"Hehehe, little brother. You can see it quite accurately. I live around here, so I'll come over and shoot when I'm fine. Now I'm old and can't move. You're here to study, right? Where are the people? ”

The old man's Mandarin with a playful accent sounded like a northerner.

"I'm from Guangdong, I'm studying here, and I'm a freshman now. Your old body is so good, I really envy you. ”

Yifan is not just a cheer, but really envious. It is a great wealth of life for the elderly to be able to reach this age and insist on exercising and doing what they like.

The old man's wise eyes glanced at Yi Fan's eyes and nodded slightly.

During the chat between the two, the old man almost missed the bullet and hit several balls in a row, which made Yifan secretly surprised.

"Look at your age, how recently you arrived here? Study abroad at Iowa State University? ”

The old man asked, carefully observing Yi Fan's movements and body, like a scanner, sweeping over him.

The old people are relatively verbose and like to ask questions, which is the consensus of the whole world, so he didn't think much about the old man's questions.

"Grandpa, I'm here to study, first grade. Not at Iowa State University, but at the University of Michigan. I came here today because of something. ”

Hearing Yi Fan's answer, the old man's eyebrows jumped.

"No wonder I haven't seen you in any time. University of Michigan, that's amazing. Being able to be admitted to a prestigious school has a bright future. ”

The old man's tone seemed a little exaggerated, but Yi Fan didn't think much about it. Rather, it was because he couldn't understand the old man's overly accented Mandarin, so he just nodded with a smile and didn't respond.

Seeing this, the old man added, "The University of Michigan is very famous for sports, depending on your body and muscles, you usually exercise and exercise." Playing basketball? Small forward? The Wolverines are also good in NCAA basketball, and you have good talent, practice hard, and maybe you can play a dozen in the Development League. ”

"No, no, no, when I get here, I don't play basketball, I play football and I'm a quarterback."

Seeing that the old man was a little mistaken, Yi Fan hurriedly corrected it. It was okay when he didn't say it, but as soon as he said it, the old man's expression and tone became serious.

"What? You play rugby! Or quarterback! The quarterback of the Wolverine? ”

The old man couldn't believe it, and he stared intently at Yi Fan's every expression and subtle move, trying to see the truth of his words.

"You played football before you came to the U.S.?"

The old man stared at Yi Fan with a suspicious look, as if as long as he told a one-word lie, it would be immediately exposed.

"How is that possible! Before coming to the U.S., I played soccer and basketball. Rugby was only introduced when it came here. ”

Yi Fan almost laughed, if he had been in contact before, his current level would definitely be more than what it is now.

After listening to Yi Fan's words, the old man looked very surprised. He looked at Yi Fan's innocent appearance and asked rhetorically, "You said you were a first-grader?" How long have you been here?"

The old man seemed to be afraid that he didn't hear clearly, so he picked up the ball in his hand, walked to Yi Fan's side, and listened carefully.

"I'm a first-year, yes, I've been here for a year and a half. Count the time of the preparatory department. Any questions, please? ”

The old man sighed softly.

He seemed to be familiar with the area, and led Yi Fan to a chair in the shade of a tree, which was so tightly blocked by low bushes that ordinary people would not have found it if it had not been for the old man leading the way.

"You say, you're here looking for someone, I've been exercising here a lot, and I'm sure I've seen it more or less. Maybe be able to help you. ”

Hearing this, Yi Fan's eyes lit up, and with the help of the locals, finding Snell would definitely be half the effort. He hurriedly took out his mobile phone from his arms, and there was a message from Diana on it, and when he opened it, it was a picture of Coach Snell.

"Hey, but how can this person look like he's half-blooded? And a little, oriental charm? ”

In the photo, Snell's frontal ID photo, with a flat head and no beard, although the overall appearance is still European and American, but between the eyebrows, there is a touch of Oriental beauty. The eye sockets are not as deep, and the bridge of the nose is not as firm.

"This person is Snell."

The old man took the phone and looked at it, and immediately recognized it.

"This man has a strange temper, what are you looking for him?"

When Yi Fan heard the news of Snell, he immediately pulled the old man's shirt and asked with joy, "Old man, do you recognize him?" ”

"Yes, of course I do. It's still very cooked. ”

The old man seemed very disdainful, and seemed to be an idiot for Yifan's question. He stared at the phone screen affectionately, and after recalling it for a while, he said affectionately, "You are looking for him to let him go back to Michigan as a coach." It's been more than half a year, and I'm still so persistent. I really don't know what to think. He's just a weirdo, that temper, stubbornly very. I'm afraid I won't go back with you. ”

The old man glanced at Yi Fan twice and shook his head silently.

"Why? Didn't he come back because his father was sick? When his father recovers, he will go back to school to teach. ”

Unexpectedly, before Yifan finished speaking, the old man spat on it.

"Whew! What a seriously ill father, this reason is too bad. ”

However, in addition to being excited, the old man still replied with that helpless expression.

"You say you're a quarterback for the Wolverine? At some point did the Wolverines fall to the point of calling an inexperienced Chinese kid to play quarterback. You know, rugby seems to be a team sport for many people, but in fact it is still a hidden mystery. Even black people can't necessarily beat quarterbacks, let alone us. Even if you're very capable, they won't give you a chance. ”

"Why? Isn't it okay to play well and have outstanding ability? Does it have anything to do with any race? ”

In the face of Yi Fan's question, the old man was reluctant to continue. just lightly asked Yi Fan's position and information in the team, and then asked, "We are also very fated to meet here." I think you have a good foundation, why don't you consider continuing to play basketball, maybe you can enter the NBA like Yao Ming or Jeremy Lin. Do you have to run to play rugby that you've never touched? ”

"The reason to play rugby? Perhaps, it's because I like it. ”

Yi Fanhan smiled.

When he was in China, although he also had a lot of achievements in basketball and football, he was more often pulled by his classmates to participate. With his athletic talent, no matter what sport he throws himself into, it doesn't seem to be too difficult. So it's called the school's panacea. Where there is a shortage of people, he will take it.

Even if he led the school team to the basketball project of the provincial competition, it took him nothing more than two years from contact to becoming the captain.

Maybe it wasn't challenging, and he didn't have much interest in sports.

It's not that it's bad, it's just that I don't think it's interesting.

Knowing that after coming here across the ocean, he inadvertently came into contact with rugby, which made him further realize the importance of teamwork.

It is said that the big ball game is a test of the team, and compared with the basketball of five people and the football of one person, the football of 26 people is undoubtedly more intuitive in this regard.

Even if you are an invincible running back, you can give the opponent a heavy blow on offense with one to ten. But if the personnel of the defense team and the special service team are not effective, and the coach's tactical arrangement is not in place, it is useless.

You can even sit on the sidelines and watch the game end.

"It's the first time I've tried to play the sport well and win the game. I can't do it now, and I still need a lot of improvement. So I had to find a professional quarterback coach to help with the pointers. ”

Yi Fan was very serious and said word by word.

That feeling of powerlessness thrown up by the game, that frustration of sitting on the sidelines and watching the team lose, is heartbreaking.

After listening to Grady's words, he realized that he was so far away from the professional game, not to mention the professional players, even the rookie level players in the wild card game, he was daunted.

If you are too far behind others, in addition to having a heart to catch up, you must also have the right method and the right master.

The old man nodded, and said with relief, "Your determination is good, but playing ball requires not only fighting spirit, but also relying on the mind, a mind that is good at observation and thinking." I'll give you a question, and I hope you can answer it. I'll call Snell here, and it's up to you to convince him to go back. It is too difficult to do a good job, and a person needs to have too many opportunities to succeed. In the field of rugby, there has not been much of us Chinese, you cheer up, I hope you will one day become Yao Ming in the NFL, so that more people can know, contact, and like you like this sport. ”

The old man then turned and walked away, leaving Yi Fan standing in place. He called Rogers and told him to stop what he was doing and run over to the assembly.

"What! You've found him! Where is he! ”

Rogers hurried over, but couldn't see a figure except Yi Fan.

"The old man said that he was going to call Snell over, and then he came up with a problem, and we will wait here."

However, thirty minutes passed, and there was still no figure to be seen. The two of them sat stupidly on the chair like this, neither walking, nor walking.

"What about the old man, you are talking about? Does it take so long to call an individual? I think he's a liar! ”

Rogers couldn't sit still. This park is big, but if you knew where people are, you would have called it by now.

He stood up impatiently, constantly walking back and forth.

Time passed minute by minute, and after another twenty minutes, the old man was still nowhere to be seen. As it approached noon, the park was almost empty, and there was hardly anyone to be seen.

"What about people! What about the old man! Depend on! ”

Rogers couldn't stand it anymore, so he turned around and walked out, scolding as he went.

"Wait! Rogers! ”

Yi Fan kept staring at the phone screen and didn't hear what Rogers was saying. He looked at Snell's picture and felt like someone, who had been thinking about it all the time, but couldn't think of it.

It wasn't until he heard Rogers yelling at the old man that he immediately reacted.

"So that's the title! The title is that old man! ”

Thinking of this, Yi Fan quickly pulled Rogers back from the park, turned around and walked towards Snell's villa.

"Are you in the wrong mind! Didn't see the reaction of the imp just now? How do I return it? ”

"Just come with me."

Yi Fan didn't understand what the old man said, and it wasn't until this moment that he figured out the meaning of his words.

The first time I saw Snell's photo, I felt that he was a little familiar. In retrospect, Snell didn't look like anyone else, just like the old man he had just waited.

Yi Fan ran to Snell's villa, rang the doorbell, and shouted loudly, "Grandpa, please open the door." Meet Mr. Snell. ”

After a short while, the door slowly opened, and it was the old man who walked out.

"Not too stupid, come in."

After entering the house, Yi Fan saw neatly cleaned furniture, as well as various awards, and there were many yellowed old photos hanging on the wall, on which was the appearance of the old gentleman when he was young.

The old gentlemen in the photos are basically wearing sportswear of different lengths, some are wearing suits, some are holding awards, and some are shaking hands with celebrities.

"Sir, are you an athlete?"

After looking at those photos, Yifan immediately reacted. And it seems that there are still athletes with certain achievements.

"Hehe, athletes can't talk about it, but it's related to sports. I came here when I was 20 years old, and initially I just learned to help the players with massage and relaxation, and acupuncture to assist in treatment. Later, I met more people and did more things. Acting as a team doctor, as well as helping the team select players. More than 40 years have passed, and time flies so quickly when I think about it. ”

The old man was slightly emotional, but his scanner-like eyes could see his experience and ability.

"Coach Snell is your son, I thought he looked like someone at first, and then I suddenly reacted that it was you."

After all, the old man is old, and his hair and beard have affected Yi Fan's judgment. Coupled with the fact that Snell was a half-blood, he didn't react immediately.

"Yes, you're right. What is the matter with me? ”

At this moment, a middle-aged man finally came down from the upper floor.

"Snell, coach?"

Yi Fan was a little suspicious of his eyes at first, because compared to the photo, this person was more than ten years older, and his hair was scattered, and his beard was scumbag, and he didn't look like the same person at all.

"We are first-year students at the University of Michigan, I'm Liu Yifan, he's Rogers, and the two of us are quarterbacks on the team, and I want you to go back and continue to teach and guide us."

However, before Yifan finished speaking, Snell decisively refused to speak.

"Two first-year quarterbacks? I'm sorry, but I'm not going back, you two, please. ”