Wonderlic Test score was only twenty-two, his understanding of the playbook was very poor, and he almost only played in the wildcat formation.
To put it simply, the wildcat formation is where a running back plays quarterback, and the quarterback plays wide receiver, to confuse the defense and complete the offense. Such a play is one of the simplest and most brutal tactics, even in college games, because the quarterback doesn't act like a quarterback at all; he's more like a tight end or a wide receiver. So, is it even necessary for the quarterback to play quarterback?
In short, Tim Tebow was a laughingstock in the entire league.
Comparing Lu Ke to Tim Tebow showed Charles's attitude.
After his initial anger, Charles calmed down, and his thoughts became clearer. "My point is, there have been countless instances in history where a player in a specific game gave an outstanding, heaven-defying performance that shook the entire league!"
"But this is his first career game!" Spencer Larson, another commentator on the "Inside the League" show, interjected.
"Yes, I know." Charles raised his hands and brought them down hard, emphasizing his point. "He's a rookie, but that's still no reason to make a big deal out of it!"
"This rookie quarterback was facing the Seattle Seahawks, the first playoff team in history with more losses than wins. Last year, their average points allowed was 25.4. He scored 35 points against such a fragmented defense? Please forgive me, but I'm not convinced at all."
With just two simple sentences, Charles made his conclusion. "This is just a one-time lucky burst of energy. It has no value as a reference and no value for praise. It's a flash in the pan, and he'll be exposed soon enough!"
With that, Charles regained his confidence, looked at Spencer and Edward, and sneered, "Now some people are actually comparing him to top-tier quarterbacks like Rodgers, Brady, and Brees. Besides the league's push for political correctness, I don't see any other possibility."
Wait, what?
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