Stands.
"Whoa!" Jerry threw his hands up, fists clenched, and jumped like a kid on Christmas morning. He was losing it. The Avalis player just scored a touchdown! A freakin' touchdown!
Jerry wasn't even a hardcore football guy, but this scrimmage was no joke. Scoring a touchdown in this setup? Insane. And now, an Avalis player just became the first quarterback to nail it today!
"Whoa!" Jerry yelled again, the excitement bubbling over. He was on cloud nine, ready to scream his lungs out. But then he noticed—he was the only one standing and cheering.
Jerry glanced around, asking the other reporters, "Wasn't that sick?"
A nearby reporter chuckled, "Yeah, pretty wild! First time watching a game live?" He saw right through Jerry's newbie vibes, making Jerry awkwardly drop his hands. "The magic of sports is all about being there in the moment. Trust me, in a real game, the crowd would be losing their minds."
"Totally," Jerry said, plopping back down, still buzzing. He thought this interview would be a snooze-fest, but now it was getting real interesting.
"But the real question is, was that a fluke or can he keep it up?" Another reporter chimed in.
Then another one added, "Yeah, this quarterback just came outta nowhere. Anyone got the scoop on him? How's there no info on this guy? It's the 21st century, for crying out loud!"
"He's a backup from UCLA. Last game of the season against USC, he came in the fourth quarter, down by three touchdowns, and led a comeback. In the Rose Bowl against Wisconsin, he came in after a timeout in the last quarter, down by one touchdown, and led another comeback." Jerry spilled all the tea he had.
Some reporters gasped, "No way!"
Others nodded, "Yeah, we checked that out. Any new deets?"
Others asked, "I found that before his senior year, he was just a practice squad guy. Is that true?"
Gasps filled the air. Even the seasoned reporters were shook, and the chatter got louder and more hyped.
Sidelines.
"This dude can really sling it!"
"Did you catch that fourth-down play? Simple but deadly. That's some smart play-calling."
"Acing the Wonderlic Test ain't no small feat."
"He's owning it, totally owning it. Von Miller's a beast, but he only got one sack."
"What do you think, how does he stack up against other QBs? I mean..."
The buzz was all around him, and even without turning, Cam could feel the intense stares like daggers. He felt like he was gonna explode!
Cam clenched his fists, his face pale and stiff like a statue. The rage made him tremble. His eyes were locked on Luke not far away. Luke's cocky, smug look made him sick. Just a bit more, and he'd pound Luke into the ground!
This was his stage! His moment! And now, some nobody was stealing his thunder? Scouts, reporters, coaches, everyone was all about Luke, even the players couldn't help but look his way!
A clown, that's what he was! Was he the only one who saw Luke for what he really was? Just a show-off, a vain clown!
"Cam? You good?" A voice asked nearby, but Cam wasn't having it. He shoved the person away and snapped, "Get lost!"
End zone.
"Did I just see that? Did that QB just score a touchdown solo?" In the coaches and scouts' area, they couldn't stop talking. The scrimmage was all about checking out the players, and now that they'd seen the skills, they had to share their thoughts. "And he beat Von Miller? If you told me I was nuts, I'd believe it."
"You're not nuts. You should see his passing. Perfect form, solid strength, precise control. He's definitely got potential." Joe said, and then another coach joked, "Joe, is that why you picked him first?"
Joe didn't deny it. He nodded and said, "Yep. His passing skills and techniques are rock solid."
"Come on, Joe, didn't you see? The guy's in terrible shape," Carl rolled his eyes and started griping. "Look at his weight, and then his muscle explosiveness—it's a joke. With his build, he should have decent speed and jumping, but his test results are a letdown. I don't think he's cut out for sports, let alone football. Even those wimpy sports wouldn't suit him."
Geep couldn't help but glance at Carl. Carl's rant had a nasty edge to it. From day one in the hotel lobby, Carl had it out for Luke. Was it just a personality clash, or something uglier?
Joe met Carl's glare calmly and said, "Tom Brady's rookie camp tests were a disaster too."
Tom's journey to becoming one of the league's top quarterbacks was anything but smooth. He was a backup his first two years, played seriously for one year in his junior year, and then shared the starting spot in his senior year. During the draft, scouts weren't impressed. His arm strength, speed, and physique were all considered below average, and his college performance didn't stand out.
Eventually, the New England Patriots picked Tom in the sixth round, 199th overall. Everyone was puzzled, thinking even in the sixth round, it was a waste. In his first season, Tom was the fourth-string quarterback.
"Jesus, are you seriously comparing that Avalis quarterback to Tom Brady?" Carl scoffed, letting out a mocking laugh. He looked at the other coaches and scouts, and they all chuckled along.
Joe stayed cool. "I'm just saying, let's not be too sure. Draft data isn't everything." Back then, everyone was so sure about Tom, so are they making the same mistake now?
"Joe, are you saying the New Orleans Saints are interested?" Geep asked.
Joe shrugged, "Why not? The team needs a backup quarterback, and Drew needs a successor." He was talking about the Saints' star quarterback, Drew Brees.
Everyone thought Joe had a point, not because they believed in Luke's skills, but because Drew was still young at thirty-two, prime age for a quarterback. If they picked a backup now, someone who could follow Drew for a few years and then take over, it made sense. This "successor" would need to be a backup for a few years, which fit Luke's situation.
When Aaron Rodgers was picked by the Green Bay Packers, he backed up Brett Favre for three years.
"Drew Brees' successor?" Carl sneered, "That's a joke, right?"
"Maybe he's not a fit for the Seattle Seahawks," Joe said with a smile, still not looking to argue with Carl. His casual tone had a hint of superiority, making Carl choke up and angrily look away.
"Joe, are you serious?" Geep, who had been quiet, couldn't hold back his curiosity.
Joe chuckled, "Isn't rookie camp about finding new talent? If we stick to our old ways and only focus on a few players, what's the point of the camp?" The surrounding coaches exchanged glances, each lost in their own thoughts.
On the field.
Luke's face was lit up with a smile, his eyes full of excitement. It wasn't just because he won the scrimmage, but because he found a way to hang in there in near-pro-level competition. This was a good sign. And completing the special task was another win. "Guys, guys, we need to clear out. The next group is waiting to take the field. This isn't our stage anymore."
His lighthearted tone made everyone laugh. They all gathered around Luke, leaving the field in high spirits and waving to the next group, "Good luck, guys!"
The scrimmage continued, but for Luke, the task was done for now. Back on the sidelines, he saw Cam and Richard in the crowd, but their looks weren't friendly. He saw Von, Justin, and Alton, their eyes full of determination.
Finally, he saw Marcus, Logan, Rahim, and David. They rushed up to him, their faces beaming, each one patting Luke's back, shoulders, and chest, shouting excitedly, "Man, you are the man! You are the man!"