Chapter 692: 691 Ignorance is bliss
Huff, huff.
Humphrey lay sprawled on the ground in the shape of a spread-eagle, gasping for air, his stomach churning as if he were about to vomit, a burning sensation of emptiness engulfing his entire body, his insides were turning upside down, the world seemed to wobble before his eyes.
Right now, he just wanted to lie down.
His mind was blank, no thoughts, just wanting to lie there.
Then, above his field of view, a face appeared, blocking the evening sunset; he couldn’t see clearly against the light, only the smiling corners of a mouth.
“Ah, rookie, get lost, your sweat is dripping all over me.”
...
Humphrey couldn’t hold back and jerked like a fish out of water, shifting his position, and glanced at that sweat-drenched figure.
Ha ha, ha ha ha.
A burst of laughter came from nearby.
Following that, the person extended a right hand. Humphrey raised his hand and slapped that right hand hard, expressing disgust; but the next second, he still withdrew his hand to grip the other’s, and with a bit of effort, he stood up, his legs as wobbly as noodles.
Only then did his breathing slightly smooth out.
However, the world was still dizzying.
Humphrey looked at the familiar smile in front of him and threw a punch at the shoulder, soft and powerless, like cotton.
“Rookie, you played beautifully.”
Fair and square, open and candid.
Although Humphrey’s mouth was bitter now and he didn’t like the taste of defeat, having been accustomed to constant victories during his college days, entering the Professional League meant facing more complex and harsh situations, especially now that it was a critical moment for the Baltimore Ravens in the playoff competition, he really didn’t want the team to miss the playoffs for two consecutive seasons. The bitterness of this loss was harder to take in.
But he had tried his best. Li Wei had won beautifully and fairly.
If you lost, you lost.
“However, you need to be careful next time. Today, you were so close to pulling it off; next time you might just succeed.”
Li Wei looked at Humphrey before him, and like Clark and Coach Burns, once comrades fighting for the championship, they had now embarked on their own life paths and were battling in their own ways, still supporting each other even if no longer side by side.
Li Wei’s smile curled up, “Looking forward to meeting again in the playoffs. That’s the knockout stage, even more brutal, but I definitely won’t go easy.”
“Ha ha.” Humphrey laughed heartily, putting on a disappointed face and shaking his head repeatedly, “Rookie, you’ve changed; you’re not modest at all now.”
Li Wei shrugged lightly, “Persona, it’s all just a persona, you still need one in the League. Maybe you should get an agent to help set one up too.”
Humphrey burst into laughter—
He still liked Li Wei.
Now Li Wei had become a face of the League, one of the NFL’s icons, training during the off-season with stars like Watt.
Some said Li Wei had changed, that a mere year of camaraderie from college meant nothing, perhaps Li Wei had long forgotten about them.
But Humphrey knew, those words were purely out of envy.
Li Wei was still the same Li Wei, no different from their college days.
Humphrey was about to take a step forward when he felt a bit awkward, “Rookie, can you help me out?”
Li Wei looked puzzled, peering over.
Humphrey quietly hinted with his fist on his thigh, “I think I’ve got a cramp.”
Before he could finish his sentence, Humphrey had already plopped down.
Li Wei laughed unabashedly, “Ha ha, ha ha ha ha ha.”
Laughter boomed like thunder.
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Humphrey wore an expression as if all hope had been lost.
Li Wei deftly stretched Humphrey.
When Jackson found Li Wei, what he saw made him stop in his tracks, and for a moment, he didn’t know what to do.
So, should he be under the car?
Jackson had imagined different scenarios, but he hadn’t anticipated this one.
Li Wei turned his head and said, “Instead of standing there with that expression and watching, why not come and help? We’re opponents, but we’re not enemies.”
Jackson: …
Every time Jackson saw Li Wei’s calm, carefree demeanor, he felt that Li Wei was really putting on airs.
They were all young men in their early twenties. There was Li Wei, acting all high and mighty and precociously teaching them how to do things.
Damn!
Putting on airs for what!
Jackson rolled his eyes in annoyance, but ultimately didn’t say much and quickly stepped forward to help.
Meanwhile, Reed and Harbaugh were already gathering in the center of the field.
Although the sparks flew on the field, with each looking as if they wanted to annihilate the other, off the field, it was a different story.
Harbaugh caught this scene out of the corner of his eye and nodded subtly at Jackson’s initiative to face the defeat with Li Wei, then flashed a smile at Reed.
“It seems the kids are getting along well.”
Reed followed his gaze and said, “That’s how kids are, one moment they are fighting and claiming they will never be friends again; the next, they are holding hands and playing together. Us old folks can’t keep up anymore.”
Implicitly, Reed was still not pleased with Mosley’s rough defense today.
Harbaugh picked up on it, but he played dumb, pretending he didn’t understand. Since Reed didn’t explicitly mention it, there was no need to deliberately point it out—
In the locker room, Harbaugh would talk to Mosley later; but outside, naturally, Harbaugh would protect his team and players.
Moreover, Harbaugh didn’t consider it a big deal.
After the game, the reporters did not miss this hot issue at the press conference.
Harbaugh stated, “This is football. Collision is the basis of the sport, and I truly regret any injuries. Believe me, the last thing I want to see is injury, whether it’s my players or those of other teams.”
“However, we need to accept that this is a part of competitive sports, the cruel side.”
Harbaugh was smart, elevating the entire premise to avoid focusing solely on the clash between Mosley and Li Wei, instead addressing the matter from a universal standpoint.
Certainly, Harbaugh’s view was indisputably valid in general terms; but specific to this case, whether Mosley should have intentionally tackled maliciously, this has nothing to do with competitive sports or even injuries, but rather the spirit of sportsmanship—
Exactly because we know how terrifying injuries can be, players should not create injuries through malicious foul play.
Harbaugh’s clever response dodged the reporters’ sharp questions.
However, the NFL didn’t see it that way.
After the game, the League conducted an official investigation, determined Mosley’s act as a malicious collision, fining him eight thousand US dollars and issuing a warning; a repeat offense could lead to a suspension and even higher fines.
The Baltimore Ravens made no objections, and Mosley duly paid the fine.
With Harbaugh’s astute handling, the issue quietly subsided.
As for how the players and fans of the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs viewed this incident, that was another story.
Meanwhile, it was the same situation.
Harbaugh acted oblivious, as if he hadn’t noticed the sharpness in Reed’s words, “Coach, last year at the draft, you really duped me good, I actually thought you had no interest in both the quarterback and running back.”
Without a change in expression, Harbaugh deftly changed the subject.