The King of Bay Area

Chapter 378: An Immediate Connection


"But we also watch game tapes every week. What's the difference?"

"That's a good question, because there's a big difference. Take a two-hour game tape, for example. Some people might watch it in half an hour, just skimming through it. Others might take an entire day to watch it slowly, rewinding every single play and every single call repeatedly."

"But..."

"But two completely different ways of watching don't mean a huge difference in efficiency.

When watching game tapes, you have to first decide what your goal is.

For the same play, are you looking at the entire formation, the quarterback's perspective, or the defensive line's changes? You need to have a clear understanding of the entire tactical system and do enough preparation..."

"You mean we have to do homework before we watch the game tape?"

"Of course. During the preparation phase, we might first watch the game tape roughly to get a basic understanding of the opponent's entire system, and then we watch it again with a specific purpose. While watching, we also need to take notes, write down all the key points, and finally synthesize them."

"For a quarterback, besides the passing routes, there's a lot more to pay attention to, right?"

"Yes. In addition to the offense, I also need to watch the defense. It's the same for a point guard, isn't it? You need to watch the entire game."

"Right. That's why every time I watch a game tape, I feel like there's too much information, and my brain can't keep up. I always miss things."

"Hey, you two, do you want a beer?"

A voice interrupted the conversation between Lu Ke and Curry. Curry's eyes lit up, and he looked up excitedly. "Are you serious? Give me one. What about you, Lu Ke?"

Then, Curry saw the half-smile on Lu Ke's face and was slightly stunned. Lu Ke then said, "This is my agent, Leigh."

Leigh smiled and nodded at Curry.

At that moment, Curry realized his mistake and looked embarrassed. He mumbled, "Sorry..."

Leigh, however, laughed generously. "It's nothing. I'm the one who should apologize for interrupting your conversation. It's not easy for young people to find someone they can talk to."

The connection between people is a wonderful thing.

Some people, even if they have no grudges, dislike each other at first sight. Others, who have never met, can instantly click and talk as if they've known each other forever, easily building a friendship.

Just like family, friendship is also a kind of fate.

Looking at Lu Ke and Curry, a gentle smile appeared in Leigh's eyes. "For the sponsor, this is obviously good news. It's a shame they didn't have cameras today. Otherwise, making a behind-the-scenes documentary would be a great idea."

Lu Ke and Curry both laughed at Leigh's teasing. Leigh then continued, "You two forgot the time. The staff are waiting to go home, and it's just the two of you left. So I had to come and remind you."

As Leigh spoke, Lu Ke and Curry both turned around and noticed that the entire studio had been cleaned up. Most of the staff had already left, with only a dozen or so remaining, looking at the two young men, waiting for the signal to go home.

"Oh, sorry, really sorry." Lu Ke quickly stood up and apologized to the staff in the distance. Curry, who was a step behind, also stood up and apologized repeatedly.

At that moment, Lu Ke realized that he and Curry had been so engrossed in their conversation that they had forgotten to change their clothes. They were both still wearing the last outfits they shot in, and the sweat had already dried. It showed how long they had been talking.

Lu Ke quickly stood up and walked briskly toward the dressing room. The staff saw Lu Ke's hurried movements and called out, "No need to rush. We still have a little bit of work to finish here."

Lu Ke didn't slow down. Before entering the dressing room, he said with a laugh, "Maybe you should have just pulled the power cord. That way, Stephen and I would have gotten the signal."

The joke made everyone laugh, and the atmosphere became relaxed again. Curry then came to his senses and rushed to the dressing room to change.

In just three minutes, Lu Ke and Curry had changed and packed their things, ready to leave.

Standing at the entrance of the studio, Lu Ke looked around and noticed, "Where's your agent? Are you going to drive home by yourself?"

"This is San Francisco. I live in Oakland now, remember?" Curry said with a chuckle. "It's not far from my hotel. I can just hail a taxi and be back in five minutes. So my agent left after bringing me here this afternoon."

Lu Ke blinked and thought for a moment. "You're saying you're going back to the hotel, ordering room service, and spending the long night alone?"

Curry looked at Lu Ke's sympathetic expression and couldn't help but laugh. "I originally thought that was pretty good, but now that you mention it, why does it sound so strange?"

"Because it is strange, and it's pathetic," Lu Ke said, patting Curry on the shoulder. "Come on, come home with me. I just moved into my new place today, so cooking is probably not an option, but we can order takeout. At least you won't have to reenact Robinson Crusoe in a hotel and talk to your basketball."

Curry laughed. "Are you serious? That would be great for me. Can we watch a game tape together? The San Francisco 49ers' one would be fine. I want to hear how you watch a game tape and analyze plays. You know, I once looked at a quarterback's playbook, and it was like a Da Vinci Code. I couldn't understand any of it."

"No problem," Lu Ke agreed generously.

"Are you sure?" After the initial excitement, Curry started to worry. He just realized that they had only just met and had only been friends for half a day. "You just said you just moved. Does that mean you still need to organize your house tonight? Of course, I can help, but are you sure it's okay?"

"Yes, I'm sure," Lu Ke said, inviting him. "Or do you have a date tonight? If so, I won't bother you. We can reschedule."

"Haha, very funny." Curry chuckled. "If Ayesha heard that, she would definitely start swinging her fists at you."

"Ayesha?" Lu Ke was slightly stunned.

"My wife," Curry said. Lu Ke never expected that Curry, who was only twenty-three, was already married. Was that considered... early marriage?

Seeing Lu Ke's exaggerated expression, Curry laughed again. "We just got married on July 30th. Ayesha was supposed to come with me this time, but the two-day shoot was too much of a hassle, so she stayed in Oakland."

Lu Ke pursed his lips and nodded meaningfully. "That's good. It keeps all the temptations out there away so you can focus on training and the game. So, let's watch the game tape tonight. I don't want to have to explain myself to Ayesha."

"Explain what?" Curry asked, trying to figure out the deeper meaning in Lu Ke's words.

"The game tape, what else did you think?" Lu Ke said with a serious expression, pretending to be a gentleman. "I'm such a kind and innocent young man. Please don't overthink things."

This time, it was Curry who was at a loss for words, as if he had dropped mud in his pants. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Although he had just moved in today, Lu Ke hadn't unpacked much of his other things. All the equipment for daily training and game preparation was packed tightly. However, he never expected that it would come in handy tonight. Life is full of surprises, isn't it?

Leigh, who was standing to the side, was dumbfounded.

For an agent, it was a good thing to have a player who was so focused, dedicated, and professional. But Lu Ke was going too far, wasn't he? Today was not only the first day of the bye week, but after such a busy and tiring day, Lu Ke still had the energy to watch a game tape?

However, Leigh didn't ask. He then noticed that Lu Ke, who had been exhausted, sweaty, and listless during the photoshoot, was now full of life again. Especially when he mentioned the game tape, his dark eyes lit up again. It was clear that Lu Ke had "come alive" again.

Leigh laughed wryly and shook his head, not knowing whether he should be happy or worried.

Lu Ke's first day of the bye week was truly eventful, from moving in to ending the day with a game tape. More importantly, he made a new friend, which was definitely the biggest gain.

After returning home, Lu Ke and Curry started getting busy. They found the computer and projector and set up a makeshift system to watch the game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Detroit Lions. Lu Ke had originally thought he wouldn't have time to watch it until Friday, but he unexpectedly found the time on Monday.

Just as he was about to play the game tape, Lu Ke's phone rang. He looked at the caller ID and said to Curry, who was sitting next to him, "Perfect. I'll introduce you to a friend, a lunatic, a complete lunatic."

Curry looked at him with an expression of disbelief. "Aren't you a lunatic yourself?"

Lu Ke laughed and answered the phone. "Hey, Mr. J.J. Watt, good evening."

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