"As an undrafted rookie, how did you feel when the team decided to make you the starting quarterback for the first game of the regular season, and you only had 10 days to prepare?"
This was the first official question from Brian, a run-of-the-mill, expected question that almost every rookie quarterback would have to face when they started for the first time.
However, a closer look revealed a hidden sharpness and a subtle trap that was hard to defend against. Being too arrogant or too humble could both lead to a dead end.
"Not to drop the ball?" Lu Ke's answer was both humorous and self-deprecating. Brian was taken aback for a moment, then he reacted and let out a chuckle.
Then, Lu Ke straightened up and answered the question seriously. "At that time, everything happened so suddenly and so fast. No one wants to see a player get injured. Any injury is a heavy blow to the game and the player. For a moment, I wasn't sure if it was luck or misfortune for me. I think the next team that considers signing me needs to be a little more careful."
Initially, when Kevin Press was unexpectedly injured, Lu Ke got a chance to play. Later, when Alex Smith was unexpectedly injured, Lu Ke got a chance to try out. Finally, when Colin Kaepernick was unexpectedly injured, Lu Ke became the team's starter.
In a way, this seemed like a curse, but in reality, accidents were very common on the football field.
The real curse in the NFL was Ryan Fitzpatrick, a quarterback who entered the league in 2005. As long as he was a backup quarterback for a team, the team's starting quarterback would get injured 100% of the time. If the starting quarterback got injured and the team didn't make Ryan the starter, the other backup players who started would also get injured.
In 2005, Fitzpatrick was drafted by the St. Louis Rams. The Rams' starting quarterback at the time, Marc Bulger, suffered a shoulder injury. He was then replaced by Jamie Martin, who was taken off the field with a concussion.
In 2007, Fitzpatrick went to the Cincinnati Bengals, where the starting quarterback Carson Palmer tore a ligament in his elbow.
In 2009, the Buffalo Bills became Fitzpatrick's next team. The starting quarterback, Trent Edwards, suffered a concussion, and then Fitzpatrick became the starter and stayed until this season.
The "Fitzpatrick Rule" had become a major curse in the league. In contrast, Lu Ke's experience was not at all special on the high-intensity, fiercely competitive football field.
However, Lu Ke's wit and humor still managed to make Brian laugh happily.
"But the reality was that I became the starting quarterback and only had 10 days to prepare. I believe that for any rookie player, it's a contradictory feeling," Lu Ke returned to the question and continued.
"On one hand, we're looking forward to playing. We're ready. We're eager to become a part of the league. We're ready to go. But on the other hand, we're worried and anxious about our game, about our performance. After all, the professional field is a whole new level, and everything is different from college..."
At this point, Lu Ke paused for a moment and added, "Of course, I didn't get much playing time in college, so I guess the difficulty increased exponentially when I went straight to the pros."
Involuntarily and irresistibly, Brian's lips curled upward. This was not Lu Ke's first time dealing with the media. In the past two weeks, Lu Ke had shown his excellent speaking skills many times. But today, Brian was still amazed and intrigued.
This kind of self-deprecating wit, off-the-cuff humor, and poised demeanor had the youthful energy of a young man and the maturity of an old fox, which was truly refreshing. The exclusive interview, which was supposed to be a routine matter, had now become interesting.
"And then what?" Brian asked with a smile. "What did you feel when you actually got on the field?"
"Everything was a lie," Lu Ke's answer was once again unexpected. Brian couldn't help but chuckle.
An interview is a complex thing. There is a back-and-forth, a "you" and an "I."
Both the interviewer and the interviewee are crucial. If only one party is trying, a connection cannot be established. At the same time, if both parties are performing well but have not found a rapport, they still cannot achieve the desired effect. Only when both parties have chemistry can an ordinary and boring interview become exciting.
As the interviewee, Lu Ke's performance today was outstanding. As the interviewer, Brian needed to step up his game.
"When I actually got on the field, there was no time to think. All the excitement and all the worries disappeared without a trace," Lu Ke continued. "The game was like a high-speed train, whizzing by. It hit me in the stomach with a 'bang.' All my energy was focused on not throwing up. I guess passing the ball wasn't my biggest concern anymore."
Brian looked up with great interest. "Are you saying that as an undrafted rookie and the first Chinese-American player in the league, you didn't feel the thrill and excitement of making history when you stepped onto Candlestick Park as the starting quarterback?" As an interviewer, Brian was also starting to work hard.
"Of course. I mean, I was the only Chinese face, or even the only Asian face, on the entire field. Even if I wanted to ignore it, it wouldn't be easy," Lu Ke said, facing Brian's question head-on. "But that's the thing. Not only for the first game and the first season, but until the next Asian player enters the professional field, I will be the center of attention. So, I think it's a long journey, and I have a long... a very long time to slowly get excited."
The emphasis on the adjective, "very long," was drawn out, bringing a hint of humor. Brian couldn't help but smile. He strongly suspected that Lu Ke was a stand-up comedian whose career had been sidetracked by football.
"Making history is a neutral term. Every player who steps onto the field hopes to win and go down in history. But the cruel reality is that only a very small number of players can achieve that goal," Lu Ke said, showing a maturity beyond his age. But when you think about it, from the moment he decided to play football at the age of 10, he had been facing the challenges and impacts that came with being a "Chinese-American player" every single moment.
Perhaps, as a professional athlete, Lu Ke hadn't spent much time on the field. But he had long been accustomed to the pressure and burden of being a history-maker.
"If I had thrown five interceptions in the first game, that would also be history. And trust me, no one wants to go down in history like that." A simple statement was followed by a jab and a joke. Lu Ke's honest demeanor truly showed his charisma.
Brian couldn't help but laugh. "Luckily, we witnessed a different version of history. Otherwise, the atmosphere of today's interview might have been different." Five touchdowns. That was the history Lu Ke had written. "So, what did you feel when the game ended and the team won by a large margin? Still disappointed?"
Brian's tone also became a little playful, which made Lu Ke chuckle.
"No, of course not. No one would be disappointed with a victory," Lu Ke said, shaking his head. "Excitement and elation. After the game, it was all the cliché stuff, blah, blah, blah... I believe you're tired of hearing these clichés. Since it's all the same old thing, I won't repeat it."
Brian raised his eyebrows, once again feeling that Lu Ke was different. "No, no, let's hear the clichés. Why do we always love victories? Why do we always love happy endings? Why do we always love lovers ending up together? Because these clichés are the best parts."
"Haha, is that a line from Oprah Winfrey's autobiography?" Lu Ke's playful jab at "Oprah Winfrey Show" style inspirational quotes made Brian fall into deep thought. "After the game, the reality sank in. I realized that I had completed the first start of my professional career, and I had also won. So, it was party time."
It was simple but vivid. Brian seemed to relive the joy of victory. "It was all unbelievable, right?" After Lu Ke agreed, Brian continued his questioning. "After such a wonderful and intense game, what was the most memorable moment? For many people, that first long-pass touchdown was definitely the most exciting moment!"
This time, Lu Ke didn't rush to answer but thought about it seriously.
There were indeed countless classic and memorable moments in the first game. The first long pass, yes. The yellow flag, yes. Jim Harbaugh's trust, yes. The full power of the shotgun formation, yes. But...
"Actually, it was the moment I got my jersey and helmet for the first time." Lu Ke gave a strange answer. Brian looked confused, but the light in Lu Ke's eyes became brighter and brighter.
"It sounds a little absurd and ridiculous. But that's the reality," Lu Ke paused for a moment, lost in his memories. His eyes were filled with focus and immersion, and a hint of excitement and thrill could be seen in his eyes. "...That was the first time in my life that I got my own jersey."
In elementary and middle school, the school didn't have regular game uniforms. In college, Lu Ke wasn't able to get his own jersey in time. This situation continued until the professional league. Just as Lu Ke said, it was absurd but true.
"At that moment, the dream became real. I really became a professional athlete. I really got on the field. I really had a place of my own," Lu Ke's smile bloomed brightly. "I clearly realized again why I chose football. The journey has been so long, and more importantly, this is just the beginning."
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