Chapter 859: Early Preparations
"Hmm? You're interested, too? Why?"
Leigh's question made Lu Ke curious as well, but Leigh didn't answer, and Lu Ke didn't press him. The truth would always come to the surface, one little bit at a time. So, he thought back carefully.
Lu Ke recounted their conversation, pausing to remember details he had missed. The entire conversation hadn't been very long, so Lu Ke was able to recall almost every detail accurately.
After he finished, Leigh didn't react. He just sat quietly, seemingly chewing on the information. Lu Ke asked, "There wasn't anything special about it, but his tone and demeanor were a little strange. I hope I'm not overthinking it."
Leigh crossed his legs and relaxed his hands on his knees. His expression didn't change much. "If I told you he was interested in you, would you believe me?"
"Interested? In what way?" After a long, busy day, the information was a bit overwhelming and messy, so Lu Ke's reaction was a little slow.
"A trade," Leigh said, giving him an unexpected answer.
Lu Ke's immediate response was, "Why?"
But as soon as he said it, he realized he was being stupid. When a team owner is interested in a professional player, they naturally want the player to play for their team. What other reason could there be? His reaction was really dumb.
Lu Ke couldn't help but shake his head with a chuckle. "I mean, isn't Tony pretty stable right now? The Cowboys don't lack a quarterback. Besides, aren't I doing well in San Francisco? The season is only halfway through, so where did the idea of a trade come from?"
Leigh's eyes started to glow. "Right now, Jerry Jones is just showing some interest. In competitive sports, the process from being interested to taking action, creating a trade opportunity, and finally a successful trade is very long. The negotiation and signing might only take a few days, but the early preparations are very complex."
"Scouts are working all year round. Not just in North America, but also in Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and other regions. Not only college players, but veteran players on other teams, especially those in their contract year, are objects of scrutiny for scouts, general managers, and owners. The work of trades and drafts never stops."
After a simple explanation, Leigh's eyes fell on Lu Ke. "Technically speaking, this is your contract year."
A "contract year" is the last year of a player's contract. After the contract expires, the player must either re-sign or be traded, or they will become an unemployed free agent. Therefore, it's not uncommon for players to have a breakout year in their contract year.
And for coaches and scouts, they have to make a judgment: Is this player only going to have a breakout in his contract year? Or does the breakout prove that he has the potential to continue to be a dominant player, and they need to re-sign him with a better contract?
Lu Ke was only a second-year player, so his data was still limited. He wasn't really in a "contract year." Players within five years are still in the evaluation phase. But this year was indeed Lu Ke's contract year. He only signed a two-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers, and after the contract expired, a re-signing or trade had to be on the agenda.
"Technically speaking," even though Leigh added that prefix, Lu Ke couldn't help but laugh and nodded in agreement. "Right. Technically speaking, this is indeed my contract year. God, I forgot all about that."
Leigh smiled and said, "Don't worry, I remembered."
Then, Leigh continued his topic. "Let's go back to Jerry Jones. First, Romo is indeed an excellent quarterback, and Jerry Jones has always supported him. Is he the best choice for the Dallas Cowboys' quarterback? Maybe. But is he the best quarterback in the league? Obviously not."
"Let's put it this way, Tony Romo is already thirty-two years old this year. This is his seventh year as the starting quarterback, but the Dallas Cowboys have never been to the Super Bowl. They've only won the division title twice. That's not enough. For an ambitious team that wants to win a championship, that's not enough! Not to mention, this is America's Team!"
"If a better opportunity arises, would Jerry Jones be willing to replace Tony Romo? I believe he wouldn't hesitate for a second."
Although it was just a guess, Leigh's voice was remarkably stable, as if he had a strong conviction.
Lu Ke's mouth was slightly agape. He was surprised and felt it was absurd. He finally laughed and shook his head helplessly. "Sorry, I can't discuss this so calmly. Tony is my friend, and we're talking about his career. I can't just talk about the possibility of replacing him as if it's nothing."
Just like the conversation they had. Reason versus emotion. This is the difference between ordinary people and those in power. Or rather, the difference between ordinary people and businessmen.
Although Lu Ke knew he was being emotional, he still couldn't stay calm. So, he honestly spoke his mind.
Leigh didn't mind and nodded with a smile to show he understood.
Lu Ke was only a second-year player. He hadn't truly experienced the cruelty of the industry. In the end, a professional league is a business. Reality is always cold and cruel. It's not a fairy tale.
But Leigh didn't press him, not only because Lu Ke had just entered the league but also because Lu Ke was the player—Lu Ke only needed to do his job as a player, and he would handle the business side of things.
"What I mean is, your contract with the 49ers will expire in March. Obviously, Trent wouldn't be stupid enough to let a top player like you go. So, you'll probably stay in San Francisco. But!" Leigh raised his right index finger and made a stopping gesture to emphasize the change. "But, I don't mind having other competitors."
A highly sought-after quarterback is able to raise the contract price. A healthy competition from other teams can facilitate smooth negotiations. This is the most basic tactic of an agent.
Lu Ke looked at Leigh in surprise. "Wait, my contract is about to expire, and I want to be traded. Did you deliberately release this news?"
"Of course not. That would be a stupid move that would hurt the San Francisco fans and management. I'm not that amateurish. Such a clumsy tactic would only make things worse. I would never do that unless it was the very last resort." Leigh refuted without any hesitation, but Lu Ke knew his words were not over.
This time, Lu Ke's intuition was correct.
After a slight pause, Leigh continued, "However, I did discreetly mention at a private party that I have very high expectations for your contract because you deserve a better deal. The first half of the season is the best proof of that."
This was a message for the San Francisco 49ers' management, and also a hint to other teams that were interested in signing a quarterback.
Lu Ke laughed dumbfounded.
Leigh shrugged slightly. "So far, Jerry Jones is the only team owner who has heard the news. At least, he's the only one who has reacted. I have to say, his influence in the league is even greater than I expected. He was able to get wind of such a subtle and simple hint and react to it. He's quite a character, isn't he?"
After this explanation, things became clearer:
Jones was just showing some interest. So, during their conversation today, he was testing Lu Ke's response and attitude. Because seasoned league insiders know that for a quarterback, character is a crucial factor. The personality they show off the field often has a direct impact on their on-field performance.
Leigh's goal wasn't to target the Dallas Cowboys or Tony Romo. It was more about getting ahead of the curve with the San Francisco 49ers. Jerry Jones was just the first team owner to react. The same Jones who always showed unconditional support for Tony Romo in front of the media.
For the first time, Lu Ke truly got an up-close look at the professional league's true face: cold and cruel.
No wonder Leigh was a little surprised and a little excited. Jones's appearance was also an unexpected situation for Leigh.
"If possible, I hope to stay in San Francisco," Lu Ke formally expressed his thoughts to Leigh for the first time.
Leigh was not at all surprised. "Yes, I know. I'm also working towards that. If possible, staying in San Francisco is the best choice. You have everything you need here. Trust me, leave these things for me to handle. Don't worry, I'll inform you of all the key information. After all, you're the one who makes the final decision. I'm not the quarterback Lu Ke. I can't force you to leave San Francisco."
Lu Ke held up his hands, showing he was surrendering and agreeing.
"As for you, I need you to focus on getting back to the training field and completing your training. That's what you're best at, and it's the only thing you need to do. That's enough," Leigh added, completing his thoughts.
Lu Ke nodded and said cheerfully, "That's no problem for me. I can do that."
The topic came to a temporary halt. After a short period of silence, Lu Ke remembered something else. "Oh, right, Leigh, I want to start a campaign. I mean, an initiative for all fans and all players. I'm not sure how it should work, so I need your opinion."
Leigh was a little surprised because Lu Ke had almost never made a request. If he remembered correctly, this was the first time since they started working together.
So, Leigh adjusted his posture, looked at Lu Ke, and assumed a focused and serious demeanor to show his solemnity. "Of course. I'm all ears."
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