"Agent, Leigh Steinberg."
The card was simple and elegant, classic with no unnecessary decorations or patterns. It didn't even have the name of the agency he belonged to. The front had a title and a name, and the back had a phone number and an email address. That was it.
It was a card that was both simple and confident in the extreme.
There were no flowery prefixes or titles, no dazzling designs or colors—just a simple, honest card. It wasn't because it was crude; it was because one name was enough. Only those in power or those who are truly strong have this kind of confidence. Of course, only those who know what they're looking at can understand the depth of it.
Otherwise, anyone else would think he was a down-on-his-luck pauper who couldn't even afford a title.
Lu Ke held up the business card and asked with a puzzled expression, "So? Is there anything I can help you with?" His tone was so casual and nonchalant that it seemed as if he hadn't noticed the hidden meaning of the card at all.
But Leigh caught a glimpse of amusement in Lu Ke's eyes. The feigned composure still betrayed a hint of surprise. No matter how seasoned or mature Lu Ke was, he was still just a young man who had just graduated from college. Leigh, on the other hand, was an old fox who had been in the business for nearly half a century and was much more experienced.
Things were getting interesting. Lu Ke knew what the business card meant, yet he remained calm and composed. This calmness and composure were truly impressive. Back when Aaron Rodgers first entered the league, he was nowhere near as polished.
Perhaps it was the intelligence that a perfect score on the Wonderlic Test implied, or the composure that a degree in journalism provided, or the hardships a Chinese-American player had to face to get to where he was. The reasons could be varied, but the result was that Lu Ke was indeed a unique rookie player.
Leigh gave a kind smile. His benevolent face looked just like any other ordinary old man. "I need a cup of coffee. I wonder if you would be willing to take a walk with me to a nearby coffee shop? I have no special requirements; Starbucks is fine."
Both Leigh and Lu Ke knew that an agent showing up at his door was not for coffee. Yet, Leigh answered in that way.
Lu Ke stared deep into Leigh's eyes, and Leigh met his gaze without flinching, standing as still as a mountain.
After a moment, Lu Ke said, "I'm sorry, I need to go to the training camp. I have a lot of things to do and a full schedule today." Lu Ke had just turned him down, but the next second, he changed his mind. "However, if you don't mind, I should have some coffee at my house. It's from my mother."
Leigh wasn't angry. Instead, he smiled and nodded. "Of course, I don't mind."
Today was Wednesday, a day for recovery practice and game preparation. That was a professional player's main priority. The fact that Lu Ke didn't change his plan because of the agent's appearance was a rare quality: disciplined and determined, yet also willing to make changes within his means and come up with a better solution.
Combined with this impression and his performance in the past two games, any true professional would know that two consecutive wins might have some luck, but it was definitely not just because of luck.
Following Lu Ke, Leigh entered the house.
At this time, Lu Zhengze and Jiang Younin had already gone to work, and the house was empty. Lu Ke skillfully went into the kitchen, poured a cup of coffee, and gave it to Leigh. Then he set out some sugar cubes and milk and gave a smile. "Is there anything else you need?"
"No, no, this is enough," Leigh said, waving his hands. "Thank you. For an old man like me, there's nothing much to ask for every day. A cup of coffee is my entire life." Leigh smiled and said, "You still have to rush to the training field, so you don't have to worry about me. You should go take a shower and change into your jersey."
Leigh was clearly well-versed in the daily routines of a professional athlete.
"If you don't mind, may I look around the house?" Leigh made a polite request. Even though they were strangers, it was a perfectly normal thing for a guest to ask for a tour after being invited into someone's home in the United States.
"Of course. Feel free," Lu Ke said, having already made up his mind when he invited Leigh into the house. "Then, please excuse me for a moment."
Then, Lu Ke really did leave the kitchen and went back to his room on the second floor. He went about his daily routine, getting ready to go to practice.
The scene was a little absurd, a little ridiculous: an agent came to his door in person, but the player wasn't flattered or looking to have a heart-to-heart talk. Instead, he was going about his daily routine in an orderly manner, while the agent was left to wander and tour the player's house alone.
But it was happening.
Agents are an indispensable part of any competitive sport. More accurately, in today's consumer society, agents have gradually become a crucial part of the industry chain. Outside of competitive sports, actors, directors, models, writers, artists, and everyone else needs an agent to be a bridge between themselves and the market.
Generally, football agents start working with players in college.
Agents, like scouts, would investigate and screen college players they were interested in. Based on the player's performance in college games, they would make a decision, then recommend themselves and win over the player with their ability, experience, qualifications, charisma, and future plans, and sign them early on.
During the draft process, agents are also an indispensable part of it. After the rookie training camp, agents have to keep in touch with the general managers of various teams to get as much attention for their players as possible, increase their competitiveness, and win them a great starting point for their professional careers.
However, Lu Ke didn't have an agent until now.
Before his senior year, as a practice squad player, no agent would pay attention to him. In his senior year, as a backup player, Lu Ke only had two limited opportunities to play, which weren't enough to attract an agent's attention.
After the draft, the "double glow" of being an undrafted player and a Chinese-American player was a double-edged sword. It created a buzz but also caused concern. Agents were all waiting and watching, and none of them made a move.
Ultimately, agents are after profit, not charity.
After entering the league, at the end of the first week of the regular season, football agents finally started to notice Lu Ke's existence. Phone calls came one after another. But after the regular season began, time seemed to speed up, and before he could even communicate further, the second week of the regular season was already upon them.
By the time they reacted, two consecutive wins had already come, and then this agent, named Leigh Steinberg, appeared at Lu Ke's doorstep.
Now, he finally felt a little like a professional player. But compared to an agent, the most important thing was the imminent third week of the regular season.
This week, Lu Ke had to face competition from Alex Smith. Today was the official media day, and Jim Harbaugh would undoubtedly be asked about his choice for starting quarterback. Maybe Jim would give a definite answer, maybe he wouldn't, but either way, the competition had already begun, and Lu Ke had to give it his all.
Relatively speaking, an agent was not Lu Ke's top priority right now.
After he was ready, Lu Ke went downstairs and saw Leigh standing by the back door screen. He was looking at the scenery in the backyard, slowly sipping his coffee, seemingly enjoying the brief moment of leisure in the morning.
"Sir," Lu Ke said, interrupting Leigh's thoughts.
Leigh turned around and said with a smile, "Oh, you're ready. May I ask if I can go to Candlestick Park with you?"
Lu Ke didn't say anything but looked at Leigh with a puzzled expression. However, the meaning was clear.
Leigh chuckled and snapped his fingers. "As you get older, your memory starts to fail you." He teased himself. "I'm Leigh Steinberg, a sports agent. As far as I know, you don't have an agent right now. I was thinking that maybe I'm a suitable choice. Or maybe I'm not. Similarly, maybe you're a player worth signing, or maybe you're not. So why don't we get to know each other?"
Easygoing and humorous, but also steady. The maturity and experience of a seasoned veteran truly showed the style of an agent.
Lu Ke couldn't help but smile, nodding and saying cheerfully, "No problem. It's my honor. Well, if you're ready, let's go. Or do you need a little more time to finish your coffee?"
"No, I can go now." Leigh quickly walked into the kitchen, put the coffee cup in the sink, and also put the sugar cubes and milk on the table neatly. Only then did he walk out and call out to Lu Ke to leave the house. "By the way, thank you for the coffee. Please thank your mother for me. She makes a good cup of coffee."
"I will pass on the message," Lu Ke said with a smile.
The two of them chatted as they walked toward Lu Ke's car. "Do you train every day? Even on rest days? That's not good. You have to balance work and rest to ensure the best training results. If you try too hard, it can be counterproductive. Isn't that an important part of Chinese culture?"
Leigh's words made Lu Ke's eyes show surprise. "You like Chinese culture?"
"I've dabbled in it, but only scratched the surface," Leigh said modestly. "I did a crash course for today's meeting. I hope it brings us closer."
His direct and honest way of speaking made Lu Ke laugh. "At least your point just now was right. Yes, I know too much is as bad as too little. I do train every day, but the training plan and amount are slightly adjusted. To be worthy of the starting position, I still have a lot of progress to catch up on. Now is not the time to be lazy."
"It seems you are determined to get the starting position this week," Leigh said with a smile.
Lu Ke nodded frankly, and answered with determination, "Yes." His words were loud and clear.
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