It was the same old story. Charles's long-winded speech essentially boiled down to the same old bias that he had formed during the very first game of the regular season, and it had never changed. After the San Francisco 49ers faced two consecutive losses, his same old criticisms resurfaced, completely ignoring the team's previous victories and successes. It was truly grating to listen to.
"So, what you're saying is that the next two games are the real test?" Spencer summarized bluntly, cutting through all the pleasantries.
"Yes," Charles confirmed plainly.
"Then, if the San Francisco 49ers win, are you going to make another bet?" Spencer's pace quickened, his attack becoming sharper. Charles's arrogance and distortion of facts were really getting to Spencer, who couldn't stand it anymore. He resorted to a challenge, teasingly looking at Charles with a simple question that cornered him.
Over the past three weeks, Charles had become increasingly aggressive, but he had also gotten smarter. He no longer made careless comments and seemed to have quit betting to avoid getting himself into an awkward situation. But his words were getting more and more offensive, with his disdain and disregard barely hidden.
Now, Spencer was directly confronting him: Since Charles was so certain the 49ers couldn't win, would he dare to make another bet? If he didn't, did that mean Charles was all talk?
Charles's pupils narrowed slightly, and he gave Spencer a harsh look, defensively saying, "What are you talking about, bets? We're just analyzing the game right now."
"Cut the crap. Do you think the San Francisco 49ers can win the game?" Spencer pressed him, since Charles was being so unreasonable in his refusal to acknowledge the 49ers' achievements. So, Spencer decided to be unreasonable, too.
"Of course not!" Charles blurted out.
Spencer nodded, satisfied. "Then there's no problem. No matter what bet you choose, you're sure to win, so what's there to worry about? Maybe you could propose an interesting bet and get a little bonus?"
It was a blatant trap, but Charles was in an extremely awkward spot. He had to move forward; there was no retreating. He knew it was a trap, but he had to jump in headfirst.
However, Charles wasn't a fool. The humiliation of "crossing the Pacific" was still fresh in his memory. If not for the Arizona Cardinals' timely victory over the 49ers, Charles's suffering would have continued. Even now, ordinary people on the street still made jokes about his "great achievement." This shame clung to him, and he couldn't shake it. So, he had learned his lesson.
Hating Lu Ke was one thing, but putting himself in a difficult situation was another. He would never allow Lu Ke to put him in a position of shame. But if he could kick his opponent while they were down, he wouldn't mind getting his hands dirty. Indeed, Charles didn't believe the San Francisco 49ers could win. Not against the Steelers, and even against the Cardinals, their chances were slim. But in sports, anything is possible, and no one can predict the outcome of probabilities. He refused to repeat his past mistake with a bet.
Faced with Spencer's aggressive approach, Charles knew it was a trap, but he had to take the bait. However, how he did it was important. After a brief moment of frustration, Charles quickly calmed down. He thought it over and then said with a smile, "How about this: If the San Francisco 49ers can consecutively defeat both the Cardinals and the Steelers, I will fulfill a penalty proposed by Lu Ke."
This was a clever trap with two parts. First, consecutively defeating the Cardinals and Steelers meant the 49ers had to have an excellent performance for two straight weeks to beat both strong opponents, giving Charles a double safety net. Second, having Lu Ke propose the bet seemed like handing over control, but it actually put Charles on the moral high ground. If Lu Ke proposed an exaggerated or impossible bet, Charles could play the victim, sway public opinion, and paint Lu Ke as an arrogant rookie. If Lu Ke proposed a meaningless bet, Charles wouldn't care.
In other words, while the initiative was technically in Lu Ke's hands, Charles was retreating to advance, giving himself more control. Especially if Lu Ke pushed his luck, the show's producers could intervene, kill the bet, and blame Spencer. Charles had even thought of his escape plan. If the 49ers lost either game, or both, he would pretend to be sympathetic and regretful, earnestly advising that the team was still too young and that the future belonged to them, and Lu Ke should keep working hard. This would all be a thinly veiled way to prove that his initial comments at the beginning of the season were correct.
With his reputation, dignity, and a potential victory and satisfaction on the line, Charles was in an unbeatable position. Moreover, Charles truly believed the 49ers couldn't win both games. He thought a victory over the Cardinals was possible, but a win against the Steelers was a long shot.
Thinking of this, Charles couldn't help but smile brightly. He watched Spencer's expression freeze up, feeling even more pleased. With a sincere look, he said, "We are all peaceful people, just genuinely hoping for a more entertaining game. What do you say, Spencer? How about you make a bet, too?"
Spencer's eyebrows furrowed. In a flash, he understood Charles's plan. Spencer had set a trap for Charles, but the old fox had learned from his past mistakes. Before jumping in, he had dug a series of safety nets. He looked like the prey, but he could turn into the hunter at any moment.
"Damn it." Spencer genuinely hated Charles's smile; it was incredibly annoying.
As Spencer was about to respond, the host, Edward Bowen, intervened, deftly defusing the tension. "Haha, it seems these two haven't finished their fun in Vegas yet. To avoid an investigation from law enforcement, let's keep those little secrets under the table, shall we?" With a bit of banter, the conflict was instantly resolved. The conversation then naturally shifted to the upcoming regular season, with Edward asking the other analysts for their opinions and views. This quick-witted handling of the situation showed Edward's strong hosting skills; the host position for "Inside the League" was definitely not for just anyone.
As mentioned, in Week 14 of the regular season, the San Francisco 49ers would face the Arizona Cardinals again, but this time in an away game. The 49ers' performance this week was highly anticipated, as it was a true revenge match against the team that had beaten them at home just two weeks prior.
Unlike the Buffalo Bills and the Washington Redskins, the Arizona Cardinals had followed a low-to-high trajectory this season. They started the season with a 1-6 record, hitting rock bottom. Just when everyone thought they were out of the playoff race, they started a comeback. Their overtime victory against the St. Louis Rams in Week 9 was the turning point. Following that, they defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, upset the San Francisco 49ers, beat the Rams again, and in the last game against the Dallas Cowboys, they once again forced the game into overtime and won with the same score as in Week 9, 19-13. Now, the Cardinals were on a five-game winning streak with a record of 6-6.
With four games remaining in the season, if the Cardinals could win all of them, they would have a 10-6 record, and their playoff hopes would be reignited. If the San Francisco 49ers lost all of their next four games, it would be even more perfect, as the Cardinals could replace their divisional rival and become the division champions. This made the upcoming game between the Cardinals and the 49ers at the Cardinals' home stadium crucial. This game could be the start of another four-game losing streak for the 49ers, just like the game three weeks ago when they beat them at Candlestick Park.
A game like this naturally had more significance, and the atmosphere was completely different. The Arizona Cardinals' home crowd would definitely not let a victory slip away, which was one of Charles's sources of confidence. In fact, Charles wasn't the only one. After the two-game losing streak, the analysts on "Inside the League" had undergone a quiet change. With the regular season nearing its end and more variables at play, the games would become more difficult under pressure. Was the 49ers' collapse in the Thursday night game a pure accident or a psychological issue?
With this shift, the psychological balance of the predictions once again tipped. A total of six analysts, not including Charles, chose to support the Arizona Cardinals, believing that the home team would give their all for a playoff spot. This meant that only three commentators thought the San Francisco 49ers could get their revenge. Overnight, the confidence and support the 49ers had built seemed to have completely fallen apart.
But this is competitive sports, a cruel and cold-blooded world. In the face of winning and losing, there is no mercy or sympathy. The only way to gain recognition and support is through: victory, victory, victory!
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