American Football: King of the Bay Area

The San Francisco 49ers' press conference hall was renowned throughout the Alliance.

However, the interior furnishings were not particularly advanced or modern. It was essentially a lecture hall, with a small stage at the front holding a long table, and the team's flag hanging behind it. Facing the stage was a fan-shaped, tiered room with rows of seats rising one after another. The entire design was plain and conventional.

What truly made the place memorable was its decor and color scheme. The combination of gold, red, and azure blue was simple and elegant, yet possessed a dignified grace. The deep blue carpet underfoot muffled all ambient noise, and a gentle, comfortable, and cheerful energy seemed to float in the warm air. The visual splendor always put people in a good mood.

In fact, Candlestick Park was a stadium rich in history. Having been completed over half a century ago, its old architecture, dated decor, and outdated facilities all bore the marks of time.

Although the Yorks had carried out some internal renovations after taking over the team, giving it a fresh look to welcome a new Era, they had been seeking to build a brand-new stadium since 2006. In 2010, their proposal was approved, winning the support of City Hall, and construction on the new stadium officially began.

In the near future, Candlestick Park might become a thing of the past.

Nevertheless, the stadium, steeped in history, still carried the team's glory and splendor. It was in this very press conference hall that people had witnessed the departure of Joe Montana and the retirement of Steve Young. It held a special significance.

At this moment, over sixty reporters were gathered in the bustling press conference hall, each waiting anxiously. Those who were seated made idle chitchat, their gazes drifting from time to time toward the entrance to the left of the stage, searching for any sign of someone appearing. Others couldn't sit still at all, standing up and pacing back and forth in the narrow aisles and the open space at the front.

Today was Friday, not the official press day on Wednesday.

Ordinarily, reporters wouldn't even be here, and the team wouldn't grant interviews, to avoid disturbing the players' daily training. But now, the hall was incredibly lively. A contingent of over sixty reporters wasn't a top-tier crowd, but it was a considerable number. There was no boisterous discussion, but a palpable undercurrent of tension and anticipation filled the room.

This was an official press conference called by the San Francisco 49ers. It was Friday, less than two days before Sunday's game. The highly anticipated decision on the starting quarterback was about to be officially announced.

Would it be the undrafted rookie quarterback Lu Ke, who had repeatedly worked miracles recently, who would continue to lead the team forward? Or would the veteran quarterback Alex Smith, who had been at the team's helm for five consecutive years, reclaim his position after recovering from injury? Or perhaps Colin Kaepernick, the second-round pick with high expectations, would make a strong comeback after a disappointing preseason?

Thanks to the presence of the Chinese-American quarterback Lu Ke, an already highly-watched topic was now drawing countless more eyes. Like Tony Romo and Kurt Warner, every step of Lu Ke's Alliance career was making history, and the buzz surrounding him remained consistently high.

Now, the crucial moment had arrived. Could Lu Ke hold on to his starting position? Or would his legendary journey come to a temporary end, leaving him to wait for the next opportunity to rise?

Even as spectators, people couldn't help but rub their hands together in eager anticipation.

"Alex. It's definitely going to be Alex."

"I agree. I don't see any reason to choose a rookie. Both Colin and Lu Ke are too green. Right now, the 49ers need a veteran to pull the team together. Otherwise, their performances are just too inconsistent. A single game is enough to give you a few heart attacks."

"The only question is, how's Alex's injury recovery coming along? Does anyone know how he did in passing drills last week?"

...

The hushed discussions droned on, not as a boisterous clamor but as a low buzz. Yet, every word found its way into Jay Fox's ears, making his already tense nerves fray even more. He wanted nothing more than to stand up and tell those reporters to shut up.

However, a lingering shred of reason convinced Jay. 'This is their job. Telling a reporter to shut up is like canceling the press conference.' So, Jay could only remain meekly in his seat, taking deep breaths to try and calm himself down.

"What do you think?" A voice suddenly came from his side, making Jay jump. He turned his head and saw a friendly face, chuckling. "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you. Is this seat taken? May I sit here?"

"Of course," Jay said, flustered. "What did you just say?"

"Brian, from the 'San Francisco Chronicle'." Brian Westbrook introduced himself. Jay quickly replied, "Jay, 'Los Angeles Times'."

An expression of understanding dawned on Brian's face. "Ho ho, *the* Times." On the West Coast, the "Los Angeles Times" was the number one newspaper. Although the "San Francisco Chronicle" was the second largest, the difference in influence was still quite noticeable.

As for the East Coast, "The New York Times" was the undisputed leader, though other major papers like "The Washington Post" and "The Wall Street Journal" were no less influential. When it came to news media, the East Coast was not just the center of North America, but a focal point for the entire world.

In North America, when people mentioned "The Times," everyone knew it referred specifically to "The New York Times." But if confined to the West Coast, "The Times" meant the "Los Angeles Times." Still, the "Los Angeles Times" couldn't compare to "The New York Times."

"It's just my first year," Jay said modestly.

Brian shrugged, not dwelling on the subject. "I'm rooting for Bambi." Jay's train of thought seemed a step behind Brian's pace. The difference between a rookie and a veteran wasn't just found on the football field. "I mean, in today's battle for starting quarterback, I support Bambi. You?"

"Bambi," Jay said without any hesitation.

"Because he's your friend?" Brian said with a chuckle. "I know you were college classmates with Bambi, along with Logan and Marcus."

"UCLA," Jay nodded in confirmation. "It's not just that. It's because I know how focused Bambi is—you could even call it frightening. If you underestimate Bambi's ability, you'll pay a heavy price."

"Just like the Seattle Seahawks?" Brian's example was so vivid that they both burst out laughing. Brian glanced around the press hall. "Still, we're in the minority here. These guys all rely on experience. They're used to making judgments based on the past, and they're used to their stereotypes about Asian players. They refuse to see the changes and progress he's made over three games."

That was why they all believed the San Francisco 49ers would choose Alex Smith. Out of the thirty-two teams in the entire Alliance, when faced with the choice between a veteran and a rookie—with only three weeks of regular-season data to go on—more than two-thirds, perhaps even three-quarters, would choose the veteran.

The quarterback position is incredibly unique; there are just so many factors to consider. Even Peyton Manning's rookie season was a disaster.

"Here he comes!" As they spoke, the door on the left swung open, and Jim Hubble appeared before the reporters, accompanied by several staff members.

In an instant, all the reporters began to move, quickly finding their seats. It was a surging, clamorous, yet orderly scramble as they settled down with incredible speed. Pairs of fiery, expectant eyes shot toward Jim, like Laser Eyes, their searing heat making the air itself feel like it was slowly beginning to burn.

"Thank you all for attending the team's press conference." Jim dispensed with the pleasantries and got straight to the point. "Today's topic is the starting quarterback. The team is at a very important juncture. After deliberation and discussion among the coaching staff, and after evaluating performance in training over the past period, we have finally reached a conclusion."

Pausing for a moment, Jim scanned the room and saw that every single reporter was holding their breath—

Many reporters sat behind their laptops, their hands poised to type furiously, already drafting the news. They were ready to just fill in the starting quarterback's name and immediately post the bulletin on Twitter and their websites, before conducting in-depth interviews to write a detailed report. But at this moment, their hands had all stopped, as if caught in a time warp.

The scene was somewhat amusing.

"For this week's game, the starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers..." Jim didn't deliberately toy with the reporters and continued, "...will continue to be Lu Ke."

Silence. Stillness. The quiet was so profound that the very flow of time seemed audible. Everyone held their breath, their hearts seemingly stopping for an instant, and then... A muffled BOOM erupted in their ears. In a flash, everyone snapped back to reality, realizing what had just happened. The bombshell news had just dropped!

Before the sound of Jim's voice had even faded, a tidal wave of questions crashed down:

"What was the specific reason?"

"Hasn't Alex Smith's injury fully healed yet?"

"Isn't choosing Lu Ke as the starting quarterback too risky?"

"Did the team conduct a comprehensive evaluation?"

"What is Alex Smith's opinion on this?"

"What is the atmosphere within the team like now?"

"Did the team make this choice based on the victories in the last three games?"

...

A bustling chaos of countless questions erupted all at once. The uproar was even more intense than before the first week of the regular season, when the San Francisco 49ers had announced Lu Ke as their starting quarterback.

Back then, there had been no choice. Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick had both been injured, and Lu Ke was forced into the role. But today, it was a deliberate choice, and the weight of the news was naturally completely different.

Brian and Jay exchanged a look, both breaking into a smile of mutual understanding.