"Bambi, if you can keep winning for the next two games, the San Francisco 49ers will have a long-awaited ten-win season and, because of the head-to-head record in the division, will likely secure a playoff spot ahead of time. Do you have any special thoughts on this?"
Facing such an unexpected question, Lu Ke was stunned for a moment, then let out a wry smile and chose to be honest. "For me, the season seems to have just passed the halfway point. It's too early to be thinking about the playoffs."
This was his true thought. But beyond that, joy and anticipation were burning brightly. "Of course, the playoffs are the goal for our entire team. We have a very, very good team, and we need to continue working hard to get to the playoffs. Without a doubt, this is very important to us."
Lu Ke didn't hide his ambition and anticipation. Through the trials and transformations of one victory after another, he was gradually becoming a qualified professional player. Humility is a good virtue, but in competitive sports, humility must be backed by strong confidence. Only with enough determination and sharpness can a player break through and take the initiative in a tough matchup.
The reporters were not satisfied with Lu Ke's polite answer and pushed for a sharper topic.
"So, if you achieve ten wins, it will be a rare feat for a rookie player. Do you have any special feelings? Especially since you're an undrafted rookie. A few months ago, you obviously didn't expect this day to come, and no one in the entire league expected this situation."
This was a small trap, an attempt to get Lu Ke to say more radical things. But Lu Ke wasn't going to fall for it easily. He smiled at the reporter and said calmly, "As you said, a few months ago, I had no idea this would happen. So, I can't predict what will happen after ten wins. Believe me, when it comes to predictions, I'm as much a rookie as you are."
Harry Vanes, a reporter from Sports Illustrated and the one who had just asked the question, was persistent. After this round of questions and answers, the reporters chuckled again, and Harry still hadn't gotten what he wanted. With a clever deflection and a touch of humor, Lu Ke had successfully taken control of the situation.
Harry wasn't surprised or angry. He immediately asked another question, ready to attack again. However, this time Lu Ke didn't give him a chance. "Could this reporter please follow the rules? I don't think you want to be mistaken for a Chinese person, or I won't be so special anymore." The comment was subtle but sharp.
The Western world often criticizes Chinese people for being impolite, for cutting in line, spitting in public, and running red lights. It's a fact, and it's objectively true that the average courtesy of Chinese people still needs to be improved. But on the other hand, every country and region has areas with a lower level of civility, and people with poor manners are everywhere in the world. Now, Lu Ke used sarcasm to make Harry, who was about to "cut in line," shut up. It was a clean slap in the face for Harry.
Harry, who had asked a sharp question, wasn't going to give up, but Lu Ke's sarcastic remark, which was based on a clever trick, made him shut his mouth. He could only swallow his next question and stare at Lu Ke intensely. The ambiguous look was lost in the crowd and hard to decipher.
As for the other reporters, they understood the hidden meaning of the words and the spark of confrontation. They were happy to sit back and watch the show, and deep down, they were even cheering for Lu Ke and Harry. If the two of them had started throwing punches, it would have been a truly explosive news story for the entire league. Unfortunately, Harry dutifully shut his mouth and didn't cause any more trouble, which made the reporters quietly disappointed.
Even without the confrontation between Harry and Lu Ke, there were still many exciting topics from today's game: the first matchup between Lu Ke and Manning, the tough contest between the 49ers and the Giants, and the shocking bet between Charles Davis and Spencer Larson.
"Bambi, before this game, Charles and Spencer made a big bet and predicted the outcome. Now that the result is out, what are your thoughts?" Even Jay Fox couldn't avoid this question. Not only was the bet too famous and caught the attention of the entire league, but even coaches and players from other teams were asked about it during their media days, participating in this popular topic. And when Lu Ke was interviewed on Thursday, he responded with confidence and a counter-attack, which further ignited everyone's attention.
It was said that Las Vegas had even set odds—not on the outcome of the game between the 49ers and the Giants, which you could already bet on—but on the possibility of Spencer and Charles fulfilling their bet after losing. Now that the game was over, it was time to cash in on the bet. All the reporters were curious about how Lu Ke would handle and respond to this, and Jay was no exception.
Lu Ke couldn't help but chuckle, because Eli had just congratulated him. Clearly, Eli was also enjoying the show, and in a way, he was a little bit gloating, seemingly eager to see Charles's embarrassment, or perhaps, to see how Charles would fulfill his bet.
But this smile was interpreted differently by the reporters. It was seen as the victor's ease and nonchalance, and even as the victor's mockery and provocation of the loser. Thinking back to the interview on Thursday, the reporters immediately got excited—the bombshell was about to drop.
"I'd like to thank Mr. Spencer Larson for his support of the team. It is our honor to have helped Mr. Larson win this bet. In the future, I hope Mr. Larson will have the opportunity to come and watch a game at Candlestick Park in person." Lu Ke's answer was conventional, even boring, a completely official and polite response.
However, a closer look revealed that it was not what it seemed: Charles was not mentioned at all. Lu Ke expressed his disdain and contempt by supporting Spencer and completely ignoring Charles. This was a truly high-level approach, a magical attack that was completed without anyone realizing it.
Even though this wasn't the first time reporters had dealt with Lu Ke, he was still a rookie. They didn't know much about him. Every week was a new experience, and every week was a surprise. Only Jay Fox was quietly smiling to himself: a top student from UCLA was definitely not that simple.
"So what about Charles Davis? What are your thoughts?"
The question wasn't from Harry, because every reporter in the room was curious about the answer. There was no need for Harry to ask; someone else couldn't wait to speak up. And the reporter who asked the question was worried that Lu Ke would avoid it, so he spoke bluntly and got straight to the point. "I mean, Charles said that if the 49ers won the game, he would crawl all the way from Hollywood to the Great Wall. And on Thursday, in your interview, you gave him some advice..."
"I know what advice I gave him." Lu Ke interrupted the reporter's question with a smile. "That advice was sincere. I think it's a more reasonable and practical solution now. After all, I don't think Mr. Charles Davis can become another Robinson and fulfill his bet after crossing the Pacific Ocean."
He did it! All the reporters were exchanging glances, excited beyond belief! Although the bet between Charles and Spencer was full of potential talking points, it was ultimately just a war of words between two analysts. It only happened on the show NFL Live, and the intensity and discussion weren't that high. To avoid an embarrassing situation, or to avoid a negative impact, ESPN could have intervened to prevent the two analysts' predicament and even help them out, treating the entire bet as a segment of the show. After all, this bet was too big, unlike the simple "eat the microphone" bet from last time.
Now, with the real person involved in the bet, the situation was completely different. It wouldn't be so easy for Charles to let the matter rest. It had further escalated into a confrontation between an analyst and a player. The reporters could use Lu Ke as an excuse to press Charles about fulfilling his bet.
It was worth mentioning that Manning was also asked a similar question after the game, and his answer was even more intriguing. "Unfortunately, we couldn't help them. But compared to Mr. Charles Davis, our team now has to face the bitter taste of defeat, and we really don't have the energy to help." On the surface, it seemed like an official and polite response, but different reporters interpreted it differently. Moreover, besides Lu Ke, Eli also gave a veiled response, which was definitely not good news for Charles.
Meanwhile, in the post-game interview, Lu Ke's answer was not over. Just like his friendly advice after the first game of the regular season, Lu Ke offered a solution with a sincere face.
"Although I'm not sure how many months it will take for Mr. Davis's journey to crawl to the Statue of Liberty to be completed, it is at least a way to see a hope of a solution."
After the chocolate microphone, Lu Ke's statement once again led Charles down another path from which there was no return: a path where he would be unable to deny his bet. Now everyone knew that this rookie quarterback was definitely not a pushover.
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