"Fox commentator Kirk Charleston said you are a quarterback with a powerful presence. What do you think about that?"
"How did you feel watching from the sidelines as the opponent quickly narrowed the lead while the team couldn't seem to get anything going?"
"By choosing to trust Alex Smith in the second half, does this mean Jim Harbaugh is leaning towards the more experienced Alex for the playoff quarterback position?"
Traps, traps, nothing but traps.
It wasn't just Harry; the other reporters were also digging holes, especially with the last question. If Lu Ke denied it, he would be demeaning Alex. If he agreed, he would be showing a lack of confidence in himself. He had to choose his words carefully.
In fact, Lu Ke's first thought was, "What experience does Alex have? The experience of missing the playoffs for many years in a row?"
But such a witty comeback would be too sharp, and if he said it out loud, he would fall right into their trap, and the consequences would be incredibly messy.
Lu Ke quickly scanned the crowd. He didn't see Jay Fox or Emily Pove. This meant he had to handle the situation himself. "I personally think our second half was excellent. The team rotated most of the players, and we needed time to adjust and get into a rhythm."
"Alex is an experienced quarterback; he just needs some time," Lu Ke said with a smile. After a slight pause, he added, "Also, thank you for the compliment. Hearing a reporter's approval has always been one of the top items on my bucket list, and today, it has finally been realized."
His sincere expression seemed completely serious, but the slight smile in his eyes hinted that it was sarcastic humor.
Harry immediately jumped on the opportunity and asked, "You just said Alex only needs some time. So, do you think he can get more time in the playoffs?"
"I'm praying that doesn't happen," Lu Ke said with a playful tone, without missing a beat. He held up his right hand, crossing his index and middle fingers in a prayer gesture to emphasize his point. "Because that would mean I've played terribly, and that's not a positive sign."
"So you're saying you still consider yourself the top choice for the starting quarterback position in the playoffs?" another reporter asked.
"Of course." Lu Ke answered quickly, without any hesitation. He was firm and direct, without any extra explanation, simply stating his confidence.
The rapid-fire questions and answers made it difficult for the reporters to keep up. All the potential conflicts were cut off, and when another reporter changed the subject, it meant that the storm Harry had stirred up was now gone.
However, the next question didn't seem easy either.
"What do you think of Tim Tebow?"
"What?"
Lu Ke couldn't believe his ears. If it were a regular Wednesday press conference, it would be normal. But this was a post-game interview for the San Francisco 49ers, and they were hearing the name of a quarterback from another team who wasn't even their opponent. It was just strange.
Tim Tebow, the second-year quarterback for the Denver Broncos. The buzz around this quarterback had been everywhere since last year.
There were countless stories about Tebow: his low completion percentage, his one-dimensional passing game, being a devout Christian, the NCAA's "Tim Tebow Rule," and so on. His signature move of taking a knee to thank God after every touchdown—instead of his teammates—made him a target for ridicule.
Last year, almost everyone thought Tebow would be a second or third-round pick, but the Broncos shocked everyone by trading up with three draft picks to take him in the first round, at twenty-fifth overall. After the draft, Tebow's number fifteen jersey instantly became the best-selling in the league.
But it was this quarterback, who could only run the college wildcat offense, that created a storm in the AFC this season!
In Week 5 of the regular season, against the San Diego Chargers, the Broncos' starting quarterback Kyle Orton played poorly. Tebow came in during the second half and threw a touchdown and ran for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, nearly completing a comeback, but they lost by a small margin.
After that, Tebow became the Broncos' starting quarterback.
In Week 6, against the Miami Dolphins, Tebow's performance was cold for most of the game, but he suddenly erupted in the final five minutes, throwing two touchdowns to tie the game and force overtime, where they eventually won. After a loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 7, they went on a six-game winning streak, playing spectacularly.
In the final weeks of the season, the Broncos suffered a three-game losing streak because of Tebow's awful performance. They also lost this week.
But the AFC West was a complete mess this year. The Denver Broncos, San Diego Chargers, and Oakland Raiders all finished with an 8-8 record, and they all had a 3-3 record in their division games. After comparing their head-to-head and common opponent records, the Broncos won the AFC West division title and barely made it to the playoffs.
In all this, Tebow threw for 1,730 yards and twelve touchdowns, and also ran for 660 yards and six touchdowns. But his passing completion percentage was a miserable 46.5%, the lowest among all starting quarterbacks in the league.
He made the playoffs after ending the season with a three-game losing streak. His awful completion percentage was stunning. This one-dimensional quarterback who could only run the wildcat offense was winning games... It all seemed like a complete fantasy!
Thanks to Tebow's devout faith, many people on Twitter and Facebook started calling him "The Chosen One," saying that he could only create such miracles with God's favor.
Tebow didn't seem to mind the ridicule and jokes.
In interviews, Tebow would state with firm conviction that everything was a blessing from God.
But what about the other players on the Broncos?
Although the Broncos' players knew that Tebow didn't mean it that way—with his "love thy neighbor" attitude, he certainly wasn't trying to ignore or belittle his teammates—hearing that all the credit went to God still felt uncomfortable.
A wave of mockery swept through the internet. Countless jokes and memes about Tebow appeared everywhere, and even the Broncos' own fans joined in. In fact, not only were the jokes coming from fans but professional commentators, analysts, and other coaches and players in the league also expressed their dislike and ridiculed him.
In other words, Tebow was a hot topic, a walking powder keg.
But what did Tebow have to do with Lu Ke?
"People are saying that the AFC has Tim Tebow and Andy Dalton, while the NFC has Matthew Stafford and Lu Ke. These four young quarterbacks have all had great seasons and made the playoffs. Many people are talking about you and Tebow together. Do you have any special thoughts on Tebow?"
Now Lu Ke finally understood. This wasn't a compliment; it was an insult.
Because both Tebow and Lu Ke were "The Chosen Ones."
Tebow couldn't even get his basic passing mechanics right but somehow made it to the playoffs. And his wildcat offense, which should only work in college, mysteriously led to a six-game winning streak. Even the Broncos themselves weren't entirely sure how they made it to the playoffs.
Lu Ke, on the other hand, was an undrafted Chinese quarterback. Against all odds, he led the San Francisco 49ers back to the playoffs after an eight-year drought, a true miracle, a fairy tale.
Realizing the hidden meaning behind the question, Lu Ke wasn't angry. Nothing could ruin his good mood, not even the reporters. "I'm sorry, I don't know him."
His blunt answer was so direct and sharp that the reporters were stunned.
While the reporters were hoping to create a scandal—the best-case scenario would be Lu Ke and Tebow getting into a public fight—Lu Ke's straightforward answer was so surprising. Everyone's first reaction was, "What the heck?" They seemed to be worried about a trap.
Sure enough, Lu Ke then added, "I mean, I've heard his name and read articles about him, but personally, we've never met. So I don't think we can say we know each other."
A semantic argument.
"Even if you don't know him, you can still give your opinion. What do you think of Tebow?" the reporter insisted.
"I have no opinion. He is who he is," Lu Ke replied simply.
Then Lu Ke tilted his head slightly, looked at the reporter with interest, and asked, "I'm more curious about why you keep asking this question. What answer do you want to hear? How about this, you show me your hand, and I'll see if I can read it back to you to save us some time. What do you think?"
Silence. Absolute silence.
Faced with Lu Ke's unconventional response, which was clearly sarcastic, the reporters could only scratch their noses and fall silent.
It wasn't until another reporter brought up Lu Ke's "cold" that the silence was broken and the atmosphere became lively again. The sharp, provocative topic finally seemed to have passed. Everyone started looking forward to the playoffs. After all, was there anything more to look forward to than the playoffs now?
Clearly not.
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