As last year's school "Mr. Popularity," surrounded by numerous accolades, Mike's every move was closely watched by the student body. So, over the next few days, news of his return to the football team gradually spread throughout the school.
Of course, the main force driving this news were the girls in the school who were, frankly, thirsty for him.
This led to a situation where, during the football team's subsequent practices, girls would frequently sneak over to the sidelines to watch. And when these girls witnessed Mike's heroic, single-handed breakthroughs during scrimmages, they showed an immediate tendency to convert into "rabid fans."
Consequently, Mike's popularity at the school reached a fever pitch through word of mouth. Along with it, the attention paid to the football team leveled up significantly.
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Saturday.
The day of the invitational game between Medford High and St. Mary's High School.
Coach Wayne had already contacted Head Coach Cotton from St. Mary's, who honored the promise he made last year.
Around 9:30 AM, a bus bearing the St. Mary's logo slowly rolled onto the Medford campus. Trailing behind the bus was a luxurious black private car.
The wealthy and leisurely Tuohy family had come specifically to cheer on their adopted black son, Big Mike.
Seeing the opponents arrive, Coach George addressed his players in the rest area. "This opponent is very strong, so I need you all to be sharp. Go get warmed up now."
Thanks to the recent buzz around the football team and last week's victory over Small Garden High, the number of students who came out to support the Medford team reached a new high today.
Seeing the situation looking so promising, the crowd erupted in cheers as soon as the Medford players took the field for warm-ups.
"Whoa, it's really lively today." Head Coach Cotton was startled by the bustling scene as he led his players to the St. Mary's sideline.
The rules for the spring invitational dictated that the home field advantage was determined by last year's summer league rankings. Although St. Mary's had a much better historical record, they had lost to Medford last year. So for today's game, the St. Mary's football team had to come to Medford as the challengers.
"Mike, Coach George doesn't seem too happy with our Star Strategy..." Captain Aaron approached Mike, who was preparing to warm up.
As the team captain, Aaron keenly noticed the friction between Coach George and Mike regarding the new strategy's philosophy. From an observer's perspective, he also vaguely felt that Mike's route selection within the Star Strategy seemed a bit irrational.
So, Aaron wanted to use this time before the game to try and persuade Mike.
"It's fine. Coach George will understand me," Mike replied. The Star Strategy was fundamentally about "one man as an army." With full confidence in his abilities, Mike didn't see any problem with his playstyle.
"Alright. I'll do my best to support you when necessary." Seeing Mike's confidence, Aaron didn't push it further and chose to trust him.
The unique nature of the Star Strategy meant that for it to work, the first requirement was for the teammates to genuinely trust the core player. And Mike's performance on the practice field so far had certainly earned that trust.
...
"Mike... Mike..."
After Aaron left, Mike, warming up alone, heard a childish voice frantically shouting his name from the sidelines.
Looking towards the sound, he spotted a familiar figure in the St. Mary's rest area.
Last year's little anti-fan—S.J., an interesting little guy.
"If I remember correctly, you're my little fan from last year..." Walking over to the St. Mary's sideline, Mike teased with a smile, "What, want my autograph again?"
Despite being only six or seven, S.J. had emotional intelligence that rivaled Missy's. Last year, he had posed as a little fan asking for an autograph to get close, only to suddenly issue a challenge to Mike on behalf of his brother, Michael Oher.
"No, no, no~ I don't need your autograph." S.J. hadn't expected Mike to remember him after six months. After all, what he did last year wasn't exactly glorious.
After an awkward smile, S.J. continued, "I just wanted to tell you that Big Mike has undergone special training for half a year. He definitely won't lose to you this time."
Right, the kid was up to no good. Calling Mike over was just to deliver another challenge.
Because they shared a name, S.J. had a very deep impression of the handsome and incredibly popular Mike. After St. Mary's lost to Medford last time, he went home and devised a strict winter training regimen for Michael Oher, waiting for the chance for Big Mike to avenge the loss.
"Thanks for the heads up, I'll be careful." Mike smiled and nodded to S.J. and the big guy behind him. "If there's nothing else, I think I should go warm up."
"That guy is so annoying," S.J. muttered enviously as he watched Mike walk away, noting the countless girls screaming his name on the sidelines. "But man, is he popular... Big Mike, you can't lose to him later..."
"I'll do my best," the big guy, Michael, replied with a simple, honest smile.
In his heart, he had already decided to give it his all in the upcoming game to show S.J. the results of his winter training. Having experienced the warmth of family with the Tuohys, the last thing Big Mike wanted was to disappoint them.
Meanwhile, having arranged the logistics, Head Coach Cotton clapped his hands to gather the St. Mary's players.
"We lost to Medford once last year. Their strength cannot be underestimated..." Coach Cotton summarized the opponent's strength before rallying them. "But I want to tell you all, although the opponent is strong, we aren't bad either. Today is the time to verify the results of our training... Think of the hardships you endured for victory..."
After boosting morale, Coach Cotton hurried the players onto the field for warm-ups.
In the St. Mary's rest area, S.J. held up a camcorder to record Big Mike warming up. Clearly, these clips would become fond memories for Big Mike later.
Suddenly, the little guy seemed to think of something and turned his head. "Collins, do you like that guy named Mike?"
"No, don't talk nonsense." Collins glanced at her parents nearby and quickly whispered a denial.
Collins, the Tuohy's eldest daughter, had inherited her mother's beauty and was the captain of the St. Mary's cheerleading squad. She had been at the game during last year's summer league too.
"Really? Then how do you explain the poster in your room?" S.J. asked again, sounding wise beyond his years.
"Keep your voice down... don't let Mom and Dad hear..." Collins glanced nervously at her parents and tried to cover S.J.'s mouth.
A girl just starting to understand romance could easily be captivated by an outstanding guy. Having witnessed Mike's performance last time, Collins had unknowingly been drawn in by his unique charisma. And by chance, she had seen a poster of Mike in town and bought one on a whim.
She thought she had been secretive, but her little brother had found out.
Seeing his sister's tell-tale blush, S.J. asked unhappily, "So in this game, are you supporting Big Mike or that Mike guy?"
"I... I support family, of course..." Collins replied.
"You pass," S.J. continued like a little adult. "That Mike guy doesn't look like a good person anyway. Look at how many girls over there are obsessed with him."
Near the Medford sideline, Regina led Mike's fan club, occupying a large open space and cheering for Mike in various ways. The girls in the fan club were all quite good-looking, forming a beautiful scene.
"We don't have anything going on anyway." Although Collins was a cheer captain, she had a more conservative personality. Realizing Mike's level of popularity, she felt a slight sense of inferiority.
"Uh-huh. I'm just reminding you, handsome guys are likely playboys. Don't be fooled by their looks," S.J. said, shaking his head and sharing his life experience with his sister.