Capítulo 1424: Chapter 1423: The Ultimate Questioning
Standing on the Pro Bowl weekend reviewing the 2019 season, there were indeed many impressive events, Andrew Luck’s retirement, Antonio Brown’s madness, Le’Veon Bell’s decline, and so on. Moreover, Li Wei repeatedly creating locker room discord rumors was also one of the season’s focuses.
From preseason to season opener, then to London Bowl, and finally to season end, related news was bubbling up, sparking waves every now and then.
Accompanied by Li Wei’s strong rise, transforming into the League’s First Man, not only were his brand endorsements off the field booming, but his salary contracts also broke history, undoubtedly becoming the Kansas City Chiefs’ top star, breaking the internal balance of the team, and amidst admiration and jealousy, possibly breeding many variables.
Precisely because of this, the news media were always speculating, even a little bit of wind and grass always linked to locker room chaos and division.
On one hand, the news media repeatedly judged wrongly; on the other hand, the news media tirelessly kept bringing up old matters.
However, it was never confirmed; instead, it made the Kansas City Chiefs’ locker room completely unite, finally completing the magnificent feat of the unbeaten season.
Until now, the people standing on the outside seem to finally have peered into the reason —
Li Wei.
To untie the bell, it is necessary to tie the bell; the problem originated from Li Wei, and the one who could solve the problem was still Li Wei.
Facing the potential moment of regular season MVP glory, Li Wei refused to attend the award ceremony, stepping back at the right time, standing beside his teammates.
Not just accompanying teammates, more importantly, putting team honor first, setting an example by actually uniting the team.
So throughout the season, the Kansas City Chiefs’ locker room seemed precarious, like a powder keg full of danger, ready to explode at any time; yet when the Kansas City Chiefs took to the field, they were always united, fighting shoulder to shoulder, facing storms together, embracing challenges together, completing the final transformation.
Looking back now, perhaps the media’s fan-the-flames actually became the key for the Kansas City Chiefs’ season shift from quantity to quality transformation, the more outside voices there were, the more outside conflicts arose, the more outside difficulties appeared, the more the Kansas City Chiefs’ locker room could momentarily forget internal conflicts and unite externally, finding a common rhythm.
No wonder!
Finally understood why the Kansas City Chiefs rarely ever clarified those rumors directly.
News media and netizens generally believe it was initially to conceal the “Cheating Motion” tactic, using Li Wei to divert focus; later it was “clear minds remain clear”, Reed and his team presented a frank attitude, letting rumors collapse without attack; but now finally knowing, things were not that simple.
Turns out we were all tools!
Until the Super Bowl, media was still bustling, voluntarily contributing to the Kansas City Chiefs’ locker room unity and pressure relief.
At this moment, looking at the harmonious, easy-going scene at the Kansas City Chiefs Training Facility, the group of journalists collectively stood in stunned silence.
Previously often heard, in front of paparazzi, Li Wei was generous and open, not only did he not mind being followed, but he also actively greeted paparazzi, making those paparazzi scared and frantic, media reporters even laughed at those amateurs’ ignorance.
But now, they personally experienced a taste, finally understanding the feeling of “being played by Li Wei in the palm of his hand”.
Yet… what else can they do?
Clearly they came unto him uninvited, each trying to smartly stir up news and create highlights, getting excited collectively at any small change, not needing Li Wei to say much or do much, their minds already staged a soap opera a thousand and eight times.
And all the way until the season was near its end did they awaken, and for a moment not knowing whether to praise Li Wei’s high-level PUA skills or to scoff at their own low intelligence.
Or looking from another angle, the miracle and achievement behind the Kansas City Chiefs’ season also had contributions from this group of journalists —
See, they were also unnamed creators of history!
Thinking this way, the chest stood tall and proud.
In this light, they should support the Kansas City Chiefs in climbing to the top of the Super Bowl to create history… right?
Finally slightly coming around, the entire league’s bustling discussions began to gather towards the Kansas City Chiefs and the Super Bowl —
The season’s ultimate question emerged, can the San Francisco 49ers play the role that the New York Giants did in the 2007 and 2011 seasons?
If so, then is Garoppolo equivalent to Eli Manning?
Since the halfway point of the Super Bowl, the league has been painstakingly searching for the Little Manning of the 2019 season, so after twists and turns eventually found Garoppolo, is this fate?
Once, Brady was known as the spoiler to Big Manning, despite regular season win-loss records being tied, Brady’s playoff record far exceeded that of Big Manning, until Big Manning transferred to the anti-New England Patriots Denver Broncos, Big Manning finally reversed the situation.
But Little Manning was the spoiler to Brady, twice in the 2007 and 2011 seasons climbed to the top of the Super Bowl stepping over Brady’s shoulders, leaving a mark in history.
A cycle.
Now, a familiar scene appeared.
Li Wei was considered Brady’s spoiler, leading entirely from regular season to playoffs, from first career meeting onward, rookie suppressing the Goat, just like a chess game, the pawn takes the king, the pawn crushes the queen; and Garoppolo, inheriting Brady’s legacy, is about to face Li Wei.
So, can Garoppolo defeat Li Wei like Little Manning avenged his brother, to give Brady some relief?
Or to say it another way, can Garoppolo perform an underdog victory like Little Manning did?
Thinking seriously, Garoppolo indeed has many similarities with Little Manning.
Whether in the 2007 season or the 2011 season, Little Manning was subjected to controversy and criticism, neither regular season nor playoff data were satisfactory, fluctuating constantly, up and down, good times particularly good, bad times particularly bad, known as a wildcard, never able to gain the professional’s favor and affirmation.
Unexpectedly, on the Super Bowl stage, this wildcard performed miraculously at the most critical important moment, with a demigod attitude, shockingly overturning the invincible Belichick and Brady.
Now, Garoppolo is the same.
When excellent, praised by all, not only San Francisco fans, other fans were awestruck, “worthy as Brady’s successor”; but when bad, invisible like, completely lost on the field, fans disappointedly said, “indeed only fit to be Brady’s backup.”
This wildcard, no one can predict its next move.
The point is, while others cannot predict, can coach Shanahan accurately do so? If not, that is the real disaster.
When the Super Bowl is impending, professionals unanimously agreed, this year’s Super Bowl outcome does not depend on Kansas City Chiefs, but on Shanahan and Garoppolo.