It was the end of another day of training. Lu Ke relaxed his muscles a little and then began to pack up the equipment on the field.
Taking advantage of the offseason to train on the school's court, this is not a venue where you can come and go casually. First, you must get the coach's permission, and then the coach applies to the school. Finally, Lu Ke Also responsible for packing equipment and cleaning. Fortunately, there are professionals responsible for venue maintenance.
After just six weeks of training, Lu Ke was very familiar with this process - when he was a sparring partner, these tasks were divided and worked together between the sparring partners and the freshmen.
"Hey, young man!"
There was a call from the side of the training ground. He raised his head and saw the short, chubby figure following an old man with short gray-white hair. The sun was still a bit dazzling and he couldn't see the outline of his face clearly, but Lu Ke But he was not a fool: the entire training lasted for nearly three hours, and these two people sat in the stands of the stadium for nearly three hours. Naturally, he would not ignore their presence.
"How are you, gentlemen? Are you satisfied with what you saw?" Lu Ke took the initiative and said half-jokingly.
The two exchanged glances and laughed happily. The short fat man joked, "This is something different."
The old man next to him shrugged, "Didn't I tell you? He is a journalism major, a top student. If he doesn't become a professional football player, he will definitely become an excellent reporter."
"Mr. Klein, can you please have more confidence in me?" Lu Ke said again. The subtext was: He will become an excellent professional player, so don't underestimate his ability.
The two men chuckled together again, "This is Kip Chryst, the quarterback coach of the San Francisco 49ers." Adam introduced the two men.
Lu Ke smoothly threw the football in his hand into the cart, but did not stop packing the equipment. He began to walk to the side and stacked the triangular cones. Anthony, who was standing not far away, was also helping to pack the equipment. When he arrived at the three people he was talking to, he hesitated for a moment, but in the end he still didn't come over. Self-recommendation and social occasions were two things that Lu Ke was better than him. There was no need for him to be self-defeating.
"Nice to see you here again, Mr. Kleist." Lu Ke said with a smile on his face.
Kip showed a surprised expression, "Do you remember me?" There were more than a hundred coaches in the training camp, plus hundreds of scouts. It was almost an impossible task to get to know every coach.
"I'm from San Francisco, and I've been waiting for the call from the 49ers. During training, I always have to pay more attention." Lu Ke's frankness successfully made both Kip and Adam smile. "Unfortunately, this meeting has been postponed much longer than I expected."
Kip put his hands behind his back, showing an expression of interest, "Are the 49ers your home team?"
"No, the second home team." Lu Ke's honesty, not to mention Kip, even Adam did not expect it——
What rookie would make such a mistake? Faced with the quarterback coach of the team who came to watch his training, he bluntly stated that this team is not his home team?
Lu Ke is not a high-profile talent like Eli-Manning. He can blatantly refuse the invitation of the San Diego Chargers, who holds the No. 1 pick, saying that he will never go to San Diego to play; Lu Ke does not have that right now. Room to be picky.
Lu Ke seemed unaware. After bending and standing up straight, he looked at the two people with a smile and said sincerely, "My first home team is the Green Bay Packers."
This is the case for every player. There is one home team in his heart, which is his childhood memory and nostalgia; the team he plays for is another, which is his career plan and pursuit.
Most players may play for more than one team in their lifetime, or even count them on two hands, but there is only one home team in their hearts from beginning to end; only a very small number of players only play for one team throughout their careers. A team. In the end, this team surpassed the home team in the heart and became its own home team.
But not everyone can find this "home".
Kip's eyes lit up slightly, "My home team is also the Packers!" The 49ers, he just joined the coaching staff this year, has no feelings at all, but the home team in his heart has never changed, "I was born in Wisconsin, and now We all remember the excitement and excitement of going to Lambeau Field to watch a game for the first time as a child."
The movement in Lu Ke's hand couldn't help but pause slightly. This was completely unexpected. "The first game I watched was the last countdown of the team led by Brett Favre to defeat the Cincinnati Bengals!"
"Jesus Christ, that was Favre's debut with the Packers! In the first game, he started his legendary career." Kip also marveled again and again, even with a smile in full bloom, "But, that It was a competition in 1992, how old were you then?"
"I had not come to the United States at that time." Lu Ke explained, "Later, I watched the replay of classic games on ESPN, and what I saw was this game. After that, I became the most loyal fan of the Packers, although I Living in San Francisco." These words made Kip laugh loudly, "However, the 49ers are my second home team. The first official game I watched live was the San Francisco 49ers against the Washington Redskins at Candlestick Park. .”
"The Christmas showdown in 1999!" Adam also joined the conversation, slightly surprised, "But the 49ers lost that game."
"Yes, but in the face of adversity, they dragged it into overtime. God, my heart stopped beating." Even though ten years have passed, I still feel excited when I recall those moments. Involuntarily, Lu Ke stopped packing the equipment and said with bright eyes.
At this moment, they are not a coach, a scout and a player, they are just three fans.
Kip chuckled, "Is this why you started playing rugby? As far as I know, the Chinese community is not interested in rugby. Even in San Francisco, the popularity of rugby in the Chinese community is not good."
"Yes, my father and I love basketball the most. The Lakers." Lu Ke answered simply, once again causing Kip and Adam to exchange a tacit glance, "But football is a very charming sport. The day I stepped on the field, I knew I was going to be a good football player."
The confidence and firmness in his words are not the traditional humility and low-keyness of Asians, but they are full of vigor and vitality of American young people.
"But haven't you considered that maybe your physical talent is more suitable for basketball?" Kip asked sincerely, with a sincere light shining in his eyes, "Maybe you can't become the second Yao Ming, but in the NBA Can China also have a world of its own?"
"That's a possibility." Lu Ke said with a smile, "Similarly, becoming an excellent rugby player is also a possibility."
Kip raised his chin, with a smile in his eyes. He liked this answer, and he also liked Lu Ke's way of answering.
Afterwards, the conversation between Kip and Lu Ke continued for a while. Kip asked in detail about Lu Ke's performance in high school and the ups and downs of his college years, including his freshman and sophomore years when there was no record.
Even though he was well-informed, Kip couldn't help but sigh, "You know, as a Chinese player, every step you take is making history." Even if it's just winning the Rose Bowl, even if it's just causing a stir in the rookie training camp Such big waves are brand new history. Not because of his "Chinese" identity, but because of his strength.
Lu Ke shrugged indifferently, "Before making history, I should first create my career."
Those humorous words made Kip stunned, and then he clapped his hands and laughed, nodding vigorously, "I have begun to like you." However, this also made the regret in his heart even more intense.
When leaving the stadium, Kip looked back at Lu Ke, who was still packing up the equipment, and sighed to his old friend, "I regret it now. If I hadn't come here today, I wouldn't be so reluctant." He is only the quarterback coach and is only responsible for training; the team's planning is controlled by the head coach and team manager.
"That's your problem, not mine." Adam said calmly, then turned around and left. Kip shook his head helplessly, and then he chased after him, "Hey, I'm here today. Aren’t you going to help with the dinner?”
…
After watching Adam and Kip leave, Anthony walked up and asked actively, "How was it? Did you enjoy the conversation?"
"It's almost the same as the Saints back then." Compared to Anthony, Lu Ke, who was involved, was calmer, "But don't hold out too much hope. The 49ers didn't invite interviews at first, and now they're just asking questions. That’s all. There’s no need to think about it here.”
The six weeks of silence were not as calm as it seemed on the surface. Lu Ke also experienced a roller coaster of emotions such as expectation, joy, anxiety, irritability, disappointment, sadness, and struggle. After the ups and downs, he put aside all the distracting thoughts and devoted himself wholeheartedly to training. In the final analysis, strength is the only way to pass the test.
He needed to stop himself from imagining things. Because others around him were even more nervous than him. Anthony is like this, and so are his parents.
Anthony was stunned for a moment, and finally let out a long sigh of helplessness, "You... uh, what are your plans, I mean, if the results of the draft are not satisfactory?"
Hope is gradually becoming slimmer. As an assistant coach, Anthony should be more aware of the operating rules and systems of the NFL. No one is exempt from the cruelty of competitive sports.
"Then sprint to the finish line with all your strength and take a look at the scenery at the end of the road." Lu Ke said with confidence. His strong self-confidence and perseverance made Anthony stunned and even a little ashamed of himself. Dreams not only make life bearable, but also make life colorful.
Suddenly, Anthony's inner irritability and anxiety disappeared, and he believed in Lu Ke. In other words, he is willing to believe in Lu Ke and believe that one day in the future, his dream will finally come true.
