Dominate the Super Bowl

NFL, Professional League, the seasoned journalists have seen it all: the bold, the eccentric, and the explosive. They pride themselves on being battle-hardened and not prone to overreact to trifles.

But they've never seen anything quite as mad as this.

A rookie, in his first official interview upon entering the professional arena, not only provoking the top player in the league but also challenging all journalists?

This?

Due to sheer astonishment and shock, the press room momentarily lapsed into stunned silence, with a roaring void filling their ears.

Then.

Finally, a reporter came to his senses, though unusually, he didn't pour fuel on the fire — after all, the bombshell that Li Wei had just dropped was scary enough.

"Do you really not recognize Tom Brady?" he asked, rather feebly, seeking confirmation once again.

Li Wei didn't plan to respond, instead, he laughed cheerfully and confidently, "Haha."

Anyway, this was like a fill-in-the-blank question, left for everyone else to imagine.

Netizens: How is that possible? It's a joke, a joke! The rookie was just provoking/to lighten the mood. How could he possibly not know the top player in the league?

Social networks were divided into two camps, but whether people thought Li Wei was deliberately provoking or simply lightening the atmosphere, nearly everyone agreed:

Li Wei undoubtedly knew Brady.

To that, Li Wei said that everyone was free to imagine.

After a brief pause, finally, a media outlet remembered their duty and decided to kick a man when he was down, "So, do you now finally recognize Tom Brady?"

"I'll remember this game," Li Wei shrugged lightly.

Reporter: Heh, it's more like you'll remember this victory, right?

Immediately after, Li Wei, "I'll remember this victory."

Reporter: ...So arrogant! This is still Gillette Stadium, does this guy not worry about not being able to leave Foxborough?

"This wasn't an easy game, but we never gave up our beliefs, and we never stopped fighting, not just the offensive group, but the defensive group too."

"Football is a team sport, and we always stood firmly together, believing in and trusting each other, fighting to the end, and victory is the best reward."

"I think this was a lively practical lesson, I've finally officially stepped onto the professional field."

New England Patriots offensive line: Are you implying something about us or about Brady?

The press room started to buzz with noise —

The first part, they thought Li Wei was rubbing salt into the wounds at Gillette Stadium; but to their complete surprise, in the second part, Li Wei suddenly raised the "team" banner, steering the topic back to the Kansas City Chiefs, leaving the journalists with no angle to launch an attack.

Frustrating!

Then, another reporter threw out a tricky question, "Li Wei, this is the first game of your career, how would you rate your performance? How many points do you think you deserve?"

A proper question that could test the waters, no matter if Li Wei responded modestly or arrogantly, the reporters could find an angle to spin a story.

But to their surprise, Li Wei answered with all the earnestness in the world, "Sorry, I don't quite understand football, I have no benchmark, so, I can't accurately rate myself. I'll leave the assessment to the fans, to the professionals. I'll be praying quietly, hoping the rating isn't too bad, since I'm just a rookie after all."

Heh.

Li Wei flashed a set of neatly white teeth, his face beaming with a smile.

But, that sunshiny grin, in the eyes of the journalists, seemed almost like a dig at them. Was this a jab at how the media incessantly hyped the "rookie VS Goat" topic?

Journalist: It's unfair! It's all Roger Goodell's fault!

Who would have thought that the "rookie" label could turn into Li Wei's weapon of retaliation?

First, he slapped Gillette Stadium in the face, then squeezed Tom Brady, and now he's mocking the journalists?

Is this some sort of multi-use nunchaku?

And, the key to everything lies in Li Wei's attitude—

Full cooperation.

With a smile on his face, calm and composed, with wit and humor, his graceful and elegant demeanor could easily pass for 007 James Bond; the press conference had transformed into something resembling a cocktail party, compelling the journalists to hold back their usual aggression.

Impressive, truly impressive.

If anyone treated Li Wei as Lynch had been treated, they would now be up all night searching for fragments of their glasses.

Saban: See, when I impose a media ban, it's actually for your own good. But you don't appreciate it, sigh, my passion is so wasted.

Unbelievably, Li Wei's press conference ended amidst laughter; the atmosphere was light-hearted and jovial, to the point that as journalists left the press room, they were lost in a daze, light-headed, unable to grasp what had just happened, as if tipsy.

With this, the 2017 NFL season opener has finally come to a true close; yet the aftermath had only just begun, with ripples evolving into colossal waves.

Quarterbacks have always been the focal point of football games, responsible for perhaps not 100%, but at least 80% of the spectacle, with few exceptions. Logically, in the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the New England Patriots, the quarterback deservedly remained in the spotlight—

There were indeed many topics of discussion.

Smith, 35 passes, 28 completions, 368 yards, three touchdowns.

Brady, 36 passes, 18 completions, 267 yards, no touchdowns, one fumble.

Such statistics were truly hard to believe; the vast difference in performance between the two quarterbacks had overturned all expectations and decided the outcome of the game.

Clearly, Brady had a very poor game, not only were his passing stats terrible, but that fumble at the moment of sounding the counterattack completely snuffed out the Patriots' hopes of a home-field comeback, and the legendary quarterback indeed needed to reflect after the game.

On the other hand, Smith was different. He played the most perfect game of the last three seasons, efficient and precise, masterfully controlling the game's process. Despite still lacking a long-pass threat, by wisely utilizing his offensive weapons, he kept the Chiefs' offense competitive.

Usually, the media would focus on Brady and Smith; if the team wins, they bask in the spotlight. If the team loses, they also have to bear the team's burden. Such is the situation that comes with the quarterback position.

However, this time was different—

Li Wei had become the focus, undoubtedly the focus, an unparalleled focus.

Top Scholar. Positioning. Asian heritage. Rookie.

These keyword tags had made Li Wei endure countless doubts and attacks over the past four months; now, they also brought him unbelievable praise and adulation.

Especially when Li Wei dominated the fourth quarter with an absolutely strong and stellar performance in his professional debut, he easily ignited people's enthusiasm, fully unleashing the NFL's incomparable influence.

From the New York Times to the Los Angeles Times, from ESPN to social networks, the overwhelming focus was on Li Wei in all directions.

Within this, one topic spread like wildfire.

"Everyone says, among the top three draft picks there's always one standout. Now that the Top Scholar has made his move, then..."