Chapter 693: Leading by Example
"Offense!"
Lu Ke's voice echoed on the field, and the blood of the fans and players alike began to boil. This was a real professional player announcing the snap, a real starting quarterback for the NFL. In an instant, everyone was transported to the other side of the vast Pacific Ocean, standing on a professional league field.
Zhang Sanfan's eyes crossed the offensive line and locked onto the seemingly relaxed Lu Ke. He didn't know how huge the gap was between a professional and a non-professional player because he had never played against one, but he knew that he had to go all out and not relax for a second, or he wouldn't be able to compete at all.
As the sound came from his ears, Zhang Sanfan immediately started, bursting with all his strength and charging forward in the most powerful and ferocious way.
The offensive linemen didn't seem to realize that Zhang Sanfan was trying so hard. Like a desperate warrior, he instantly lost his position. At the same time, Lei Qingkong, who was on the other side, charged forward powerfully, tearing open the offensive line's pocket protection like a dragon entering the sea.
With Zhang Sanfan on the left and Lei Qingkong on the right, the two of them worked together to break through the offensive line's pocket protection. Then, they saw Lu Ke exposed in their sight. It looked like the two of them were about to complete a sack on Lu Ke.
One second, Lu Ke seemed to be strolling leisurely. The next second, Lu Ke's feet began to take a step back.
His unremarkable footsteps instantly created distance. Then, a sideways shuffle to adjust his steps earned him a passing lane. Right after that, Lu Ke had already raised his hand and completed the pass.
Zhang Sanfan and Lei Qingkong had just arrived. Looking at the empty-handed Lu Ke, they quickly slowed down. Zhang Sanfan couldn't help but ask loudly, "Where's the ball? Where's the ball?"
Lu Ke patted Zhang Sanfan's shoulder, raised his chin, and gestured behind him.
Zhang Sanfan turned his head and saw Sun Tongfei rushing forward in the chaos. He adjusted his body with small steps and looked up to find the arc of the football. Finally, he steadily caught the football in his arms.
Zhang Sanfan and Lei Qingkong exchanged glances. Both of them showed a mix of helplessness and excitement.
Only when they stood on the field and competed against him did the gap become so clear.
For an entire season, the league had always criticized Lu Ke's physical quality, pocket footwork, tackling ability, and so on. But now, it seemed that the so-called "weakness" was only relative to professional players. Not to mention compared to ordinary people, even compared to amateur players, his overall level was far superior.
The following practice game proved this.
Lu Ke was always focused on training his pocket footwork. He didn't rush to get the ball out. Instead, he constantly observed under pocket pressure, trying his best to get the receiving players to run out before making a long pass. It was clear that Lu Ke was continuously working on his pocket footwork, especially under pressure.
However, this wasn't just Lu Ke's training.
During the training, Lu Ke was constantly directing the offensive line's positioning and blocking and the receiving players' routes and blocks. It was obvious that the offense's state was slowly improving. The defense was immediately unhappy and called it unfair. They also wanted to be guided; otherwise, how could they compete?
Lu Ke was also a straightforward person. He generously let Sun Tongfei be the quarterback and went to the defense to be a safety. To be a safety, he was more like a commander because Lu Ke's defensive ability was... hard to describe. Both his prediction and positioning seemed to be a little clumsy. He was excellent on paper, but his actual performance was shameful.
The training session lasted for nearly an hour. Afterward, Lu Ke did some post-training relaxation exercises, some simple physical and skill training. There were no secrets; it was just regular basic training. Out of curiosity, many players followed along.
After twenty minutes, a group of people dropped out.
After thirty minutes, another group of people dropped out.
After forty-five minutes, only Sun Tongfei was left, gritting his teeth and gasping for air. He was only held up by his pride, refusing to give up easily and refusing to surrender.
After the training, Sun Tongfei was out of breath. He was lying on the ground with his arms and legs spread out, unable to move a single finger. Lu Ke, on the other hand, was still standing by his side, looking relaxed. His sweaty face didn't show any signs of fatigue or exhaustion but looked energetic.
Lu Ke walked over, extended his hand, and pulled Sun Tongfei up. "Your fundamentals are very good. Logan and Marcus are complaining about the same training, but you've managed to stick with it. How do you feel now? You should get a good massage and relax your muscles, or it will affect your future training."
Sun Tongfei tried to say something, but he was already physically and mentally exhausted. Not only couldn't he speak, but he also couldn't think. He could only wave his hand helplessly and chug water down his throat.
Lei Qingkong walked up and couldn't help but exclaim, "Is this the intensity of your usual training?"
"If I want to stand on the field for a long time, I still have many shortcomings to make up for. This offseason is especially important," Lu Ke said humbly, but his words were sincere.
Lei Qingkong pointed to Sun Tongfei, who was standing beside him. "He's twenty-one years old this year and can play both running back and quarterback. In the second half of the year, he plans to go to a training camp at Michigan State University to study football. What do you think?"
"For a college student, it's okay to play different positions, because we all rely on our bodies to play. But when you train at Michigan State University, the coaching staff will definitely make different arrangements based on each player's qualifications. I think if you make a simple plan for your future in advance and then actively communicate with the coaches at the training camp, the results will be even better," Lu Ke said objectively.
Sun Tongfei finally recovered. "Is this the intensity of your training camp?"
"I think if you're a running back, it might be even more intense." As soon as Lu Ke finished speaking, he saw Sun Tongfei's shocked expression, which made Lu Ke laugh heartily. "Training is more about the process of accumulating little by little. Take it slow. Don't try to become a pro overnight."
"Phew..." Sun Tongfei let out a long sigh.
Lei Qingkong knew Sun Tongfei. He refused to admit defeat and was a little proud, so he took the initiative to say, "You should go and chat with Xiangxiang and Afan. I have some things to ask Bambi."
This was a way for Sun Tongfei to back off, and he then turned and left to rest. The training intensity was supposed to be increased little by little. If it suddenly skyrocketed, even a superhero couldn't adapt to it immediately.
After watching Sun Tongfei leave, Lei Qingkong turned to Lu Ke again. "What do you think? About football in China?"
"It's much more prosperous than I imagined. I was very surprised when I was picked up at the airport. I didn't know that football in China had already formed such a fan base and had so many fans. This is really great." Lu Ke looked at Lei Qingkong's eyes with a focused look. "And from the training session just now, I can see that everyone has a high level of enthusiasm for participating."
Lei Qingkong also showed a proud expression. "Of course. Our love for football is unquestionable."
"The most beautiful part of football is here. It's not just a combination of intelligence and strength. It's also the result of all players working together as one. In this regard, football is even better than soccer, basketball, and volleyball." Lu Ke's feelings were also very deep. In these years, he had learned about football, understood football, embraced football step by step, and finally fell in love with it and became obsessed with it.
Lei Qingkong raised his right hand, gestured, and then gave Lu Ke a high five. Both of them showed a big smile.
Then, Lei Qingkong continued, "What do you think should be done if football in China wants to develop further?"
"That's a tough question," Lu Ke said honestly and laughed cheerfully. "In my opinion, the people who truly promote football are the enthusiasts, like you, like Sun Tongfei, like Zhang Sanfan, and everyone else here today. Everyone is in their own position, contributing to the promotion of a sport. Everyone deserves to be respected."
Lu Ke wasn't just being polite.
This was true for soccer, basketball, and volleyball. This was true for the promotion of every sport.
On the surface, the promotion of a sport must have the involvement of capital and the media so that more people can learn about it on a macro level. But in reality, it is those passionate enthusiasts who, with their love and support, promote, popularize, and spread it little by little, influencing everyone around them. It's the accumulation of a little that eventually leads to a qualitative change.
In the process of promoting a sport, people see the glory of those standing in the spotlight, but they don't see the full effort of every fan. They are the true backbone of a sport's vast market.
What Lu Ke said was about the unsung heroes standing in front of him. Their participation, their presence, and their support were the best motivation.
Lu Ke was contributing in his own way, and they were also becoming a part of it in their own way. In the spread and promotion of football, they were all the same.
Lei Qingkong's eyes flickered with emotion, but he didn't believe him completely. He said with a smile, "Everyone says you're a little fox, and when you face the media, you have a whole set of tricks. I finally understand now."
The reason he dared to say this was that Lu Ke's approachable nature had closed the distance between them.
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