In Virginia,
high school football
is a way of life.
It's bigger
than Christmas day.
My daddy
coached in Alexandria.
He worked so hard,
my mama left him,
but I stayed with Coach.
He needed me on that field.
Up until 1971
in Alexandria,
there was no race mixing.
Then the school board
forced us to integrate.
They combined the white school
and the black school into one
called
T. C. Williams High School.
Murderer! Murderer!
hat summer
a black teenager was killed
by a white store owner,
and the city was
on the verge of exploding.
!! Well, my mind
is goin' through some changes!!
You've caused
enough damage!
- This is my store!
- Back off.
Blue left!
Blue left! Left!
Come on, Kurt, don't let Ray
back you down like that!
You're twice his size!
Aargh!
What are they doing?
If they keep playing like that,
we'll lose every game!
I didn't think
that was so bad.
!!She had to run!!
Looks good, Gerry.
I can see you been working.
Thanks.
Thanks a lot, Coach.
Listen, with the schools
integrating and all,
some of the guys are
worried about losing
their starting
positions.
Well, that's something we're
just gonna have to figure out,
but you don't worry
about that now.
You just keep at it.
All right?
Yes, Coach.
Hey, guys! Guys!
It's comin' down!
It's comin' down
at the store!
They want to burn
the place up
'cause that colored kid
got shot.
Come on, man,
let's go.
Hey. Hey!
Coach?
You just get Sheryl
to the school now, Herb.
!!Sorry!!
Get in the truck.
Gerry, Alan, Ray,
if you ever want
to play for me again,
get in the truck now.
You boys are gonna cool off,
come with me to my office,
help me finish
packing my things.
Gerry, son, your heart's
in the right place,
but you ought
to know better
than to embarrass
the coach like that.
Hell, why don't you just
kick them all off the team?
I don't want to play with
any of those black animals.
Whoa.
I see him.
Who are you?
I'm Herman Boone. I'm
the new assistant coach.
Well, from
the looks of things,
I'd say we got all the help
we need around here.
Why ain't you outside there
with all your
little friends, hollering'?
This was the time that
was arranged for me
to meet with
Coach Yoast.
I never miss
an appointment.
Well, maybe you just
better reschedule.
Coach Boone, the school
board made the decision
to put you on my staff.
I did not hire you.
Well, I came up here
to coach at G.W.
I didn't ask the schools
to redistrict.
I didn't ask to be
assigned to your staff,
so I guess we're both
in a situation
we don't want to be in.
But I can guarantee
you this, Coach,
I come to win.
Win? Coach Yoast
here has been nominated
to the Virginia
High School Hall of Fame.
I won a couple of titles
down in North Carolina.
That's double ''A'' ball.
This here's Virginia.
We play triple ''A.''
What an opportunity
for me then...
to learn...
from the best.
!! Ooh, I bet
you're wonderin' how I knew!!
Are those
people the movers?
No. Looks like
they're moving in here.
How many
of them are there?
It only takes one.
Then we're gonna be
overrun by 'em.
Mommy, where are you
taking my teddybear?
That. Come on, y'all.
Ohh.
Where is everybody?
Nicky, yes.
Look there, here
comes some more of'em.
That's Dr. Day, that
Negro from the school board.
What's he doing here?
The school board has decided
that Negro Herman Boone
is gonna be
the head coach at T.C.
It's not fair!
My daddy's head coach!
This is gonna be
his Hall of Fame year!
No one
is trying to takeaway
your daddy's future
place in the hall.
You can't just walk in here
and take my daddy's job away!
That is enough, Sheryl.
That's enough.
Sheryl!
Ow.
I...
it's all right, Bill.
I feel the same way.
It's those agitators
and race-mixers
I feel like
taking a swat at.
Troublemakers in
the Berg are ready
to put a torch
to the city.
to put a torch
to the city.
You want us to burn up
like Watts?
Every head coach in
the system is white.
We had to give them
something.
It's the world we live in,
God help us all.
I left North Carolina
because I was passed over
for a job that I had
rightfully earned.
Gave it to a white coach
down there
couldn't even tie up
his own football cleats.
Now you are asking me
to do the same thing
to this man?
I can't do that.
Herman?
Folks in Carolina say
you marched with Dr. King.
Say you stood toe-to-toe
with the Klan.
Said you're a race man.
That's right.
I'm also a family man.
Coach Boone, black folks
have never had
anything in this city
to call their own
except humiliation
and despair.
Dr. Day, excuse me.
Herman, I think you'd
better look outside.
So, you see,
we need you, Coach Boone.
Come on,
meet the people.
Coach Boone,
I'm Charles Campbell.
This here is
my boy Julius.
He can be the fi nest
defensive end
in the whole state
if you push him to it.
I've heard a lot
about you.
You're like an answer
to our prayers.
Now, wait a minute. I'm not
an answer to your prayers.
I'm not a savior
or Jesus Christ,
Martin Luther King,
or the Easter bunny.
I'm a football coach,
that's all.
Just a football coach.
You're our coach.
You're our coach!
Coach Boone!
Boone! Boone! Boone!
What do you want?
Is Coach Yoast here?
We're busy...
interviewing
for head coaching jobs.
Gotten 11 offers and
certainly no time for you.
Well, come on in.
I've got an office out back.
Look, I can't
even spell diplomacy,
and I'm sorry about
the way things went down,
but make no mistake,
I am qualified
to be this school's
head coach.
Sure. You've been in,
what,
in the past 1 0 years?
With 4 or5
championships.
This isn't about me.
I'm worried about my boys.
Well, I ain't gonna
cook 'em and eat 'em.
The best player will play.
Color won't matter.
From the looks of our
little situation we got here,
I'd say it's about
all that does.
Yeah, you're right.
We're in
a tough spot, Coach,
you, me, the whole city.
I think it would go a long
way to smooth things over
if you would stay,
work on the staff,
be a defensive coordinator,
assistant head coach.
Work under you?
If that's the way
you see it.
Good night, Coach.
It's been
a rare privilege
to have lived here
as long as I have
coaching your boys.
I'll be taking
the year off...
No.
after which
I'll be moving to Loudon
and taking the head coaching
job at Loudon High.
- I say boycott T.C. Williams!
- Tell 'em, Fred!
Our boys aren't playing
for some ''Coach Coon!''
Coach,
he stole your job.
I'm not playing for him.
I started a petition, and I'm
sitting this season out.
Only place
you're going to sit
is back in that chair,
Gerry.
I appreciate it, though.
Boycott T. C.!
Boycott the school!
Stop this, Fred.
You know none of these boys
can afford to go
to some other district
just to play ball.
They sit this one out,
they put their futures
on the line.
Coach, I'm out, too.
I'm not playing
for no thief.
Don't do this.
Don't make this any harder
for me than it already is.
Coach, if you go, I go.
only play
for you, Coach Yoast.
Don't go, Coach.
You can't leave us.
Coach Yoast!
Coach Yoast! Coach Yoast!
We'll be all right,
Coach.
I've coached
most of these boys
since they
were your age.
I've seen them grow up
in front of my eyes,
almost like
they were my own kids.
Almost.
This is a heck of a time
to be abandoning them
to look out for
themselves, ain't it?
So...what are you
gonna do?
We gonna play
some ball, y'all!
Black inside, black inside,
black inside.
Unh, unh, unh, unh!
Yo, Petey,
how many yards you figure
you gonna get
this season, bro?
You know, I ain't one
to brag, big Blue,
but I figure on
at least a thousand.
But I ain't
one to brag.
Didn't I tell you
all them white boys
weren't gonna play
for no brother?
Well, who needs 'em, baby?
From now on the Titans gonna be
powered by soul power, bro.
! He said soul power!
Shut up.
Put your hand down.
You're smiling.
Yes.
Yes, sir.
Why are you smiling?
'Cause I love football.
Football's fun.
Fun, sir. It's fun?
- Yes.
- You sure?
I think--
Now you're thinking'.
First you smile,
then you thinking'.
You think football
is still fun?
Uh, yes.
Sir.
- Yes--no, sir.
- No?
It was fun.
Not anymore, though,
is it?
Not right now.
It's not fun anymore.
Not even a little bit.
Uh...no.
Make up your mind.
Think since you're thinking.
Go on, think.
Is it fun?
- No, sir.
- No?
Absolutely not?
Zero fun, sir.
All right, listen up.
I'm Coach Boone.
I'm gonna tell you all
about how much ''fun''
you're gonna have
this season.
We leave for camp,
Gettysburg College,
August 1 5th, 7:29 A.M.
If you report at 7::30,
you will not be playing
football this season,
you will be watching.
You will wear
a jacket, shirt, and tie.
If you don't have one,
buy one.
Can't afford one,
borrow one from your old man.
If you don't
have an old man,
then find a drunk,
trade him for his.
'Cause I guarantee you
there isn't a bum on the street
that looks as raggedy
and ridiculous
as what I'm looking at
right now.
This is no democracy.
It is a dictatorship.
I am the law.
If you survive camp,
you will be on the team.
If you survive.
Check 'em in, Coach.
Checkin' 'em in.
I'm Coach Hinds,
your offensive line coach.
Yell out your name and position
starting from the right.
Petey Jones,
running back.
The running back, y'all.
Whatever, Petey.
Get out here!
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Jerry Harris, quarterback.
Hallelujah!
Hallelujah, Rev!
Rev?
It's just
a nickname.
And who in the name
of heaven might you be?
Louie Lastik,
offensive lineman.
Naval family, just moved
here from Bayonne.
Someone said football,
so I come runnin'.
What's goin' on,
everybody?
With him calling the shots,
ain't none of us
gonna see nothin'
but the bench this year.
He ain't calling
the shots. You'll play.
You have just disrupted
my first team meeting
in an unacceptable
fashion.
This is my team now.
Either you're with that
or you're not.
I'm here, ain't I?
Let's talk football.
Let's talk football.
I run the defense--
As a part of
my team strategy.
Now, I have never seen
an assistant coach's name
in the newspaper
for losing a game.
I want a job
for Coach Tyrell.
He's been with me
for 1 0 years.
I won't leave him
out in the cold.
You don't get me
without him.
You're overcooking
my grits, Coach.
All right. I will
allow Coach Tyrell
to coach
the special team,
but I will have
my eye on him.
And you.
Good morning, good morning,
Coaches, how are you?
Good morning
to you.
Looks good today,
doesn't it?
Just wanted to let you know
what the offense is doing.
Awful skinny play book,
ain't it?
I run 6 plays, split veer.
It's like novocaine.
Just give it time,
always works.
See you on the bus.
Be patient, Bill.
Your time will come.
Herman, here we go.
Here we go.
How can I help
you boys?
I'm Gerry Bertier,
the only all-American
you got on this team.
You want any of us
to play for you,
you reserve half
the open positions
for Hammond players,
half the offense,
half the special teams.
We don't need any of
your people on defense.
We're already set.
Uh-huh. Don't need
none of my people?
What did you say
your name was, Jerry?
Gerry.
No, you must have said
Jerry, like Lewis,
which would make you
Dean Martin, right?
Ladies and gentlemen,
I got an announcement to make.
We got Jerry Lewis
and Dean Martin
going to camp with us
here this year.
Jerry tells the jokes,
Dean sings the songs
and gets the girl.
Let's give them
a round of applause.
Where's your folks,
Gerry?
Your parents,
are they here?
Where are they?
That's my mother.
That's your mama?
Very nice.
How are you?
Take a good look at her.
'Cause once
you get on that bus,
you ain't got no mama
no more.
You got your brothers
on the team,
and you got your daddy.
Now, you know who
your daddy is, don't you?
Gerry, if you want to play
on this football team,
you answer me when I ask you
who is your daddy.
Who's your daddy, Gerry?
Who's your daddy?
You.
Uh-huh. And whose team
is this?
Is this your team,
or is this your daddy's team?
Yours.
Mm-hmm. Get on the bus.
Put your jacket on first
and get on the bus.
OK.
Uh, Dean?
Fix that tie, son.
All right, listen up,
I want everybody off the bus.
Let's go. Follow me. Everybody.
Let's go right now.
Why we got
to get off the bus?
hat are
they doing, man?
All right,
everybody, off the bus.
Listen up, I don't care
if you're black, green,
blue, white, or orange,
I want all of my defensive
players on this side,
all players going out
for offense over here.
Right now.
Let's move! Let's move!
Let's move! Let's move!
You and you, offensive bus.
Sit together.
You and you, defensive bus.
Sit together.
Get comfortable, too,
because the person that
I have you sitting next to
is the same one
you'll be rooming with
for the duration
of this camp.
! 'Cause, baby!
!There ain't
no mountain high enough !
!Ain't no valley
low enough !
Blue, shut up.
I don't want to see
your smilin' and shuff in',
and hear all your minstrel
show singing on this bus.
You, too.
Got that right.
You can shut up, too.
!!!!
!! When I die
and they lay me to rest!!
That's my bed.
!! Gonna go to the place
that's the best!!
!! When I lay me
down to die!!
And that's his bed.
!! Up to the spirit
in the sky!!
!! Goin' up to the spirit
in the sky!!
I ain't lookin' at that
for 2 weeks, man.
Take it down.
!! When I die!!
You can close your eyes
for 2 weeks, all I care.
Why don't you look at your wall
and I'll look at mine?
I'll look
wherever I want to,
and I don't want to be
looking at that for 2 weeks.
Then you better use your
X-ray vision, Superman,
and look right through it,
'cause it ain't comin' down.
Aah!
Fight!
Fight?
Fight!
Follow me!
Come on! Come on!
All right,
wait up!
Get off me!
Get off me!
Get him off.
Get off me!
Bunch of tough guys, huh?
You look like a bunch
of fifth-grade sissies
after a cat fight.
You got anger. That's good.
You're gonna need it, son.
You got aggression.
That's even better.
You're gonna
need that, too,
butany2-year-oldchild
can throw a fit.
Foot ball is about
controlling that anger.
Harnessing that aggression
into a team effort
to achieve perfection!
Some coaches,
they cut a player
if they think
he's not up to snuff.
When they think
he's hurting the team.
This is
a public school program.
I will never, ever
cut a player
who comes out
to play for me,
but when you put
that uniform on,
that Titan uniform,
you better come to work.
We will be perfect...
in every aspect of the game.
You drop a pass,
you run a mile.
You miss a blocking assignment,
you run a mile.
You fumble the football,
and I will break my foot off
in your John Brown hind parts...
and then you will run a mile.
Perfection!
Let's go to work.
Move!
Move those feet!
Get up, boy! Get up! Get up!
Get up! Get up! Get up!
Keep those heads up!
Keep those feet moving!
Everything
we gonna do is changing.
We are change.
We're gonna change
the way we run.
We're gonna change
the way we eat.
We're gonna change
the way we block.
We're gonna change
the way we tackle.
We're gonna change
the way we win.
Defense is desire!
Fire and desire.
Defense! Come on!
Get up. Get outta here.
Go run. Go.
Unh!
Keep those legs movin'!
Keep those legs apart!
Keep movin: keep movin'.
Keep that ball with you till
you get outta the briar patch.
Show me, son! Show me, 'Bama!
Show me, 'Bama!
Jump on that ball carrier
like a starving man
on a Christmas ham.
Hut!
Fumble! Fumble!
What is wrong with you?
Why are you fumbling
my football?
My blockers were bad.
Your blockers
ain't got nothin'
to do with you
holding the ball!
Did your blockers
fumble the football,
or did you fumble
the football?
I did, sir.
All right. How many
feet are in a mile?
How many feet
are in a mile?
You pick this ball up,
you run every one of them!
You're killing me, Petey!
You're killing me!
What you doing, man?
Eating lunch.
I see you eating lunch.
But why you
eating over here?
Why don't you go on over there
and eat with your people?
Man, I don't have
any people.
I'm with everybody,
Julius.
He's just
alight-skinned brother.
Yeah, and I'm
a dark-skinned cracker.
Come on, Julius, he's
just another blessed child
in God's loving family.
Come on, Blue, let me--
Lord, we come
before you today...
and ask you to soften
big Julius Campbell's heart.
Look at that traitor.
And Rev?
He better be praying
I block for
his black behind.
Yeah, but, Ray,
if you don't block
you're not gonna start.
I'll start.
I'll just bide
my time.
I got some plays we won
the city title with last year.
Got some trick plays,
some stuff that might
fi re up the boys'
imaginations a little bit.
Trick plays?
I think unless the boys
start having a little fun
they're not gonna put points
up on that board for you.
You worry
about your defense.
Let me worry about
the offense.
All right.
Lastik!
I want you to
tell me something
about one of your
black teammates.
Sir, yes, sir!
I'm rooming with Blue, sir,
and I noticed he wears those
leopard-spotted under wears,
bikini-style, sir!
OK, maybe somebody
who's not your roommate.
Sir, I eat lunch with Rev.
That's Jerry Harris, sir!
People call him Rev
'cause he's always praying,
and he won't abide
a foul tongue, sir!
And what is the Rev gonna
do after high school?
I don't know.
Go to college
and all that, I guess.
What about you?
You gonna go to college?
Oh, not me, Coach.
I ain't a brainiac
like Rev.
Think you got a future
in football?
Heck, no. I just figure
if I got to be in school
I might as well hit some
people while I'm at it.
All right, I like that.
A self-aware man,
I like that.
But if you don't
go to college,
it's not gonna be because
you're not qualified,
so I want you to bring me
your test scores
at the end of every week, and
we'll go over them together, OK?
We'll keep that
between you and me.
OK.
So, what kind of music
does the Rev like?
Me and Rev both
dig on The Temptations.
Oh, yeah?
! I know you want
to leave me !
! But I refuse
to let you go !
!!If I got to pray!!
!!Plead for your sympathy!!
! I don't mind !
! 'Cause you mean
that much to me !
!Ain't too proud
to beg !
OK, all right.
Stop begging.
Anybody else?
No volunteers?
Campbell?
Bertier?
No, huh?
Each one of you
will spend time every day
with a teammate of
a different race.
You will learn
about him and his family,
his likes, his dislikes.
You will report back to me
until you meet every one
of your teammates.
Until that time,
we go to 3-a-day practices.
You continue
to ignore each other,
we'll go
to 4-a-daypractices.
Now, is there any part of this
you don't understand?
Let's see.
What's your daddy's name?
I mean, you do have
a daddy right?
I have a father,
and his name is Eric.
And what's he do?
Wait, he does have
a job, right?
!!!!
!! They're gonna
put me in the movies!!
Huh? Yes! This one.
I don't even have
to ask, but I will.
What do you think
of this one?
Does the term ''cruel
and unusual punishment''
mean anything to you?
in the game.
The other team is out there,
they're tired.
Fourth quarter.
Fourth quarter.
Fourth quarter.
Nobody from my family
ever went to no college.
I'll tutor you,
Louie.
I'm white trash!
I ain't gonna get
no C-plus grades!
I'm just down-home, no-good,
never-goin'-to-no-college
white trash, man!
Would you hurry up
and get off the phone?
I got to call
my girl, too, man!
Say it right now.
Oh, oh, don't
do this right now.
Hey, man, what is this,
Wild Kingdom?
Shut up, y'all!
Mating habits of
the mountain gorillas?
Gerry, you say it, or I'm
not hanging up the phone.
Say it right now.
I love you, sugar.
Ha ha ha!
''I love you, sugar!''
Left!
Let's go!
Watch it!
Watch it!
Set! Hut!
et him!
Get him! Get him!
What are y' all doing?
to know your jobs!
Campbell, you're playing
selfish, show-off football.
Hold your man down.
Don't you single me out
like that.
What, you think
I'm stupid or something?
Listen,
I'm the team captain,
and I don't need you
up in my face--
We're here to
play football, y'all.
Let's play football.
Doc?
I got it.
Y'all didn't come
out here to practice!
'Cause champions
pay the price!
Lookin' like a bunch
of bums out here!
Who's a coward?
Cowards won't block.
Cowards won't tackle.
Cowards won't
go after fumbles.
Coach,
we need a water break.
We been out here all day.
What did you say?
I said we need
a water break.
You need a water break.
Water is for cowards.
Water makes you weak.
Water is for washing
blood off that uniform,
and you don't get
no blood on my uniform.
Boy, you must be
outside your mind!
We are going to do up-downs
until Blue is no longer
tired and thirsty.
Coach!
There's a fine line
between tough and crazy,
and you're firting
with it.
All right,
get some water.
I'll take that.
Hey, wait
your turn, boy.
Who you calling
a boy, cracker?
Yaah!
Quit it, jerks!
Come on! You're all acting
like a bunch of sissies!
Quit it!
All right, man, listen.
I'm Gerry, you're Julius.
Let's get some particulars
and just get this
over with, all right?
- Particulars?
- Yeah.
No matter what I tell you,
you ain't never gonna know
nothing about me.
Listen, I ain't runnin'
any more of these 3-a-days.
What I got to say,
you really don't want to hear
'cause honesty ain't too high
on your people's priority list.
Honesty?
You want honesty?
All right, honestly,
I think you're nothing.
Nothing
but a pure waste
of God-given talent.
You don't listen
to nobody, man.
Not even Doc or Boone!
Shiver push on the line
every time, man.
You blow right past 'em!
Push 'em!
Pull 'em! Do something!
You can't run over
everybody in this league,
and every time you do, you
leave one of your teammates
hanging out to dry--
me in particular!
Why should I give a hoot
about you, huh?
Or anybody else out there?
You want to talk about a waste,
you the captain?
Right.
- Captain's supposed to be
the leader, right?
-Right.
You got a job? You
been doing your job?
I've been doing my job.
Then why don't you tell
your white buddies
to block for Rev better?
'Cause they have not blocked
for him worth a plugged nickel,
and you know it!
Nobody plays!
Your self included!
I'm supposed to wear
my self out for the team?
What team?!
No. No, what
I'm gonna do is,
I'm gonna look out
for myself,
and I'm gonna get mine.
See, man?
That's the worst attitude
I ever heard.
Attitude refects
leadership, Captain.
Let's go, let's go,
let's go, let's go!
Wake up, gentlemen,
it's late.
It's 3A.M. In the morning.
All right, listen up.
You will follow Doc, myself,
and the other coaches,
we're gonna take a little
run through the woods.
If you get lost
along the way,
don't bother
coming back to camp.
Just hitchhike
your hind parts on home.
Any questions?
Coach, this is a high
school football team.
We're not in
the marines here.
Let's go.
Let's go.
!! Tell me,
where have you been!!
!!My blue-eyed son?!!
!! Where have you been!!
!!My darlin' young one?!!
!!I've stumbled
up on the side!!
!! Of12mistymountains!!
!!I've walked
and I've crawled!!
!! Over6brokenhighways!!
!!But it's hard!!
!!It's hard!!
Oh, no, no.
Shoot!
Come on, baby.
Can't take no rest.
!! Oh, it's hard, girl!!
!!It's a hard rain!!
!!A-gonna fall!!
Any body know
what this place is?
This is Gettysburg.
This is where they fought
the Battle of Gettysburg.
on this field,
fightin' the same fight
that we're still fightin'
amongst ourselves...
today.
This green field right here
was painted red.
Bubbling with the blood
of young boys.
Smoke...
and hot lead pouring
right through their bodies.
Listen to their souls, men.
''I killed my brother
with malice in my heart. ''
'' Hatred destroyed my family.''
You listen...
and you take a lesson
from the dead.
If we don't come together...
right now,
on this hallowed ground...
then we, too,
will be destroyed.
Just like they were.
I don't care if you
like each other or not,
but you will
respect each other,
and maybe...
I don't know,
maybe we'll...
learn to play this game
like men.
Hut!
Here we go!
All right.
We'll be out here all night,
until we get this thing right.
Let's go.
Let's go,
team, pick it up!
On the ball, Rev.
Come on, everybody.
Get it right!
Ready!
Set!
Whoo!
Check blue!
There it is. Whoo!
Let's go! Hut!
Get him!
Get him! Get him!
What was that, Ray?
Whatever it is,
it ain't blockin'!
Give me a break, Gerry.
You want a break?
I'll give you a break!
Wait a minute,
wait, wait.
Let them handle this.
If we get to Rev once,
just one time,
Is wear to God,
I'm gonna hit you so hard,
by the time you come to,
ooh, boy, you're gonna
need a new haircut.
You understand me? Uhh!
Ha ha ha ha!
Let's play, fellas!
On the ball.
Let's run it again.
Ready!
All right.
Muskrat!
Set! Hut!
Get off me!
Hoo hoo!
You all right,
big Petey?
You all right?
You really stuck him,
Campbell.
Yeah, I love me
a little contact, Petey!
This is left side!
- Strong side!
- Left side!
- Strong side!
- Left side!
Strong side!
Left side!
- Strong side!
- Left side!
Strong side!
- Aah!
- Aah!
What wins games?
Defense!
- What wins games?
- Defense!
- What wins games?
- Defense!
!!I was once out strolling!!
!! One very hot
summer's day!!
!! When I thought I'd
lay myself down to rest!!
Hey, fellas.
Look at that fruitcake.
Gerry, just keep
your mouth shut
and get back
on that field.
Coach Boone,
I'm Colonel Bass.
I just got transferred here
from Huntington Beach,
California.
This is my son Ronnie,
and he's a quarterback.
How you doing, Ronnie?
This is Coach Yoast.
My pleasure.
We're pretty set at the,
uh, quarterback, Colonel,
but, uh,
if the boy's any good,
you may want to check out
Wilson or Hamilton.
Well, I, uh,
I met Coach Taber.
He won't let
blacks play on his team.
The way I see it,
if these boys can
fight a war together,
they can play
football together.
Now, he's
a pretty good runner.
!!Spill the wine
and take that pearl!!
!!Spill the wine
and take that pearl!!
Yeah, a fruitcake, huh?
I think we can find
a place for your boy.
Mm-hmm.
With one or two conditions.
Hey, Sunshine.
! Sunshine !
Sunshine.
Sunshine.
Hey, man,
all that rubbin'
ain't gonna make
them golden locks
grow back no faster now.
You know that, huh?
! Sunshine,
Sunshine, Sunshine !
Sunshine, huh?
Sunshine.
Yeah.
Choke it up, huh?
That's cool.
I can dig it.
Ooh!
Come on, now.
Don't leave me hangin:
bro. Come on.
Hey, he got
a little soul power.
Look at this man here.
He called me ''bro''!
Hey, but, hey,
I liked him better
with the long hair, bro.
Reminded me
of Bertier's mama.
Ohh!
What? What?
Now, how do you know
what Bertier's mama looks like?
Brother, don't you know
me and Bertier's mama
went out on the town
last night, bro?
What are you say--
Hold up, hold up.
Listen, now, Blue.
Why are you talking about
Bertier's mama like that?
See, now, you
making me angry, man.
Look like I ain't gonna
be able to take your mama
to the prom no more.
hat you laughin' at,
Jerry Buck?
You need to tell your mama
to shave them old legs
of hers, bro.
And, Julius,
when she's done,
maybe your mama
can borrow the razor
and shave that old
nasty back of hers.
Whoa, whoa, whoa,
wait, wait, wait.
ou mad because she
lookin' like a wolf man woman.
Hey, hey. Lastik, man,
what happened to you?
Man, I just gave your
mama a piggyback ride,
and she weighs twice
as much as I do.
That ain't funny.
That's--that's a mama joke.
!!
! Listen, baby!
!Ain't no mountain high !
!Ain't no valley low !
!Ain't no river
wide enough, baby!
! If you need me,
call me !
! No matter
where you are!
! No matter
how far!
! No, no, darlin' !
!!Just call my name!!
!!I'll be there
in a hurry!!
!You don't have
to worry!
! 'Cause, baby, there !
!!Ain't no mountain
high enough!!
So, Julius, I was
thinking that we--
He's in the shower.
!!Ain't no mountain
low enough!!
What do you want, man?
You know what I want.
Ohh!
Ohh!
Come on!
!!I told you!!
!! You could always
count on me!!
Ooh! Ooh!
Hey, Bertier!
Get off. Get off.
You have no idea
who you messed with, man!
There's too much
male bonding
going on in here
for me.
I'm out. You dig?
All right!
What is going on here?
!!Ain't no river wide enough!!
He kissed me, man!
!! To keep me from getting
to you, babe!!
!! 'Cause baby there!!
!Ain't no mountain
high enough !
!!Ain't no valley low enough!!
!Ain't no river
wide enough !
!To keep me from gettin'
to you, babe !
- Ronnie Bass.
- Yes, sir.
I like that haircut.
Get in there
and show me what
you got. Option left.
Let's go, baby.
Rookie quarterback.
Side field, come on.
Left! Left!
Set! Hut!
Ball! Ball! Ball!
Hard step.
Read the tackle.
Got to see the pitch,
all right?
Now,
you can throw it a mile,
but you
can't pitch it 3 yards.
Gotta see it.
If you don't read it,
you weave 'em.
- Rev!
- Yes, sir!
Show him how.
Yes, sir.
You want
this milk, Bertier?
Yeah, I'll take it, man.
You can have it.
Hey, can you slide
a bit, Gerry?
Hey, Ray, this is
the defensive table.
!! To get bread from dough!!
Hi, Petey.
What's up, man?
Hey, Sunshine.
It's not like I care
or nothin',
but bein' your roommate
and all, uh...
you was just messin'
with Bertier, right?
You--you was just messing
with his mind, right?
You're not really, uh...
What are you
talking about, Petey?
Look, man, it don't
matter to me, you know?
I-if, you know, if...
I just got to know,
you know? Uh...
If it don't matter,
what's the big deal?
I got to know.
Know what?
You know what I got to know?
Don't mess with my mind!
Looks like Coach
been keeping Petey
out in the sun
for too long, bro.
Coach.
Hey, sweetie.
Sit down.
Have my dessert.
Coach Boone?
You did a good job
up here.
ou ran a tough
camp from what I can see.
Well, I'm very happy
to have the approval
of a 5-year-old.
I'm 9 1 /2,
thank you very much.
Why don't you
get this little girl
some pretty dolls
or something, Coach?
I tried.
She loves football.
hat are you?!
Mo-bile! A-gile!
Hos-tile!
What is pain?!
French bread!
hat is fatigue?!
Army clothes!
Will you ever quit?!
No!
We want some mo'!
We want some mo'!
We want some mo'!
Turn in!
Let me ask you something,
Mr. Campbell.
Uh-huh.
What kind of power
you got?
Oh, man, you know
I got some soul power.
What kind of power
you got?
What kind of question
is that?
I got soul power!
- Yes, you do!
- Right on!
Let me ask you something
now, Mr. Bertier.
How strong are you?
I'm too strong!
- What?!
- I'm too strong!
- How strong?
- Too strong!
I want a victory!
Oh, I want a victory!
I want a victory!
No, I want a victory!
You all want a victory?!
Yeah!
You all want a victory?!
Yeah!
!! Good-bye!!
! Na na na na !
! Hey, hey, hey!
! Good-bye !
Let me
hear you!
Let me hear you!
Up in the front!
Up in the front!
Whole school!
!!Hey, hey, hey!!
What'd they do up there,
brainwash 'em?
They must be high
on somethin'.
!!Na na na na!!
!!Hey, hey, hey!!
Hey, Mom.
Oh, welcome home.
Dad.
Ah, ha ha.
Mmm-ah! How you doin',
sweetheart?
Oh, I missed you
so much.
Hey, man.
Like, are we cool?
Yeah, we're cool, man.
Mrs. Boone,
nice to meet you.
You, too.
Yeah, this is, uh,
little Karen.
This is Nicky.
Nicky, that's Sheryl.
Why do you dress
so weird?
Ow!
Look who's talking.
Ow.
Well, we're just all
getting along, aren't we?
We don't want you!
Get out!
We don't want them here!
!! Time has come today!!
!! Young hearts
can go their way!!
!! Can't put it off
another day!!
What you doin'
to my school, boy?
Man, this stuff
is messed up.
Yeah,
anything serious happen,
they shut the school down,
and our season
go down the drain.
This here's
real messed up.
But there are a lot
of pretty women here.
Hey.
Look at 'em, Gerry.
They hate us.
Nah. Just a bad day.
Things'll cool down.
No, Gerry. They're
always gonna hate us.
We don't need you here,
either, hippie boy.
You hear
what he said?
Hey, man.
Hey, Julius.
Man, it's crazy
out here, man.
Yeah, well,
what did you expect?
I don't know. I ain't quite
expect it to be like this.
Ah, sorry. Julius,
this is Emma.
!!Now the time has come!!
!! Time!!
Camp over now, huh?
Back to the real world,
Bertier.
This is what
they're integrating us for?
We'd have been better off
staying where we were.
!! Time!!
!! Time!!
Mmm.
Yeah, this is
my sanctuary right here.
All this hatred and turmoil
swirling around us,
but this...
this is always right.
Struggle.
Survival.
Victory and defeat.
It's just a game, Doc,
but...
I love it.
Coach, I'm afraid I've put you
into a no-win situation.
I just found out the board
didn't even think
you'd make it out of camp.
And now that you have,
I've learned that
at the first sign of trouble--
Trouble?
What kind of trouble?
Lose a game...
they'll fire you
and turn it back over
to Yoast.
One game,
just like that?
Mm-hmm.
What about my family?
We just got here.
They just expect me
to pick up and move?
What about my girls?
I--I don't know
what to say, I...
I'm sorry, Coach.
! Pump, pump,
pump it up! !
! Pump, pump,
pump it up! !
! Pump that Titan spirit up! !
Look at 'em.
They come here
to watch the game,
and they still don't
want no part of us.
! Give us more !
! Do your stuff,
let's go! !
All right,
everybody on their feet.
On your feet, on your feet.
Let's go, let's go.
Listen up.
I'm not gonna talk
to you tonight about...
winnin' and losin'.
You're already winners,
'cause you didn't
kill each other up at camp.
Tonight, we got Hayfield.
Like all the other schools
in this conference,
they're all white.
They don't have
to worry about race.
We do.
But we're better
for it, men.
Let me tell you something.
You don't let anything...
nothin'...
come between us.
Nothin' tears us apart.
Greekmythology,
the titans were greater
even than the gods.
They ruled their universe
with absolute power.
Well, that football field
out there tonight,
that's our universe.
Let's rule it like titans.
Got it!
So the Titans defense
takes the field
for the first time
against
the Hay field Hawks,
led by quarterback
Daniel Cullum
on the Hawks
Ohh!
We're moving like molasses
out there,
for crying out loud!
I mean, come on!
Uhh! Ooh!
Mama.
Hmm?
Are all white girls
that crazy?
What?
You guys can do
better than that--uhh!
Yeah!
Huddle up.
Fellas, huddle up.
Bosley? Where's Alan?
Alan, you've got to
stick your man!
They're gonna score on us
all night if you don't--
He's too fast, Gerry.
I can't stick with him.
Let's go, let's go!
22! Hut!
Touchdown, Hawks!
Shape up that
defense, Yoast.
You just worry
about your offense.
Hey, they score again,
I'm takin' over.
Ready!
That's it!
Watch him!
Watch him!
Set!
Hut! Hut!
Petey, get over here!
What are you doing, son?
You missed the block
by a mile.
You didn't even have the
football to fumble this time.
There's no excuse!
No excuse!
You want to play
football or not?
Do you want to
play football--
Boy, get over there
on the bench?
Herb, take over for me.
You got it.
Petey!
You all right?
I was a 2-year starter
at G.W.
All this yelling
he's doing,
it--it don't do nothing
but make me play worse.
I can't play for this man.
You come play
linebacker for me.
you to get out there,
I want you
to cover him for me.
- You want me to go in now?
- Yeah.
I can't! I--I...
I haven't practiced
with the defense. I can't.
hat doesn't matter.
Just get out there.
I want you to cover 23.
That's all you have to do.
We'll talk
about theres to fit
when we
put this one away.
You think Yoast is trying to
let them score on purpose?
What?
Do you?
Oh, come on, Herman.
OK, let's go.
What is Petey
doing in there?
Looks like Yoast
is trying him out on defense.
He's taking Alan out.
Yoast!
Herman, Herman, Herman.
Come on. Let's see.
Let's see what happens.
It might be all right.
It's OK. You're OK.
You're OK. OK.
Don't you take out
my son!
He's gettin' beat like he
stole somethin', Mr. Bosley.
You just stay
out of it, girl!
He's just getting beat,
that's all I'm saying.
Yoast!
Set! 22!
Hut hut!
- Yeah!
- Ha!
Down!
!!Ah, yeah!!
Hut! Hut, hut!
!!Doo doo
doot doot doot!!
!!Higher!!
!!Doo doo doot!!
!!Doo doo doot!!
!!Doo doo
doot doot doot!!
!!La oohhoo!!
Go, Defense.
!!Drummer, keep it going!!
Set!
Hut!
!!Right on time!!
!!Blow my mind!!
!!Higher!!
!!Higher!!
!!Higher!!
!!Superstar!!
Yeah! Uhh!
Touchdown!
Game, Titans!
Yeah!
The Titans are here, y'all,
and we ain't goin' nowhere.
Yo, you got to be loud
all the time, man?
Virginia
can hear you, baby.
I think they all heard
you fumble, man.
First of all, the hand.
Second of all, who won the game?
My dad is--
Don't worry about it.
It's not your fault.
They--they like
to show off,
and that's what they do.
Wait, wait, wait.
''They''?
Yeah. What?
I heard you say ''they.''
Yeah, they. Them.
Them over there.
But what you mean by ''they''--
you talking about Pete--
ou're you,
and they are them.
Gerry.
Hey, Gerry.
Hop in, buddy.
We're heading over
to the hill, Gerry.
Everyone's
gonna be there.
Why don't you hang out
down here with us?
We're, you know.
What are you trying
to do, Gerry?
Listen, when
something unexpected comes,
you just got to pick it up
and run with it.
I'm not running in the same
direction as you are, Gerry.
Come with us.
Look, standing up
for what you believe in,
it's all well and good,
but...
you got your priorities
real mixed up this time.
Are you comin'
or not, man?
!! The way you stole my heart!!
!! You know, you could have
been a cool crook!!
!!And, baby,
you're so smart!!
!! You know, you could have
been a schoolbook!!
Petey Jones.
Come on, man.
No, man.
What, man? It's on me, man.
We party on. Let's go.
Look--look here, man,
all right?
This here's Virginia.
All right?
They got problems with,
you know--
They don't want us
in there, man.
Oh, man, that's history, bro.
It's on me. Come on.
Woman::!! So lonely!!
!! Without you!!
!!But our love!!
We're full tonight, boys.
What? There's tables
all over the place, man.
What are you
talking about?
Well, this is
my establishment.
I reserve the right
to refuse service to anybody.
Yeah, that means
you, too, hippie boy.
Now, y'all want
somethin' to eat,
you can take these boys
out back
and pick it up
from the kitchen.
What'd I tell you,
man?
Yo, come on, Petey, man!
Petey,
I didn't know, man.
I told you! What you
mean you didn't know?!
You think I was
playing with you?!
Man, he didn't know,
Petey.
Blue, he don't
want to know.
You pull some crap
like that,
you better be able
to back it up.
Man,
let's go, man.
Why don't you
cool out? Cool out!
Let's go, Rev.
Man,
let's go, man.
What happened?
This man acting
a fool tonight, man.
Petey.
Man, don't even talk
to that man, man.
He acting all crazy
and stuff, man.
It don't even
make no sense.
Petey.
He know the man's
from out of town.
player of the week.
He's not some
walk-on scrub, Yoast.
The boy's a player.
He's a star.
And he busted
his butt for you.
This is all your doing,
you blacks.
That is enough.
It's my call.
Now listen.
You just go on
home now, Fred,
before you do something
that you're going to regret.
Yeah, well...
I guess we won't be seeing
much of him, huh?
I will.
He's on the deacon
board with me.
All right,
listen, about Petey...
no thanks required,
Coach.
Thanks?
You challenged
my authority
in front of the entire
football team, Coach.
Now, you think you're
doing these boys a favor
taking them aside every time
I come down on them,
protecting them
from big bad Boone.
You're cutting my legs
from under me.
Some of the boys
just don't respond well
to public criticism.
I tell them
what they need to know,
but I don't
humiliate them
in front of the team.
Which boys are you
talking about?
Which ones
you talking about?
I come down on Bertier.
I don't see you coddle him.
Come down on Sunshine.
Don't see you grab his hand,
take him off to the side.
Which boys
are you talking about?
Now, I may be a mean cuss,
but I'm the same
mean cuss
with everybody out there
on that football field.
The world
don't give a damn
about how sensitive
these kids are--
Especially
the young black kids.
You ain't doing
these kids a favor
by patronizing them.
You're crippling them.
You're crippling them
for life.
Hey.
Gerry,
what are you doing?
I'm going down
to the Berg.
The Berg?
Yep.
What are you doing
at the Berg?
I'm going to play
basketball with Julius.
Then we're going to
comeback here for dinner.
Gerry, if your father
was still alive--
Ma, would--
Just give him a chance.
Just get to know him.
Listen to him
for 2 seconds.
I don't want
to get to know him.
You are coming to church
with your mother.
Right, right, right!
He's mine!
Hut!
ou blew
your assignment!
Man, I'm covering for you.
Don't get in my face.
Yo, cool out.
Cool out.
Where you at?
What planet
you on tonight?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I mean, it's fine, man.
I knew you was going
to stand me up.
I figured you weren't
going to make out
to the Berg, no way.
I knew you was all talk,
but now you
making us look bad
out there on the field.
Don't talk to me, man.
You ain't got nothing
to say to me.
Why the clouds,
Sunshine?
I can't make
that pitch, Petey.
You ain't gonna
never play anyway,
unless we're up
by 50 points.
And seeing as how
we ain't never gonna be
up by no 50 points,
you might as well
just sit back, relax,
and enjoy the bench.
How's it going, yo?
Man, I didn't sign up
to play like this.
These guys we're playing
got no heart.
We play like this
against Groveton,
we're going down.
OK, Offense.
Offense, let's go.
Hut!
Touchdown, Titans!
Game, Titans!
How you doing, Coach?
Good morning.
Where's your dad?
He's in his office.
Nicky, you allright?
Yes, Daddy.
OK.
What you doing?
Shooting some hoops.
Want to play?
I just did my nails.
How you doing?
Tyrell.
Coach--ahem--
if you don't need me,
I'm going to--
I'm going
to wait out back.
All right, Herb.
Coach Boone, to what
do I owe this surprise?
Have a seat.
I'll get straight to it.
We won't survive
another game
like the one we played
last Friday,
so I spoke to Mr. Vernon
the math teacher,
asked him to look at
the game fi lm from Groveton,
who we got next week.
I asked him
to analyze it for me.
Every coach has
certain tendencies--
All of them
except Ed Henry.
The only time
we'd be seeing Ed Henry
is at the state
championship.
Mm-hmm.
Well, gosh, this is...
this is great stuff--
Every quarter
broken down,
how many times they run
each play. I mean--
You like that, huh?
We'll be very tough
defensively with this.
I think so.
I brought Nicky by.
She was asking me
about Sheryl.
I'm getting
ready to take her over
to some of
her friends' house.
Any time you want to
bring her by the house,
we'd be more than
happy to have her.
!!!!
Oh, he's so cute.
He's in
my third period class.
What y' all staring
at old Sunshine for?
I'm the one dominating
on the field.
He ain't played
a minute all year.
Who cares
about the field?
Well, I don't want to be
the one to break your heart,
but Sunshine's
from California.
Yeah. A California
dreamboat.
No.
Sunshine
is from California.
He's a Californian--
You talking
to my girl?
I don't see any
livestock around here,
so I don't know what
you talkin' 'bout.
Ohh.
It's a fight!
Guys, stop it!
Get off me. Get off me.
Hey!
You want some?
Hey, hey, break it up.
Break--
et your hands
off me, man!
Hey, get off me!
Come here, man.
Aah!
Petey, get these girls
out of here.
Get out of here!
Uncle Tom traitor!
Uncle Tom!
I know you didn't call me
no Uncle Tom.
Y'all better
back off me now, man.
Go! Move!
Looks like you went
to the zoo
and made some
new friends, Bertier.
Oh, big smart guy, huh?
!!Ah!!
!!Ahah!!
!!Ahah!!
!!Ahah!!
!!Ah!!
!!Ahah!!
Marie
has asked about Sheryl.
Wanted to know if she could
come over and spend the night.
I told her I'd run it by you,
see what you thought.
Yeah.
She's over
at the Boones' tonight.
I was going to swing by
on my way home
and pick her up.
Over at the Boones', huh?
Yeah.
So that's the way
it is, huh?
Yeah, you haven't
changed a bit.
You was the one trying
to please everybody,
be the nice guy.
Sooner or later,
a man's got to pick sides.
As for me, well, I'm--
I'm not going to put myself
- through the rest of the season
with that uppity--
- Hey.
I brought you here.
I want you with me,
but you got to do
what you got to do.
That's all
you can say to me
after all
we've been through?
Do what you got to do?
Hey, Herb--
You go to hell.
That veer's
getting better.
I'll admit that.
But you're still weak
on the left side.
We're not weak
on the left side.
We just got to work harder
on the left side, that's all.
- That's not the problem.
- What is the problem?
You think it is, but it ain't.
It's your pass reads.
It's not--
It's a run anyway.
It's not a pass.
The veer is a run.
All right, you two,
that's enough of that.
Sheryl, don't you want
to play with Nicky?
I hate playing
with dolls.
I'm not playing.
I'm accessorizing.
Yeah, why don't you
go accessorize?
Don't you want to go
accessorize with--
Hey, ''Coach Coon!''
In the back.
In the back.
Mommy!
Where's Coach, man?
What do he want
with us now?
Coaches ain't called
this meeting tonight.
We did.
We outta here.
' all gonna
walk out on your teammate?
He say he got
something to say.
Y'all got
to listen to him.
Turn around,
turn around.
Where you going?
Turn around.
Coach Boone brought us
this far, y'all,
but he ain't going to be
there for us forever, man.
So what?
We won a few games.
And y'all fools
think that's something?
Man, that ain't
nothing, y'all.
And you know what else?
We ain't nothing, either.
Yeah, we came together
in camp. Cool.
But then
we're right back here,
and the world tells us
that they don't want us
to be together.
We fall apart
like we ain't a damn bit
of nothing, man.
And y' all think
we done won something?
Man, we ain't won
nothing, y'all--
Nothing.
Rev, what's
that you're always
telling me
when I get sick
of trying to keep up
with my grades and stuff?
! Even youths !
! Grow tired and weary!
! Even young men
stumble and fall !
! But those who trust
in the Lord !
!Will renew
their strength !
Say amen.
Amen. That's what
I'm talking about.
Amen--amen, right?
That's right, Rev.
!! They will soar!!
!! On wings
like eagles!!
! Oh, like eagles, y'all !
! Like eagles, y'all !
!They will walk!
!And not grow faint !
Yeah.
Can I get an amen?
Yeah!
Yeah.
Yeah.
We're playing Groveton
Friday night, y'all.
You all gonna play like
you ain't got no heart?
No!
Do you all want
a victory?
Yeah!
Do you all want
a victory?
Yeah!
Turn in!
Yeah!
Like I said,
we will not be
intimidated.
We're going to play
football games.
Hatred, violence
will not intimidate us.
Is that
why you need
the state troopers,
Coach?
Look, I don't need no
John Brown state troopers.
And you can tell whoever
threw this brick
through my window
they can come visit me
anytime.
I'll be at home.
I think it's time
you stopped
antagonizing everybody and
learned a little humility.
Humility, huh?
You know, if you could
just keep your mouth shut
and if you didn't
brag so much--
I see.
So you're blaming me
for what happened
last night?
No. I am talking about
setting a good example
for our boys
and for the community.
I don't scratch my head
unless it itches,
and I don't dance unless
I hear some music.
I will not be intimidated.
That's just the way it is.
If you want to carry
your sinful pride with you
to your grave,
that's your business,
But when your sins
end anger my little girl,
it becomes mine.
My sins?
You think my sins
had something to do
with what happened
last night?
I'm sorry about what
happened to your daughter,
I really am,
but may be you got
a small taste
of what my girls
go through.
Hmm?
Welcome to my life, Yoast.
Shh, shh!
What's going on?
Coach.
Uh, we wanted
to let you know
we was going to warm up
a little different
tonight.
This is the first
true test of the season
for the undefeated
T. C. Williams Titans,
'cause tonight,
they're going up against
the undefeated
Groveton Lions.
Their all-state nose guard
Kip Tyler
is as mean as
a copper head snake.
Raah!
And here come
the Titans.
They're playing in front
of a capacity crowd
for the first time
this season.
! Ha, real good !
! Hoo, ha, we feel !
! Hoo, ha, real good !
! Hoo, ha, we feel !
! Hoo, ha, real good !
! Hoo, ha, we feel !
! Hoo, ha, real good !
! Hoo, ha, we feel !
! Hoo, ha, real good !
!!Hoo, ha, we feel!!
Julius Campbell
is playing strong side
linebacker.
Sheryl.
He's so good.
He's got all-American--
Sheryl.
- And Gerry Bertier--
- Sheryl.
I do not care.
! Everywhere we go !
! Everywhere we go !
! People wanna know !
! People wanna know !
!Who we are !
!Who we are !
! So we tell them !
! So we tell them !
!! We are the Titans!!
!! We are the Titans!!
!The mighty, mighty
Titans !
!The mighty,
mighty Titans !
!! Ooh, ah, oh, yeah!!
!! Ooh, ah, oh, yeah!!
Who do they think they are,
the Beatles?
!! Ooh, ah, oh, yeah!!
All right, quit gawking.
Warm up.
Tyler.
Coach?
Shut 'em up--hard.
Ready!
Omaha, Budds, omaha.
Set!
Omaha!
Hike!
Song's over, Sambo.
Ohh.
Yo, man.
Let's go, baby.
Let's go, let's go.
What happened,
Lastik?
I--I audibled.
Rev, I swear to God
I audibled.
- All right, fellas, coming through.
- I didn't hear it.
Swear to God.
Let's
take a look at that, son.
Uhh.
Well, he broke a bone
in the wrist.
He won't be throwing
any more this season.
Ahh.
You got one minute,
Coach.
Take the other
time-out, Coach.
Ronnie Bass!
Coach, Rev's
going back in, right?
Not at quarterback, son.
I can't make
that pitch, Coach.
Yes, you can.
When I was 1 5 years old,
I lost my mother
and my father
in the same month, Ronnie--
the same month.
I was the youngest one,
but they were all
looking up to me.
Now, I wasn't ready yet,
either, but they needed me.
Your team
needs you tonight.
You're the colonel.
You're going to command
your troops tonight.
- Do you understand?
- Yes, sir.
Twins right,
Let's go.
Let's go.
Let's go.
What's the matter?
Haven't you ever seen
a football injury before,
you wimps?
Let's go.
Show some life in those legs.
I got it. It's going
to be all right.
Budds,
you release this time.
Louie, let him through,
all right?
-Just let him through.
- What?
Trust me.
You had 1 2 brothers
and sisters?
Yeah.
Ready!
Set!
Blue, 21!
Blue, 21!
Hut!
Ha ha ha!
Whoo!
Whoo!
Ref!.
Unnecessary roughness!
That's a penalty!
On the quarterback? Are
you kidding me, Coach?
!!Na na na na!!
Whoo-hoo-hoo!
Did you see that, man?
That's a bad
white boy, man.
Hike!
!!Na na na na!!
!!Hey, hey, hey!!
!! Good-bye!!
We've got ourselves
a football player.
Hut!
!!Na na na na!!
!!Hey, hey, hey!!
-!! Good-bye!!
- Uhh!
Hut!
!!Na na na na!!
!!Hey, hey, hey!!
!!It's all right!!
!! Give it tome
one time, hey!!
!!Na na na na!!
!!Hey, hey, hey!!
!! Good-bye!!
All right, listen up,
listen up, listen up.
Listen up, listen up.
Listen up.
Whoa.
Game ball--
Ronnie Bass.
Hey, this ball
right here...
hey, this ball
right here
goes to the real king
right here.
Thanks for teaching me
the veer, Rev.
Aw, come on.
Rev!
Rev! Rev! Rev!
- Rev! Rev! Rev!
- Ow!
Rev! Rev! Rev!
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Come on.
Coach?
Can I speak with you
in private?
Sure.
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
What's on
your mind, son?
I want Ray
off the team, Coach.
You know my policy,
Gerry.
Yes, I do,
and I respect it,
I know that Ray missed
that block on purpose.
Sometimes you just got
to cut a man loose.
Hmm.
Well,
you're the captain.
You make a decision,
but you support
your decision.
We're going to
remember this for a long time.
Hey, guys, wait up.
I want to catch
a ride with you.
Ray?
Oh, man,
not a word.
You're out.
What?
I'm not going to let you
play for this team anymore.
Oh, yeah, Jerry Lewis?
Going to go
and tell ''Coach Coon''
what to do
just like last time?
But, then, that's right.
He is your daddy now,
isn't he?
Boone don't cut anybody.
Remember, Gerry?
I had you cut, Ray.
You're willing
to just throw away
our friendship for them?
You can keep them.
Hi.
!!Now, I've been happy lately!!
!! Thinkin' about
the good things to come!!
!!And I believe
it could be!!
!!Something good
has begun!!
!! Oh, I've been
smilin' lately!!
O-Officer?
Heck of a game you boys
played last night.
Thanks.
Thank you, Officer.
Best defense I've seen
in 20 years.
!!Peace train!!
Tell that coach of yours
to keep up the good work.
Oh. Oh, yeah.
I'll--I'll do that.
!!Now, I've been
smilin' lately!!
!! Thinkin' about
the good things to come!!
!!And I believe
it could be!!
Yo, man,
your taxi had a siren.
Superman!
Hey, man,
what's going on?
Doing all right.
!!Ride on the peace train!!
!!Hoo-ah-eeh-ah-hoo-ah!!
!! Come on the peace train!!
!!Just come on
the peace train!!
!! Yes,
it's the peace train!!
Ohh!
This song goes out
to the undefeated Titans.
This city is alive
with school spirit.
Go get 'em, Titans!
Whoo!
!!Saturday night
I was downtown!!
!! Workin' for the FBI !!
!!Sittin' in a nest
of bad men!!
!! Whiskey bottles
piling high!!
!!A pair of.45s
made me open my eyes!!
!!My temper just started
to rise!!
!!She was along cool woman
in a black dress!!
!!Just-a5'9 ',
beautiful, tall!!
!! With just one look
I was a bad mess!!
!! 'Cause that long cool woman
had it all!!
!! Whoo!!!
!!Had it all!!
!! Ooh!!
We are
here tonight to honor men
that are teaching
our young people
leadership on and off
the field
and high moral standards
as well.
Ladies and gentlemen,
let me introduce to you
the 1971 Hall of Fame nominees.
Come on, Daddy.
Whoo!
When we played Jefferson,
we were down by 4
with 1 0 seconds left.
So we blitzed the safety
from the weak side...
Wow.
Heck of a season
the Titans are having, Coach.
Too bad it's got to end.
Oh, we're still in it,
Lyle.
Taber's boys
are pretty good,
but I think we'll take
'em in the regional.
Well, not if we have anything
to say about it.
You just leave this
to us, Bill.
Boone's out, and you're
head coach again.
And all roads lead
to the Hall of Fame.
Coach Taber?
What do you think
of the Titans, Coach?
Think you have a chance
against that defense
they have over there
at T.C.?
Ton, Billy, Ray,
come on over here.
Boys. These are
my all-American tackles.
Prize bulls
who don't do nothin'
but knock the chocolate
out of folks.
Is it true
you're not gonna trade films
with Coach Boone?
I'm not gonna do anything
to help that monkey.
Well...
what are we going
to do about this?
We're gonna get ready
for Saturday.
See you out there
on the field.
Hut!
Hey, Mr. Official.
Mr. Official, can I talk
to you for a second?
Back off, Coach, if you
want to stay in this game.
Hut!
I've got holding
on 78 white.
Are you trying to cheat
my boys out of the game?
Let 'em play,
Ref, let 'em play.
Let 'em play!
Let the boys play!
Cheater!
Coach, come on.
Cheater!
Coach.
Go, go, go, go!
Oh, come on!
What was that?!
Uhh!
What are you, blind?
That wasn't a hold.
Oh, come on, that was
such a bad call.
Titus!
Give him
apiece of your mind!
I know all about it,
Titus.
What are you
talking about, Bill?
You call this game fair,
or I'll go
to the papers.
I don't care
if I go down with ya,
but before God,
I swear I'll see
every last one of you
thrown in jail.
You dig your own grave.
OK.
Defense! On me!
OK, Petey, don't you drift
to the strong side.
Coach, they're callin' a holding
penalty on me every time.
Did I ask
for your excuses?
You want to act
like a star,
you better give me
a star effort,
Do you hear me?
Forget about him!
Alan, you're in!
Come on!
All right, now,
I don't want them
to gain another yard.
ou blitz all night!
If they cross
the line of scrimmage,
I'm gonna take
every last one of you out.
You make sure...
they remember forever
the night they played
the Titans.
Leave no doubt!
Set!
Come on, y'all!
Swing it left!
All right! All right!
All right!
Set! Hut!
You better make yourself
comfortable down there.
Real comfortable.
You did good!
That one was
for you, Coach.
All right, baby.
All right.
You brought us here,
Coach.
Run it up, Herman!
Leave no doubt!
!!Music's in your city, too!!
Set! Hut!
!!Music's gettin' good to me!!
!!But now, don't ya,
I said don't ya!!
!!Don't you want
to get higher?!!
Hut hut!
!! Yeah!!
!!Don't you want
to get higher?!!
!!Baby, baby,
let me light your fire!!
!! Oohha,
little bit higher!!
Good game.
Good game.
Yeah.
Good game.
Coach. Coach.
I took a straw poll.
You just lost your self
the Hall of Fame.
Good game, y' all.
Hey, good job, 43.
Good job.
Good job, men.
Good job.
Hey, way to stick.
Good job.
Good game, Coach.
Coach.
Yeah!
Titans!
Yeah!
Petey!
What happened
out there, man?
Come on,
talk to me, Petey.
Petey!
I'm so proud of you.
Hey, Julius.
Julius.
Come here, man.
Don't move.
Go on.
It's OK.
- Man.
- What's up, man?
Let's get out of here.
Let's go paint the town
or something.
Let's go. Let's go.
I--I got to hang
with my girl tonight.
I got to hang
with her tonight.
All right, all right.
Where you going?
I don't know.
I--I don't know,
but I'm gonna go. All right?
- You gonna go?
- Yeah, man.
I want to go, man, but you
know what I mean, man.
I know.
I'll see ya.
Looks like
you weren't the one
with the mixed-up
priorities, huh?
Emma...
I think it's gonna
take me a little longer
than you might like.
But, um...
I just wanted you to know
that I'm gonna try.
Good-bye, Gerry.
Emma?
Make me a promise?
You'll be there
to root for us
when we play Marshall
for the title?
!!!!
!!Just yesterday mornin'!!
I know how much
it meant to you.
I ain't gonna lie.
I wanted the Hall
of Fame real bad.
Just plain old jealousy.
As old as Cain and Abel.
You know what?
I wanted it, too.
But there's always next year
or the year after that.
As long as it takes
for them to wise up.
Wouldn't want it now
anyway.
Bunch of ol' rednecks.
!! That I thought
would never end!!
!!I've seen lonely times!!
Let's knock 'em dead
at state, Coach.
Daddy!
Daddy!
Daddy!
Daddy! You're home!
My girls! Mmm-ah!
Give me a kiss.
Mmm-ah!
Congratulations, Herman.
All right. Mmm.
What'd I tell you,
baby, huh?
Yeah, we can't get too
far ahead of ourselves.
We still got to get
Ed Henry and Marshall.
We got all these--
You've done a good job,
Coach Boone!
Congratulations!
!!My body's achin'!!
!!And my time is at hand!!
!!I won't make it
any other way!!
Well, I'll be
John Brown.
We cleaned up
the kitchen, Daddy,
so you could get
right to work.
You did?
Well,
I got news for you.
I ain't workin' tonight.
Tonight,
we're gonna celebrate.
We're gonna
let these people know
who's gonna win state.
- Right?
- Right!
- Right?!
- Right!
- Right?!
- Right!
- Right?!
- Right!
Everybody!
We're gonna win state!
!!But I always thought
that I'd see you again!!
We're gonna win state!
!! Oh, I've seen fire,
and I've seen rain!!
!!I've seen sunny days!!
!! That I thought
would never end!!
!!I've seen lonely times!!
!! When I could not
find a friend!!
!!But I always thought
that I'd see you!!
Hey, Gerry!
You man!
No, you!
No, you, you!
You! Yeah!
!! Thought I'd see you
one more time again!!
Oh, shoot! Gerry!
Are you OK?
How you doin', son?
He ain't all right?
He all right?
He's, uh...
How's he doing?
Not too good.
Not too good.
How well is he doing?
How bad is it?
How bad is it?
He's paralyzed
from the waist down.
Don't say that to me.
Don't say that to me.
Sorry, Mrs. Bertier.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
He doesn't want to see
anybody but you, Julius.
Yes, ma'am.
You be strong.
Yes, ma'am.
Those tears are not gonna
make my boy walk again.
Only kin's allowed in here.
Alice, are you blind?
Don't you see
the family resemblance?
That's my brother.
All right.
Oh, man.
Well, you think
I look banged up,
you should see my Camaro.
Man, I sure
am sorry, man.
I should have
been there with you.
What are you
talking about?
You would've been in that bed
right next to me.
You can't be hurt
like this.
You--you're Superman.
I was afraid of you,
Julius.
I only saw
what I was afraid of.
And now I know I was
only hating my brother.
I'll tell you what,
though.
Um, when all this
is over...
me and you are
gonna move out
to the same
neighborhood together.
OK? And, um...
and we'll get old,
and we'll get fat.
And there ain't gonna be
all this black-white
between us.
Left side.
Strong side.
Good morning.
Good morning.
Uh, the Marshall fi lm.
Well, that's good.
We're gonna have
to be real sharp
on the offensive
and defensive sides
of the football.
Figure we give
the kids
a couple of extra
practices this week,
make sure
they stay focused.
Got a press conference
today at 1 2 noon.
Press conference?
Listen, what we do here
amongst ourselves is one thing,
but we are not gonna
parade around
talking about football
at a time like this.
Hold on. I'm not talking
about parading.
I'm talking about
going out there,
presentin' a strong,
united front.
Now, I'm hurtin'...
just like you are,
Yoast,
but the season
is not over yet.
I did--We did not
come this far
to just break down
and lose now.
Everything's not always
about winning and losing.
I'm a winner.
I'm going to win.
Is this even about
football anymore?
Or is it just about you?
Coach Boone...
Uh, Coach,
you lost Bertier...
Is your defense
in trouble?
You cannot replace
a Gerry Bertier...
as a player or person.
I don't know, Mama.
Maybe Yoast was right.
Maybe I pushed 'em
too hard.
Gerry had an accident.
Sometimes life's
just hard.
For no reason at all.
You think I was blinded
by my own ambition?
Mm. Whatever kind
of ambition it took
to do what you did
around here...
this world could use
a lot more of it, Herman.
Hmm.
Hey, Coach.
Hey, Coach.
ow you doing?
This for me?
I want you to be my eyes
out there, all right?
Any of these guys slack off,
you just let me know.
You bet I will.
How you doing, Gerry?
I'm all right, Coach.
I was just talking
to these guys about Marshall,
trying to get 'em--
You don't need to talk
about football now.
I think this is a good
time for refection
and for prayer--
Coach...
I'm hurt.
I ain't dead.
No, you're not.
No, you're not.
You know, I've been,
uh, reading up
on the activities
that they got for people
in wheelchairs and such.
They got Olympics.
This is the granddaddy
of state high school football
championships.
The Virginia triple 'A. ''
It just doesn't get any better.
We have
Coach Herman Boone's Titans
vs. the legend, Ed Henry,
with over250 wins
in 30years.
Amen.
Amen.
Let's go!
Lastik,
what's the matter?
I'm eligible.
Well, um, I'm glad
to hear that, son,
but I'm already married.
I got a C-plus average,
Coach.
I'm going to college.
All right, fantastic.
Coach? Coach?
I just want
to say I'm sorry.
You abandoned your team
in their moment of need, Petey.
''Sorry'' won't make up
for that.
Yeah, I know, but...
listen, I want
to play for you.
I want to play
for the championship.
You can play for me
next year.
You sit on that bench.
Show me you can support
your teammates.
You'll start again
as a senior.
Entering the stadium now
is Jean Bertier.
Now, she's the mother
of injured all-American
linebacker, Gerry Bertier.
And the Titan fans
are really giving her
a warm reception.
Gerry! Gerry! Gerry!
Gerry! Gerry! Gerry!
Gerry! Gerry! Gerry!
Gerry! Gerry! Gerry!
Gerry! Gerry! Gerry!
Gerry! Gerry! Gerry!
Gerry! Gerry! Gerry!
And here come
the Titans,
entering the stadium
in what's become
their own unique style.
!We feel,
hoo, hah, real good !
! Hoo, hah, we feel !
! Hoo, hah, real good !
! Hoo, hah, we feel !
! Hoo, hah, real good !
! Hoo, hah, we feel !
! Hoo, hah, real good !
! Hoo, hah, we feel !
! Hoo, hah, real good !
Julius Campbell?
Hi, I'm Emma Hoyt.
Oh. Oh, I guess
we never met, huh?
Uh, excuse me, young lady.
You can't be here right now.
ou gonna have
to get back to your seat.
Well, now we've met.
Yeah.
It's nice to meet you.
Good luck, Julius.
Whoa! Wait!
What the hell's going on?
Shotgun.
Who do they
think they are,
the New York Jets?
Switch! Switch!
Get 9!
Get9!
Bosley, move!
Move it up! Line up!
Get Bosley! Get9!Get9!
All right, let's go!
Hut hut!
Real good.
Keep it up.
Shotgun rush.
Cover3!
Go to cover3!Pass!
Hut!
Put some pressure
on that QB.
They got all day
to throw, Coach.
You just worry
about your offense.
Let's go!
Swing it! Swing it!
Set!
Get set! Get set!
Hut!
Yeah!
No!
What's wrong, Gerry?
Do not come in here!
They got receivers
everywhere out there.
It's like watching
Monday Night Football.
Good hustle, good hustle,
good hustle.
Just give him
a little cushion.
And when they throw
that ball, you stick him.
- Ready?
- Break!
Ready?!
Red, 57!
Red, 57!
Hut! Hut hut!
Titans star quarterback,
Ronnie Bass, gains 6yards.
What you think? You
think we got a chance?
Got to give me some way
to disguise that coverage.
Let's start thinking
about it. Let's go.
Ready!
Set!
Hut!
They're a mile
ahead of us.
He's a mile ahead
of you, Coach.
If your defense
would stop somebody,
we'd get the ball
a little more.
Well, the Titans
gave 'em a scare,
but Ed Henry looks
supremely confident.
T. C. Williams
goes in at the half
trailing 7-0.
Coach!
Sweetheart.
You better get back
to your seat.
I can't, Coach.
What?
Ed Henry's got Boone's
number, sure as shoot in'.
And you ain't doin' nothin'
against that shotgun.
Look, Coach...
now ain't the time
to be proud.
It's all right.
We're in a fight.
You boys are doing
all that you can do.
Anybody can see that.
Win or lose...
we gonna walk out
of this stadium tonight
with our heads held high.
Do your best.
That's all anybody
can ask for.
No, it ain't, Coach.
With all due respect, uh,
you demanded more of us.
You demanded perfection.
Now, I ain't saying that
I'm perfect, 'cause I'm not.
And I ain't gonna never be.
None of us are.
But we have won every single
game we have played till now.
So this team is perfect.
We stepped out on that field
that way tonight.
And, uh, if it's all the same
to you, Coach Boone,
that's how
we want to leave it.
Yeah.
I hope you boys have learned
as much from me this year
as I've learned from you.
You've taught this city how
to trust the soul of a man
rather than the look of him.
And I guess it's about time
I joined the club.
Herman! I sure could
use your help.
Ed Henry's kicking my ass
out there.
Listen up.
This is our time now.
Second half is our time!
We gonna make some changes
on defense.
They're spreading us out
too far.
We gonna put Sunshine, Alan,
Glascoe, Davis.
You gonna play both ways,
rest of the game.
I don't want a receiver
to get across that line
of scrimmage.
Coach Yoast will tell you
where you're playing, all right?
Let's go. It's our time.
Everybody in.
Our time! Our time!
Our time!
Titans on 3! 1 , 2, 3!
Titans!
Let's go! Let's go!
Let's go!
All right, Julius.
We're gonna go 52 monster.
I know that's all
you need to know.
All right, we're going
zone, Alan. I need--
Sir, I could play
with Roosevelt.
But I cannot play
with these guys.
No, I tell you what.
I didn't warm the bench
all year
so I could watch us
go down on my account.
Put Petey in.
He's better.
You want him
to take your spot,
you go give it to him.
Thank you.
Ha ha!
Ha ha ha!
!!!!
All right, Petey!
All right!
That was beautiful!
Offense, let's go.
!! There's a place up ahead!!
!!And I'm goin'!!
!!Justas fast as my feet
can fly!!
!! Come away, come away
if you're goin'!!
!!Leave the sinkin' ship
behind!!
!! Come on the risin' wind!!
!! We're goin' up
around the bend!!
All right, Defense?
Get out there!
Let's go! Let's stop 'em!
Let's go,
let's go, let's go.
!!Better get while
the gettin's good!!
!!Hitch a ride to the end
of the highway!!
!! Where the neons
turn to wood!!
O-2...inside veer.
O-2 inside veer.
!! Come on the risin' wind!!
!! We're goin' up
around the bend!!
!! Ooh!!
!! You can ponder
perpetual motion!!
A field goal
attempt for T. C. Williams.
It's good!
!!Always time
for a good conversation!!
So they trail
Marshall 7-3,
heading into
the fourth quarter.
Ref. He's lining
up off sides!
Look, 48's off sides!
Freeze right, 99 Z go.
Ref, I know you can see him!
You got eyes!
Gun-right, 84, X-fat.
And tell Tommy to watch
the free safety. Go.
Get right in there, Blue.
You know what I'm talking about.
You can't be afraid.
He's off sides!
He's lining up off sides!
Got to hold them here,
Defense!
Hold 'em right here!
Whoa! Pass! Pass!
Let's go, Offense.
Let's go.
Titans trail Marshall 7-3.
All Marshall has to do
is hold on to the ball,
and they will be
the state champions.
Watch 'em
on the weak side!
On the weak side!
Hold on to that ball,
Petey!
Hold the ball!
Hold the ball!
Whoa, whoa, whoa!
Hold on to that ball!
Hold on to that ball!
Hold on to that ball,
Petey!
All right! All right!
Ohh, Petey!
Coach.
Get a time-out!
Time-out!
Coach, they're slanting to
our strong side every time.
You got to catch 'em
in that slant
and let 'em over pursue.
He's onto your game.
You got to throw something
at him he's not ready for.
- Rev! Where's Rev?
- Yes, sir.
- All right, listen, you ready to run?
- Yes, sir.
Fake 23 blast...
with a backside
George reverse.
You got that?
Fake 23 blast
with a backside
George reverse.
Like your life
depended upon it.
Let's go. Let's go.
Let's go get 'em!
The Titans take the field
with time to run one final play
for the state championship.
I thought
he was injured.
I guess not.
Why are they
bringing in a QB.?
The Titans have 75yards
to get to the end zone.
Oh, my gosh.
I can't watch this.
I can't watch this. No.
What? What?
Sheryl, what's wrong?
No, I can't watch it.
Sheryl!
No, it's too bad.
Not now. Not now.
They're gonna throw it deep.
Cover deep!
Watch
the deep pass! Cover it deep!
Ready! Set! Hut!
Yeah!
Yeah! Ha ha ha!
Well, that's it, boys.
That's it.
Good season.
It's all right.
Yes! Yes!
Come on.
Congratulations, Coach.
All right.
Thank you, Coach.
You did a good job.
Played a fine game.
I know football,
but what you did
with those boys...
You were the right man
for the job, coach!
You're a Hall of Famer
in my book.
Yeah!
Mmm-ah! Whoo!
Yeah!
Yeah!
Whoo!
Hoo hoo hoo!
Yeah!
Whoo!
Aah! Ha!
The Titans
danced their way into history.
the perfect season.
State champions
and first runner-up
for the national
championship.
Second-best high school team
in the country.
Gerry Bertier won a gold medal
for the shot put
in the wheel chair games.
Daddy coached him.
Gerry died.
And that's what brought us
back here today.
Gerry is gone,
but his spirit lives on.
People say that it can't work,
black and white.
Well, here we make it work
every day.
We have our disagreements,
of course.
But before we reach
for hate,
always, always we remember
the Titans.
!!Hm hm hm hm!!
!!Hm hm hm hm!!
! Hey, hey, hey!
! Good-bye !
! Na na na na !
! Na na na na !
! Hey, hey, hey!
! Good-bye !
!!Ain't no mountain high!!
!!Ain't no valley low!!
!!Ain't no river wide enough,
baby!!
!!If you need me,
call me!!
!!No matter
where you are!!
!!No matter how far!!
!!Don't worry, baby!!
!!Just call my name!!
!!I'll be there
in a hurry!!
!! You don't have
to worry!!
!! 'Cause baby there!!
!!Ain't no mountain
high enough!!
!!Ain't no valley
low enough!!
!!Ain't no river
wide enough!!
!! To keep me from gettin'
to you, baby!!
!!Remember the day!!
!!I set you free!!
!!I told you
you could always!!
!! Count on me, darlin'!!
!!From that day on!!
!!I made a vow!!
!!I'll be there
when you want me!!
!!Some way, somehow!!
!! 'Cause baby there!!
!!Ain't no mountain
high enough!!
!!Ain't no valley
low enough!!
!!Ain't no river
wide enough!!
!!Ain't no valley
low enough!!
!!Ain't no mountain
high enough!!