"Fox comntator Kirk Charleston said you are a quarterback with a powerful presence. What do you think about that?"
"How did you feel watching from the sidelines as the opponent quickly narrowed the lead while the team couldn't seem to get anything going?"
"By choosing to trust Alex Smith in the second half, does this an Jim Harbaugh is leaning towards the more experienced Alex for the playoff quarterback position?"
Traps, traps, nothing but traps.
It wasn't just Harry; the other reporters were also digging holes, especially with the last question. If Lu Ke denied it, he would be deaning Alex. If he agreed, he would be showing a lack of confidence in himself. He had to choose his words carefully.
In fact, Lu Ke's first thought was, "What experience does Alex have? The experience of missing the playoffs for many years in a row?"
But such a witty coback would be too sharp, and if he said it out loud, he would fall right into their trap, and the consequences would be incredibly ssy.
Lu Ke quickly scanned the crowd. He didn't see Jay Fox or Emily Pove. This ant he had to handle the situation himself. "I personally think our second half was excellent. The team rotated most of the players, and we needed ti to adjust and get into a rhythm."
"Alex is an experienced quarterback; he just needs so ti," Lu Ke said with a smile. After a slight pause, he added, "Also, thank you for the complint. Hearing a reporter's approval has always been one of the top items on my bucket list, and today, it has finally been realized."
His sincere expression seed completely serious, but the slight smile in his eyes hinted that it was sarcastic humor.
Harry imdiately jumped on the opportunity and asked, "You just said Alex only needs so ti. So, do you think he can get more ti in the playoffs?"
"I'm praying that doesn't happen," Lu Ke said with a playful tone, without missing a beat. He held up his right hand, crossing his index and middle fingers in a prayer gesture to emphasize his point. "Because that would an I've played terribly, and that's not a positive sign."
"So you're saying you still consider yourself the top choice for the starting quarterback position in the playoffs?" another reporter asked.
"Of course." Lu Ke answered quickly, without any hesitation. He was firm and direct, without any extra explanation, simply stating his confidence.
The rapid-fire questions and answers made it difficult for the reporters to keep up. All the potential conflicts were cut off, and when another reporter changed the subject, it ant that the storm Harry had stirred up was now gone.
However, the next question didn't seem easy either.
"What do you think of Tim Tebow?"
"What?"
Lu Ke couldn't believe his ears. If it were a regular Wednesday press conference, it would be normal. But this was a post-ga interview for the San Francisco 49ers, and they were hearing the na of a quarterback from another team who wasn't even their opponent. It was just strange.
Tim Tebow, the second-year quarterback for the Denver Broncos. The buzz around this quarterback had been everywhere since last year.
There were countless stories about Tebow: his low completion percentage, his one-dinsional passing ga, being a devout Christian, the NCAA's "Tim Tebow Rule," and so on. His signature move of taking a knee to thank God after every touchdown—instead of his teammates—made him a target for ridicule.
Last year, almost everyone thought Tebow would be a second or third-round pick, but the Broncos shocked everyone by trading up with three draft picks to take him in the first round, at twenty-fifth overall. After the draft, Tebow's number fifteen jersey instantly beca the best-selling in the league.
But it was this quarterback, who could only run the college wildcat offense, that created a storm in the AFC this season!
In Week 5 of the regular season, against the San Diego Chargers, the Broncos' starting quarterback Kyle Orton played poorly. Tebow ca in during the second half and threw a touchdown and ran for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, nearly completing a coback, but they lost by a small margin.
After that, Tebow beca the Broncos' starting quarterback.
In Week 6, against the Miami Dolphins, Tebow's performance was cold for most of the ga, but he suddenly erupted in the final five minutes, throwing two touchdowns to tie the ga and force overti, where they eventually won. After a loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 7, they went on a six-ga winning streak, playing spectacularly.
In the final weeks of the season, the Broncos suffered a three-ga losing streak because of Tebow's awful performance. They also lost this week.
But the AFC West was a complete ss this year. The Denver Broncos, San Diego Chargers, and Oakland Raiders all finished with an 8-8 record, and they all had a 3-3 record in their division gas. After comparing their head-to-head and common opponent records, the Broncos won the AFC West division title and barely made it to the playoffs.
In all this, Tebow threw for 1,730 yards and twelve touchdowns, and also ran for 660 yards and six touchdowns. But his passing completion percentage was a miserable 46.5%, the lowest among all starting quarterbacks in the league.
He made the playoffs after ending the season with a three-ga losing streak. His awful completion percentage was stunning. This one-dinsional quarterback who could only run the wildcat offense was winning gas... It all seed like a complete fantasy!
Thanks to Tebow's devout faith, many people on Twitter and Facebook started calling him "The Chosen One," saying that he could only create such miracles with God's favor.
Tebow didn't seem to mind the ridicule and jokes.
In interviews, Tebow would state with firm conviction that everything was a blessing from God.
But what about the other players on the Broncos?
Although the Broncos' players knew that Tebow didn't an it that way—with his "love thy neighbor" attitude, he certainly wasn't trying to ignore or belittle his teammates—hearing that all the credit went to God still felt uncomfortable.
A wave of mockery swept through the internet. Countless jokes and s about Tebow appeared everywhere, and even the Broncos' own fans joined in. In fact, not only were the jokes coming from fans but professional comntators, analysts, and other coaches and players in the league also expressed their dislike and ridiculed him.
In other words, Tebow was a hot topic, a walking powder keg.
But what did Tebow have to do with Lu Ke?
"People are saying that the AFC has Tim Tebow and Andy Dalton, while the NFC has Matthew Stafford and Lu Ke. These four young quarterbacks have all had great seasons and made the playoffs. Many people are talking about you and Tebow together. Do you have any special thoughts on Tebow?"
Now Lu Ke finally understood. This wasn't a complint; it was an insult.
Because both Tebow and Lu Ke were "The Chosen Ones."
Tebow couldn't even get his basic passing chanics right but sohow made it to the playoffs. And his wildcat offense, which should only work in college, mysteriously led to a six-ga winning streak. Even the Broncos themselves weren't entirely sure how they made it to the playoffs.
Lu Ke, on the other hand, was an undrafted Chinese quarterback. Against all odds, he led the San Francisco 49ers back to the playoffs after an eight-year drought, a true miracle, a fairy tale.
Realizing the hidden aning behind the question, Lu Ke wasn't angry. Nothing could ruin his good mood, not even the reporters. "I'm sorry, I don't know him."
His blunt answer was so direct and sharp that the reporters were stunned.
While the reporters were hoping to create a scandal—the best-case scenario would be Lu Ke and Tebow getting into a public fight—Lu Ke's straightforward answer was so surprising. Everyone's first reaction was, "What the heck?" They seed to be worried about a trap.
Sure enough, Lu Ke then added, "I an, I've heard his na and read articles about him, but personally, we've never t. So I don't think we can say we know each other."
A semantic argunt.
"Even if you don't know him, you can still give your opinion. What do you think of Tebow?" the reporter insisted.
"I have no opinion. He is who he is," Lu Ke replied simply.
Then Lu Ke tilted his head slightly, looked at the reporter with interest, and asked, "I'm more curious about why you keep asking this question. What answer do you want to hear? How about this, you show your hand, and I'll see if I can read it back to you to save us so ti. What do you think?"
Silence. Absolute silence.
Faced with Lu Ke's unconventional response, which was clearly sarcastic, the reporters could only scratch their noses and fall silent.
It wasn't until another reporter brought up Lu Ke's "cold" that the silence was broken and the atmosphere beca lively again. The sharp, provocative topic finally seed to have passed. Everyone started looking forward to the playoffs. After all, was there anything more to look forward to than the playoffs now?
Clearly not.
🗒️NOTE:
New chapters drop Three tis a day, every Monday through Sunday! Plus, you have the power to unlock more: we'll release Three bonus chapters for every 300 votes! Let's get this story moving together.
Support on Patreon: spatreon/c/MistaQuartz
Explore up to 30 chapters in advance!
User Comments
0 comments from readers