Chapter 71 70: Basic Tests
That little episode just now was hardly worth mentioning in the grand scheme of an NFL Rookie Training Camp. It would have been stranger if there *weren't* any conflicts or friction. Once the commotion died down, the training camp got back on track, and the rookies methodically began the first day's scheduled activities.
During the four-day Rookie Training Camp, the first day kicked off with various basic tests. The camp would conduct tests on every one of the rookies' physical metrics and record them. This would be the rookies' first comprehensive physical evaluation before entering the Alliance, and also an important starting point for their professional careers. These data would follow them throughout their entire careers.
The three hundred and thirty-two rookies were divided into four groups for different tests: physical parameter measurements, the Celsius test, injury assessment, and the Fonderick test. After each group finished their station, they would rotate until everyone had completed all four tests.
Every player wore an officially issued jersey with a number and their position on the front, and their abbreviated name on the back. However, the number wasn't their jersey number, but a registration number with no real significance. It was just like how every athlete on a track and field at the Olympics has a number—the same principle.
"Quarterback, number eleven!"
A voice called out from ahead, and Lu Ke stepped forward in response. His chest number was indeed eleven. Maybe it was a coincidence, maybe it was luck, but this was the first time in Lu Ke's career that he wore a jersey with his name on it: number eleven on the front, and "K. LU" on the back. The start of his professional career was finally starting to feel real.
"Take off your shoes and stand on the digital scale." The first event for the quarterbacks was the physical parameter measurement. To put it simply, it was to measure the players' basic physical stats like height, weight, and arm length. For running backs and Forward Players, they also had to undergo a body fat percentage test.
"6.33 feet (193 cm), 187.4 pounds (85 kg)." The United States uses the imperial system of measurement—feet, inches, pounds, and ounces. The same goes for yards on the field.
After recording Lu Ke's basic physical data, even the seasoned and unflappable testing official couldn't help but look up and glance at Lu Ke, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.
Even without a word being said, Lu Ke understood. He gave a slight chuckle and nodded. "Believe me, I'm working on it."
Weight and muscle had always been Lu Ke's shortcomings. It was true then, and it was true now.
Back when his body was still developing, gaining muscle was a persistent, difficult problem for Lu Ke. You could call it a matter of natural aptitude, or maybe genetics, but his muscle growth was always disappointing. After entering college, it basically stagnated. No matter how hard he tried, the results were minimal. This was also the reason he could never join the team and could only barely make it as a practice player.
Everyone's physical development and growth has a ceiling. Once you hit that limit, you can't grow anymore. Objectively speaking, Lu Ke's height-to-weight ratio was just right for a normal person. His BMI was in the normal range, and there were no issues with his muscle mass or body fat percentage. But for a professional athlete, he was still far too lacking.
After obtaining the system, it seemed that "ceiling" had finally been broken. Over the past six months, along with grueling training, his weight had finally begun to slowly increase. He went from seventy-eight kilograms to eighty-five. Although it was only a seven-kilogram increase, it was the first time since entering college that Lu Ke saw a glimmer of hope again.
But it still wasn't enough.
For comparison, Cam Newton was 6.43 feet (196 cm) and 245 pounds (111 kg). Then there was Aaron Rodgers, an elite quarterback, at 6.2 feet (188 cm) and 225 pounds (102 kg).
If Cam's weight made him exceptionally strong, often giving him the upper hand in direct physical confrontations and earning him the nickname "Superman," then Aaron's comparatively lean and solid build, his height-to-weight ratio, was already the standard for a quarterback.
Based on Lu Ke's height, ninety-five kilograms should be the absolute minimum for a quarterback to not get knocked over by a single push during on-field collisions and confrontations. But right now, Lu Ke's weight was still only eighty-five kilograms. He was simply too skinny, you could even say frail. He was still ten kilograms short of the minimum standard.
Even for a light-footed Wide Receiver, his weight was still a bit insufficient. In a direct confrontation, the difference in tonnage was just too great to even put up a fight. It was a classic case of brute force beating skill.
Quarterbacks don't need to be overly strong, as it's not a bulldozer-type position, but they do need the ability to protect themselves. The height-to-weight ratio isn't a hard-and-fast rule, but there is a minimum baseline requirement.
Even the testing official, who had seen countless rookies, couldn't help but be surprised, but he didn't say much. He then measured Lu Ke's arm length, chest circumference, and other stats before finally pointing to a long, transparent ruler on the table. "Spread your fingers as wide as you can."
This was a special test, only required for quarterbacks: the hand-span measurement, from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the pinky finger. The requirement was no less than 9 inches (23 cm), because traditional quarterback coaches believed that a smaller measurement meant a player was more likely to fumble the ball.
In reality, modern science has already debunked this theory. But team coaches and managers are still a bit superstitious, more or less believing that a quarterback with a larger hand span can control the football with greater ease. So, during the Rookie Training Camp, quarterbacks still have this stat measured. As for whether teams choose to believe in and use that data, that varied from person to person.
"11.5 inches." The official recorded the number and carefully reviewed Lu Ke's overall data. Honestly, Lu Ke was a natural-born quarterback—his height was just right, he had long limbs, perfect proportions, good coordination, and an agile body. Plus, he had a wide hand span. But his weight was insufficient, and weight was an undeniable factor. In a sport as intensely physical as football, weight and muscle were absolutely crucial.
The testing official couldn't help but offer some friendly advice. "If you want to be an excellent quarterback, you should put on some weight."
Lu Ke put his shoes back on and said with a smile, "Thanks!"
As he turned around, Cam's smiling face came into view, a malicious grin plastered on it. "Bambi, Bambi, Little Deer Bambi! HO HO HO, Little Deer Bambi is about to venture into the big forest! Oh, what's he gonna do? There are beasts everywhere—tigers, lions, cheetahs! Little Deer Bambi is gonna cry his way home to mommy."
Three steps away, Scott flashed an apologetic smile. During their casual chat earlier, they had been talking about the Rose Bowl and Lu Ke, and he had accidentally mentioned the nickname "Bambi." Cam, who had been standing nearby, clearly had sharp ears—or maybe he just had a habit of eavesdropping.
But Lu Ke just waved his hand dismissively, completely ignoring Cam's taunts and ridicule. He walked over to Scott and said with a chuckle, "Even in February, you still can't get rid of the flies."
Physical confrontation was Lu Ke's weak point; it had been since high school. Forget comparing him to a player built like a bull like Cam Newton—he was far below even the average college level. Otherwise, he wouldn't have failed to even qualify as a practice player during his freshman and sophomore years.
Indeed, football was inextricably linked to physical confrontation, but there was far more to the sport than that, especially for a quarterback.
Cam's taunts were just childish games. Over the years, Lu Ke had long since gotten used to them and paid them no mind. He stood calmly to the side, talking with a few other quarterbacks about the upcoming tests. Left hanging, Cam soon grew bored of his own antics and reluctantly shut his mouth, though his mocking gaze lingered, following Lu Ke like a shadow.
After the physical parameter measurements were finished, the quarterback group moved on to the Celsius test. This was a highly specialized test designed to judge a player's flexibility and joint mobility. It was especially crucial for evaluating players who were injured or had a history of injuries, and coaches and evaluators paid very close attention to its data.
Before the official test, players first warmed up on stationary exercise bikes. Then they sat in the testing system and performed three practice reps before being allowed to begin the actual test. The entire test lasted for five minutes, after which the results were presented in a tabular format, including multiple professional data points like a somatotype chart, a relational graph, and a best-repetition comparison. The Alliance's official team doctors would conduct the first round of evaluations, and then all the results—the evaluation, the test data, and the outcomes of other events—would be recorded.
So far in his athletic career, Lu Ke hadn't suffered any serious injuries—at most, just minor ones like slight sprains or strains. His overall health was excellent. Of course, he had barely played any games during his four years of college, and had only been a practice player for a single year, so this was to be expected.
The system's evaluation gave him a Resistance to Injury Index of seventy-seven. It wasn't top-tier, but compared to Lu Ke's physical attributes, this number was already quite outstanding. This was crucial for extending his professional career—assuming, of course, that he would have one.
The third event was the injury assessment, which complemented the Celsius test. If the Celsius test measured a player's current condition after an injury, then the injury assessment was to make a judgment on their injury history, recovery status, and the future possibility of re-injury.
NFL teams place great importance on the injury status of players they are interested in. No team is willing to sign a player who is currently injured or prone to injury. The entire evaluation process included X-rays and a physical examination to assess injury history and current condition. For players who had been injured before, the evaluation process was even more rigorous.
A very small number of players were even diagnosed with injuries they themselves were unaware of during the physical. The training camp conducted a thoroughly comprehensive examination to ascertain the players' health and any injuries, as this was the foundation for everything.
Lu Ke completed this evaluation with ease, no problems whatsoever. Cam, on the other hand, received special attention. For one, he was a hot prospect, and many teams wanted a comprehensive understanding of his condition. For another, he had missed his entire sophomore season due to an ankle injury, which made him a key subject for scrutiny.
In addition, the injury assessment also included a urine test to check whether players had used any prohibited substances or performance-enhancing drugs.
Finally, the quarterback group proceeded to the last part of the basic tests: the Fonderick test. Although this test was important for every player, its importance for quarterbacks was, without a doubt, the greatest of all.
For quarterbacks, the importance of this test even surpassed the physical tests, injury assessments, and so on. It was the single most important tool for teams to evaluate a quarterback's potential and ability!