Chapter 910: The Spirit of Sportsmanship

"Chris Conte! Chris Conte saved the Chicago Bears!"

"After getting back on his feet, Logan Newman’s speed was never at its maximum, and Randy Moss, who isn’t known for blocking, couldn’t stop Chris Conte’s charge. Conte immediately gave chase, and about two or three yards from the end zone, Conte successfully caught up to Newman, tackling him with a flying hit that knocked him out of bounds and prevented an immediate touchdown."

"That throw over the shoulder was truly spectacular!"

"Lu Ke, with a slightly delayed release, used his wrist to create a beautiful parabola, accurately getting the ball past Tillman’s defensive zone and finding Newman’s receiving position. Facing a hot-handed Tillman this season, only such precise control can create an open window. Aaron Rodgers did it in week two of the regular season, and now Lu Ke has done it too!"

"After the catch, Tillman made a fundamental error, giving up on the play before it was dead, which gave Newman space to continue running. If it weren’t for Conte, that pass would have been a touchdown!"

"Wow, a beautiful throw, a beautiful catch. More importantly, the entire offensive strategy was eye-opening. Twice in a row, they attacked the right side, and twice they broke through from Tillman’s direction. One time was a change of weight on a crossing route, and the other was a direct attack with a throw over the shoulder. The San Francisco 49ers’ two-running back set seems to be a total bluff, but it’s been incredibly effective!"

"In this game, Tillman isn’t playing poorly; he has repeatedly shut down the San Francisco 49ers’ right-side passing routes. But after halftime, the San Francisco 49ers’ offense stepped up. Lu Ke has repeatedly found a way to break through on the right and make progress. This game is proving to be just as good as we expected, truly spectacular!"

While the commentators in the booth were full of praise, Conte had saved the Chicago Bears in the nick of time, but no one knew if this was a delay to the Bears’ eventual collapse or the start of their comeback.

The cheers and groans of disappointment intertwined in Candlestick Park, and a collective groan for Logan’s pain could be heard.

Lu Ke was the first to notice that something was wrong with Logan.

After being hit by Conte, Logan never got up. He lay on the ground next to the end zone, and no one knew what was wrong.

Conte’s hit was fierce and desperate. The first thing that came to Lu Ke’s mind was the hit on Ted Ginn in this year’s NFC Championship game. A premonition of bad news started to stir in his chest. He quickly ran over, his face full of worry as he looked at Logan, continuously praying:

Don’t be hurt. Don’t be hurt. Don’t be hurt.

Then, Lu Ke saw a confused look on Logan’s face, and his heart dropped. But Lu Ke did his best to stay calm, immediately kneeling beside Logan. "Logan, are you okay? How do you feel?"

Logan seemed to snap out of it slightly, trying to sit up.

Lu Ke stopped him in time. "How do you feel? Do you feel any pain?"

"No... not really..." Logan spoke slowly. He tightly closed his eyes. "I’m just dizzy. Really dizzy. Why does it feel so hot here? I feel a little nauseous."

Lu Ke had a hunch. He turned to Moss, who was running over, and shouted, "Walter! We need Walter!" He was referring to the team’s doctor, Walter Hudson. Then he turned back to Logan. "Is it bad? I mean, the nausea?"

"Not bad. But it will be if you keep asking questions." He still had the presence of mind to joke, which meant the problem wasn’t too serious.

Lu Ke guessed it was a mild concussion. But the specifics would have to wait for the team doctor’s examination. All Lu Ke could do now was pray.

The broadcast booth also noticed the sudden pause.

The commentators’ tone became serious. They repeatedly watched the replay of the last hit, trying to analyze what happened between Conte and Logan to understand his condition and injury. For the commentators, an injury was always the worst-case scenario.

Just then, Teddy noticed another detail. "A red flag challenge!"

Everyone was in an uproar.

"The Chicago Bears have thrown the red flag!"

"The challenge is... whether the play was dead! Logan Newman went to the ground after making the catch, and he was very close to Charles Tillman. So, did he maintain control of the ball? And did Tillman touch Newman to end the play? If the challenge is successful, the San Francisco 49ers’ possession will end at the 13-yard line."

"This is crucial for the Chicago Bears."

"But... the timing of the challenge is debatable."

Logan’s injury and fall had caused a timeout. The referees would not immediately resume the game. The Chicago Bears’ coaching staff huddled together to discuss. In the end, head coach Lovie Smith threw the red flag, choosing to challenge the call.

Lovie, 54, was a veteran coach. In his short three-year college career, he played both linebacker and defensive tackle. After graduating in 1979, he didn’t become a pro football player but instead became a high school defensive coach in 1980.

From high school to college, Lovie spent sixteen years coaching. In 1996, he officially entered the league, becoming the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ linebackers coach. He then went to the St. Louis Rams as a defensive coordinator and took over as head coach for the Chicago Bears in 2004. In 2005, he was named the NFL Coach of the Year.

He was a coach who rose from the ranks of defense, with a personality and style that were tough and cunning, just like the Chicago Bears’ defense.

This moment was no exception. Even though he knew Logan was injured, Lovie didn’t hesitate. After making his decision, he threw the red flag without any regard for the feelings of the players or the fans.

A wave of boos immediately erupted in Candlestick Park. The fans protested Lovie’s actions as unsportsmanlike.

But Lovie remained unfazed, signaling to the referees that they needed to make a ruling immediately.

The referees didn’t say much because Lovie’s actions were within the league rules. They had to gather immediately to review the replay and make a ruling.

For a moment, the scene was chaotic. The fans were anxious and angry, and their emotions became restless. The players on the field also started to lose their composure.

The referees were watching the replay; at the same time, Walter had quickly arrived and was giving Logan a simple on-field test.

The situation was even milder than Lu Ke had imagined. He had only shown symptoms of a suspected concussion. By the time Walter arrived, Logan was already recovering and could sit up on his own. He was mostly okay.

But to be safe, Walter still needed Logan to come off the field to complete further concussion tests to be sure.

The results of the check were in before the ruling was announced.

"According to the latest official news from the San Francisco 49ers, Logan Newman has a suspected concussion. This is the second player in this game, after Jay Cutler, to face this situation. We hope Newman will be okay."

"Newman is the team’s leading scorer. Not only did he get two touchdowns in this game, but he already has thirteen touchdowns on the season. He might break the single-season receiving touchdown record. We can only pray for him and hope it won’t affect the rest of the season or the playoffs."

Watching Logan walk off the field, the Candlestick Park fans finally came to their senses. They no longer cared about the Chicago Bears’ unlikable actions. They started cheering for Logan, and their wandering attention finally came back together.

"The entire Candlestick Park is cheering for Newman! The chant right now is the unique cheer for Newman—"

"Eighty-eight! Clap-clap!"

"Eighty-eight! Clap-clap!"

"Eighty-eight! Clap-clap!"

The deafening cheers surged with the synchronized clapping. The entire sea of red stood up again, offering their best wishes and highest respect: 88, Logan’s jersey number.

While Lovie’s decision was acceptable in the context of winning—he didn’t need to pay for an opponent’s injury and only had to be responsible for the Bears, especially since the two teams were bitter rivals.

But the sportsmanship shown by the fans at Candlestick Park was even more precious and rare. Beyond winning, there are more important things to protect.

After this Monday Night Football game, the San Francisco 49ers’ reputation within the league went up another notch!

As he left the field, Logan could stand and walk on his own. This was a positive sign, but Walter still accompanied him. They left the field together to complete further tests. If everything went as expected, he would not be returning to the game.

Facing the massive crowd cheering for him, Logan began to get a little cocky, waving 360 degrees like a visiting dignitary. He even waved his helmet in salute and exaggeratedly wiped away nonexistent tears from his eyes, as if he had just accomplished a great feat. His playful attitude helped the fans relax a little, and the tense atmosphere eased somewhat.

In this brief moment, the referees finished their replay review. The head referee returned to the field, turned on his microphone, and announced the final ruling.

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