The morning sun fell sparsely, warm and lazy. The faint sea breeze made you want to look up, bask in the warmth, and just lie idly on a bench, enjoying a cup of coffee and letting time slip through your fingers like grains of sand.
But for the players and coaches of the San Francisco 49ers, this was an unrealistic dream. The bye week was over. All of the seventh-week games were finished, and Wednesday had arrived again. They had to tighten their bowstrings again and begin to prepare for this week's game.
The good times of vacation always flew by so fast. Before they had a chance to enjoy it, it was over. The next vacation would have to wait until the end of the season.
Jonathan Goodwin arrived at the Candlestick Park training facility early.
Today was a special day. After a bye week, they needed more time to get back in shape, warm up, and get into training. They also needed more time to watch game tapes to wake up their lazy brains and get focused. So, even though it was a recovery training day, this Wednesday felt different.
However, before entering the locker room to change into his training clothes, before the official warm-up, Goodwin had to do something personal first. So, he arrived at the training facility twenty minutes earlier than scheduled. After leaving the parking lot, he walked straight toward the team's office building.
The training field, where the mist was slowly dissipating, revealed a faint golden sunlight, like diluted ink dripping into a clear spring, spreading little by little. The green and blue in his sight were coated with a faint hue. The beautiful scene made his breathing almost stop, and he couldn't help but sigh in awe.
Amidst the tranquility, he could faintly hear the rustling sounds of footsteps rubbing against the grass. They were rhythmic, light, and nimble, pulling at his heartstrings in the quietness. They didn't disrupt the peace but instead revealed a vibrant vitality, as if he could see seeds sprouting. In the desolation of late autumn and early winter, it radiated a moving energy.
Following the sound, Goodwin saw a figure in the mist. The jersey number was fourteen.
That slightly thin frame had become much stronger and more muscular since he joined the team. His well-proportioned muscles, balanced and agile body, and steady and nimble footwork, during his long and hard run, were like those of an elegant deer. Every move was full of beauty, successfully deceiving the hunter. Then, with a turn, it became an agile cheetah, glaring menacingly.
After a 5-1 record, he was still not complacent but continued to train diligently.
There was no surprise, no astonishment; on the contrary, it was more of a given.
Goodwin couldn't help but laugh when he realized this.
They seemed to have gradually become accustomed to Lu Ke's diligence and hard work, accustomed to the presence of a crazy weirdo on the team, accustomed to the presence of someone who was so dedicated that he would forget to eat and sleep, and accustomed to the presence of someone who was leading everyone forward.
No one cared that Lu Ke was a rookie, an undrafted rookie at that. No one cared that Lu Ke was an Asian player, the only one in the entire league. The Lu Ke of now was the starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers and was gradually taking on the responsibilities of a leader.
It sounded like a fantasy because Lu Ke had only been in the league for six—no, seven weeks. But it was true. All of this was really happening. It wasn't a movie, a novel, or a myth. Every player who was a part of it could truly feel it.
During the bye week, Goodwin and Joe Staley went out for a drink to relax. During their chat, they inadvertently brought up a play—they couldn't get rid of their work habits. As a result, the two got into an argument. In the end, Staley said directly, "How about we call Bambi to confirm? He'll definitely back me up."
The point was, when they had a question about the playbook, the first person who came to mind wasn't the offensive line coach but Lu Ke.
Because in their usual training, Lu Ke's understanding of the playbook was so astonishing that it seemed like no question could stump him. Even if he was stuck for a moment, Lu Ke would go back and study it in detail, verify it, and then give them an answer.
With such a magical performance, everyone became curious. Later, when they looked into it further, they found out that Lu Ke used all his free time every day to study game tapes and the playbook. He had been doing this since the preseason without slacking off. The rookie players' tactical meetings had also become well-known within the team.
People were always curious about where his leadership came from and why this first-year player was able to earn the respect of the veterans.
It was his strength and his effort. The small details of his life accumulated over time, like grains of sand forming a tower.
Goodwin stood there, watching Lu Ke. He was running, then suddenly started to accelerate. This was the famous "suicide sprint" of the San Francisco 49ers. Even Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree, who had the best physical abilities, had tried it, and after they were finished, they both said, "That guy is a freak."
After the hundred-meter sprint, Lu Ke didn't immediately slow down but started to do lateral crossovers to train his footwork.
You could clearly see that Lu Ke's calves and knees were trembling slightly. The suicide sprint that even Vernon and Crabtree complained about was not simple. His physical strength and muscles were pushed to the limit. But Lu Ke still didn't give up and focused on training his footwork to its limit.
He accidentally bumped his knees together and stumbled, losing his balance. Goodwin almost cried out, but Lu Ke used his hands to regain his balance and avoided falling. He continued running without any intention of stopping to rest.
Goodwin let out a small sigh, turned around, and walked towards the office building. As a veteran, Goodwin sincerely admired him. He was willing to believe in Lu Ke, to believe that the hope of the San Francisco 49ers rested on this rookie quarterback, and to believe that Lu Ke could lead the team to success in the face of adversity.
Standing at the door of the head coach's office, Goodwin knocked. After a moment, he heard Jim Harbaugh's flustered voice. "I'm here. Who is it? What do you want?" His hoarse voice still showed traces of him just waking up, which made it hard not to laugh.
If Goodwin was right, the head coach had probably spent the night in his office again.
Although Harbaugh never knew how to handle the messy issues in the locker room and his arrogant, self-centered, and hot-tempered personality wasn't likable, no one could deny that Harbaugh was an excellent coach. He was great at play-calling, managing the overall situation, and making adjustments on the fly.
Even in the face of a sudden change in quarterback, Harbaugh had successfully made corresponding adjustments to the plays, allowing the entire offense to work together.
This year was a new and important beginning for the San Francisco 49ers. The heavy workload of getting everyone on the same page was countless, and Harbaugh was working nonstop. It was highly likely that he was staying in his office day and night to study game tapes. The entire training facility was already used to it.
On the field, the offense led by Lu Ke was dominating. Off the field, the coaching staff led by Harbaugh had laid the groundwork in advance. This dedication, focus, and commitment successfully led the San Francisco 49ers to an excellent record.
From this perspective, there was a reason why the collaboration between Harbaugh and Lu Ke was so successful.
Goodwin didn't go in right away. He waited for a moment to give Harbaugh some time to get himself together. Then he pushed open the office door. "Coach, it's me. Before today's official practice, there's something I want to talk to you about. I mean, in private."
"What is it?" Harbaugh rubbed his eyes and yawned widely, casually tidying up his messy clothes. He didn't care at all about the possibility of his coaching authority being challenged. He scratched his bird's nest-like hair, his face oily. "What time is it? The official media meeting hasn't started yet, has it?"
Clearly, the time Goodwin had given him wasn't enough. If he were to appear in front of the reporters like this, it would probably cause a huge stir on social media.
"No, morning recovery training hasn't even started yet." Goodwin sat down in the chair opposite Harbaugh and found a pair of socks hanging on the armrest. They felt a little damp, which made Goodwin's blood run cold.
Before he could react, Harbaugh stood up, grabbed the socks, and without much explanation, asked directly, "So, what is it?"
Goodwin didn't want to ask why the socks were on the armrest. He wasn't curious at all. So, following Harbaugh's lead, he went straight to the point. "I was thinking that it's time to hand over the title of offensive captain to Lu Ke. He's a more suitable and correct person for the job."
The San Francisco 49ers had just gone through a special bye week, and the integration of the entire team was in a state of flux. Their captain positions were also special: Patrick Willis for the defense, Jonathan Goodwin for the offense, and David Akers for the special teams.
Now, Goodwin was voluntarily proposing to hand over the offensive captain's position to Lu Ke. This was an important change and the reason Goodwin came to the training facility early today.
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