"Beep..."
The referee blew the whistle, signaling the end of the game. The final score was 49-3. The San Francisco 49ers, with a huge advantage, secured a resounding victory at home. This was not only the team's best victory since the 2011 season, but also their most outstanding and perfect victory since the preseason began.
From the offense to the defense and to the special teams, the San Francisco 49ers achieved perfect harmony. For the first time, they showed the style of the NFC West's top team, not the pushovers everyone expected. More importantly, their opponent wasn't just some weak team; they were an outstanding team that was currently first in the NFC South. A victory achieved against such a strong opponent was undoubtedly more precious and valuable.
After the game, the San Francisco 49ers players all started to high-five and celebrate. All the offensive players surrounded Lu Ke, one after another, patting his helmet and happily congratulating him.
Lu Ke tried to take off his helmet, but Jonathan Goodwin chuckled and stopped him. "This is a special treatment for rookies. Enjoy it." The deeper meaning was that the veteran players were acknowledging the rookie.
However, Lu Ke always felt that this was a prank by Goodwin. He squinted slightly, showing a strong sense of suspicion. Without having time to find the answer, Lu Ke left his teammates and quickly walked toward the center of the field, ready to shake hands with the opposing quarterback, Josh Freeman.
While running quickly, he took off his helmet and vigorously shook his sweaty hair. Lu Ke arrived at the center of the field, but after looking around, he didn't see Freeman. This surprised Lu Ke. He found a Tampa Bay Buccaneers player in the crowd and asked, "Excuse me, where is Josh Freeman? I'm the 49ers' quarterback, and I'm looking for him to shake hands after the game."
Lu Ke's first thought was that he had celebrated with his teammates for a while and lost track of time. The opponent had grown impatient and left. But if he thought about it, he didn't think he had delayed for too long.
"I'm sorry, he's already gone back to the locker room," the Buccaneers player said with a helpless smile, then patted Lu Ke's arm. "Good game today." He shook his head and turned to leave.
At this moment, in the middle of the field, Jim Harbaugh was shaking hands with the Buccaneers' head coach, surrounded by players from both teams. Lu Ke stood not far away, looking bewildered. He couldn't find anyone to shake hands with and didn't know what to do.
Then Lu Ke saw Alex Smith standing not far away, so he walked over and asked, "Uh, they said the opposing quarterback has already gone back to the locker room. Is that allowed?"
Alex chuckled, "Shaking hands is just a friendly gesture, not an official rule."
"I thought it was an official rule. Every time a game is broadcast, they all..." Lu Ke asked in surprise.
Alex nodded and continued, "It's because of the broadcast. When it's a national broadcast, everyone needs to show friendliness, friendship first, and the game second, you know? So the quarterbacks and head coaches from both sides shake hands, and if necessary, the head coaches also shake hands with the opposing quarterback. But it's just a friendly gesture."
This was something Lu Ke hadn't expected. After all, no quarterback had ever taught him these things before. But after a moment of surprise, Lu Ke nodded calmly. "If I were him, I wouldn't want to shake hands with the opposing quarterback either. I mean, after a game like this."
His serious tone made Alex burst into laughter.
One quarterback had five passing touchdowns, and his team had a resounding victory. The other had four interceptions, and his team only managed to score a field goal. It would indeed be a bit awkward and strange for these two quarterbacks to stand calmly on the field and shake hands in a friendly gesture.
"Another one! Another one! Another one!"
As they were talking, the passionate shouts gradually came and quickly merged into one, becoming louder, crazier, and more overwhelming. The air in the entire Candlestick Park seemed to boil. This interrupted Lu Ke and Alex's conversation. They both looked up.
They couldn't find the source of the sound because it was coming from all directions. The red ocean in their line of sight was endless, vast, and began to surge. All the fans in the stadium stood up, raised their hands high, and shouted "Another one!" to their heart's content. Gradually, all seventy thousand fans temporarily stopped their own celebrations and shouted in unison. As they shouted, the smiles on their faces and in their eyes overflowed, sweeping across the entire stadium.
"Another one!"
The game was over. Clearly, the fans weren't asking for another touchdown, but were expressing their inner happiness and joy. They had urgently requested another touchdown, and the team had delivered them one touchdown after another, one, two, three... a total of seven touchdowns, five passing touchdowns, and two rushing touchdowns, truly allowing every fan to go home completely satisfied.
A game like this was just too wonderful.
The unified cheering and shouting unleashed unimaginable energy in Candlestick Park, surging endlessly, just like the "candle" on Candlestick Park that was lit again after many years, illuminating the path forward for the fans and the future of this city. That inspiring spiritual power, in the magnificent red ocean, was truly moving.
Lu Ke stood in the center of the field, quietly watching the surge in front of him. He felt moved and warm inside.
Unlike the crazy moments at the airport, the stadium in front of him, this red ocean, truly brought out the spirit of the San Francisco 49ers and truly connected his feet to this land. Never before had Lu Ke so clearly realized that the red and gold blood of the 49ers flowed in his body and that the indomitable spirit of the 49ers was branded in his soul.
They were the 49ers, the first poor people who came to the West to settle. They once had nothing and came to this land with a dream. They took root in the harsh lands and created a world with their own hands. They never backed down or feared facing difficulties, setbacks, and hardships, and they carved out a world with their own feet.
The 49ers, they are pioneers, they are wanderers, they are gold rushers, and they are also indomitable warriors! This spirit is deeply embedded in every cell of their bodies and remains in the soul of this city and this team.
Lu Ke, he is also a 49er, just like Lu Zhengze and Jiang Youning.
In his chest, his heart was beating so steadily, so powerfully, and so passionately.
Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of a figure in his line of sight, holding up the "King of the Bay" flag high and running around the stadium stands. Where the flag went, people spontaneously started a wave, one after another, rising and falling endlessly. When you were in it, everyone was so small, as small as a drop of water, merging into the vast ocean and becoming a part of the storm.
The game was over, but the excitement had just begun.
"Another one! Another one!" This was not the fans' shouting, but the heckling of Logan, Gore, and others. They all rushed over and started circling Lu Ke. Aldon Smith, Scott and Crabtree and Ginn also came over to join the fun, obviously teasing Lu Ke.
As the soul and core of the entire game today, they all knew that Lu Ke had led the team to this great victory, and his contributions were invaluable.
Standing in the middle of the crowd, Lu Ke let out a laugh, and then he also raised his hands and joined in the heckling, "Another one! Another one!" In the midst of the fun, everyone laughed happily, and it was a lively scene.
In the stands of Candlestick Park, the fans were still reluctant to leave. Even though the players had all left the field one after another, and many spectators had gradually left their seats, at least more than half of the fans remained in their seats, celebrating this victory in their own way, a victory that was so exhilarating that they were beside themselves with excitement.
Jonathan Baldwin was also like this. His eyes were filled with satisfaction. The victory was certainly a source of joy, but what truly moved him was the spirit, the spirit of not compromising or giving up in the face of difficulties.
In the first half of the game, the team, under Lu Ke's leadership, showed momentum and suppressed the opponent. It was this quality that allowed the San Francisco 49ers to win the game. Similarly, in future tough matchups, especially at crucial moments in the fourth quarter, this spirit will also be the key to the team's victory.
He liked a team like this. No, he loved a team like the San Francisco 49ers. As a fan, he felt an unprecedented sense of pride.
"Next week's game, I'm going to watch it away," Jonathan said.
"What?" Chris Wilson, who was standing next to him, was confused. Jonathan didn't hesitate or pause. He repeated firmly, "I said, I'm going to watch the next game away."
Chris looked at Jonathan in surprise and finally let out a laugh. "Who was it who was talking trash when I went to Cincinnati two weeks ago?" In just half a month, the world had completely changed, but looking at the calm Jonathan, Chris didn't continue to tease. "But what about the tickets? What if you can't get tickets?"
"Then I'm still going," Jonathan didn't even think. "I want to be there, even if it's outside the stadium. I want to stand there wearing a 49ers jersey and tell Lu Ke and our players that they have our support! As long as they are on the field, they are not fighting alone!"
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