Chapter 855: Showcasing Charm
"Damn it! He didn't give me the exclusive! That damn Bambi!"
Jay couldn't help but complain.
If he could have gotten the exclusive on such a huge story, it would have been earth-shattering and swept the field. But Lu Ke had kept his mouth shut. Just two days ago, they had even talked on the phone and made plans to have lunch during the bye week, but Lu Ke hadn't let a single thing slip, not even a tiny hint of anything unusual.
However, despite his complaining, Jay could still understand Lu Ke.
For news of this magnitude, Rolex would have already planned its publicity. To create a sense of mystery and suspense, they definitely wouldn't have let Lu Ke reveal anything. He probably even signed a confidentiality agreement. Even as a friend, Lu Ke couldn't just break the rules. Moreover, even if Lu Ke had told Jay, the Los Angeles Times wouldn't dare to publish it and risk violating the confidentiality agreement.
After complaining, Jay couldn't help but chuckle. The more he thought about it, the funnier and happier he felt. He was genuinely happy for Lu Ke.
From an unknown practice squad player to a top superstar, Jay had been a part of and witnessed the entire journey. That joy and satisfaction were irreplaceable. One thing was a hundred percent certain: he would always be a staunch supporter of Lu Ke and Logan.
So, Jay stood up and clapped his hands hard, giving Lu Ke a warm round of applause. This was a moment of glory, a moment of brilliance, and a historical moment. Applause was the best blessing and response.
The shock and surprise slowly faded, and applause began to ring out. The reporters finally started to come back to their senses and realized their momentary loss of composure. It was both absurd and funny. The tense and stiff atmosphere slowly dissipated and became lighter. Then, the applause became even more thunderous.
The thunderous applause, like a tsunami, swept through the stadium and continued to grow.
Ryan Seacrest tried to slow down the pace and formally welcome Lu Ke, but his words were drowned out by the continuous applause. This made Seacrest smile. He turned to look at Wolfgang Müller and Lu Ke, giving them a big smile and raising his eyebrows in admiration.
Who would have expected this? A press conference was turning into a fan meet-and-greet.
Amid the applause, there were whistles and cheers. The atmosphere was getting more and more heated and crazy. The competitive sports side of things was slowly being released. Compared to the entertainment industry, it was purer, simpler, and more focused, which made everyone in attendance excited.
Seacrest was no exception.
"Ladies... gentlemen... let's welcome—Lu Ke!" The roar of applause finally subsided a little. Seacrest deliberately made a vintage-style introduction, which, at this moment, created a wonderful sense of humor. Then, the applause in the stadium surged again.
The Staples Center seemed to have returned to the days of a Lakers home game.
After the applause gradually died down again, Seacrest made a formal introduction again. "Lu Ke. Lu Ke Lu Ke Lu Ke. Did I pronounce that correctly?" Not Luke, but Lu Ke. Seacrest repeated Lu Ke's name in a strange tone, then said with a smile, "I practiced for a long time for this moment. Please tell me my efforts were in the right direction."
"To me, the process and the action of trying are the best forms of sincerity," Lu Ke replied cunningly, neither confirming nor denying, but still giving Seacrest a positive response.
This was the wisdom of an interview.
Seacrest had interviewed countless people and immediately understood. He nodded and gave a big smile. "The stars of today's press conference, Rolex and Lu Ke, are now on the stage. Lu Ke, are you aware that this is Rolex's first official partnership with football in its history?"
"I thought that every step I took on an NFL field was creating history," Lu Ke replied with a self-deprecating joke. Since every step is history, why bother to emphasize it every time?
The packed audience of reporters immediately understood. They were the ones who calculated "historical records" every day. Lu Ke was not only making fun of himself but also of the reporters. Everyone chuckled.
Then, Lu Ke changed the topic and returned to a more serious tone. "Without a doubt, Rolex is one of the best watch brands in the world. Personally, I would remove the 'one of.' Every watch has a sincere and beautiful story behind it. Time records the steps of our lives, and Rolex imprints the traces of time. It is my honor that Rolex can be a part of my story and accompany me in writing the rest of it."
"Wow," Seacrest couldn't help but exclaim. Although everyone knew these were compliments and a necessary part of every brand endorsement press conference, Lu Ke's choice of words and his delivery left a very deep impression, with no sense of being forced or fake.
Lu Ke keenly caught the exclamation, paused, and turned his head to look at Seacrest, joking, "What do you think? Was my recitation of the press release good enough?"
Not only Seacrest, but even Wolfgang laughed heartily. The atmosphere of the press conference was completely devoid of the usual rigidity. It was elegant and witty, young and free. At this special, historic moment, the memories became colorful and vibrant.
Lu Ke then turned his attention back to the front and continued. "As for the first partnership between Rolex and football, I'm personally not surprised. They are both prime examples of constantly challenging themselves. I've always believed that their essences are the same, and this is exactly the relationship between sports and time."
After two simple sentences, Lu Ke paused for a moment and then continued, "Okay, that's it for the official answers. Before you all get bored, let's keep the atmosphere fun."
Another joke, and the audience laughed again. Even Wolfgang joined in on the fun and said seriously, "Are you sure? Have you delivered all of the speech I wrote for you? There's still some key information you need to mention."
Amid the laughter, Lu Ke held out his right hand, turning it slightly from side to side to signal to Wolfgang to be patient. He would find a way to complete the task later. The blatant "hint" successfully brought another round of applause and whistles from the audience.
Seacrest then asked curiously, "As the first professional player in the NFL to sign with Rolex, what do you think it was about you that facilitated this partnership?"
Lu Ke frowned, with a surprised expression. "Are you sure you want to discuss this topic?"
The subtext was: An Asian player? Isn't it obvious?
The reporters in the audience couldn't help but laugh at his self-deprecating humor. At the same time, they admired Lu Ke's wit and boldness. He had casually brought up a sensitive topic and firmly seized the right to actively attack and defend.
But Lu Ke acted as if he didn't realize it and continued, "First, I can confirm that it's not the number of championship titles."
Seacrest couldn't hold back and laughed out loud again.
"I think Wolfgang's words earlier are the answer: my story," Lu Ke said, becoming serious again after the humor. "I look forward to Rolex documenting my story."
Then, Wolfgang added, "Likewise, Rolex also hopes to be a part of Lu Ke's story."
Seacrest started to clap, and the audience followed.
Today's usually dry and boring endorsement press conference truly showcased Lu Ke's wit and humor, not only his intelligence but also his emotional intelligence. This second-year quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers was, step by step, showing his unique charm and proving once again that his market potential had even more possibilities.
Then came the photo session.
Lu Ke, wearing a custom-made Rolex watch, stood in front of the branded backdrop and was bathed in the flashes of the cameras.
This reminded Lu Ke of his college graduation ceremony.
This was the first time in over a year in the league that Lu Ke had attended a press conference in a suit. From his shirt to his tie, tie clip to pocket square, socks to shoes, everything was meticulously in place. At the same time, this was also the first time Lu Ke had been photographed alone by such a large number of reporters.
Neither the NFC Championship Game pre-game press conference nor the Under Armour signing press conference could be compared to today. Of course, almost no other reporter event in the entire league could be compared to today either.
The torrential flashes poured down like a silver waterfall, completely enveloping Lu Ke. The hot and sharp light made it almost impossible for him to keep his eyes open. He felt like he was instantly exposed and then plunged into darkness, with only blinking light spots moving quickly in the endless darkness.
The only thought in Lu Ke's mind was: can he wear sunglasses?
The last part of the press conference was the signing ceremony. This was a formal signing for the reporters to take pictures. Lu Ke and Wolfgang went through the motions of signing, and after signing the contract, they shook hands and showed the contract, formally confirming that both parties had signed the partnership agreement. But this was still not the end. To be more precise, the real climax was about to begin.
Because the Q&A session was about to start.
Almost a thousand reporters in the audience were all ready and waiting.
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