Chapter 129 127: First Pass
Fox Television commentator Teddy Williams and announcer Kirk Charleston were flipping through the profiles of the starting players.
On the television broadcast, short clips of both teams' starting players were being shown—
After officially entering the NFL, for the convenience of the broadcast, every player is required to record a self-introduction in front of the camera. The requirements vary slightly between networks; for example, the Fox Television version is, "Name, position on the field," while the CBS version is, "Name, position on the field, college." The entire self-introduction is actually a video clip lasting less than a second.
During a live broadcast, the network introduces the starting lineups on the field using these short clips. Right now, Fox Television was showing the starting lineup for the San Francisco 49ers' offense. After the first down, or after the first pass, or when the Defense Team made a big play, they would then show the starting lineup for the Seattle Seahawks' Defense Team.
"The 49ers have a very young Offense Line. Besides center Jonathan Goodwin, who just transferred from the Saints this offseason, the most senior of the other four players is only a fourth-year. But it's worth mentioning that this entire Offense Line was built and developed, piece by piece, by the 49ers through the draft."
Kirk Charleston had just signed a two-year contract with Fox at the beginning of the year, making the jump from radio to television. This was his very first game as a TV announcer. His vast knowledge and sharp instincts allowed him to get into the zone quickly.
Teddy Williams, the veteran professional commentator for Fox Television sitting beside him, picked up the conversation. "But the biggest story for the 49ers this year isn't their young Offense Line, but their even younger quarterback—and the first Asian quarterback in the history of the Alliance. Kirk, what are your thoughts on this quarterback?"
"Uh..." Kirk was still gathering his thoughts. When it came to Lu Ke, he definitely had the authority to speak first, as he was intimately familiar with his only two college games. But before he could even start, Kirk noticed a change on the field. In just thirty seconds, Lu Ke was already making his move!
"Let's watch this down first," Kirk said, subconsciously slipping into his radio broadcast style. "Snap. The Sea Eagle Defense Team's zone coverage is tight; all the receiving targets are covered. The 49ers' first-year quarterback is dropping back, scanning, still scanning. Number fifty-six for the Sea Eagle, Leroy Hill, is coming on a blitz, but—he's picked up, couldn't complete the sack..."
He was halfway through his commentary when the director's voice came through his earpiece. "Kirk, just stick to the highlights. This is a TV broadcast, the audience can see the picture. You can break down the tactics in detail during the replay."
Kirk subconsciously shut his mouth. The more experienced Teddy then added, "The quarterback is still looking for a target, he's still scanning... The ball is out!" Then he fell silent, joining the ranks of all the other viewers watching the live feed!
The high, floating parabola tore through the sun's defense and ripped open the canopy of the sky. It glided out, sharp yet graceful, the whistling air even seemed to hiss from the friction—a breathtaking, soul-stirring sight!
...
Logan Newman was running with all his might. In his haste, he glanced around with his peripheral vision; there were no defenders nearby, but he still didn't dare to relax. He ran, and kept running, terrified his legs wouldn't be able to keep up. Speed wasn't his strong suit, so he couldn't afford any distractions. He ran all the way to the designated spot before finally looking up and over his shoulder.
Then, Logan saw the football tracing a rainbow arc, just reaching its apex. Amidst a curtain of light, it cast a clear shadow of its trajectory before starting to fall fast. Logan immediately realized he had to speed up again; the pass was a little farther than expected.
Sprinting, a dead sprint, Logan pushed his speed to the absolute limit, the blood roaring in his veins. In his line of sight, he could see defenders who had figured out the pass's intent running over. But Logan knew they had started too late, so he wasn't worried at all. He turned, angled his body, and continued running laterally, raising his hands to securely haul in the football.
The familiar force, the familiar angle, the familiar placement—it was the familiar recipe, the familiar taste. Logan completed the catch effortlessly, but it wasn't over yet!
"Drop back, scan, scan again... The Sea Eagle Team's Defense Line couldn't get a rush, they've packed the short passing zones... The 49ers' first-year quarterback seems a little lost, he's still scanning, taking a little too long to scan. He needs to figure out what he wants to do... He throws! The pass is away!"
Over on Fox Television, Kirk's commentary had been cut off by the director, but the United States is a nation on wheels. Every car has a radio, and radio programs still have the largest listener base. Without Kirk, there was still Troy Ball, who was delivering his commentary with explosive passion.
"It's a Rainbow Pass! A Rainbow Pass! The 49ers' number fourteen rookie chose a long bomb for the very first pass of his professional career! The parabola is high and floating, a tight spiral, past the thirty, the forty, midfield, the other forty... Jesus Christ, this is a super deep bomb! The Sea Eagle clearly didn't expect this, their entire secondary is empty..."
Troy's eyes were wide, filled with incredulous madness and passion. He screamed himself hoarse, and his frenzied shouts spread like wildfire through the microphone and across the airwaves.
"Number eighty-eight, Logan Newman, has the ball! That was a sixty-six-yard pass, sixty-six yards! After Logan catches the ball, it's open field ahead of him, nothing but green grass! Logan is sprinting at full speed, leaving everyone in the dust! The Sea Eagle Team's safeties and cornerbacks have given up the chase; even if they tried, it would be useless. Logan crosses into the End Zone—Touchdown! An undeniable Touchdown!"
As the word "Touchdown" left his lips, Troy froze in shock, his very soul beginning to tremble uncontrollably.
Troy wasn't the only one. Everyone in Candlestick Park, inside and out, was plunged into shock. They stared at the field, dumbfounded, incredulous, utterly bewildered. The only thought in their minds was: 'This is a dream. This isn't really happening. All of this is just an illusion.'
Silence. Utter silence. The seventy-thousand-seat Candlestick Park was now completely quiet, without a single sound. Home fans, away fans, no one was an exception.
TWEET! The referee's whistle blew. He raised both hands high, signaling the confirmation: Touchdown, successful! The loud, clear whistle sliced through the sky like a soaring hawk.
After releasing the ball, Lu Ke just stood there, his eyes fixed on its flight. The Sea Eagle Team's entire Defense Team had made the wrong read, so no one even came forward to sack him. Lu Ke could stay put, easily and quietly, and watch the parabola of his own pass.
Logan caught the ball. Logan sprinted. Logan scored a Touchdown.
Everything that followed seemed no different than before. He passed, Logan caught. He passed, Logan scored a Touchdown.
But today seemed a little different. The moment Logan crossed into the End Zone, Lu Ke clenched his right fist and pumped it hard twice. A roar erupted from the depths of his Dantian, a cathartic vent of pure release, yet it still wasn't enough to express the joy and elation in his heart. So, he leaped into the air, crossing his legs, his right fist pumping like a piston—BAM, BAM, BAM—pulling back and striking, before finally thrusting it fiercely and powerfully toward the sky.
Turning around, Lu Ke roared at the stands, "AH! AHHHHH!"
He didn't say another word, but it was as if he were screaming: 'Did you see that? Did you see that! A Touchdown! This is a Touchdown! Where are the doubts now? Where's the criticism? Where's the ridicule?'
It wasn't aimed at the Sea Eagle, but at the stands. Compared to the Sea Eagle, the provocations and taunts from the San Francisco 49ers fans were what had truly enraged Lu Ke and touched his reverse scale! The roar from Lu Ke, the roar from Little Deer Bambi—at this moment, all his emotions were unleashed without restraint.
The response? Silence. Endless silence. The entire stadium seemed to have fallen into a deep slumber, without any extraneous sound. They couldn't even muster a cheer or a celebratory shout. Silence was the only reply.
In that moment, Lu Ke felt like a Super Saiyan—or maybe, Super Bambi? His entire body was overflowing with endless, inexhaustible energy.
Standing on the sidelines, Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll's jaw went slack.
As a coach, he had witnessed countless stunning moments, but right now, he had to admit, this was so utterly shocking that his brain couldn't quite process it. It wasn't just the skill, but the courage and audacity. This quarterback's dazzling debut was truly phenomenal.
Turning his head, Pete looked over at his quarterback coach, Carl, and shot him an amused glance.
But Carl had no time to respond. His shock and bewilderment were ten, a hundred, a thousand times greater than Pete's. His mouth hung slightly open, his face and eyes screaming with disbelief: 'How is that possible? This isn't real, it's just a dream! That damn quarterback, that stupid quarterback, that fragile quarterback, how could he be this good? A long-bomb touchdown on the first pass of his career? That's absolutely impossible!'
Denial, denial, and more denial. That was the only reaction in Carl's mind right now.
Pete looked away and quickly composed himself. He knew that quarterback was cathartically releasing all his pent-up frustration and anger. In competitive sports, that was perfectly normal. But he wasn't the least bit panicked, because the game had only just begun. The outcome was still far from decided.
He wouldn't feel regret, nor would he be frustrated, and he certainly wouldn't be intimidated. Because today's victory would belong to the Seattle Seahawks, and he would prove that their original decision had not been a mistake.
Lu Ke was, after all, just an undrafted rookie!