Chapter 669: Individual Showdown
"Bambi!"
"Newton!"
"Bambi!"
"Newton!"
In Aloha Stadium, every spectator was eagerly shouting the name of the player they supported, expressing their support and cheers with their actions. But gradually, a roar, and then another growl, back and forth, the two sounds intertwined and surged like a whirlpool and a tsunami, climbing higher and higher in the stadium's thunderous cheers and shouts, and began to gain the upper hand.
Finally, they successfully united, overpowering the other chaotic cheers and becoming the main theme of the entire stadium!
"Bambi!"
"Newton!"
The names of the two rookie quarterbacks were creating a huge storm, clashing forcefully and savagely, and sparking a passionate and fiery reaction that ignited the chemical reaction in the air. Today's skills challenge erupted with an unprecedented and incredible energy. For a moment, it felt as if this wasn't the NFL Pro Bowl, but the NBA All-Star Game.
Objectively speaking, in terms of both seniority and fan base, Lu Ke and Newton, two first-year players, were not even in the running for a cheering frenzy at the Pro Bowl, but today was a special exception.
According to previous years' experiences, the Pro Bowl was a bit of a fun game. The big-name players held back to avoid injuries, and the skills challenge was even more so. Competition was secondary, and entertainment was first. The players put down their burdens and focused on participating. Therefore, the ten players sent by the AFC and NFC were mostly young players.
This year's skills challenge made a daring attempt. They opened up individual events, opened up registration to all players, and opened up the stadium to all spectators. The strong experimental nature was full of uncertainties. No one knew what the result would be, what the final product would be, or what the trend would be.
So, the individual skills challenge became a playground for young players.
Compared to the veterans who had long been famous, the young players and backups who were eagerly waiting for a chance to prove themselves were more desperate for the individual skills challenge. They hoped that the individual skills challenge could become a stage for them to perform, similar to a rookie training camp, and become a turning point in their careers.
Besides a few veteran players who signed up with a playful attitude, players in their third year and below accounted for 80% of the individual skills challenge registration list. This was an unexpected but reasonable result. For the league, this year was an experiment, and various unexpected things were inevitable, so they also accepted the current situation calmly.
Now, the individual skills challenge was about to begin, but the star power was a bit dim.
For the quarterback position, Ben Roethlisberger and Philip Rivers from the AFC, and Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees from the NFC, all did not sign up for the individual skills challenge. Andy Dalton, who replaced Tom Brady, and Lu Ke, who replaced Eli Manning, two rookie players, chose to sign up.
In other words, out of the eight quarterbacks on the Pro Bowl roster, only two first-year players were participating.
The same was true for other positions.
In this situation, Lu Ke and Newton, who shined throughout the entire league this season, came into everyone's sight. The endless gossip and sensationalism added fuel to the fire, and they undoubtedly became the biggest focus of attention for today's individual skills challenge.
When the first voice called out "Bambi's" name, troublemakers couldn't wait to start shouting "Newton's" name. In a back-and-forth, the tense showdown slowly began and became more and more intense and fierce, like a drop of cold water falling into a pot of hot oil, boiling violently.
Gradually, the other spectators all stopped shouting and looked around, discovering the truth of the matter. Smiles appeared on their faces, and they joined in this magnificent party, heckling together. But everyone had to choose a side.
Lu Ke, or Newton?
"Bambi! Bambi! Bambi!"
Unknowingly, one side began to overpower the other. Wave after wave of sound surged forth, and people realized that the vast majority of the audience had chosen the same side. The tacit understanding in their eyes and the smiles on their lips complemented each other, so they began to raise their arms and shout, trying to overpower their opponent together.
The roars and growls slowly broke the balance of the scale.
When the cheers reached a certain height, the roar of Aloha Stadium began to surge endlessly. Even the huge waves of the North Shore of Honolulu and the volcanic eruption on the Big Island became a backdrop. This further highlighted the stadium's frenzy and heat, and it erupted with an unimaginable and indescribable vitality.
"Bambi! Bambi! Bambi!"
This sound wave became more and more powerful, and in the end, the other cheer completely disappeared. Then, more than 35,000 spectators in the entire stadium shouted the same name, the same rhythm, and the same goal with enthusiasm. That surging and roaring resonance swirled in their chests and finally turned into a ray of light, tearing through the sky and illuminating the entire Pacific Ocean.
It was as if... Aloha Stadium was answering Coleman's question from before.
Turning his head, Coleman saw the players for the skills challenge entering the field one after another. In the bustling crowd, the seemingly ordinary figure of the number 14 player easily stood out and rightfully became the focus of the entire stadium. That frenzy loudly kicked off this year's Pro Bowl.
Years later, when people looked back, they realized that history had left its mark.
A force of a collision on his shoulder interrupted Lu Ke's thoughts. He reflexively turned his head and saw Tony Romo's handsome face with a bright smile. Romo winked mischievously. "Mr. Bambi, how do you feel? Do you really feel a little bit of popularity now? Look, those girls are going crazy for you."
Girls?
Lu Ke followed Romo's gaze and saw a group of balding uncles with bellies, waving San Francisco 49ers' cheering scarves like fangirls, tears streaming down their faces as they called out his name.
Lu Ke rolled his eyes at Romo, his face full of black lines. Are these the girls you're talking about?
Romo also noticed the extremely powerful visual impact of the scene and laughed happily. "Welcome to the NFL. These are what we call our girl fans."
As an undrafted rookie, Romo had been selected for the Pro Bowl three times in his career.
He was one of the most popular quarterbacks in the league, but also one of the most heavily criticized. Being the leader of "America's Team" was definitely not an easy job.
Although he was not on the Pro Bowl roster this year, Romo still came to Honolulu. On one hand, he would cooperate with the league for a series of charity events. On the other hand, the league would also use his high popularity to attract attention to the skills challenge, so he signed up for this year's skills challenge, but it was obviously just for fun.
After the fierce competition on the field, Romo's humor and generosity left a deep impression on people. A simple conversation could show his personal charm. When faced with his teasing, Lu Ke pursed his lips and nodded calmly in agreement. "No wonder your girl fans are all over the U.S."
His witty comeback made Romo choke for a moment. Then, he raised his hands innocently in a gesture of surrender. His comical expression instantly resolved the crisis, and the atmosphere became relaxed and pleasant.
"It seems someone is already fully prepared," Romo said teasingly.
Then, Lu Ke saw Cam Newton warming up enthusiastically.
Standing in the open space, Cam was meticulously and methodically warming up before the competition, stretching his muscles. He was as agile and elegant as a panther waiting to hunt. His serious and focused demeanor was as if he was treating this like a playoff elimination game. His anxious and fiery gaze was like a laser beam that could burn a hole in anything it looked at.
That tense and serious look was not hidden at all. The other players around him all felt that determined power and involuntarily made space, creating a vacuum around Cam. The atmosphere of a key showdown was heating up little by little.
The cheers and shouts from the stadium now seemed even more jarring.
Looking away, Romo looked at Lu Ke with a meaningful expression. "What about you? Are you ready? Or... are you planning to take it easy?"
"Haha, you're overestimating my skill level," Lu Ke replied with a slight flicker in his eyes. "Don't forget, I'm an undrafted rookie. It's not my turn to take it easy. Even if I give it my all, I might not win. After all, this is a skills challenge. There are many hidden talents and capable people here."
Behind his humble words was a determined look, creating an interesting contradiction. His strong confidence and soaring fighting spirit began to burn fiercely. A hint of bloodlust came from his mouth. This was his first time participating in a skills challenge and a Pro Bowl, and Lu Ke didn't want to be a spectator.
"What's more, there aren't just two players in the competition. It's not good to look down on everyone like this." Lu Ke's gaze fell on Romo, implying that he was also one of the participants.
Romo immediately shook his head. "I'm just a number. Just a number." He grinned widely and couldn't help but rub his hands. "Oh my, what should I do? I think this year's skills challenge is exceptionally good. Should I go buy a bag of beef jerky and a can of beer, sit by the field, and enjoy the show up close?" His eager expression was truly amusing.
Lu Ke's smile also overflowed from his eyes. "If it were me, I'd choose potato chips and sunflower seeds. It would be even better with a watermelon or cantaloupe."
That's probably what it's like to be a spectator.
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