As the field general, the quarterback has the authority to call a timeout directly to the referee, forcing a pause in the game.
The game situation can change in an instant, and the quarterback is responsible for communicating plays and leading the team. If a play isn't communicated clearly and there isn't enough time to snap the ball, or if the quarterback spots a weakness in the opposing defense and wants to change the play, they can call a timeout.
In fact, the quarterback's right to call a timeout takes precedence over the coach's.
However, Lu Ke didn't have that authority within the San Francisco 49ers. The offensive captain was Jonathan Baldwin. So, at this moment, he had to request a timeout from the coach.
Lu Ke knew very well that it was too early to call a timeout, as it was detrimental to controlling the clock at the end of the game. But the team was facing a bigger problem, and he needed this timeout. So, despite Brian Hampton's confusion and Jim Harbaugh's hesitation, Lu Ke stood his ground and demanded the timeout.
Jim hesitated for a moment, a thousand thoughts rushing through his mind, but in the end, he nodded and agreed to Lu Ke's request, signaling a timeout to the referee.
The San Francisco 49ers called a timeout, and the referee blew the whistle, stopping the game.
"What's going on?" The puzzled voices from the broadcast booth were heard. Everyone was confused.
The second half had just started, and the San Francisco 49ers had called a timeout early, which was not a smart move for time management at the end of the game. Also, there didn't seem to be any specific problem on the field. Calling a timeout voluntarily was like giving up an advantage, which was extremely unwise.
So, Kirk's first guess was, "Could Lu Ke be injured?" This was probably on everyone's mind.
"Screw it!" In "Joe's Bar," Jonathan Baldwin finally couldn't hold it in anymore and slammed his beer glass to the floor with a crash, leaving shattered glass everywhere.
He had tolerated Chris's taunts. He had tolerated Lu Ke's terrifying hit. But at this moment, he couldn't take it anymore. His chest felt like it was about to explode, and he stood up, furious. "Those gutless sons of a b***h! Are they even men? Pull yourselves together, all of you! Crap!"
Jonathan's anger came on so suddenly that everyone was startled and just stared at him. But he didn't care. He walked to the center of the bar, pointed at the TV screen, and yelled, "They're a bunch of veterans, but they've got the balls of a peanut! Not even as big as that rookie, Bambi's! Crap! It was just one sack, and they're scared to death! God damn it!"
His anger was directed at the offensive players.
Looking at that group of demoralized and listless players, he couldn't see any hope of winning, or even the energy to keep playing. They were negative, hopeless, silent, and dejected, choosing to surrender without a fight. This team reminded Jonathan of the nightmare of the past eight years, which felt like an eternity.
Losing isn't scary. What's scary is losing without a struggle or a fight. It was so frustrating to watch a game where the team had no fighting spirit.
"Look at Bambi! That's a real man!" Jonathan roared hoarsely, his face red, as if his voice could travel through the TV screen and reach the other side of North America. "Bambi is the one who took that brutal hit! Bambi is the one who should be angry! Bambi is the one who should be frustrated and depressed! Is this how you protect your quarterback? Over and over again! Over and over again! D**n it, calling you gutless is an insult to being gutless!"
"Wake up, all of you! Only Bambi is fighting out there right now! Jesus Christ! Bambi needs your help, so get your act together! Bambi is carrying the whole team on his shoulders, can't you see that? You all should go to hell, a miserable hell! If it weren't for this rookie, we would have completely fallen apart already! You bunch of shameless b*****ds!"
He was shouting and spitting, but Jonathan's anger still hadn't subsided. As he spoke, his eyes turned red.
He couldn't believe his eyes. Out of the entire team, only Lu Ke was focused and energetic. The other players were like mud that couldn't be molded into anything, which was infuriating! This was the twelfth time Lu Ke had been hit, and he was almost on the verge of collapsing. But how did Lu Ke react?
Lu Ke stood up! He clenched his fists and rallied his teammates, cheering them on! And what were the other players doing? They were dejected and at a loss? They were absent-minded? What a bunch of a***es! Dn cowards! With a pocket full of holes like that, how dare they call themselves an offensive line? It was a disgrace! A real disgrace!
"Crap! All of you, go to hell!" Jonathan kicked over a chair next to him. His chest rose and fell rapidly as if he had finally calmed down a little. He looked up and saw that everyone in the bar was looking at him, but he didn't care. He spat to the side. "What, haven't you seen a man get angry before?"
After a moment's thought, he was still furious. "Those a*****es! If they don't get their act together, I'm going to go to the home game and show them what the power of a 49ers fan is! Crap! Cowards! All of them are cowards!"
"That's right!" Cliff Hart was the first to stand up and shout in agreement. "Those useless guys!"
"B*****ds!" Jeff was the first to stand up and start cursing.
Then, the entire bar came alive with an unprecedented surge of passion. Everyone was venting all their anger and frustration. The clamor of cursing spread throughout "Joe's Bar" like an exploding nebula.
It was all cursing, loud and fierce. But at this moment, the bar finally found its life again! They had been suppressing it for so long, and now they were finally letting it all out. They had been patient for so long, and now they would no longer be silent!
"Shh! Shh!" At such a crucial moment, someone was shushing them? All eyes turned to Noah Parker, who had a finger on his lips. Even though he was the center of attention, he didn't care and just pointed at the TV screen.
Everyone in the bar turned to look at the screen. They saw that Lu Ke had called a timeout and gathered all the offensive players together.
"First of all, I'm fine!" This was Lu Ke's opening line. "If I wasn't, I'd be the first person to come looking for you guys! This d**n pocket is worse than a beggar's bag; even a fifteen-cent coin would fall right through!"
Twelve hits. No one would like that. Even a clay Buddha would have a third of its temper, not to mention that Lu Ke was not one to be walked all over. But there was a more pressing matter at hand.
The problems in the 49ers' locker room couldn't be solved overnight. Through last week's game against the Cincinnati Bengals and the selection of the starting quarterback, they were slowly starting to come together. Facing such a difficult situation today, they needed to unite further, work together, and fight for victory.
"Guys, you need to focus. You can do it!" Lu Ke said firmly, making eye contact with each player through his helmet. He wouldn't look away until he got a positive response.
This was a side of Lu Ke they hadn't seen in the previous three games. It had briefly flashed in the locker room during the Dallas Cowboys game and on the field against the Cincinnati Bengals, but today, Lu Ke was more proactive, more assertive, and more determined. The powerful conviction was clearly and accurately conveyed through his eyes to every player.
Lu Ke made sure every player received his message and clenched his fist. "Calm, focused, and committed! We can win this game! Believe me, this victory is still ours!"
His simple words had powerful energy. Fragments of memories from the three games flashed through their minds. They had been through highs and lows, and now they were here, in Philadelphia, with a three-game winning streak!
"Do you want those guys on the Eagles to kick your butts, or do you want me to kick your butts after the game is over?" Lu Ke's words made everyone pause. Then, Lu Ke nodded. "If possible, let's not have either of those things happen! So, right now, I need you to focus. I don't know how many more hits I can take, but I hope we can win this game before I fall apart!"
The emotional speech was also full of humor, and the tense atmosphere unknowingly dissipated a lot. Logan and Marcus even bumped shoulders with each other and laughed.
"No one believes in us. Not even our fans believe in us, but we won't give up easily. Not because we're strong, but because we're all warriors! Brave warriors! Warriors who will never give up before the finish line!" Lu Ke's fist came down hard. "So, what are we...?"
"Warriors!"
"D***n cowards, louder! What are we!"
"Warriors!"
The first shout was weak and scattered. The second was unified and powerful. And then, the third shout:
"We are!"
"Warriors!"
They were full of fighting spirit and vitality. The desire for victory and the boiling blood had returned to their bodies.
"I want every one of you to be able to leave this field with your heads held high after the game is over! Okay, we don't have much time left for this timeout. We need to hurry. I'm going to start going over the play right now. God damn it! You better execute it perfectly! I won't accept any other result!"
The light cursing made his teammates laugh. Lu Ke exaggeratedly complained again, "Crap! I'm not kidding! The play. I'm only going to say it once! We need to score!"
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