American Football: King of the Bay Area

After the NFL news scandal broke in 2009, the entire Alliance was shaken, and all of North America along with it. Now, two years later, the authenticity of two professional research reports had been confirmed, dealing a severe blow to the Alliance's credibility and prestige. Even though they mobilized the Alliance's most iconic star players to urge the public not to panic, the fallout from the incident was impossible to contain.

Just as Lech said, the incident continues to affect every aspect of the Alliance to this day. While the Alliance as a whole is still trying to downplay the severity of the situation, specific policies have indeed changed.

For example, the importance placed on concussions is at an all-time high. Colin Kaepernick is a case in point; after a concussion, he is not allowed to participate in games until he passes the Alliance's official protocol. If a team is found to have concealed such an injury, the entire organization will be penalized, even if the athlete signs a waiver—this is the newly implemented policy.

For another example, if a player experiences dizziness, tremors, or physical discomfort, the team must provide a corresponding in-depth examination upon the player's request. The costs for these examinations are now fully included in their medical insurance—previously, the reluctance to perform these checks stemmed from their exorbitant cost and lack of insurance coverage.

And so on. Beyond these, high-tech upgrades to protective gear and further protections for the quarterback position are also part of policies that are slowly changing the status quo.

For Lu Ke, a former journalism major, the implications of Lech bringing up this news were crystal clear. However, just as Lech had said, until you face the predicament yourself, you never truly know what the so-called "consequences" are.

"On the surface, the Alliance looks like it's making changes, but at his core, Roger Goodell is a businessman, and the entire Alliance is just a game of money and interests." Though Lech's words were simple and casually delivered, they carried immense weight.

Roger Goodell, the commissioner of the NFL, has been both controversial and highly popular since taking over in 2006. The reason is simple: under his leadership, the market value of the NFL has multiplied. Beyond just the Dallas Cowboys, the valuations of other top teams have also soared, with the league's average surpassing even the top European soccer leagues.

Profit. Like moths to a flame, people would risk anything for it.

"So, other than yourself, no one is going to care about your health or your future." Lech still had a smile on his face, but his words were grim. The contradiction was such that Lu Ke actually let out a small laugh. "You're an undrafted rookie, a player of Chinese descent. To ninety-nine percent of fans, it would be perfectly natural if you couldn't handle the collisions on the field."

"I know. Because Asians aren't suited for this 'real man's sport'," Lu Ke said with a light, sarcastic laugh.

This was a fact; there was no denying it. Only Liu Xiang and Yao Ming knew how much effort they had to expend to earn their recognition. And even with their success, prejudice against Asians on the track and on the basketball court remained. Just like Lu Ke, last year's undrafted rookie now trying to make it in the NBA, Lin Shuhao, was in a remarkably similar situation.

Letting out a long breath, Lu Ke felt the swirling thoughts in his mind begin to settle. He slowly sorted through them and said with conviction, "I understand."

"Sometimes, you have to grit your teeth and push through, even if it means getting torn to shreds—the fight is worth it. But other times, you have to learn when to back down. At the end of the day, protecting yourself is the first rule. This is only your first season; you have a limitless future where anything is possible. Most importantly, don't lie to the team doctors. Be completely honest about your condition, and then we can discuss whether you can play."

Lech rambled on for a while longer before chuckling. "Sorry, us old guys tend to get long-winded. When I was young, I never understood why, but now I do. It's because we've seen too much, and we always want to pass on our experience. Just take it in. If you like what you hear, remember it. If not, feel free to forget it."

Lu Ke could sense Lech's sincerity. Although Lu Ke didn't have an agent himself, he knew of the agents representing Logan, Marcus, and Aldon.

Those agents never showed up in person. The rookies weren't big enough names and hadn't accomplished enough to warrant a personal visit to watch a practice or a game. The agents had more senior, more prominent players to take care of. On a day-to-day basis, it was the agents' assistants, not the agents themselves, who managed their affairs.

Even Aldon, a first-round pick, was no exception. The San Francisco 49ers' current Defense Team lineup was relatively complete, so Aldon hadn't secured a starting position and was mostly used as a rotational player during games.

But here was Lech, not only appearing in person in Cincinnati, but also expressing such genuine concern. 'If this is all an act,' Lu Ke thought, 'then he deserves an Oscar.'

"You think my future has 'infinite possibilities'?" Lu Ke asked with a smile, ignoring Lech's earlier words of concern and instead seizing on that particular phrase.

This time, it was Lech who was taken aback for a moment. He studied Lu Ke's expression, and a wide smile spread across his face. He nodded. "Yes, I believe you have infinite possibilities."

Earlier, when Lu Ke had mentioned that "no one in the Alliance is sure," Lech had avoided the question and changed the subject. This time, however, he gave a definitive answer.

"You're not a natural-born talent. But most of the greatest players in history weren't naturals either. Joe Montana, Dan Marino, Tom Brady, Drew Brees—none of them were considered geniuses. And yet, the achievements and glory they attained are things most people can't even imagine. Do you know why?"

Lech looked at Lu Ke intently, his cloudy eyes gradually clearing as if trying to see into his soul. But Lu Ke just chuckled and said, slightly off-topic, "You didn't mention Ben Roethlisberger."

"Haha," Lech laughed heartily. "Yes, Big Ben isn't a natural either, but he's still got a ways to go before he's 'great'," Lech admitted candidly. "Because the naturals are given too much; they don't have to strive for it. It's a blessing from God, but it's also a curse that prevents them from pushing further. That's why a natural is just a natural, but they can rarely be called great."

"Then what about Peyton Manning? Troy Aikman? John Elway? O.J. Simpson? Terry Bradshaw? Where do they fit in?" Lu Ke still didn't answer Lech's earlier "why," rattling off another series of names instead.

The common thread among these names: first, they were all number-one draft picks, the "Pride of Heaven," highly-touted talents coming out of college. Second, they were Hall of Fame members—even Manning, who hadn't retired yet, was already a lock for the Hall of Fame. More importantly, they were all strong contenders for the title of 'great,' or at the very least, were in the conversation.

Lech didn't get annoyed or angry. Instead, he nodded earnestly. "Alright, let me amend my statement. Natural talents can achieve greatness, but they're only a small fraction. Truly great players must endure hardship and tempering, and that process is so long and difficult that it's usually the ones who aren't naturals who can persevere to the end."

Lu Ke nodded in agreement but then changed his line of reasoning. "I feel like, could it be that there are just so few true talents to begin with, so proportionally, it just *seems* like most of the great players aren't natural talents?"

A natural talent was, after all, a natural talent. They were called that precisely because they possessed the potential for greatness—or at least a higher chance of success. And also because the players who earned that label were a minority to begin with.

A resigned smile touched Lech's eyes. He was finally getting a taste of Lu Ke's style. "That's one interpretation."

"But, if I had the choice, I'd still rather be a natural talent." Lu Ke's quip made Lech burst out laughing again, and he nodded repeatedly. "Of course, of course. I can't argue with that. To be honest, I'd love to be a natural talent too, just to enjoy the perks and conveniences. That would be a fine thing indeed."

After the laughter died down, Lech spoke with a serious expression. "I want to be your agent and handle all of your affairs. If you have any questions—anything that will help me earn the right to represent you—ask away."

"Why?" The invitation was expected, and a wave of joy and exhilaration surged through him, making it hard to contain his excitement. But before he could blurt out an agreement, Lu Ke forced himself to stay calm and ask the question.

If it had been just any ordinary agent in front of him, he wouldn't have asked such a seemingly foolish question.

Those agents often managed a dozen, or even two dozen, players. One more or one less made little difference. They could easily sign Lu Ke on the strength of his three-game winning streak; if his career took off, they would give him more attention. If not, they could just let him fade into obscurity at no loss to them.

Therefore, an offer from one of them was just another investment. Lu Ke naturally wouldn't have asked them such a naive question as "Why?"

But Lech was different. This was an agent who might only sign a single football player over a span of five, or even ten, years. He was cautious to a fault, always prioritizing quality over quantity. Yet now, he was making an offer to Lu Ke. It was highly unusual.

Lu Ke had faith in himself. He firmly believed he was on an upward trajectory. But for everyone else in the Alliance, and for Lech, that was far from a certainty. 'So, why?'

A faint smile touched Lech's lips, and a look of satisfied approval flashed in his eyes. He liked Lu Ke's reaction. He was ecstatic, yet he maintained a thread of composure. It mirrored his clutch performances in crucial moments on the field. The consistency between the two was fascinating.

"If I told you it was because you're the only Chinese-American quarterback in the Alliance, and that I see commercial potential in you, would you believe me?" Lech didn't answer directly, but instead posed a question of his own as he looked at Lu Ke.

Lu Ke remained silent. Because he knew that couldn't be the reason.