Free Web NovelChapter 48: Chapter 43: Missed Opportunity
Lying on the bench, Lu Ke exhaled evenly, his palms gripping the barbell firmly. He slowly bent his arms, feeling the weight, far beyond his body’s limit, press down bit by bit. It was like a colossal stone bearing down on his chest, so heavy it seemed to compress the very air, freezing time and space around him.
He took a sharp breath, trying to straighten his arms again to complete the bench press. But his arms dipped slightly; the barbell felt like Mount Taishan, an impossible task to lift. This made the anger in Lu Ke’s chest begin to churn, an uncontrollable roil. He gritted his teeth, readjusted his breathing, gathered his strength again, and then pushed once more.
This time, he lifted the barbell with ease, even holding it in the air for three seconds. It was as if all the strength deep inside him had erupted. He had the full weight firmly under the control of his hands. Only when his knuckles began to tremble slightly did he repeat the cycle of contracting and pushing.
’He knew he was just a backup. Going from the practice squad to a backup in the past five months was already an incredible leap. He knew that one good game—or to be precise, one good quarter—still wasn’t enough to prove he was a qualified starting quarterback. He knew that Kevin Price had been the quarterback for the entire season. While he hadn’t delivered any stunning performances, he hadn’t made any major mistakes either. Now that his injury was confirmed to be minor, it was only natural for him to return to the starting position.’
’He also knew that as an athlete of Chinese Descent, in this land of immigrants, he had to face more difficulties, more challenges, and more trials. Others might only need to score an eight out of ten to earn cheers and affirmation, but he had to score a twelve just to have a slim chance of catching the coaches’ attention.’
’This was the world of sports, where strength did all the talking. In the face of absolute skill, any barrier could be broken, any doubt could be answered, and any conflict could be resolved. But before you possessed that absolute skill, it was a dog-eat-dog world, a circle of survival of the fittest—quite possibly the domain of human society closest to the primal law of nature.’
’And in the food chain of football, Asian players were at the very bottom.’
’What did all this mean? It meant the coaching staff had made a conservative yet correct choice. He was still the third-string backup quarterback.’
’But, but... he had already missed the entire season, spent enough time grinding away to hone his skills. He had finally gotten a chance in the last game of the season, and he’d seized it, managing to shine on the stage. This was supposed to be the first time he’d ever caught the eye of the scouts!’
’He needed more opportunities, more space, more stages to keep showcasing himself! The Rose Bowl was the best choice, and also the last. The Rookie Training Camp was starting in March, and the ticking of the countdown clock was already deafening. For a nobody, for a player of Chinese Descent, to win a team’s favor and enter the Alliance through the draft, he needed to keep proving himself in the Rose Bowl.’
’Now, a single piece of paper—the backup list—had snuffed out all possibilities.’ ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com
’Before any player entered the draft, the scouts would review and re-review, evaluate and re-evaluate. The chosen ones were in the spotlight since high school, striding confidently through college and into the Professional Alliance. With his inherent disadvantages, he had relied on the system’s help to finally make it this far, only to come to a dead stop.’
’No game time, no performance. No performance, no scouting report. No scouting report, no future in the draft...’
’Resentment, anger, frustration, suppression, bitterness. All the flavors swirled on the tip of his tongue, a complex mixture he couldn’t begin to identify.’
Straighten arms, contract arms. Straighten, contract... The chaotic thoughts in his mind gradually faded away. He focused completely on the motion of the bench press, feeling his muscles burn, feeling the tangled emotions in his chest burn. First the bench press, then squats, then sit-ups, pull-ups, and finally, his routine passing drills...
For a full ninety minutes, Lu Ke threw himself into his daily training without distraction, sweat pouring off him. It was as if every pore in his body had opened up, and the whole world felt clear and unobstructed once more.
’He wouldn’t give up. He had no intention of giving up! For any athlete, anything is possible before the game ends, before the final whistle blows. Giving up early was the same as laying down your arms and surrendering. He didn’t plan to surrender, and he certainly wouldn’t compromise. He would fight until the very last moment!’
’He was ready. Ready to get back on his feet, clench his fists, and throw himself back into the fight! More importantly, he was ready to win again—a victory for football, and a victory for himself!’
「Meanwhile.」 ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com
Anthony Jefferson slammed his hands on the conference table, his eyes blazing with fire. "Rick, you’re making a mistake! I know it, Norm knows it, and you know it too!"
"Anthony!" the Defense Team coach, Chuck Bullough, called out, trying to stop him. Challenging the head coach’s authority was not a wise move. But Rick shook his head and raised a hand to stop Chuck, signaling for Anthony to continue.
"Kevin is a decent backup quarterback, but he is not a great starting quarterback! I don’t want to say this, but he’s mediocre! Mediocre!" The veins on his neck throbbed violently, but Anthony didn’t care. "Everyone saw what Lu Ke did in the last game! Does he have shortcomings? Of course, he has countless shortcomings! But he has one quality that we desperately need: he’s a playmaker! He’s got guts, he can make the right call in critical moments, and he can win the game at the buzzer!"
Anthony pointed toward the door, as if Lu Ke himself were standing there. "He trains harder than anyone, he’s more focused on the game than anyone, and he craves victory more than anyone! You should have seen his training and his growth over the past two weeks. The speed of his development is beyond imagination! Rick, is it because of his Chinese Descent? Is using a Chinese-American quarterback in the Rose Bowl something the school’s board of directors can’t tolerate?"
"Anthony! Watch your words!" Chuck couldn’t hold back, his voice rising again to cut him off.
But Anthony just turned his head and shot Chuck a glare. "Did I say something wrong? Which part of that was wrong? You want to stand up and correct me? Norm, maybe you can tell me, just how much has the surname ’Zhou’ affected your career?"
Having been just watching the show, only to be unfortunately dragged into it, Norm raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Anthony, you know I support Lu Ke. I also hope he can be the starting quarterback."
Norm also realized that, as the offensive coach, he needed to speak up now. "Rick, Anthony’s right about one thing. Lu Ke’s determination, judgment, and willpower are crucial. That last game was the first time he’s ever played in his four years of college, but his performance was enough to put other quarterbacks to shame. In a crucial game like the Rose Bowl, he can lead us to victory!"
"But he could also lead us into the abyss." Facing the doubts from Anthony and Norm, Rick finally spoke. His gaze fell upon his three colleagues. "Lu Ke’s strengths and weaknesses are both glaringly obvious. His technique and fundamentals are genuinely terrible. Other than his passing, all his other skills are subpar. He has determination, perseverance, and guts, but this is the Rose Bowl. One small mistake could put us in an impossible situation. The Badger Team won most of their games this year on the back of their offense, but their Defense Team are no spectators. The risk is too great. I can’t take that risk."
In contrast to Anthony’s towering rage, Rick remained completely calm. He rubbed his temples. "Yes, Kevin isn’t a great quarterback, but he is, at the very least, a competent choice."
This was his final decision, one made after careful deliberation. Seeing that Anthony seemed to have more to say, Rick raised a hand to stop him this time. "I know how diligently and devotedly Lu Ke trains. That’s also why he’s the second quarterback and Darius is the third."
Kevin Price, starting quarterback; Lu Ke, second quarterback. It wasn’t apparent on the list, but in the coach’s mind, there was a difference.
Weighing, struggling, hesitating, deliberating, Rick came to his final conclusion, making the best choice for the team. "And another thing, Anthony. Lu Ke’s Chinese Descent has no bearing on this for me. It’s not a factor I need to consider. If he could bring me a win, I would use him without hesitation, and I’m sure the school board would shut up. But this is one game, a do-or-die game. I have to make the right choice. I will absolutely not trifle with my job."
After saying his piece, Rick didn’t linger. He stood up and strode out of the conference room.
Chuck stood up as well, shaking his head. "This is not good, Anthony. Not good at all!" He started to turn and leave, but ultimately, unable to contain his anger, he turned back to look at Anthony. "You should trust Rick’s judgment! You should trust our professional judgment! Lu Ke, just five months ago, was still only on the practice squad! There’s a reason for that!"
This time, Chuck didn’t hesitate. Shaking his head, he turned and strode away.
"I trust my eyes! I trust that the game doesn’t lie! And I trust that you’re a racist!" Anthony’s temper truly spiraled out of control. "You’re refusing to believe in a genius! A genius!" Anthony kicked over a nearby chair. "You’re all making a mistake! This is a mistake!"
Norm tried to console Anthony but found he couldn’t get the words out. His mind was a bit muddled, unable to form a coherent thought. In the end, all he could do was shake his head and turn to leave.
Anthony was left alone in the conference room. Facing the empty space, there was no one left to direct his anger at. He stood helplessly with his hands on his hips, panting heavily, disappointment written all over his face. And yet, he was powerless.
