"The Chiefs take the lead again, God, God, oh, God!"
On the sidelines, Watson, fired up with the high spirit of vengeance, just saw his momentum explode when, without warning, a bucket of ice water was dumped over him as he watched Li Wei stroll in the end zone, seemingly unfazed —
It wasn't just Watson, right? The home crowd of the Houston Texans was also in shock, their celebration of the lead lasting less than half a minute before being abruptly shut down, the frustration boiling in their chests almost to the point of explosion.
A 103-yard kickoff return touchdown?
How on earth did he do that?
What happened to the supposed underdog comeback narrative? What about the blood-soaked revenge saga? Had the beautiful dream that lasted a mere twenty-three seconds suddenly nosedived into a nightmare?
The momentum that Watson had worked so hard to build up for most of the game collapsed in just twenty-three seconds.
Li Wei completely ground the Texans' Special Duty Group into the dust, rubbing, and rubbing, and rubbing them into the ground, tearing apart any semblance of dignity and pride.
This touchdown once again turned the tide, not only recovering the morale of the Kansas City Chiefs but also cracking the Texans' climbing confidence, prompting them to start doubting themselves, and once again changing the dynamics of the game.
First, Watson, blinded by thoughts of revenge, lost his cool and the ability to see the whole field, leading to offensive disruptions. His passing decisions and timing for runs were seriously flawed, striking out for the first time since the twenty-eighth minute of the first half.
Then the Texans' Defensive Group was completely toyed with by Li Wei, who almost everyone thought Smith would hand the ball off to, but they didn't anticipate a play-action pass. Smith found the Tight End Kelsey, while Li Wei acted as a decoy blocker for Kelsey —
After catching a five-yard short pass, Kelsey, with Li Wei's cover, made a beeline down the field, driving seventy-four yards and completely destroying the opponent's defensive formation.
Subsequently, Li Wei scored a two-yard rushing touchdown:
In just under four minutes, like a violent storm, the game tipped dramatically in another direction with no time to breathe.
Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing?
He couldn't even curse as he found himself in disarray as if caught in a gale.
At Nike, in the West Coast headquarters meeting room, a relaxed chuckle was heard.
On the TV screen was the live broadcast of the NFL Sunday night game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Houston Texans, being watched in sync.
Indeed, it wasn't just the West Coast. The East Coast office was also watching the live broadcast. Even though it was past working hours, both meeting rooms were packed with executives, closely monitoring the game's progress and communicating instantly through the conference call system.
That recent chuckle wasn't because of Watson, but rather because of the Chiefs.
After turning the tide in just four minutes and crushing the Texans' hope for a comeback, the experienced Reed firmly grasped the psychological aspect of the game, and this time after the touchdown, he risked going for a two-point conversion.
The score in front of them, "36:29", a seven-point gap, just one possession away.
If they had opted for a one-point conversion, the gap would have increased to eight points, which is still one possession; the opponent would only need a touchdown plus a challenge for a two-point conversion to tie it up.
But with a two-point conversion, the gap becomes nine points, which is the difference of two possessions, entirely altering the pressure and the dynamic of the game.
Reed was ratcheting up the pressure.
Even though it was a gamble, Reed was very decisive, not hesitating to challenge for the two-point conversion, which reflected his confidence.
Through the screen, one could feel Edwards completely relax, letting out a laugh, turning to his colleagues in the West Coast conference room, and raising his voice to ensure that the East Coast conference room could also hear the conference call.
"Reed is getting playful for once, continuously opting to apply pressure through risks. This shows just how confident Reed is."
"But that's not the point."
"In fact, the outcome of the game is no longer important, not because I don't believe the Chiefs can win, but because we've already got what we wanted."
Finally, Edwards had made up his mind, standing at the crossroads of history, taking the most resolute step forward.
"What I mean is, whenever the team needs him, he always steps up, just like at the beginning of the year in the NCAA nationwide championship, he's got brains, strength, mindset, and momentum, he can lead the team toward victory."
"Even though he's just a running back."
"Today is no different, he's proven again that he's not a shooting star."
"Hey, do you know what? My favorite part wasn't the kickoff return touchdown, but rather the block he set up afterwards to pave the way for Kelsey to make a long-distance rush for a large yardage gain."
"What does this tell us?"
"It proves that he's different from Jordan, he realizes that football is a team sport, unlike basketball. If he wants to win the championship, he needs his teammates to work together, not just focusing on showing off himself."
"Mind you, I don't mean to imply anything about Odell Beckham Jr."
Through the conference call, a gentle chuckle rippled through both meeting rooms.
"He's willing to help his teammates, and he has also integrated with the team; whether it's Smith or Kelsey, they are willing to put their trust in Li Wei."
"This is leadership."
"This is the charisma of a superstar."
"We've been desperately seeking a superhero to reshape the football market, just like Jordan, just like Federer. I think we've found him now."
Every word resounded with conviction.
Edwards looked around, taking his time before continuing, because he knew for himself and for the entire Nike executive team alike:
They knew what kind of contract this was, what kind of risks they were facing. Your next read awaits at My Virtual Library Empire
So, they needed time.
On the TV screen, the game continued.
Very regrettably, the Kansas City Chiefs' two-point conversion attempt failed, "36:29", the score remained the same, which meant the Houston Texans hadn't completely collapsed into the abyss, the defensive group had applied the brakes at the edge of the cliff.
Could there still be a twist in the outcome?
The TV broadcast carried the fevered support of the Houston Texans' home crowd, trying to blow the horn for a counterattack, but the Nike meeting room was silent; everyone was focused on the game, all of them contemplating.
Brains, working overtime.
Every second, their judgments tumbled with the changing situation on the field, so could the Kansas City Chiefs' missed two-point conversion, prolonging the suspense in the outcome, possibly affect Nike's decision?
After patiently waiting for a moment, Edwards continued.
"We need to make a decision now, it's been dragged on long enough. If we are to give up, let's do it now, and let Adidas and Under Armour fight it out; but if we agree, we must race against time."
"Donald... he's a tough character."
For a second, pausing just a bit, Edwards then raised his voice to say.
"Aye," Edwards was the first to indicate his position, then gestured to the secretary next to him to take notes, but he quickly realized it wasn't necessary.
One after another, as soon as it began, it never stopped.