Chapter 714: The Opening Game
"I hear that your favorite team is the Green Bay Packers and that you once hoped to come and play in Green Bay. Is this true? If so, what are your thoughts on today's game?"
Harry Waynes, that persistent reporter from "Sports Illustrated," was as sharp and intrusive as ever, always trying to catch Lu Ke in a trap to write a big story about it. It was the same last season, and it was the same this season.
What seemed like a simple question hid a huge trap. If Lu Ke wasn't careful, he could offend all the San Francisco fans and not get any good out of it from the Green Bay side either.
"Yes, I'm a Green Bay Packers fan. That's not a secret," Lu Ke answered honestly without beating around the bush, as if he hadn't noticed Harry's trap. But in fact, as Lu Ke said, it was never a secret. He didn't hide it, and he wasn't going to.
"The first time I ever watched a football game, it was a Green Bay Packers game. Back then, the legendary number four was still the team's quarterback, but what really attracted me was the team's fan culture. It was fascinating. To be honest, this culture made me feel a sense of belonging and inclusion. For someone who had just immigrated to the United States, this was very important."
A smile appeared on Lu Ke's face, as if he was recalling a beautiful memory from his childhood. Then, he changed the subject, and the conversation's rhythm entered Lu Ke's mode.
"But I'm a San Franciscan. My parents, my friends, my growth, my memories, and most importantly, my prom, all happened in this city. From a stranger to a part of the community, the city gradually accepted me and opened its arms to become my home. This is a completely different feeling."
"When I found out that I could play for the San Francisco 49ers, I was deeply moved and almost shed tears. And it's definitely not because it was the only team willing to take me."
Inadvertently, Lu Ke once again made a self-deprecating remark about being an undrafted rookie. His cheerful words made his San Francisco 49ers teammates whistle, and Lu Ke also smiled.
"So, now that I'm standing in Green Bay, I have a feeling of reverence. I hope to leave here with a win. In the end, I will still fulfill my dream of winning a game at Lambeau Field. In that case, I'll be the biggest winner."
Brilliant!
It was truly brilliant!
It was a double entendre. He used "a win" to allude to two different meanings: one was the dream of playing at Lambeau Field, and the other was the dream of winning at Lambeau Field. But before, it was to fight for the Green Bay Packers, and now it was to fight for the San Francisco 49ers. Playing with all his might was Lu Ke's way of showing respect.
In an instant, someone in the crowd of reporters voluntarily applauded, praising Lu Ke.
Jay Fox was stunned. He wasn't the first to applaud. Subconsciously, he turned his head and saw a reporter wearing a Green Bay Packers baseball cap. That should be a reporter from the "Wisconsin State Journal," which meant this was a recognition from a local reporter.
After that, Jay also started to applaud, and then all the reporters present followed suit.
Harry and Lu Ke exchanged glances, and the calm was restored. The first confrontation of the new season: Lu Ke won!
Of course, words are just words. Only when you're truly standing on the grass of Lambeau Field and truly feeling the sea of green from the Packers' fans can you truly appreciate why this team can become the most unique and beautiful sight in the NFL's century-long history.
Everyone says that you must choose a big city to establish a team, like Los Angeles, New York, or Chicago. Only a market like that is big and popular enough to support a professional team and to gain a foothold in a professional league. But Green Bay is just a small county with a population of only a hundred thousand, yet it gave birth to one of the greatest teams in the NFL.
Founded in 1919, the Green Bay Packers are the third oldest team in the league, after the Arizona Cardinals and the Chicago Bears. They are also the only non-profit team in the NFL that is owned by the public.
From the beginning, the team officially established its non-profit nature. To continue the team's operations, they have issued shares for fundraising a total of five times throughout history.
The first fundraising happened in 1923. Afterward, to prevent the team from leaving Green Bay due to financial problems, they held a second and third fundraising in 1935 and 1950, respectively.
That was still the era of old exchanges. At that time, all the residents of Green Bay came out and formed long lines in front of the stock exchange.
Even though they knew that these stocks would not pay dividends, even though they knew that buying stocks would not give them management rights, and even though the third fundraising limited each shareholder to subscribing for only 200 shares, it did not diminish their enthusiasm and support. The residents of this city showed 100% loyalty, continuing that ancient and long-standing tradition year after year, fully supporting this team.
In 1997 and 2012, the team held its fourth and fifth fundraisings, but the main group of people buying the stocks was still the local residents of Green Bay.
In this city, every resident has forest green blood flowing in their veins, passed down from generation to generation without end.
As Lu Ke said, this is a team with a fascinating culture and a strong fan base.
The Green Bay Packers are one of the founding members of the National Football Conference (NFC). In their history, the team has won 13 league championships, the most in the entire league. Nine of those were from the pre-Super Bowl era, and four were from the post-Super Bowl era. The most recent one was in 2010.
Even if we only count the Super Bowl era, in just 46 years, the Green Bay Packers have made it to the playoffs 27 times, won the division 14 times, and have four Vince Lombardi Trophies. All of this is enough to put the Green Bay Packers in the top tier, along with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Dallas Cowboys, the San Francisco 49ers, the New England Patriots, and the New York Giants, as an indispensable part of the NFL!
Regarding this team's long history, the glorious and difficult times are countless. They have one of the greatest coaches in league history, Vince Lombardi. They have one of the greatest quarterbacks in league history, Brett Favre. And after the millennium, they also have one of the top elite quarterbacks in the league, Aaron Rodgers.
Undoubtedly, this is one of the most important teams in the league.
Today, the San Francisco 49ers are about to face this team with a long history and a rich culture at Lambeau Field in Green Bay.
When Lu Ke's feet stepped on the grass of Lambeau Field, the overwhelming forest green color poured down, and the bright gold streaked through it like a dragon, stirring up one huge wave after another. The stadium, which could hold 80,000 spectators, was just like every other home game day: not an empty seat in sight.
He had witnessed the Rose Bowl with 100,000 people and Candlestick Park with 70,000, so he shouldn't be shocked by the grandeur and magnificence of Lambeau Field. But deep down, it was different, just like a Los Angeles Lakers fan arriving at Staples Center or a Real Madrid fan arriving at Bernabéu Stadium. That feeling of a pilgrimage made him tremble slightly and worship.
What's more, the cheers from 80,000 fans came like a storm.
"Go! You Packers! Go!"
"Go! You Packers! Go!"
Over and over again, in unison. The boundless green was like a vast forest, thriving and spreading on the blue surface of the earth. It seemed like he couldn't hear any other sounds, only feeling the wave after wave of shock in his soul, like a heavy punch, hitting him hard.
Thump, thump, thump.
Uncontrollably, his heart also began to beat along with it. A gurgling sound came from his eardrums, and his blood began to boil, making him want to shout, roar, and go crazy with them. The strength of one person is ultimately weak and insignificant, but when the strength of 80,000 people is twisted into one, it is enough to shake the entire world.
At this moment, Lambeau Field was breathtaking and spectacular. All words lost their color in an instant.
"Hey, buddy. Snap out of it." A hand reached out and snapped its fingers in front of Lu Ke. When he turned his head, he saw Aaron Rodgers's handsome face with a playful smile, and his eyes lit up slightly. "What do you say? Do you want to consider coming over to Green Bay to play? I think we can still make a move."
Lu Ke had met Rodgers during the Pro Bowl.
He was as cool and aloof as the legends said. He valued his privacy and tried to avoid small talk or conversations off the field. Lu Ke, Drew Brees, and Tony Romo had gone to a bar, but Rodgers didn't show up.
However, Rodgers was not a difficult person to get along with. Lu Ke had a few conversations with him during the skills competition and the Pro Bowl, and it was a surprise that he was someone who liked to tell corny jokes.
Then Brees could see Rodgers and Lu Ke sitting awkwardly chatting on the side. He couldn't handle it for more than a minute and fled in embarrassment, but he ignored the mischievous glint in the eyes of the two men.
Their next meeting was on the official field.
"I still prefer to stand across from you, not behind you," Lu Ke said with a smile, snapping out of his daze.
Rodgers spread his hands and said with a laugh, "At least it's worth a try."
Then, the two of them turned to the referee and watched the coin flip. It was confirmed that Lu Ke had guessed heads. So, the San Francisco 49ers would start on offense, while the Green Bay Packers chose the side of the field closer to the right.
Rodgers and Lu Ke shook hands, pulled each other in, bumped shoulders, and wished each other, "Good luck!" Then they turned and walked away. The first game of the 2012 season had finally begun.
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