Hike!
Martel!
Martel, you're a wimp!
l can't believe that. Martel goes for a give-up slide.
-lt did look cautious. -l could have scored on that!
That could be the last play of the season.
In case you haven't heard, the players' strike became official...
...at 4 p.m. Eastern time.
I'm sad that the players' demands, which center around...
...a rise in the current salary cap, have been rejected by the owners.
I have told my union brothers to walk.
Get me Jimmy McGinty! Have him here tonight.
Yes, sir.
I'm here with Eddie Martel.
A lot of angry fans out there feel that the players are being too greedy.
Anything you'd like to say?
Dwight, I know $5 million a year sounds like a lot of money...
...but I have to pay 10 percent to my agent, 5 percent to my lawyer--
Do you know what insurance costs on a Ferrari, mother--
Pat, back to you.
That was Washington running back Malcolm Lamont.
It's all about money, folks, but isn't it always?
Yes. This is Pat Summerall for John Madden saying...
...so long from Nextel Stadium.
-You look like shit. -l'm dying, Jimmy.
Come on.
You've been dying for 20 years.
-Give me a cigarette. -l quit.
Nobody likes a quitter.
-See the game today? -No.
Why, you liar.
Could you believe that slide by Martel?
What a pussy.
-What's up? -Take a ride with me.
How's the wife?
She had her lips done.
l never even knew you could have your lips done.
Looks like a largemouth bass.
l'm too old to screw around. Let me give it to you straight.
l want you back.
-You already have a coach. -l'll take care of it.
-Like you took care of me. -Now, Jimmy....
Your players all flew home to their castles...
...in their private jets.
We're gonna finish the season anyway.
l'm gonna use replacement players.
-Jeez, what a business. -We've got four games left.
We win three, we're in the playoffs.
Really? Win three out of four with replacement players?
That's not too much to ask.
You won for me once, you can do it again.
What's the matter, Jimmy?
Nobody's gonna give you a better chance than this...
...after that Dallas mess.
-l was right about that. -lt had nothing to do with being right!
You went head-to-head with an $8 million quarterback.
Who did you think was gonna win? That's not gonna happen here!
l'm talking about a team of poor nobodies who play to win...
...not a bunch of bitchy millionaires.
Come on, Jimmy!
l'm thinking.
Hello!
l want total control of my team.
l want to be able to recruit anybody that l want, no interference.
My word is my bond.
l want it in writing.
Okay, Jimmy.
Okay.
We thought we'd skip special teams for now.
lt'll be tough enough to put together a team in a week.
-We're gonna go a different way. -A different way?
Here's a list of people l've been watching over the years.
They've all played football, not all of them in the pros.
But they all have something unique to bring to the game.
We'll take them and try to put together a winning team.
lf nothing else, they should be fun to watch.
Daniel Bateman, SWAT team officer.
Awarded a Purple Heart for losing a kidney during the Gulf War.
A walk-on at Michigan State before he gave up football...
...to sneak back into the service for one more tour of duty.
Clifford Franklin.
Great attitude, great desire, and the fastest son of a bitch l've ever seen.
Clifford! Twinkie!
What's up, man? Got any Twinkies?
Can he catch?
That's why l have you.
Andre and Jamal Jackson.
Together, these guys were the best tandem team of guards in the game.
-You're kidding me! -Andre got traded and they fell apart.
He ain't our problem no more. We gonna play football.
-Football? -Football.
Nigel Gruff.
Striker out of Cardiff, now residing in Hell's Kitchen.
He's called ''The Leg'' because he can kick a soccer ball the length of the field.
Gentlemen...
...the drinks are on the house!
Bollocks!
Pissing away our money again?
-No, the money's on the way. -Where? To the OTB?
l got a winning horse! l swear on my mom's grave!
Your mother's grave? He's swearing on his mother's grave!
Nigel, listen. l want my money!
-Has he kept in shape? -By Welsh standards.
Shane Falco.
Shane Falco? ''Footsteps'' Falco from Ohio State?
The same.
-He hasn't played in years. -Should be well rested then.
You look like a swordfish l caught once.
He hit the deck just like that.
-You know who l am? -Yeah.
You're Jimmy McGinty.
That old coach from the '80s.
We met just before the Sugar Bowl.
l remember.
Hell of a game that Sugar Bowl.
-What'd you lose that by? 40 points? -That would be 45.
Sometimes a game like that sticks with you. You never shake it off.
-Got three concussions to prove it. -That's why girls don't play.
Why are you here, coach?
l'm back with the Sentinels. l want you to quarterback.
l found the best guards and a wide receiver...
...even you couldn't overthrow.
-l'm retired. -Retired?
lt looks like things have gone real well for you since.
l got no complaints.
lt's quiet here.
Nobody bothers me.
That's the great thing about plankton, it pretty much keeps to itself.
You know what separates the winners from the losers?
The score.
Getting back up after being kicked in the teeth.
l watched films of your games since the Sugar Bowl.
You shouldn't have been trying to carry the whole team that first year.
Your teammates leaned on you and you crumbled.
-ls that how you want to be remembered? -l don't want to be remembered at all.
You're young. lf you do well, who knows what'll happen after the strike.
l'm not making you any promises, but why don't you take a chance?
Rather than scraping crap off the bottom of somebody else's toys.
Think it over.
You could be part of something.
l'm here to remind fans that what the owners are doing is unconscionable.
They have blatantly hired scabs...
...which goes against our Constitution, the Declaration of Independence...
...and the Emancipation Proclamation. Here come the scabs now!
That's Eddie Martel!
That's Wilson Carr!
Hey, Wilson!
l love you, man! What's happening?
l love you, man!
l'm gonna bust a cap in your ass, and in your ass!
Piss off!
Get that bible out of here!
Sorry about this.
Put God in your heart!
l'm very sorry.
Get a job, you wankers!
Looking good out there! You've got the goods!
Where did you learn to catch like that?
Roberts, make that D-back commit before you cut, all right?
Jimmy.
-My tight end is deaf. -Yeah, l know.
Jimmy, how am l gonna coach a deaf man?
You won't need to.
Brian Murphy would've gone in the first round if he wasn't deaf.
Played college ball here in D.C. at Gallaudet.
But l've got to be able to communicate with him and how....
Learn to sign.
Horseshit!
Look at it this way, he'll never be called offsides on an audible.
-Good to see you. -You too.
-How are you? -Good.
This is ''The Leg''?
l thought you told me he was solid muscle.
He's much stronger than he looks.
l'm wiry.
Go get some kicks in.
He's ''wiry.''
''Wiry.''
l'm sure you've been briefed as to your situation.
Coach McGinty wanted you with us for five weeks...
...and the Governor's complied.
Nice watch.
What?
This?
lt's a fake.
Damn thing's always broken.
lt's only right twice a day.
Why don't we join the others?
No sense standing here by ourselves...
...out of screaming distance.
-Come on, let's fire out of there! -Jimmy.
-Falco, when's he coming? -Relax, he'll be here.
Come on, quick feet!
l am relaxed, but that's not the point. lt's nervous energy.
Case in point: We don't have a quarterback, do we?
-Fire out of there! -We don't have a game plan for Sunday.
The only good thing l can say about our one offensive weapon is...
...it's ''wiry.'' What the shit is that?
No, no, it's ''wiry.''
-However the hell you say it! -Say it: ''Wiry.''
''Wiry.''
Holy! Look at this mamma-jamma!
Have you lost weight?
Coach, don't say that.
You look great. Why don't you work out on SOD?
SOD.
-He's lost weight? -Sumo wrestler.
Expert at pushing people around. That's what pass blocking is, remember?
That's right.
Next one, 74. Come on!
Set, hut!
All right! Way to go!
lt's all about pushing people around! Set! Hut!
Come on, Sumo boy. Let's see what you can do.
Set. Hut!
Yes! Good hit, Sumo boy! Now get this off of me!
''That'll do, pig, that'll do.''
-Screw you, cockroach. -You'll have to find your dick first.
Get this off of me!
Hey, scab!
-l don't want any trouble. -You hear that?
He's taking away my job, but he doesn't want any trouble.
Not only is he taking your job, he's taking your parking space too.
What's up?
ls that right, Falco?
l didn't know it was yours. l'll move it.
No, let us do that.
Guys, move the new boy's ride for him.
Coming right up, Mr. Falco.
Ready?
One. Two. Three.
Thanks, guys.
Asshole.
Jesus! ''Footsteps'' Falco. They must be getting desperate.
Hey, Falco!
You're not even a has-been!
You're a never-was!
Go!
Come on, let's pick it up!
Form a line here! Let's go seven on seven.
Check it out, it's our new quarterback.
We're in business now.
You're late.
Car trouble.
You still got an arm?
Hey, Falco.
Go!
That's gonna leave a mark.
-Leo, Franklin's down again. -l'm okay.
l'm okay. l'm okay.
Let's play some football!
Danny Bateman.
Shane Falco.
Nice pop, Danny.
Thanks, coach.
ln practice, we don't hit the fellows with the red shirts on.
l know, but l see that red and l just want to go after it like a bull.
Okay, Danny.
Huddle up!
Get used to setting up on the run. Move fast, think even faster.
-You'll live longer. -l'm very interested in that.
Huddle up!
Hey! Shane Falco.
l lost a ton of money on that Sugar Bowl of yours.
What a bloody shambles that was.
You could smell the stink all the way back in Wales.
Nice meeting you.
Ready!
Hut!
Shit! l forgot about the whole red shirt thing! This game's confusing.
Remember...
...red means stop.
Like a streetlight, right?
-Yeah. -Get on up.
Go ahead. l'm gonna lie here a moment and collect my thoughts.
Work shit out, right?
-You should be glad he's on your side. -Yeah.
-So you have a cheer or something? -Are you ready?
''Let's hear it for the quarterback Hey-hey, ho-ho
''Could anyone play better? Say-say, no-no
''Tackle, tackle, tackle, tackle Tack, tack, tack
''Show those others boys what they lack, lack, lack
''lf l gave you a dollar You could keep most of the change
'''Cause all l really want is a quarterback! ''
''California oranges, Texas cactus
''We think your team needs a little practice
''Sit 'em in a highchair Feed 'em with a spoon
''Roll 'em up in toilet paper Kick 'em to the moon! ''
-That was great, thank you. -Thank you.
Can you dance?
Let me have some of that duck.
-What the hell is this? -Chinese spareribs.
lf you don't want it, get the fuck out of here.
l'm trying to figure out how the Chinaman over here...
...gets 700 pounds off of eating this shit.
l'm Japanese, not Chinese.
-Same difference. -What?
lt's the same difference!
All that big....
Nigger, please.
You do know Japan and China are two different countries, right?
-You do know l got an atlas, bitch? -Really, gangster?
Yeah.
We're on the same team! We're on the same team! Now chill out!
-The mick's right. -l'm not a mick! l'm bloody Welsh!
Whatever.
-l'm going to sit with the deaf kid! -Jesus Christ!
Praise his glory, Nigel! You praise his glory!
''Slash 'em, slash 'em Cut 'em down
''Smear their blood all over town
''Punch 'em, hit 'em Make it last
''Come on, boys, let's kick some ass! ''
l played one game in the pros, l blew out my knee and that was it.
Shit.
All l want to do is score one touchdown before l hang up my pads. That's it.
You'll get it.
Hey, man.
Wilkinson! Earl Wilkinson!
l knew l recognized you, man! l knew it!
You played for Minnesota, baby!
Oh, shit! Earl Wilkinson, man! Oh, my God!
You'd have been All-Pro if you hadn't beat up them cops!
What l had meant to say was ''allegedly''...
...allegedly beat up them cops and because...
...a good Christian boy like you would never do nothing like that!
That's right.
The way l heard it, my man didn't even do nothing anyway!
Them cops were just jealous of the black man.
Hear what l'm saying? My boy's been living large!
l can't stand the cops! l better not see a cop!
-l'll whup a cop's ass! Believe it! -l'm a cop.
Look!
Bundt cake!
-Look at these yummy little monkeys! -Hello!
Oh, hey.
Yeah.
-Are you Heather and Dawn? -Yep, we sure are.
You don't know how excited l am...
...that l actually have some girls with dance experience!
-l'm excited too! -l know! Me too, too.
So, Heather, you were in Cats, which is so terrific--
No, Pussycats.
You know, the club next to the airport? Pussycats.
-That style of dancing would be-- -ls lap-dancing a style?
No. l mean....
Oh, my God, l forgot to tell you something.
What?
She always does that.
l've seen all l need to see.
No way! l'm so excited!
Go suit up.
-Go down the tunnel and to the left. -Okay.
lf you guys have any friends down at the club, would you send them over?
-Sure. -Yeah, absolutely.
Where are you going, Number 48?
l was watching you today.
You looked good.
Good release, strong arm. You're gonna do fine.
Thanks.
l'm Annabelle Farrell.
-Shane Falco. -l know.
l remember you from the '96 Sugar Bowl game.
Didn't anybody have anything better to do that day?
You should get some help to turn this back over.
Yeah, l was thinking l'd call AAA later or something.
-Do you want a lift? -Yeah.
Yeah, that would be great. Thanks.
Why'd you stay in the pocket at practice?
l don't comment to quarterbacks about style but...
...you need to keep scrambling against Detroit, with Prescott back.
-Prescott hasn't crossed. -He will on Sunday.
-lt's a secret so you can't prepare. -How do you know?
My friend's a cheerleader for Detroit. She tipped me.
He's left-sided, shotgun formation, roll right.
Van Gundy's on the right.
He's been All-Pro two years, but one of my cheerleaders...
...is friends with a girl who broke up with him.
He's been drinking ever since she left him.
He's hung over! He's a good second slower off the snap than usual.
l'll stick to the right side.
Unless what they say about Martinez is true.
-That was fun. -This is great! You live out here?
Which one's yours?
Here. You see that white yacht with the satellite dish?
l'm the old houseboat next to it, covered in seagull shit.
What did you name her?
Phyxsius.
-Phyxsius, what does that mean? -''Putting to flight.''
You want to come onboard for a beer?
Nothing personal, but l don't date football players.
l don't blame you.
Not even quarterbacks?
Especially not quarterbacks. You guys are the biggest babies of all.
The biggest babies?
Yeah.
-Thanks for the ride. -Good luck on Sunday.
-Be careful out there. -l will.
Shane.
What's up?
Just...
...watching the game.
Nervous?
No.
l'm good.
Like a duck on a pond.
On the surface everything looks calm, but...
...beneath the water, those feet are churning a mile a minute.
You'll be fine.
Find a way to lead your team. Earn their respect.
Yeah.
How are you doing?
Me?
l'm just another duck on the pond.
Coach, can l ask you a question?
-Yeah, shoot. -Why me?
l look at you and l see two men...
...the man you are, and the man you ought to be.
Someday, those two will meet.
Should make for a hell of a football player.
Get some sleep, kiddo.
You play professional football tomorrow.
Welcome to Nextel Stadium, in our nation's capital.
l'm Pat Summerall and with me, as always, is John Madden.
Detroit bought an entire semi-pro team once the strike happened.
Washington is going with a bunch of unknowns.
Although we'll see a few guys we know today.
Like Shane Falco, that talented quarterback who fell out of sight...
...after a disastrous showing in the Sugar Bowl.
Having a little snacky-poo before the game?
-lt does the body good. -You are one crazy son of a bitch.
-You know how l know that? -How?
Only a crazy son of a bitch would eat eggs before a game!
l need to bulk up.
-You want one? -No!
lt's good for you.
Sentinels, listen up.
Welcome to professional football.
Some will say that your accomplishments...
...will soon be forgotten, you're not real players, this isn't a real team.
And l say that is bullshit!
Because, as of today, you're all professional football players.
You're being paid to play. l want you to remember that because...
...the men whose places you've taken forgot that a long time ago.
Bring it in here.
Bring it in, guys.
Let's play some football!
-D.C. -All right!
For some of these players, this is another shot...
...and a last shot for a guy like Falco.
Remember that beating he took from Florida?
That's nothing compared to those beatings he took in Seattle.
One thing we do know is that Falco can take a hit.
Well, I'll tell you, he's sure had a lot of practice at it.
Ladies and gentlemen, your Washington Sentinels!
-Did you see that? -That's a pretty good hit.
Will the medical trainers please report to the east tunnel?
Maybe he was a little overanxious, huh?
And now, the rest of the Washington Sentinels.
Kick-off!
Not bad, let's go!
There can only be one leader out there, all right? You be it.
-That's where l stand. -No, it's not.
-That's my spot in the huddle. -lt's not.
-Get to your spot. -Let's go, chopstick!
Let's play football! What do you say?
-lt's my spot now! -Not for long, you tub of rice shit!
What's the problem?
You can't do jack shit!
-Pork rice! -l'm Japanese, not Chinese!
Don't mess with my brother.
What's going on?
Something seems to be going on in the huddle.
Falco's on his back.
They haven't had a play yet and Falco's down.
He got hit by his own guy! He was looking out his earhole for a minute!
This isn't a good sign.
-Am l hurt already? -Your partner knocked your head off.
Let's go.
Come on, get it together!
l'm the quarterback. l'm the only one who talks in the huddle.
-But he was in my spot. -l don't give a shit!
Now huddle up.
lf you've got something to say, raise your hand.
ls that understood?
Suppose you don't feel good, or you're hurt.
Tell me before the huddle starts. Okay?
Okay, here we go.
DC Right, Switch, 25 Blast.
What?
-That's to the left? -The right.
To the left!
Be quiet or they'll hear us, and then what?
Play game!
Number 16 on the offense! Five yards!
Well Pat, so far the Sentinels...
...have minus 10 yards offensively.
l've seen monkey-shit fights at the zoo more organized than this!
DC Right, Pro, 424 Tomahawk, on one, on one. Ready?
Ready?
l'm coming for you, Footsteps!
Green 22!
Hut! Hut!
Come on, Shane!
You could hear Falco's fillings drop all the way up here!
Detroit takes over the football with excellent field position.
''Give me an S!
''Give me an E!
''Give me an N!
''Give me a T!
''Give me an....''
''l! ''
We'll get them next time.
Eagle over, cover four!
On three, get ready!
All day, blue eyes! lt's Christmas morning...
...and Santa's coming down the chimney!
l'm gonna bury your family! l'm gonna bury your dog!
Champ, champ!
Now that's football!
You get it? You like it?
The Sentinels have set a record for penalties in the first three minutes!
- We're still waiting for the stats on that. -Personal foul!
Number 56 on the defense! Half the distance to the goal!
Bateman on that one. That was just a cheap shot.
-That should be worse than a penalty. -They're walking right through us!
Touchdown, Detroit!
Don't worry about it.
Let's go!
Double-slot Zag, okay?
-What? -l don't feel too good.
-Suck it up. -Come on!
Jesus Christ!
-Eggs! -That's ripe!
What'd you eat, man?
lf we don't move, l'm going to blow chow, too.
We're in a huddle! Double-slot zag, 88--
Jesus!
Goddamn!
l tried to tell you, l can't be around somebody puking or l start puking.
Shit.
Okay, okay!
On three...
...everyone move left. Ready? Hut, hut, hut.
What the hell is that?
What?
John, how many years have we been calling games together?
Nineteen, I think.
Ever seen anything like that?
Not on a football field.
-What are they doing? -Beats me.
Look at it this way. lt's the first thing we've done together as a team.
-Hey! -Clean it up! Let's go!
Break!
Ready? Blue 42!
Blue 42!
Hut!
First down, Washington.
-Was it out of bounds? -Yes, on 23.
-Blue Right, 60, X Post. -Blue Right, 60, X Post!
Let's go, let's go!
Go, from four. Hut!
Now we're rolling!
Signs of life from Washington here.
That last completion by Falco puts them back in field-goal range.
-Field goal, let's go! -Field goal.
Nigel.
lt's over the bar, not under. Okay? Go get 'em.
-Hold that. -Here comes the field-goal team.
A 40-yard attempt for kicker Nigel Gruff, against the wind.
Here's a guy from Wales, and he's kicking his first field goal ever.
This is a tough distance.
Yeah, she's there! She's there!
-Boom! Boom! -Nigel Gruff kicks and scores!
Halftime score: Washington 3, Detroit 14.
That's the second time a Washington player has been...
-...knocked out by his own teammate. -There's a rule in sports:
Don't do anything great if you can't handle the congratulations.
-There is? -Yup.
''Give me an S!
''Give me an E!
''Give me an N!
''Give me a T!
''Give me a....''
Watch the wheel!
All right, let's go!
Touchdown, Smith! That one gets the Sentinels back into the game.
This guy is a heck of a player, but I don't know him.
According to the Sentinels, it says Ray Smith is--
That's weird! No college given, no high school.
Just says he's been a resident of the State of Maryland...
...for the last two years, and he likes to embroider!
-He does some fancy work with the ball. -Weird.
Ready!
Green 1 1 !
Falco's sacked and the ball comes loose.
It's Detroit's ball with only a minute remaining.
Let's go! Let's go!
Danny, Danny.
l need that ball. Get me the ball.
You need the ball.
-Get me the ball. -The ball.
Are you gonna get me the ball?
l hope he doesn't kill somebody.
l'm back! l'm back!
Get the ball!
l got it!
Now that is all-Madden team!
-You're the man. -l'm the man!
-You got me the ball. -l got you the ball!
-Go sit down now, Danny. -Okay.
-Number 56 recovers the ball. -Falco!
We've gotta pass. lt's gotta be in the end zone.
DC Right, Zig, 90 Eagle. You can do this.
All right? Let's do it! Come on!
-Blue 25! -Here comes the pain, baby!
Blue 25!
-Check! -What are you doing?
Check!
Black 32!
-What? -He's changing the play.
He's checking off the run. l told him to pass!
Shit!
Falco calls an audible at the line of scrimmage...
...and Cochran almost has a touchdown! What a heartbreaker for Washington.
Final score: Washington 10, Detroit 14.
lf l'd wanted Cochran to have that ball, l'd have called it that way.
-l read blitz. -Bullshit.
l put the game in your hands. You got scared.
l read blitz.
Winners always want the ball when the game's on the line.
WFAN, the Sports Fan's Show. How do you feel about the strike?
The fans are getting screwed. I've got season tickets I can't give away!
-What about the replacement players? -They're nobodies.
''At first I was afraid I was petrified
''Kept thinkin' I could never live without you by my side
''But then I spent so many nights Thinkin' how you did me wrong
''And I grew strong''
Why'd you play that dumb-ass song?
l put on The Commodores. That shit just came on.
Can somebody please cut that bullshit off?
-We did the best we could do. -You don't get points for trying.
Let's face it, boys, we screwed the pooch today.
Hey, there they are!
Ladies and gentlemen...
...your Washington Sentinels!
He's the luckiest guy here. At least he couldn't hear the booing today!
Hello! Anyone home? Did l hear an echo?
Where'd McGinty get Rain Man? The Special Olympics?
No wonder they couldn't win. He can't even order a drink!
-Lay off. -Lighten up.
lt's not like he can hear.
l can.
What's that say?
''One good thing about being deaf, you can ignore the assholes.''
You asshole.
That's funny.
lt's cool!
You had enough?
You've got shit for brains, but you've got balls.
Thank you.
Danny, remember what l told you about red shirts in practice?
Yeah.
-Forget about it. -Okay.
Martel.
Who's the man? Who's the man?
Come on! Come on!
Come on, come on! Stop!
Let's play football, bitch!
We are all God's children here!
''And deliver thee into the hands of brutish men''--
Ezekiel 21 :31 .
This is some more bullshit!
It's more of a homecoming for you.
You gonna be a funny man?
Bateman! Wilkinson! Come on, guys, what are you doing?
Can't we all just get along?
Come on.
Why are we the only ones in this jail?
-Simple. They're winners. -Hell, no. Not tonight.
That was pretty sweet, you sitting on Wilson's head, Jumbo.
Thanks, Jamal.
He wasn't the only one who kicked ass tonight.
You're the man tonight, Clifford Franklin!
What?
You were hiding behind the jukebox. Wasn't he?
At first, l admit, l was afraid.
-Shit, l was petrified. -You were petrified?
''Thinkin' l could never live without you by my side''
-The Lord is by your side. -Have mercy.
''And then l spent so many nights thinkin' how you did me wrong
''And l grew strong''
You know l hate this damn song.
''l learned how to get along And so you're back
''from outer space
''l just walked in to find you here with that sad look upon your face
''l should have changed that stupid lock l should have made you leave your key
''lf l'd have known for just one second you'd be back to bother me
''Go on, now, go
''Walk out the door
''Just turn around now 'cause you're not welcome anymore''
Remember this?
''Weren't you the one who tried to hurt me with goodbye?
''Did l crumble? Did you think l'd lay down and die?
''Oh, no, not l l will survive
''As long as l know how to love l know l'll stay alive
''l've got all my life to live l've got all my love to give
''And l'll survive
''l will survive
''Hey, hey!
''lt took all the strength l had not to fall apart
''Kept tryin' hard to mend the pieces of my broken heart
''And l spent oh so many nights Just feeling sorry for myself
''l used to cry But now l hold my head up high
-''And you see me'' -Four, five!
Okay, all right.
Frankie.
lf anything like this bar fight happens again...
...there'll be no place on the team for any of you.
-Do l make myself perfectly clear? -Yes, sir.
Just for the record...
...l would've loved to have seen Martel get his ass kicked.
Let's get out of here!
Hey, Shane.
What are you doing?
My job.
-You're a professional football player. -Sure, this week.
When that's all over, you know...
...l'll be back here. l don't want to lose my customers.
l was on my way to work. Do you need a ride?
l'm good.
-l got my truck back. -How is it?
Flatter. But it runs.
And you? How are you running after last night?
You heard about that?
l think the whole town heard about that.
ls that from the game or the fight?
l'm not sure. lt's all blurred into one big beating.
The good news is, you guys got into a rhythm...
...apart from that vomiting thing, which was on Sports Center.
Oh, God.
After that, the team was really clicking.
Yeah, it was starting to come together.
Yeah.
-You want to sit down? -No, l should go.
Thanks for coming by.
-Wow. Ow. -What?
Oh! Ow!
Jesus!
-lt looks worse than it feels. -lt looks like hell.
-Then it looks exactly like it feels. -Here.
Wild yam?
Yeah.
Don't laugh, it works. lt's great for sore muscles and bruises.
-l use it all the time. -You don't have to do that.
Will you put it on? You can barely move. This will be a little bit....
-Cold! -Sorry, sorry.
Here, your shoulders.
Better?
Better.
You're the first player l can remember...
...who cares more about his teammates than himself.
That's something this team's been missing for a really long time.
lt's a good thing you did last night.
lt was just stupid.
Thanks.
-l'm gonna be late for work. -Practice?
No, actually, l have work.
We only make $50 a game. Gotta pay the bills, right?
Mac's, down on A Street. Come in, l'll buy you a beer.
All right, l'll do that.
Keep putting that yam on.
Guys!
You gotta be kidding.
l didn't park in your space.
No, no.
But, unfortunately, you did park in Lamont's space.
-He's not nearly as lenient as l am. -On three, fellas.
-We got this. We got this. -You want to put the car back?
This is none of your business.
Shane is our business.
-We're the guards. -And we protect our quarterback.
This is funny to them bozos. You got a joke? You got a joke?
That's your ride right there, ain't it?
Yeah.
That's my windshield!
-Now, put the car back. -Son of a bitch!
Son of a--
Oh, son of a bitch? l'm a son of a bitch?
Stop, stop!
Come on, goddamn it, help me!
You're gonna pay for this!
No, l'm not. Stop messing with my man, that includes his ride.
And wax that motherfucker.
Give it a tune-up, too.
Ready to go to practice?
Yeah, let's do that.
-How's that arm? -Good.
What's that smell?
Wild yam.
-That's nice. -You like that?
And so, boys and girls, if anybody does have any firearms...
...you need to turn them in as soon as possible.
No questions asked.
Understood?
All right.
Okay, coach, it's all yours.
Last Sunday, l saw a team on the field play as hard as they could...
...to win the football game.
We lost. Not because of effort or desire...
...but because of lack of leadership and trust. One's been resolved.
But leadership means nothing if a team doesn't believe in each other.
Players spend years together before they develop trust.
l'm asking you to do it in a week, not a reasonable request, but...
...these aren't reasonable times.
l know you all have concerns about this Sunday.
But a real man...
...admits his fears.
l'm asking you to do that here, tonight.
Who wants to start?
Let's talk about fears.
Fears.
l'm scared of spiders, coach.
-That's not what l meant. -l'm afraid of spiders, too.
Goddamn spiders freak me, too, fellas.
Well, l didn't mean that.
Ever get one of those spiders crawling up your arm?
-Crawling on you? -Damn!
Thanks, Jumbo. You can just rock me to sleep tonight.
Okay, that's great, but l'm talking about what scares us on the field.
Like spiders on the field?
Can we get beyond the spiders, please?
Bees.
Bees?
-Bees? -Bees.
Anybody here afraid of anything other than insects?
Come on.
Quicksand.
Shit, yeah! Quicksand's a scary mother, man.
lt sucks you right in and even if you scream, you get that muck--
l don't think that's it.
That's not what he had in mind.
-What's he talking about, then? -Ask him.
What's up, Shane?
You're playing...
...and you think everything is going fine. But then one thing goes wrong...
...and another...
...and another.
You try to fight back, but the harder you fight, the deeper you sink.
Until you can't move.
You can't breathe...
...because you're in over your head...
...like quicksand.
That's some deep shit.
Anything else you're afraid of?
-Going back to the mini-mart. -The shipping yard.
The auto plant.
Prison.
Yeah, all right.
The truth is, you guys have been given something...
...that every athlete dreams of: