Legendary Football Superstar

There was nothing but dead air in his head, just pure silence. Luke couldn't help but crack a joke, "Yo, am I playing a single-player game here? Do NPCs take breaks too?"

"Nah, the yoga you're doing is the Earth kind." Seven's voice was still as cold as ever, but Luke had gotten used to it. He could pick up on the slight changes now, like a hint of helplessness or exasperation. If Seven were human, it'd probably be rolling its eyes. "Nope, you won't turn into a Super Saiyan; and yeah, yoga's got nothing to do with football directly, but it's got everything to do with quarterbacks."

Seven's tone shifted back to its usual robotic self, explaining, "Yoga helps you control your body better, unlocking more physical potential when you need it most. It also makes your muscles more flexible. A quarterback doesn't need to be a tank; they need to dodge, break through, and fake out the defense. So, you gotta avoid bulking up too much, stay light, and be able to take hits."

"Plus, yoga sharpens your senses, boosting your perception and control of the football. The wrist flexibility, body coordination, and balance you need for passing all get a boost from yoga." Seven wrapped up the lecture and paused, waiting for Luke's reaction, "Any more questions?"

Luke was sure that last bit was a dig at him, which made him chuckle, "But, why now?"

"Because you weren't ready before." Just when Luke thought Seven was getting a bit more 'human,' it hit him with a cold, hard truth, like a dagger to the chest. "Technically, you're still not up to par, but yoga is a long game. It takes at least three months of training to really sink into your muscles."

Three months.

Luke's eyes lit up, "Rookie training camp!"

For any player, the fastest ticket to the league is the rookie training camp. Whether you're drafted or undrafted, it's the stage to show off and the best place for teams to scout and evaluate.

"So, how do I start this yoga thing?" This was all new territory for Luke, but he quickly caught on, "Videos!"

Every training task had a video guide to walk Luke through the system tasks step-by- step. But it had been months since he got a new training task, and he had almost forgotten about the all-knowing system.

Pulling up the video, Luke was hit with a wall of video thumbnails. After a quick scroll, he counted thirty in total.

Luke's eyes nearly popped out of his head, "Do I have to do all these moves every day?" Just looking at the first video, he felt it was nuts. These high-difficulty poses seemed impossible. The other twenty-nine looked even crazier.

"No, just the first five moves." Seven chimed in, and Luke noticed only the first five videos were lit up. The other twenty-five were grayed out and unclickable for now.

Thirty minutes, five moves-still tough, but not as insane. "Will there be more yoga moves later? Or are these thirty it, on repeat?" Luke wondered but then shook his head, "Don't even tell me. These first five are already enough to make my brain hurt."

For now, Luke shoved the yoga headache aside. After wrapping up his training, he switched gears to his student duties.

Just like his earlier joke, there were only two weeks left until finals, and this was no joke but cold, hard reality. After finals, it'd be Christmas break. These exams were a big deal for every student, athletes included.

In the U.S., the rules are strict. The pro leagues are all about the game, where sports are a job; but the NCAA is different. All players are students first, athletes second. The NCAA has tough entry requirements and academic standards. Even if you're a beast on the field, if your grades suck, you can't play.

Over the years, tons of students, whether in football, basketball, or baseball, have been benched because of bad grades, forcing them to retake exams over and over.

Take NBA star Dwyane Wade, for example. During his college days, he wasn't allowed to play his entire freshman year because of poor exam scores. He flunked three exams in a row, cried out of frustration, but there was nothing he could do.

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The NCAA always puts academics first, and the reason is simple. After school, only a few players make it to the pros. Most will go on to other careers and jobs after graduation. Without a solid academic foundation, their future options are limited. Focusing on academics is a responsibility to the athletes.

For seniors like Luke, this final exam is their last hurdle before graduation. After this, it's all about prepping for their graduation thesis. So, this exam is a big deal for their diploma, and no one can slack off, not even the star players who've already made a name for themselves in the NCAA.

In pro football leagues, rookie training camps include IQ tests and specialized psychological assessments. College grades also matter. While it might not reflect athletic talent, it can definitely impact a player's draft position. A first-round pick could easily drop to the second or even third round.

Luke hit the books hard, borrowed notes, asked questions, and chatted with teaching assistants. Before he knew it, another day was in the bag.

But today felt different. Like, really different. In the hallways, classrooms, squares, and on the road, everyone he met, literally everyone, greeted Luke in some way—at least with a nod and a smile. Even the professor gave him a shoutout before class, "Luke, great job last night!" The whole lecture hall erupted with whistles and desk-pounding.

Last night's game win was the talk of the campus!

After classes, Luke didn't rush home. Instead, he hit up a sporting goods store to buy yoga gear. Athletes know the value of good equipment, especially those aiming for the pros.

With his new gear in tow, Luke jogged back to his apartment. By the time he got home, he was already warmed up. After a quick chill session, he was ready to dive into yoga.

He laid out the yoga mat in the living room, summoned the system, and clicked on the first video. He wasn't in a rush to train right now; today's training was already done, and the timer would reset tomorrow. So, today's session wouldn't count. He started today because the team had no formal training and had come back early to rest. He also wanted to get a feel for the yoga poses to prep for tomorrow's official training. He hit play on the first video and watched the 3D projection of the moves.

The moves didn't look too complicated, almost simple. Stand on the right foot, lift the left foot with the left hand, stretch it upwards until the left foot and right foot form a split. Extend the right hand forward, stretching the body out, with the entire body supported only by the right leg. But simple-looking moves can be deceptively hard.

From the video alone, it seemed like an impossible move. Luke felt his brain short- circuiting; he couldn't even wrap his head around how to maintain muscle strength and balance. But as the video played, some text popped up on the side. After reading it carefully, he found it was a detailed explanation of the moves and some tips.

This pose is called the Standing Bow Pose. It demands a lot from the muscles of the arms, hips, buttocks, calves, and back. It also helps improve flexibility and coordination, promotes blood circulation, and boosts cardiopulmonary function. More importantly, it requires a high level of concentration, benefiting patience and decision-making abilities.

After reading, Luke tried to follow the video.

The moves looked tough enough, but doing them was even harder. Luke vaguely felt it was different from real-life yoga, but since he'd never done formal yoga, he couldn't tell the difference. More accurately, he struggled big time to complete even the first

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Every time he tried to balance, his center of gravity wobbled. He hadn't even extended forward before his whole body started shaking. Either his left hand hadn't let go of his left leg, causing him to stumble forward, or his left hand let go, and his center of gravity shifted backward, making him fall. Or he'd lunge forward, with every muscle in his body screaming.

After multiple tries, Luke finally managed to stand steady once, but the system still showed his move wasn't up to par.

"How is that possible?" Luke thought he had nailed it. "Is it because I didn't hold the pose for three seconds? Or three minutes?" Luke studied it more closely and found it wasn't a matter of time but his form. His center of gravity wobbled again. Forget holding the pose for three minutes; even three seconds was tough.

This start was looking pretty rough.