Chapter 874: A Harmonious Atmosphere
"Fight on!"
The thunderous sound in Candlestick Park continued to rumble, far exceeding the weight of a single victory. It showed the true meaning of competitive sports to the fullest.
Victory is important. Victory is very, very important. It's even so important that it can outweigh everything else and has become an important measure for countless fans to judge success and failure. But what's more important than victory is the soaring, never-give-up fighting spirit. Whether it's a victory against a stronger opponent, writing a miracle with a victory, or creating history with a victory, the unyielding fighting spirit that bursts from the soul is always hidden behind it!
Only by witnessing this golden ocean could one truly feel this.
As they chanted, tears started to well up in their eyes. The players felt this way, and so did the fans. To wait for this day to come again, this team and its fans had been dormant for a very, very long time. So long that they had almost forgotten and become numb. But the long wait was worth it. They had finally gotten to see it again.
Ahmad Brooks was like a lost five-year-old, standing there and wiping his tears, but the tears kept flowing. Justin Smith hugged Brooks tightly, and his voice was choked up. After the sudden injury in the NFC Championship Game, Justin felt even more emotional at this moment. "We are all Niners."
David Akers quietly looked at the golden ocean in front of him. His vision was a little blurry, but his smile was incredibly bright. He turned to look at Patrick Willis, who was standing not far away. "Don't you think we are exceptionally lucky to be able to see this?" But Willis didn't answer. He just looked up quietly.
Michael Crabtree put his hands on his hips. He was feeling a mix of emotions that he couldn't express.
In today's game, he was still not in good form. He could vaguely feel that his position was in danger, which made it impossible for him to calm down and think. He couldn't look at Lu Ke rationally, and he couldn't handle the pressure objectively. So, until now, he had not talked to Lu Ke face-to-face.
But at this moment, a mix of emotions surged like never before. He couldn't even describe it accurately. Right? Wrong? Touched? Angry? Annoyed? Calm? Stunned? Amazed? Maybe all of them, maybe none of them. But he couldn't help but look at Lu Ke quietly.
He only paused for a moment before quickly pulling his gaze back, pretending he didn't care. But he still couldn't bear to leave the field. He stayed there for a long, long time. Wasn't this moment and this scene what every professional player dreamed of?
No one was an exception.
Even the analysts in the broadcast booth had never witnessed such a scene in person, let alone the young San Francisco 49ers players. What's more, being on the field, surrounded by the golden ocean, felt completely different, as if their souls were being cleansed.
The analysts, fans, players, coaches, reporters, and spectators... Everyone was pouring out all their enthusiasm and excitement. No one even noticed the St. Louis Rams' players and coaches leaving. This was destined to be a night for Candlestick Park and the Niners.
This surging emotion continued into the San Francisco 49ers' post-game press conference.
The questions about the golden ocean undoubtedly became the focus of attention. Even the victory itself had to take a back seat. The first question was exactly that. "Bambi, can you tell us, the magnificent scene of a golden ocean in the entire Candlestick Park today is rare in the entire league. This also seems to prove your strong appeal in San Francisco. What are your thoughts on this?"
"No, no." Lu Ke chuckled, waving his hands. "This game is not about me, but about Ryan Baldwin and the Niners. That golden ocean is the best embodiment of the Niner spirit. The one who truly awakened this fighting spirit is Ryan. I am just a middleman who passed on the message."
"In today's game, everyone on and off the field had the same name: Niner. We were fighting for the honor of this team. The process of the game and the final result show the spirit and soul of this team. I think this is what we need to show. So, I hope everyone can pay more attention to the team and Ryan Baldwin, not me."
There was no joking or teasing. Although his tone was relaxed, Lu Ke's attitude remained serious and sincere as he talked with the reporters.
One of the reporters in the crowd asked loudly, "How to pay attention?"
"The story of Ryan Baldwin, the situation of ALS, the current situation of other patients suffering from the same disease, and so on. As a player, I am trying to help, but it's limited. As reporters, your pens can do more. I hope this is not a one-time story."
Lu Ke, for once, didn't mock them. Otherwise, with his personality, he might have just retorted: "You are the real reporters. Do I need to tell you how to do your job?"
For Ryan's sake, Lu Ke remained sincere and calm.
"Then, what are your feelings about this game and this event?"
Lu Ke gave a big smile. "We have the best fans in the world."
"Compared to the Green Bay Packers?"
"I like the Niners more." It was Harry Wences' tricky question again, always attacking unexpectedly. But Lu Ke's answer was not hesitant. He gave a clean-cut answer, cutting off all potential other possibilities. Then, Lu Ke looked at Harry and asked meaningfully, "Have you ever seen a more moving scene than this? I haven't."
Even if Harry had, he couldn't argue with Lu Ke here. That golden ocean, whether in terms of its moral significance or the effect it had on the scene, was unparalleled. Harry's confrontation would only put Sports Illustrated, the publication he worked for, in a difficult situation.
So, Harry shut his mouth.
"Bambi, we noticed that you changed your clothes for today's press conference."
Even after the topic of the golden ocean and Ryan was over, the game against the Rams was still not the main focus. It was even ranked after Lu Ke's clothes.
This made Lu Ke laugh. "My sponsor said that maybe it's time to show a different image of me outside of my practice and game uniforms. Otherwise, they might have some doubts about my contract." He started with a self-deprecating joke.
"Yes, we noticed the Rolex on your right wrist."
After the reporter finished, Lu Ke immediately raised his left wrist. "And the gold wristband specially made by Under Armour. Can you tell that I carefully chose this outfit to match this wristband and watch? Now I finally understand why ladies spend so much time choosing clothes. It's a chore."
Most of the reporters were men, and they all laughed with a sense of shared experience.
Then, the reporters started to talk about the game. The San Francisco 49ers had once again defeated their opponent by a large margin. Their offense remained strong, and they once again showed the qualities of a strong team. After nine consecutive wins, the San Francisco 49ers had become one of the most competitive playoff teams in the league.
Not to mention winning the championship, as the playoffs still have many variables, but it was certain that the San Francisco 49ers making it to the playoffs for the second consecutive year was pretty much guaranteed. This year's San Francisco 49ers would definitely not be satisfied with just being a "spoiler." They would surely be looking to go further in the playoffs, and no one could underestimate them.
The entire press conference was a harmonious one. Even Harry didn't deliberately provoke him but actively asked some questions about the victory.
For example, "Do you feel any pressure now that the team is on a winning streak?"
Another one was, "Now that the team is in excellent form, do you have more expectations for the second half of the season?"
And, "What kind of chemistry happened in the offseason that the team is in such great form this season?"
These were all standard questions. Even if it wasn't Harry, other reporters would also be curious. About the victory and the winning streak, expectations and pressure were building up little by little. In a happy atmosphere, the press conference came to a bustling end. It seemed that after the consecutive wins, everything was becoming beautiful.
Or, was Harry brewing a bigger crisis?
But today was about victory. They had defeated their divisional rival, which was the perfect ending to the golden ocean's support. So, for now, just enjoying the victory was enough. Other things could be left for tomorrow or the future.
When Lu Ke left the press conference, he was one of the last few players. Besides Jim Harbaugh and Logan Newmann, who had a great game and were still being interviewed, all the other players had finished their interviews and returned to the locker room.
With light footsteps, Lu Ke returned to the locker room. As he pushed the door open, he was wondering in his mind:
Huh, why is it so quiet?
The next second, all his teammates swarmed him. The loud noise was like a pouring rain, and Lu Ke was instantly drenched. He had no time to react. He felt all his teammates swarming him, surrounding him, and started doing the can-can dance.
The can-can dance? Why were they doing the can-can dance here? And in a big circle, as if they were around a bonfire?
What? What in the world was going on?
For the first time, Lu Ke truly felt that his mind couldn't keep up with his feet.
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