American Football: King of the Bay Area

The roar of the crowd, like Fierce Waves, crashed against Lu Ke’s eardrums, creating a deep BUZZING. It felt as if someone had started ringing a great bell in his head, and he could feel the lingering echoes of the sound waves coursing through his entire body.

His heart pounded, lost in the ecstatic moment. Adrenaline, now unbound, surged through his veins. A mighty roar thundered ceaselessly in his ears. The joy and happiness of victory were erupting from within him! The thrill and excitement of the comeback were blossoming in this very instant!

This moment was so magnificent, it made him want to revel in it forever. He pumped his fists again and again, roaring his lungs out until his chest burned, his blood boiled, and his body felt like it was about to burst.

God, how he loved this field!

After the frustration and pressure of the first half, the roller-coaster of the second, the narrow escape in the final moments, and the bated breath during the game-winning play... all of it made the taste of victory that much sweeter and more poignant.

Right now, all he wanted was to revel in the pure thrill of victory; everything else was pushed to the back of his mind.

”Bambi! Bambi!” Team assistant Bobby Engram struggled to make his way over. Pushing through the ecstatic players was no easy task. Nearly everyone was shouting, ”Bobby! Victory! Victory!” By then, Bobby’s ears were ringing so much he couldn’t hear a thing, but he still made it to Lu Ke. ”Handshake! Post-game handshake!”

This was only the second game of Lu Ke’s career. After such a hard-fought win, his rationality was like a runaway horse that couldn’t be reined in. Even though it was just a regular-season game, to Lu Ke, it was more important than the Super Bowl. Only by winning could his career continue. Otherwise, this could have very well been his last game.

Bobby’s shouts finally brought Lu Ke back to his senses. He pushed away the teammates clinging to him like octopuses and raised his hand high, calling out, ”Post-game handshake! Post-game handshake!” It wasn’t just the quarterbacks who had to shake hands; all players and coaches were expected to show sportsmanship after the game, just like in soccer.

Lu Ke jogged back onto the field. Amid the bustling crowd, he spotted Tony Romo.

He was a tall, handsome man with a light stubble on his chin. Though his eyes held a lingering trace of loss and regret, he wore a sunny smile that was warm and friendly. He stood calmly on the field, consoling his defeated teammates while waiting for Lu Ke to approach.

Romo looked up and saw Lu Ke approaching. He stepped forward to meet him, extending his right hand for a shake and his left for a hug. He didn’t just shake his hand; he pulled Lu Ke into a warm embrace. His handshake was firm and sincere as he leaned in close to Lu Ke’s ear and said, raising his voice over the noise, ”Outstanding game. Truly exceptional. To be honest, on that last pass, I have no idea how you pulled that off, but... amazing!”

Lu Ke looked at Romo, a little surprised.

Last week, Travis Jackson had merely gone through the motions. They had just tapped right hands—not even a proper handshake—and exchanged no words. The moment they met, Jackson had turned and walked away.

”Thanks,” Lu Ke said, still slightly taken aback. ”Lady Luck was on my side today.”

It was the truth, not false modesty.

When he chose to use Bullet Time, there were at least three instances where he was nearly sacked, even with the skill’s assistance. Then there was Kyle Williams’s fumble, which Logan Newman recovered by a mere hand’s breadth. And that final pass—if the arc had been just three or five centimeters higher, Michael Crabtree wouldn’t have been able to make the catch...

And that was just the luck on the final drive alone. Looking back further, there were the two missed third-down conversions by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth quarter that forced them to turn the ball over. Then there were Lu Ke’s own bold and risky passing choices on the two previous touchdown drives. Without a little bit of luck, the outcome of today’s game would have been completely different.

Just as Lu Ke had said, Lady Luck had smiled upon the San Francisco 49ers.

Romo chuckled. ”As an NFL veteran, can I give you a piece of advice?” The corners of his mouth lifted into a brilliant smile, revealing a dimple. Without his helmet and the intensity of the game, Romo looked just like a friendly next-door neighbor. After Lu Ke nodded, he continued, ”Luck is part of skill.”

With that, Romo clapped Lu Ke on the shoulder. ”As undrafted rookies, we carry a lot of extra pressure when we enter the league,” he said. ”We have more to prove, but remember, your own skill is your most important asset. Good luck in your game next week! But for today, just enjoy this win!”

There was a hint of bitterness in his smile, but it was overshadowed by a sense of calm acceptance. Romo’s class and sportsmanship truly made Lu Ke see him in a new light.

”I hope I have that same ’skill’ next time we face off,” Lu Ke joked, his tone clearly putting the word in air quotes. The comment made Romo laugh heartily. Shaking his head, he let go of Lu Ke’s hand and wagged his right index finger. ”No, no, no, it won’t be like that. Don’t forget, I’m the captain of Team USA.”

Then, Romo gave him a playful wink, said nothing more, and walked away.

Watching Tony Romo’s retreating back, Lu Ke reflected. The same field, the same game, the same victory, yet this one felt different. The charm of competitive sports had just revealed another one of its many facets.

In the post-game press conference for the Dallas Cowboys, Tony Romo was repeatedly asked about Lu Ke. The thirty-one-year-old quarterback responded, ”Yes, for us, this is a disappointing loss. We were in control for most of the game, but we couldn’t hold on until the very end. As for the 49ers, Lu Ke’s performance earned them this victory. I have to offer him my congratulations.”

”The Undrafted Quarterback Showdown” had been the core narrative hyped by the media before the game, and naturally, it was a hot topic once again after the final whistle.

”Professional sports are brutal, and the NFL is no exception. People are always making harsh demands on players, especially at the quarterback position. I’ve been through all of it, so I know what Lu Ke is going through,” Romo said, addressing the topic head-on. ”I thought Lu Ke’s performance was nothing short of brilliant. Not just for an undrafted rookie—his performance would be worthy of respect for any rookie.”

”As undrafted rookies, we often have to carry more pressure. We have to prove ourselves all over again every single game. But I think Lu Ke has already earned his respect,” Romo reiterated.

When reporters brought up the San Francisco 49ers’ starting quarterback controversy—with Alex Smith set to return from injury next week—Romo didn’t beat around the bush. ”Yes, I’d go with Lu Ke. Alex Smith is an excellent quarterback, but based on the performances over the last two games, Lu Ke still looks more competitive.”

There were no fireworks, only respect and admiration. The reporters were bound to be disappointed. Likewise, they couldn’t get a controversial soundbite out of Lu Ke either.

”Tony’s performance today really showed me the gap between us. As a rookie, I still have so much to learn. I didn’t see any hope of winning until the last sixty-nine seconds of the game. But, thankfully, I never gave up hope,” Lu Ke said earnestly.

He needed to seriously review the struggles of the first half and the wild swings of the fourth quarter. Even for an elite quarterback, every season and every game is different and requires thorough preparation. And Lu Ke was just a rookie; he still had a very long way to go.

He had won the first game by being a surprise weapon, catching the opponent off guard. He had won the second game with luck and two uses of his Special Skills, securing a last-second victory.

As the season progressed, Lu Ke’s weaknesses would become more apparent, and the games would only get harder. He could celebrate this victory, but he couldn’t afford to get arrogant. He was still far from earning the right to be complacent.

Next, a reporter asked about the lengthy conversation between Lu Ke and Romo after the game. It wasn’t a common sight in football. Unless they were close personal friends, quarterbacks generally didn’t talk much on the field; the post-game handshake was usually just a formality.

”Haha,” Lu Ke chuckled. ”Romo congratulated me and said he was looking forward to our next showdown. Personally, I certainly hope there is a next showdown.” The implication of that last sentence was crystal clear: the question of who would be the starter for the next game was still up in the air.

The reporters chuckled again. Interviewing Lu Ke was a delight. The conversation wasn’t just witty and engaging; the entire exchange was refreshing and full of sparks. He offered small bits of humor, a little banter, and a few juicy soundbites, all while carrying the youthful confidence of a rookie mixed with the shrewd wisdom of a veteran.

For the media, a player like him was a dream come true.

The rest of the interview focused on the game itself: the slump in the first half, the tactical adjustments in the second, and the final offensive drive—especially the last pass. The reporters wanted to get a more complete picture of the game’s progression and, at the same time, a better understanding of the rookie quarterback standing before them.

After securing victories for two consecutive weeks, the newsworthiness of this undrafted rookie of Chinese Descent was growing by the day.

”Lu Ke, before this week’s game, Charles Davis said on his show that if you managed to win again this week, he would swallow his microphone. On that note...”

A reporter was in the middle of a question when Logan and Marcus swaggered right in front of Lu Ke, blocking the reporters’ view. They snapped to attention, mimicking military salutes, and shouted with mock seriousness, ”Reporting to Bambi! Privates Newman and Lynch, reporting for duty!”

The interview was instantly interrupted.