Jay bolted towards the editor's office, his sneakers squeaking on the floor. Folks tried to say hi, but Jay was on a mission, not even slowing down to nod back. He stormed into the editor's office, almost crashing into someone.
"Jay! Are you nuts?" Emily Pulver yelped, not expecting the whirlwind entrance. She barely stopped in time, but her books went flying. She crouched to pick them up, grumbling, "Chill out, dude. This is just the school paper, not the 'Los Angeles Times.' Nothing's that urgent."
Jay dropped down to help, laughing, "Emily, my bad, my bad. Totally on me." He scooped up the books but didn't hand them over right away. Instead, he asked, "Got a sec?"
Emily reached for her books but saw Jay's sheepish grin and got suspicious. "What's up? I gotta get to class. If it's important, we can chat later. I'll be in the editing room all afternoon."
"I'll walk with you." Jay, still holding the books, led the way with a big smile. Emily squinted at him but kept moving, with Jay right on her heels. "I wanna write an article."
"Then write it," Emily said bluntly. She was the editor-in-chief of the school paper and a senior in the journalism department. Not everyone on the paper was a journalism major, but most were, including Jay. "When it's done, bring it to the editorial meeting. Didn't you say last week you were too swamped with the new semester to write?"
"This is different, a special case," Jay quickly explained. "I plan to finish it by this afternoon. It needs to be in the first issue of the semester." Today was the deadline, and he didn't have time for meetings or waiting. Finding Emily was the fastest way.
"Are you out of your mind?" Emily made a face, clearly annoyed. But as a journalist, she got the urgency. So she asked, "Alright, what's the big news?"
"The first official player from Avalis in UCLA Bruins history!" Jay blurted out, and Emily stopped in her tracks.
The U.S. is a melting pot, built on diversity. But racial integration has always been tricky, with discrimination still hanging around. Even in 2010, you had white folks looking down on black folks, black folks on Latinos and Asians, and so on. This discrimination seeped into every part of life.
Sports weren't any different. Black players hit the pro football scene in the 1920s, and by the 1940s, they were breaking barriers in pro baseball. Yet, almost a century later, Asian players were still rare in the NFL, let alone players from Avalis. Last year, the first player from Avalis made it to the NFL, but he was just a benchwarmer.
Some say it's about physical differences, but is it really? Players from Avalis have shown up in basketball, baseball, and even hockey. But in football, they're almost invisible. Same with Asian players. Is it really just about physical traits? Probably not.
Even in college leagues, Asian players are scarce. In Emily's memory, UCLA Bruins had never had an Asian player.
California has always been a leader in racial and cultural integration. As one of the state's top universities, UCLA Bruins having the first player from Avalis is a big deal for multicultural integration. It could even be one of the best news stories of the year!
As Luke's roommate, Jay was the first to know. His first reaction was pure joy for his buddy, knowing how hard Luke had worked. This was something Luke deserved. His second reaction was to spread the word, understanding the buzz and recognition this news would bring. More importantly, if Luke could use this as a stepping stone to enter the draft, it would be a nationwide sensation!
Thinking about the pro league was like dreaming about winning the lottery. Jay wasn't that delusional yet. But just the thought of it got his adrenaline pumping. He knew this news was gold and wanted it out there before the new season kicked off.
So, he had sprinted to catch Emily, hoping to secure a spot before the deadline. And it looked like he nailed it; one sentence and he had Emily's full attention. Her eyes widened, excitement all over her face, and she couldn't help but stop, asking eagerly, "A starter?"
Jay's face froze for a sec, then he laughed, "Whoa, slow down. One step at a time, you can't go from zero to hero overnight."
"A backup?" Emily's face fell.
Jay quickly added, "Hey, Emily, it's still a big deal. On the road to making history, no one knows how it'll turn out, right? Just like Martin Luther King back in the day."
Emily rolled her eyes and started walking again, "Seriously? Are you really comparing him to Dr. King?" Jay shrugged, giving a cheeky grin. Emily sighed, "Jay, you know if he's just a backup, it's not newsworthy. The team has like sixty players, and less than half actually play. Backups get no spotlight, so there's no point in reporting it."
"Come on, Emily. You know how important this small step is!" Jay pleaded, "I know a backup might not even see the field, but think about Seabiscuit. Yeah, Seabiscuit. No one believed in him at first, but he made miracles happen. We just need a little faith."
Seabiscuit was a racehorse during the Great Depression. It was a small, scrappy horse with no apparent talent, weak legs, and a stubborn streak. Almost everyone thought it was a lost cause, destined for farm work or worse.
But after a lot of hard work, someone saw its potential and nurtured it. Seabiscuit went on to win against all odds, becoming a symbol of hope during tough times, lifting people's spirits.
"First Dr. King, now Seabiscuit?" Emily looked at Jay, speechless, then laughed and shook her head, "I'm just saying, no one cares about a backup. Backups don't even play. Even if we publish it, it won't get any attention."
Jay didn't say anything, just clasped his hands together in a pleading gesture.
Emily stopped again, sighed deeply, "Five hundred words, no more than five hundred words." That was her agreement. Jay immediately cheered loudly, and Emily continued, "Submit it by three this afternoon. I'll try to squeeze it in. But I'm warning you, no one will care, not even the students from Avalis. You know they don't watch football."
Jay nodded eagerly, just stoked that he could finally write an article for Luke. He felt completely satisfied.
Emily chuckled, "Now can I have my books back? I don't think you need a hostage anymore." Jay quickly handed the books to Emily, "See you this afternoon. Thanks, Emily! You know, you look stunning today!" He said as he backed away, then turned and started cheering.
Emily adjusted the books in her arms and called out, "Three o'clock this afternoon, don't be late!" But Jay was already cheering and walking away, who knows if he heard her. Emily shook her head helplessly and prepared to leave. After a few steps, she realized: Who? Which player was it? She had forgotten to ask for the name!
With a wry smile, Emily didn't dwell on it and quickly jogged towards her classroom.
In the first issue of the UCLA school newspaper for the fall semester of 2010, the following news was published:
Luke Howard, a student from Avalis, has become an official player for the Bruins, making it to the game roster. He is the first player from Avalis in the school's football history and the first Asian player to achieve such a feat. This not only marks a significant moment in football history but also takes an important step towards eradicating racial segregation. This is crucial for both the school and the team.
As the new NCAA season is about to begin, the highly anticipated UCLA Bruins have already made headlines with this major news. This is also Luke's first appearance in print.