As a running back, Marshawn Lynch's on-field honors were not as plentiful as one might imagine:
In 2013 and 2014, he was the NFL rushing yardage leader for two consecutive years, a five-time Pro Bowl selectee, once on the All-America First Team, and once on the second team—that was all.
Because of this, according to the system's assessment, Lynch and McCoy were both rated 'A', not in the same league as Peterson.
However, in terms of popularity, fame, hype, and breaking into the mainstream, Lynch was undeniably one of the most prominent NFL players of the past decade, even more widely known than most quarterbacks, to the extent that it would not be an exaggeration to call him the "king of buzz". The reason lies in his style of play:
In the 2010 season, Lynch's first season after being transferred to the Seattle Seahawks, he had an average performance in the regular season, just an ordinary rotational running back.
But in the first round of the playoffs, against the New Orleans Saints, with three minutes and thirty-nine seconds left in the game and the Seattle Seahawks still trailing, the rotational Lynch erupted with unbelievable energy.
He started his offensive run from his own thirty-three-yard line, breaking through the defense of nine players, including a formidable display where he flipped cornerback Tracy Porter with one hand, and charged straight into the end zone for a touchdown, helping the Seattle Seahawks defeat the New Orleans Saints.
Lynch became famous in one battle.
The celebration of the victory at the Seattle Seahawks' home ground was indeed too crazy, even causing nearby seismographs to mistakenly record a minor earthquake.
From that time on, Lynch also earned a nickname, Beast Mode.
During the peak of his career from 2011 to 2014, maybe his average performance belied his true potential, but no one could be sure when he would suddenly enter Beast Mode and explode with the energy to overturn the game; he always acted as the unpredictable factor in the Seattle Seahawks' games.
Without a doubt, Lynch's explosive power and his brute force made him a hot topic outside the NFL circle. Even if the team lost the game, a single god-like surge from him could easily become the focus of everyone's shares on social media, winning him an unbelievably high popularity.
Unfortunately, such a style of play inevitably relied heavily on physicality, and Lynch's entire professional career was plagued with injuries.
He missed most of the 2015 season due to injuries, and then, during the garbage time of the fourth quarter of the 50th Super Bowl, while sitting at home watching the Denver Broncos play against the Carolina Panthers, Lynch captured all attention in an unexpected way—
He posted a picture of his cleats hanging on social media, announcing his retirement in such a manner.
Lynch had become the third template in Li Wei's training system.
The reason, quite apparent, was that Li Wei needed to increase his physical confrontation abilities.
Before the Christmas holiday, Saban and Burns had mentioned that Li Wei was still too lean. After entering the NFL, he might face some difficulties in the muscle traps that surrounded him. The necessity of strength and confrontation training became evident, and comparing with tank-like running backs, Lynch was a more suitable role model for Li Wei.
The reward had been deposited, and a new direction and target had emerged, becoming the best motivation for Li Wei to continue his diligent training.
So, the day after the Crimson Tide Storm clinched the nationwide championship and ended the NCAA 2016 season, Li Wei proceeded with his training as usual.
"Roar, Crimson Tide! Roar!"
"Li Wei, I love you, ahh ahh ahh!"
"Keep it up, Crimson Tide Storm."
Support continued all along the way.
For the University of Alabama, it was a morning of celebration after a revelry. They still had to attend classes, struggling out of bed early in the morning, dragging their groggy heads to classrooms or the library, but the moment they saw Li Wei, all hangovers and drowsiness were cast aside.
The campus was in an uproar—
Without a doubt, Li Wei had become the hero of Town of Tuscaloosa, with every household knowing his name and always greeting him warmly.
However, no one approached Li Wei to interrupt his training. They kept their distance, greeting him from afar with a smile, a wave, or a shout—that was all.
Having completed his morning workout, Li Wei returned to his dormitory and immediately noticed the figure sitting primly outside his door:
Still in his neatly pressed grey suit, still pairing the jacket with a shirt, he sat at the dormitory entrance like an insurance salesman who couldn't get a foot in the door.
The scene was, admittedly, a little comical.
"Good morning, Donald," Li Wei greeted first.
Donald stood up quickly. "Good morning, Li Wei."
Calm and unhurried, Donald Yee still seemed very composed, apparently in no rush, which made Li Wei want to crack a joke.
"Sorry, you're too late. I already signed with an agent yesterday," Li Wei said with a feigned regret, "You should've come earlier."
Donald was momentarily taken aback, truly thrown off by Li Wei's words, but as a professional, he quickly regained his composure. "Even if you've signed, contracts can be broken and agents can be changed. I'm willing to pay the penalty. Besides, I don't believe you've signed with anyone."
Li Wei raised his eyebrows slightly. "Oh, why's that?"
Donald couldn't read anything from Li Wei's expression, but he knew Li Wei and trusted his own instincts. "I believe that after yesterday's game, countless agents must have come looking for you; but you're smart enough and calm enough to know they're just scavengers joining in on the flurry."
"Haha, scavengers? Then what about you?" Li Wei asked with curiosity.
Donald replied, "A cheetah. You might overlook it if you're not careful, but if you look closely, the difference is quite clear."
Li Wei burst into laughter, not expecting Donald Yee to have a sense of humor.
Indeed, after yesterday's game, the agents visiting Li Wei were too numerous to count, with business cards alone filling half a drawer, like a pile of snowflakes.
Until now, Li Wei had not yet announced whether he would enter the draft, and according to NCAA rules, agents still couldn't contact him privately; but the point was, if they didn't contact him now, it would be too late, and they swarmed him en masse like sharks smelling blood.
Despite the unpleasant image, it was the truth—they were only there for the potential profit—
That was the crux of the issue. Li Wei didn't think there was anything wrong with seeking profit; after all, people are driven by it, and Donald Yee was no exception.
If Donald Yee had come here selling dreams to Li Wei, that would be a true deception.
So, if they were all here for profit, what made Donald Yee different from the others?
It had to be more than just patience and sincerity, right?
Last time they met, it was just a brief chat. Donald Yee made a strong impression on Li Wei, but Li Wei was not in a hurry to decide.
So, what about today?
Li Wei looked at Donald Yee and said loudly, "Hey, Old Yu, if I tell you I've decided to sign with another agent, but now I'm giving you a chance to change my mind, what would you say?"
Donald Yee replied, "I would tell you, Li Wei, that you're making a mistake."