Scott Tolzien, Marcus Lynch, Aldon Smith, Kendall Hunter, Colin Jones…all the rookie players stood behind Lu Ke.
Demarcus Dobbs, Will Tukuafu…all the undrafted rookie players also gathered over.
Blake Costanzo, Tavares Gooden, Larry Grant, Carlos Rogers…many of the players who had just joined the team this year also came over.
Not only that, but the practice squad players also scattered to this side of the locker room, Lu Ke's side. Although they didn't gather together and were just scattered in the open space in the distance, the balance of power and the tense situation in the entire locker room underwent a huge change.
Standing opposite Logan and Lu Ke was still a huge group. The crowd of people surrounding Parish was about a dozen people. There were also about a dozen people scattered behind them, making it at least 30 people or more, occupying the majority of the 53-man roster, which was a huge force.
But the players standing behind Logan and Lu Ke were not to be outdone. In addition to the dozen players, the practice squad players also joined in, forming a tense situation that was not only on par with them but also slightly gaining the upper hand.
Compared to the power structure of the team in the past two weeks, things were subtly changing. The old-timers who had just joined the San Francisco 49ers this year were originally in a wait-and-see state or were more inclined to the veteran players' camp, but now they had all made their own choices.
Some still stood by Parish's side. The influence of veteran players was deep-rooted and all-encompassing, and it was definitely not that easy to break. Others, however, moved to Lu Ke's side. It was not so much that they chose Lu Ke as they chose victory.
The newly added players were all mercenaries who had no deep feelings for the team. They had no traditions to inherit, no authority to protect, and were just mercenaries who made choices that were in their best interest based on the changes in the wind and water. That was all.
More importantly, in the ranks of Parish and the others, Michael Crabtree, Vernon Davis, and the offensive linemen were nowhere to be seen.
They were all veteran players and the backbone of the offense. At this time, they didn't stand up and join the confrontation with Parish and the others. Instead, they sat far away on the benches, almost淹没 in the crowd, and remained silent.
You could vaguely sense the struggle and hesitation in their hearts. On the one hand, they needed to support the veteran players. On the other hand, they didn't want to further escalate the conflict. Caught between a rock and a hard place, they chose to take a step back.
But it was this subtle change in power that dropped a bombshell in the locker room. The power of the veteran players was further weakened, and the entire lineup seemed a little thin, losing its advantage in the confrontation. After only two games, was the absolute authority of the locker room about to lose control?
Lu Ke noticed the shift in the balance of power, but Logan, who was in a fit of rage, did not.
Facing Parish's reaction, Logan clenched his fists and took a big step forward. "Making a big deal out of it? So, if I call your mother a prostitute, you'd be fine with that? Or if your mother kneels in front of me and serves me, you'd be fine with that?"
This short sentence was like a torch thrown into a gunpowder depot. It exploded with a "bang."
Parish swung his fist and charged forward, and Logan was not to be outdone. He charged forward like a wild bull, and the two of them collided fiercely, like a meteor hitting the earth, making a muffled "bang." Immediately, the hormones and adrenaline in the entire locker room exploded.
At this moment, any words were superfluous. The situation had gotten out of control, and the best solution was to fight it out. So, Lu Ke clenched his fists without hesitation, his muscles tensing to the limit, and he rushed to the front.
"Stop! Stop! Stop!" The out-of-control roar echoed in the air, accompanied by a series of banging sounds. At the same time, several helmets flew through the air, like firebombs, smashing over. A string of curses followed, "God damn it! You bunch of jerks!" A string of "bleep bleep bleep" profanity followed, pouring out endlessly.
Lu Ke's right leg was tensed to the limit, ready to kick out. Then he felt a huge gust of air from his left. The roars, curses, and helmets were all mixed together and came smashing at him. Reflexively, Lu Ke stopped his body and took half a step back, dodging a helmet. Then he saw the helmet smash hard against the wall, making a muffled sound.
Parish, who was standing opposite Lu Ke, reacted a beat too late. His shoulder and neck were hit by a helmet, and his momentum of charging forward came to an abrupt halt. His eyes were red with fury, and he roared back, "Who!"
But Parish's voice only had time to let out one word before he was met with the endless torrent of rage. All of his anger instantly dissolved and disintegrated. He stood in place with an uncertain expression on his face, opening his mouth to try and defend himself. "It's not my fault!" But his words were completely drowned out, and he could barely find a gap to speak.
What's more, the furious guy was Jim Harbaugh, the team's head coach and the person in absolute power.
Even Parish didn't dare to challenge the head coach's authority. His words of defense were stuck in his throat, and he couldn't speak, which was incredibly frustrating.
Logan hadn't even had time to get his footing. Marcus and Scott behind him reacted in time and grabbed his arms tightly, shouting, "Coach! Coach! Coach!" Logan, who was seeing red, didn't notice the change in the locker room's atmosphere at first and struggled to break free. But Marcus and Scott held on tight. Gradually, Logan came to his senses.
"Do you guys think you're hot stuff just because you got two wins? The season has just started! The difficulties have just begun! Why don't you look at how we played last week? We had no defense and no offense. We were lucky to win that game. Now you guys aren't preparing for next week's game and actually have time to fight among yourselves! You're all stupid! You're all a bunch of idiots!"
Jim was truly angry. Looking at the chaotic situation in the locker room, the bulging veins on his neck seemed to be in a precarious state. The boiling blood rushed to his cheeks, and it felt as if you could clearly hear the capillaries bursting one by one. The entire man was on the verge of exploding at any moment.
Only Jim's voice echoed in the locker room, a non-discriminatory attack.
"You morons! All of you get out and run laps around the field! 30 laps! Don't start today's practice until you're done!" Jim slammed the tactical playbook in his hand onto the ground, spat on the floor, and said breathlessly. He looked at the players in front of him with a sharp gaze. "Every single one of you! Yes, you heard me! Every single one of you has to run!"
He caught a glimpse of the restless Parish out of the corner of his eye, and Jim glared at him fiercely. "Do you have a problem? Why are you still in the locker room and not starting your punishment? Or are you guys more willing to be suspended than to run laps? Should I just kick you off the roster? Let's just not play this week, surrender directly, and then let the media and fans come and see what's going on?"
Absolutely tough, unyielding, and uncompromising. Jim once again showed the iron-fisted coach's ruthless and decisive nature!
Facing the head coach's indiscriminate attack that punished everyone without distinguishing between right and wrong, Lu Ke could have argued, appealed, and protested, but it was all meaningless. Conflicts in the locker room were never resolved with words. It was either with fists or with victory.
So, Lu Ke didn't argue. He looked back at his teammates, gave them a look, and took the lead to leave the locker room. Then he jogged toward the training field.
The rookie players moved immediately, following Lu Ke in a single file. As for the undrafted rookies and the newly added players who were standing behind Lu Ke, they exchanged glances, fell back for a moment, and then followed suit, treating Lu Ke as their leader and obediently accepting the punishment.
Watching Lu Ke's every move, Parish was filled with grievances and defiance. "Coach!" It was a tradition for veteran players to discipline rookies. It was the same in all 32 teams in the league. Why was that Chinese-American player so special?
"Parish!" Alex Smith, who was standing behind Jim, walked forward and rebuked Parish's argument. "You heard what the coach said. 30 laps. No exceptions for any player. Now, what are you waiting for?"
"Alex!" Parish was still filled with indignation, and his hoarse voice was almost distorted.
Alex showed the demeanor of a team captain. "Don't make me say it a second time! The locker room is not a boxing ring, and football is not played with fists! So, run laps, now! Everyone needs to clear their heads!" After he finished speaking, Alex pointed to the locker room door, signaling for everyone to leave.
Alex's influence was evident. Even though they were defiant and dissatisfied, the players still took their first steps and slowly left the locker room, preparing to accept their punishment. However, compared to the rookies, the undrafted players, and the newly added players, the steps of these veteran players were heavy, and every muscle in their body sent out a signal of unwillingness.
Parish was the last one to leave. He gave Alex an unhappy look but still followed him. Alex didn't say anything else and followed Parish, joining his teammates in their punishment, even though he had come with Jim and hadn't been a part of the locker room's commotion.
In the blink of an eye, the locker room became quiet.
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