Three weeks ago, during the Arizona Cardinals' game against the San Francisco 49ers, Patrick Peterson rose to fame, getting his first and second career interceptions and becoming a major talking point. But before that, Peterson was an unknown name.
As a rookie cornerback, even a first-round pick, Peterson started from the bench just like Aldon Smith. Peterson played more on special teams for the Cardinals, where his performance was indeed excellent. He had already scored two punt return touchdowns this season, including a 99-yard punt return touchdown that set a new franchise record for the Cardinals. It was because of this outstanding performance that he was added to the defense as a rotational player and earned playing time in the game against the 49ers.
However, as a rookie, Peterson still needed to improve his competitiveness. The Cardinals currently had four main cornerbacks. Typically, only two cornerbacks are on the field at a time, so you can imagine how fierce the competition was. Peterson was considered a rotational backup at best.
This was the source of Lu Ke's earlier statement: "I guess that's assuming he makes it onto the active roster."
Peterson was provoking Lu Ke's passes and interceptions, while Lu Ke was mocking Peterson's playing time, suggesting he might not even get on the field as a defensive player. Even if Lu Ke wanted to throw in Peterson's direction, he might not be able to. In their previous matchup, Lu Ke's passing rating in Peterson's direction was so low largely because Peterson's playing time was so limited. He might have only been on the field for five or six plays, but he got two interceptions, and the ratio between the numerator and the denominator skewed the final stat to make it seem much worse.
Now, Lu Ke's counterattack was short, powerful, sharp, and direct. In an instant, the tension in the air became palpable. But this was clearly not the end.
After the official media day ended, reporters immediately relayed Lu Ke's response to Peterson. Peterson was still unfazed, his comments filled with disdain and the self-centered confidence of a true believer. "I'll see you on the field. Like I said, an interception is still my goal, and I hope to contribute to the team in my own way. I believe in my ability, and as for my playing time, I don't think he needs to worry about it."
Peterson couldn't come up with anything more creative, and the verbal spar seemed to be over. But the Cardinals' defense was eager to continue the attack. The animosity was already building before the game had even begun.
After hearing about Peterson's interview, defensive end Darnell Dockett immediately posted his thoughts on Twitter for the world to see:
"Everyone keeps talking about the 49ers having a great receiving corps, but in my opinion, they're just average guys. They're a bunch of pushovers."
"Last game, our defense didn't even have to try too hard to shut them down. They looked like a bunch of sissies."
"This week, we're going to replicate the same dominance and the same victory. We're going to teach them what real defense is all about."
These comments escalated to personal attacks and the rivalry between the two teams' offenses and defenses. The contempt and disdain were not hidden at all. More importantly, Dockett posted three tweets in a row, using a barrage of attacks to announce the war on social media.
It's well known that on social media, all negative emotions are magnified. Users are more reckless, more attention-seeking, and more aggressive. By choosing social media as his battlefield, Dockett was essentially inviting a colossal train wreck. This immediately escalated the conflict between the two teams.
After Dockett's tweets, Vernon Davis was quick to respond. "Dockett-who? Is that some player's grandpa who snuck onto Twitter to run his mouth? I don't remember seeing that guy on the field last game."
Darnell Dockett, drafted in 2004, was a third-round, 64th-overall pick. Now 31 years old, his career had an unconventional path, starting slow and then picking up. He was selected for the Pro Bowl for the first time in 2007 and then for two consecutive years in 2009 and 2010, delivering standout performances in the later stages of his career. However, this year, Dockett had been affected by some minor injuries, and his playing time was relatively limited. In the Cardinals' last game against the 49ers, he only played four defensive snaps and wasn't fully involved.
Vernon's Twitter response was not only sharp but also brutal. He landed punch after punch on Dockett's weak spots, showing no mercy and being far more aggressive than he would have been in an interview.
Dockett immediately responded on Twitter, "Shut up, loser! I saw you on the field last game, constantly failing to make catches. If I were you, I'd lock myself in the toilet and think about what a disgrace you are. Don't come out and embarrass yourself." This was not the end. Dockett continued his attack on Twitter, "If I were on the San Francisco 49ers, Lu Ke would have to wait until after I and all my teammates had finished showering, getting dressed, and leaving the locker room before he was allowed to enter."
With that, Dockett ignited a powder keg, and things immediately spiraled out of control. In his comments, Dockett not only mocked and ridiculed Lu Ke but also came dangerously close to being a racist. His words, both explicit and implicit, were impossible to ignore. They were the kind of things you see not only in football but also in every corner of mainstream American society. Even in the 21st century, there are still exaggerated signs that are reminiscent of "No Chinese or dogs allowed," as if the era had regressed by centuries overnight.
For some people, it might have just been a joke, but for the person on the receiving end, it was not funny at all. Logan Newman was the first to step up and give a strong response on Twitter, "Shut your foul mouth! The luckiest thing for you is that you're not on the San Francisco 49ers. Otherwise, I'd give you a good beating right now! You're not welcome here, and this city doesn't welcome you! Get lost!"
Marcus Lynch also sent a tweet right away, but it was filled with so many F-words and S-words that it became a string of asterisks, which severely affected his ability to express his opinion. So, he had to post a new, slightly less offensive tweet.
"I can't believe I'm seeing such absurd and ridiculous comments in 2011! Hey, my Black brother, those are the words that Southerners used to say to Northerners. Do you want to go back to those days?"
Logan couldn't say those words, but Marcus could. Because Marcus, like Dockett, was Black, and they were on the same side. So, he could attack Dockett with impunity. The reference to Southerners and Northerners was a specific allusion to the American Civil War, a war that was fought to free the slaves. But this was not all. Marcus was absolutely furious and sent out two more tweets.
"If you have a brain full of water, you'd better stay in the hospital and not run around biting people. Don't you know the new league rule? Mad dogs and idiots aren't allowed to play?"
"Also, if you were on the San Francisco 49ers, you'd be the last person to enter the locker room—to clean it."
One after another, Lu Ke's teammates on the San Francisco 49ers all stepped up to counterattack Dockett. Vernon, who was one of the catalysts of the incident, was no exception and immediately gave a strong rebuttal. "You know why I'm not in the toilet? Because your stupid big head is stuck in it and can't be taken out, and it can't be flushed away either!"
"Also, are you sure you need to take a shower? If I'm not mistaken, a gorilla hasn't learned how to shower yet." Vernon followed up with another jab, a strong mockery of Dockett's words. Vernon was also Black; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to say such a personal attack.
Now, Dockett, who had been hit from all sides, went ballistic and posted five more tweets. But they were all the same. The gist was that Lu Ke was trash and not worth respecting, that Jim Harbaugh must have been crazy to choose Lu Ke as the starting quarterback, and that the San Francisco 49ers would surely lose this week's game.
The long string of tweets was hard to read and fully displayed his anger and irritability. He then started attacking Logan, Marcus, and Vernon one by one. Of course, he also blatantly tagged Lu Ke's Twitter account in his comments about Lu Ke, making no attempt to hide his intention to start a fight.
Lu Ke's only response on Twitter was one sentence:
"There's an old Chinese saying: The dog that barks doesn't bite. Also, I should focus on training."
The first part not only implied that Dockett was a dog but also mocked him for being all talk and no action. The second part mocked Dockett for spending too much time on social media and not enough time training, which meant he wasn't doing his job properly.
When it came to rhetoric, Lu Ke had a certain knack for being able to shut down his opponent with a casual remark. Now, the entire social media world was buzzing with excitement.
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