In the 2017 season, the Jacksonville Jaguars' defense was nothing short of eye-catching. Now, they were setting their sights on bolstering their offense.
Not only had they targeted the Kansas City Chiefs' quarterback, but they also had their eyes on the Chiefs' running back.
So, was Kansas City just some warehouse auction?
Smith looked at the confusion on Lance's face, and his smile widened. "Come on, Caldwell has made it clear he wants you. It's not even a secret in the league anymore."
Lance spread his hands wide. "Hey, I'm no noble hero who can't be swayed. Give me a five-year, two-hundred-million-dollar fully guaranteed contract, and I'll go to the coach myself and say I can't resist the temptation—I'm ready to transfer."
Pfft.
Smith couldn't hold it in; a mouthful of water sprayed right out.
Lance looked at him seriously. "Cleanliness, Captain. Mind your manners, please?"
Smith hurriedly wiped his mouth with a napkin, fumbling around before finally raising his thumb at Lance. Impressive, truly impressive.
Lance smiled again. "From what you just said, it seems you're more interested in New York than Jacksonville?"
Objectively speaking, Lance thought the Jacksonville Jaguars were a good choice.
First, their defense was strong.
Second, their offense was solid and stable. If Smith joined, he wouldn't just be the starting quarterback; he'd have a say in offensive play-calling. They wouldn't need to risk long passes, instead focusing on Smith's strengths with mid-range and short throws.
With that adjustment, the Jaguars could become strong contenders for the 2018 season.
And Lance guessed that they probably had enough salary cap space to meet Smith's demands for a big contract.
Putting aside personal feelings, Caldwell's strategy was sharp and impressive. It was no surprise the Jaguars had been maintaining their strength.
Smith looked a bit embarrassed, touching his nose to hide his expression, then exhaled. "Alright, I admit, I do have a bit of a fantasy about New York."
Lance raised his eyebrows. "What do you mean?"
Smith realized that Lance wasn't too familiar with the history of football. "For our generation of players, there are a few teams with special filters. One is the San Francisco 49ers. Everyone dreams of playing in San Francisco. Another is the Green Bay Packers; they have the most unique fan culture in the league."
Lance nodded slightly. He'd heard Mahomes mention it before. Even top quarterbacks like Brady and Rodgers had dreamed of playing for the 49ers, yet San Francisco had passed on them every time, shattering their hopes.
"Besides those, there's the New York Giants."
"The reason is simple: it's New York. Everything feels different when you talk about New York."
"It's the biggest city in America. We all want to go there and see for ourselves."
Even though Lance couldn't fully understand the sentiment—after all, he was a soul from another world, and the original owner of his body didn't seem to have any special attachment to New York—he could somewhat grasp it. It was like how people in China aspired to move to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, or Shenzhen. There was always some sort of filter of idealism.
Whether those cities truly matched their imaginations depended on one's own experiences.
"If I could go to New York, it would be a huge step."
"And, John said you're friends. If you're friends, that makes me his friend, too. He made it clear that he'd be happy to welcome me to the New York Giants. He believes you would also be happy to see me there."
John?
John Mara?
Wait, a flash of insight sparked in Lance's mind. All the fragmented clues suddenly connected, and he couldn't help but chuckle, a bit helplessly.
Smith noticed. "What's wrong?"
Lance smiled, shaking his head and sarcastically remarked, "Oh, it's nothing. It's my honor to be considered a friend of John."
After the AFC Championship Game, when Lance returned to New York, James Dolan, the owner of the New York Knicks, had invited him to Madison Square Garden for publicity, which turned out to be a success.
After the game, Lance met John Mara—the owner of the New York Giants—in the VIP lounge. Mara was the real main character of the evening, catching Lance completely off guard. Dolan never even showed up.
After the meeting, Lance discussed it with Donald Yu.
At that time, Donald speculated that the New York Giants had their sights set on Lance. After all, New York had the second-largest Chinese population in North America, only behind San Francisco. Even without considering the Asian market, New York itself was a treasure trove.
Moreover, the Giants indeed needed a running back. And after their fallout with Eli Manning, they were in desperate need of a new star, a new face to reignite the franchise.
If Donald had his way, he would want Lance to go to the Giants—
Not just because it was a big market, but in terms of promotion and commercial operations, New York's advantages were unmatched by any of the other 31 NFL teams. The rise of wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to stardom was proof of that.
Plus, the Rams and Chargers moving to Los Angeles, and the Raiders heading to Las Vegas, were all part of the same strategy.
However, Lance said he had no such intentions. He was happy in Kansas City, and Donald had to temporarily shelve the idea and start planning his next steps.
The plan was to use the New York Giants as leverage to elevate Lance's status and market value.
In short, Donald began his maneuvering.
But now it seemed that John Mara was even more cunning, already making his move.
Thinking back, during that time the Chiefs had only just won the AFC Championship. The Super Bowl hadn't even been played yet, and everything was still uncertain. If it were just for a rookie running back—someone who might transfer two years later, someone who might not even have a breakout season, someone who might fade away after losing the Super Bowl—it wouldn't have been worth Mara personally stepping in.
It didn't make sense.
Even Lance wasn't worth that kind of effort.
But, if it was for a quarterback—someone whose contract was about to expire, someone who was likely to be replaced by a rookie, someone who had proven his ability and attitude, someone who could help stabilize the team for two or three seasons while they searched for a new franchise quarterback in the draft, someone who was bound to be highly sought after if he hit the free market—then it all made sense.
That is to say, both Lance and Donald had thought Mara's approach was aimed at Lance. In reality, Mara was playing chess—not just one move, but planning multiple steps ahead.
Now imagine: if it weren't for Lance's sharp intuition and perceptiveness to piece everything together, what would he say to Smith?
For one, New York was his hometown.
For another, he had recently hit it off with Mara and was treated like a VIP.
Just like Inception, a thought-seed had been planted deep within, waiting to grow and sprout into "his own idea," where he would eagerly vouch for Smith joining the Giants. Even a single nod or a positive remark might sway Smith's decision.
Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.
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Powerstones?
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