"Agent, Lech Steinberg."
Simple and elegant, simple and classic, without any unnecessary decorations or patterns, not even the name of the agency to which it belongs. On the front is a title and a name; on the back is a phone number and an email address. This is all.
Simple to the extreme, but also extremely confident.
There are no extravagant prefixes and titles, and there are no dazzling designs and colors. It is simple and upright. Not because it's crude, but because a name is enough. Only the truly powerful and powerful can have such confidence; of course, only the truly discerning can discern the underlying story——
Otherwise, others will think that he is a poor man who does not even have a title.
Lu Ke gently raised the business card in his hand and asked doubtfully, "So? Is there anything I can do to help?" The understatement, nonchalant, and calm tone seemed to have completely failed to see the mystery hidden in the business card.
However, Laihe caught a flash of amusement in Lu Ke's eyes, and his pretended calm expression still revealed a hint of surprise. No matter how experienced and mature he is, Lu Ke is still just a young man who has just graduated from college; while Laihe is an old fox who has been in society for nearly half a century, and his moral practice is still more advanced.
Things started to get interesting: Lu Ke clearly knew what this business card meant, but he still remained calm and neither humble nor overbearing. This calmness and composure were really impressive. You know, when Aaron Rodgers first entered the league, he was far from being so sophisticated.
Maybe it’s because of the wisdom that Feng Derrick’s perfect score means, maybe it’s because of the composure represented by the journalism and media profession, maybe it’s because of the ups and downs that Chinese-American players have experienced along the way. The reasons may be various, but the result is that Lu Ke is indeed a unique rookie player.
Lech showed an amiable smile, his kind face as if he was just an ordinary old man, "I need a cup of coffee. I wonder if you can accompany me for a walk to a nearby coffee shop? I don't have anything. Special requests are no problem at Starbucks.”
Both Laihe and Lu Ke knew very well that at this moment, the agent came to their door, obviously not to buy coffee. But, that’s how Lech answered.
Lu Ke stared deeply into Laihe's eyes, but Laihe did not dodge and faced his gaze as still as a mountain.
The thoughts in his mind surged slightly, and Lu Ke said out loud, "Sorry, I need to go to the training camp. I have a lot of things to do today and my schedule is quite full." He refused. Lu Ke actually refused, but the next second, Lu Ke The conversation changed, "But if you don't mind, I should have coffee at home, made by my mother."
Not only was Laihe not angry, but he smiled and nodded, "Of course I don't mind."
Today is Wednesday, resuming training and game preparations. This is the main theme of professional players. Lu Ke did not change his plan because of the appearance of his agent. This is a rare advantage: self-discipline and determination, and at the same time willing to make changes within his ability. , come up with better solutions.
Combined with this impression, and looking back at the performance of the past two games, real professionals will know that two consecutive victories may be due to luck, but it is definitely not just luck.
Following Lu Ke, Laihe entered the room in front of him.
At this time, Lu Zhengze and Jiang Youning had already gone to work, and the house was empty; Lu Ke skillfully entered the kitchen, poured a cup of coffee, and gave it to Laihe, then put out sugar cubes and milk, revealing a Smile, "Is there anything else you need?"
"No, no, that's enough." Laihe waved his hands repeatedly, "Thank you. For an old man like me, there is nothing special to pursue every day. A cup of coffee is everything in life." Laihe said with a smile. , "You need to rush to the training ground later, so don't worry about me. You can take a shower and change your jersey first."
Lech clearly knows a lot about the daily routine of a professional athlete.
"If you don't mind, can I take a tour of the house?" Lech made a polite request. Although he is a stranger, in the United States, after the host invites the guest into the home, it is very normal for the guest to ask for a tour.
"Of course. Please do so." Lu Ke had already made his decision when he invited Laihe into his home. "Then, please forgive me for leaving."
Then, Lu Ke really left the kitchen and returned to his room on the second floor. Following his daily routine, he tidied up and prepared for the interrogation.
Such a scene is indeed a bit ridiculous, and a bit ridiculous: an agent came to the door in person, but the player was not flattered, nor did he have a long conversation, but completed his daily routine in an orderly and step-by-step manner. The agent was alone in the player's home. Wander around and visit.
But, this is really happening.
Agents are an indispensable link in any competitive sport; to be more precise, in today's commodity society, agents have gradually become an important key in the industrial chain. Apart from competitive sports, agents , actors, directors, models, writers, artists, etc. Everyone needs an agent to become a bridge between themselves and the market.
Generally speaking, football agents start working with players in college.
Agents will be like scouts, investigating and screening the college players they are interested in, making decisions based on the players' college performance, and then recommending themselves based on their ability, experience, qualifications, personality charm and future plans. Impress players and sign them early.
In the draft process, agents are also an indispensable and important link. After the rookie training camp, agents must keep in touch with the team managers of each team at all times to get as much attention as possible for their players, increase competitiveness, and gain a high starting point in their careers.
However, Lu Ke still has no agent.
Before his senior year, as a sparring player, no agent would pay him any attention; in his senior year, as a substitute player, Lu Ke only had two limited playing times, which was not enough to attract the attention of agents.
After the rookie conference, the "double brilliance" of undrafted players and Chinese players was a double-edged sword that created topics but also caused concerns. Agents were waiting and watching and made no further moves.
Ultimately, agents compete for profit, not charity.
After entering the league, at the end of the first week of the regular season, rugby agents finally began to notice Lu Ke's existence. The calls came one after another in an endless stream. However, after the start of the regular season, the flow of time seemed to speed up. Not yet. There was no time for further communication, and the second week of the regular season was already upon us.
By the time he reacted, two consecutive victories had arrived, and then the agent named Lech Steinberg appeared at Lu Ke's doorstep.
Now, I finally feel like a professional player; however, compared to my agent, the imminent third week of the regular season is the most important thing.
This week, Lu Ke must face competition from Alex Smith. Today is the official media day. Jim Hubble is bound to be asked about the selection of the starting quarterback. Maybe Jim will give a definite answer, maybe not, but no matter what, the competition has begun, and Lu Ke must do his best to win. go.
Comparatively speaking, the agent is not Lu Ke's current headline event.
After finishing preparations, Lu Ke came downstairs and saw Laihe standing at the screen door of the back door. He was looking at the scenery of the backyard, slowly tasting the coffee in his hand, and seemed to be enjoying a moment of leisure in the morning.
"Sir." Lu Ke interrupted Laihe's thoughts.
Lech turned his head and said with a smile, "Oh, you are ready. Excuse me, can I go to Candlestick Park with you?"
Lu Ke didn't speak, but looked at Laihe suspiciously. However, the meaning couldn't be more clear.
Lech chuckled lightly and snapped his fingers. "Sure enough, as you get older, your memory starts to become less clear." He joked self-deprecatingly, "I am Lech Steinberg, a sportsman. Agent, as far as I know, you don't have an agent at the moment, and I thought, maybe I'm a good fit; maybe not. Likewise, maybe you're a player worth signing, maybe not. So, why don't we talk to each other? Do you understand?"
Relaxed and humorous, witty and playful, yet steady at the same time, his mature wisdom and sophisticated charm truly demonstrate the charm of an agent.
Lu Ke couldn't help but smile, nodded, and said cheerfully, "No problem. This is my honor. Then, if you are ready, let's set off. Or do you still need a little time to finish tasting the coffee?"
"No, I can leave now." Laihe quickly walked into the kitchen, put the coffee cup in the sink, and at the same time arranged the sugar cubes and milk on the table neatly, and then walked out , greeted Lu Ke to leave the house, "By the way, thank you for the coffee. Please express my gratitude to your mother for me. She makes good coffee."
"I will tell her." Lu Ke said with a smile.
The two of them chatted while walking towards Lu Ke's car, "Do you insist on training every day? Even on rest days? This is not good. Only by combining work and rest can you ensure the best training effect. If you work too hard, Too much is not enough. Isn’t this an important part of Chinese culture?”
Laihe's words made Lu Ke's eyes show surprise, "Do you like Chinese culture?"
"I've dabbled a little, but it's just the surface." Lech said modestly, "For today's meeting, I made another impromptu surprise, hoping to bring us closer to each other."
Such a straightforward and frank expression made Lu Ke laugh out loud, "At least, your point just now is correct. Yes, I know that too much is too much. I will keep training every day, but the training plan and weight will be slightly adjusted. In order to I still have a lot of progress to catch up on to be qualified for the starting position, and now is not the time to be lazy.”
"It seems that you are determined to win the starting position this week." Lech said with a smile.
Lu Ke nodded candidly and answered crisply, "Yes." It was loud and clear!
