When the Game Stands Tall (2014)

[bunniefuu]

♪♪♪

This program was founded
on certain ideals.

They have been drowned by the noise
and distraction of fame.

We got lost, caught up in the hype,

the celebrity, the glory...

and the relentless pressure
to keep the streak alive.

♪♪♪

[CROWD CHEERING]

ANNOUNCER 1: The sophomore goes back
to set up the screen for Tucker.

Tucker got a block. Tucker has space.

Tucker breaks a tackle.
ANNOUNCER 2: What a move!

Forty-five up the middle.
One man to b*at.

ANNOUNCER 1: Throwing one deep down the middle,
going for Jones. Touchdown De La Salle!

ANNOUNCER 2:
Absolutely unbelievable.

The greatest high-school performance
I've seen in 15 years.

ANNOUNCER 3: De La Salle High
has won three titles in a row.

Their 48th consecutive victory.

ANNOUNCER 4: To the fans, it's quickly
becoming known as "The Streak."

ANNOUNCER 5: Tonight, they break a 22-year-old
win record held by a Michigan high school.

ANNOUNCER 6: Talking about streaks,
there's a lot of pressure...

ANNOUNCER 7:
Coach Lad has done an amazing job.

ANNOUNCER 8: De La Salle has been winning
for the past 11 years, straight.

♪♪♪

[CROWD CHEERING]

ANNOUNCER: Welcome to the 2003 Northern
Conference Sectional Championships

where powerhouse De La Salle
brings their 150-game win streak

against their rivals,
the Pirates of Pittsburg High.

Hey, Bob. Bob.
Marty, you live under the stadium?

Bob, 25 years coaching
this team,

favored to win your 12th championship,


BOB: Well, winning a lot
of games is doable.

Teaching kids there's more to life,
that's hard.

Come on.
You turned this team
into a winning machine.

How long you think
you can keep the streak alive?

The streak was never our goal.

MARTY: Yeah? Well, then
why do you keep winning?

BOB:
This program's a lot of things.

It's not just a football team,
or win-streak machine.

It's a family.

A brotherhood which is based in love.

Put simply,

love means you can count on me,
in good times and in bad.

[CROWD CHEERING]

ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen, here to play
for their 12th straight championship win,

the De La Salle Spartans.

Go Spartans!

I love this part.
Totally freaks out the other team.

MANNY: I know I'm not supposed
to say this, let alone think it.

This streak's our legacy.

We will never experience
anything like this again in our lives.

You guys are all my family

but after tomorrow night,
this will never be like this again.

I'll never forget my time
on this team, or with you.

Spartans for life!

ALL:
Spartans for life.

[WHISTLE BLOWS
AND CROWD CHEERING]

Streak, streak, streak!

ANNOUNCER: Terrance Kelly takes the opening
kickoff on the five-yard line. Gets a block.

Terrance Kelly
is the best prospect on the field.

ANNOUNCER: Sees a wedge and
sh**t up the middle over the 40.

Brought down on the 49-yard line.

All right, I got Cam's card. "Training goal: Five
extra gassers after practice every day." Done.

"Practice goal: Catch every ball."
Perfect.

"Game goal: 200 yards receiving,
two touchdowns,

and average 15 yards
after every catch."

Did you hear that?
That is a perfect commitment card.

Big goals that stretch his abilities,
but doable when giving a perfect effort.

You go get those, Cam.
Yes, sir.

ANNOUNCER: Gonzales throws a
long, deep ball to Cam Colvin...

who out-jumps the defenders
for De La Salle's first score of the game.

Colvin is a coveted
Division 1 prospect

who's drawing interest
from top programs in the country.

Not asking you to be perfect every play.
What we're asking of you

and what you should be asking
of each other

is to give a perfect effort
from snap to whistle.

ANNOUNCER: Cam Colvin just
pitched the ball back to Kelly.

The most athletic play
I've seen all year.

I got T.K.'s card. "Three extra sets,
cleans, every day after practice."

QUARTERBACK:
Blue 18! Set, hut!

Throw the ball!

Yeah, that's it!

I got Howard's card.
This is Jimmy's card.

Nice! Great block.
"Two hundred fifty pushups

after workout."
"Get to the second level on sweeps."

I have Chris' card. "Training commitment: Ten
extra tire drags after practice every day.

Game goal:
Two running touchdowns."

Their middle linebacker's
gonna be covering you, Chris.

You have way more speed than him.

ANNOUNCER: Gonzales, under
center, takes the snap.

Pitches out to Ryan,
who's got room to run.

Sheds a tackle.

[CROWD CHEERING]

In for the touchdown,
which makes the score 27 to nothing.

So, Mickey, does Chris wanna
break this record as bad as you?

Yeah, he's getting there.
Thanks. Good block, good block.

You see number 34? Ryan?

Chris Ryan?
Write that name down.

When Cam Colvin and Terrance Kelly
are gone, he's the whole team.

I mention he's gonna break
the state's scoring record next year?

If there's anything anyone wants to say,
now is your sh*t.

Look, I just wanna say,
ahem,

in my four years here
I played a lot of games.

But none is more important to me
than tomorrow's. My last game.

I love you, guys.

We always say to finish strong, right?

Tomorrow I'm playing
for Cam's mom...

who loves this team
almost as much as Cam does.

Love you, boy.

Love you too, man.

I know some of you guys already
know this, but most of you don't.

My grandfather has cancer.

He can't come to our practices anymore,
he can't even make the games.

But every day, he waits for me
to get back from practice

just so I can tell him
how we're doing.

As simple as that sounds,

that's one of the things
that keeps him going.

You know,
our progress keeps him going.

I'm grateful for that.

TERRY:
None of the juniors share their emotions.

Just the seniors.
I know.

BOB:
Second string, you're in.

ANNOUNCER: Coach Bob Ladouceur
is putting in his juniors.

These young men
have big shoes to fill

if they plan on continuing
this undefeated streak.

♪♪♪

Tayshon Lanear
missed an easy block,

Chris Ryan pays the price.
Let's hit out there!

Yo, Tayshon. If it isn't too
much to ask, pick it up.

Chill, man. I'll get you on the next play.
Don't get it right, don't get a next one.

Hey, easy, little Lad.
Your pops is the coach, not you.

[WHISTLE BLOWS]

Hut!

Go Ryan! Bring it in!

[CROWD CHEERING]

ANNOUNCER: Ryan with a great run.
Attaboy, Chris!

Huh? 34.
Yeah.

CROWD:
Four, three, two, one!

[CROWD CHEERING]

PLAYERS [CHANTING]:
De La Salle! De La Salle! De La Salle!

ANNOUNCER: De La Salle pushes their
winning streak to 151 games.

PLAYERS: We're number one!
We're number one!

ANNOUNCER: De La Salle's
streak continues.

PLAYERS: We're number one!
We're number one!

CROWD:
Streak! Streak! Streak!

Great game, coach.

Half a dozen schools want us
to come for official visits.

He deserves it, Mr. Kelly.
Thank you, coach. Great job.

Hey, T-Gram.
Great job, Coach Ladouceur.

Ha, ha. Hey, this is crazy.
Wow.

Whoo! There's my baby.

T-Gram! That's cool.
Oh! Ha, ha, ha.

Get off of me, you big bugger.
Ha, ha.

Pops.
Great job.

Good stuff. I love you.
Love you too.

Hey, coach.
You're doing it.

You're doing it. Getting
my baby out of Richmond.

He's a very special young man.
Thank you.

T-Gram, I'm gonna come see you
every chance I get, right?

Uh-uh. I don't want you back
in that Richmond mess.

We coming to see you.

Quitter! Ha, ha, ha.

Hey, boss.

Morning, coach. Keep the streak alive.
Morning, Pete. The streak alive, yeah.

[TOOTS]

Michael, cut it out. All right?
Seriously.

[TOOTS]

You kidding me?

I'll break that.
BEV: Guys, guys!

DANNY: Come here! Give me that horn!
Come back here, you little...

Here he is. Good run?
Uh-huh.

Hey, Terry.
TERRY: Hey, there he is.

Cal State. What do they want?

It's just a coaching offer.

You're throwing it in the trash? A job
offer. We don't get to talk about it?

College coaching.
It's not what I do.

But we should at least
discuss it, Bob.

Terry.
Hey, great pancakes.

Wow, okay.

You, Louis Armstrong,
in your room. Practice.

You, million things to do.

Gotta take the tree down.
I've been up since 5. I'm just like...

Make sure your room is clean,
Michael.

You should
at least consider it, Bob.

Great pancakes.

♪ No, no, no, no, no
Ain't no time like Christmas ♪♪

He acts like it doesn't mean anything
to him,

but he's got a diary,
just counting down the TDs.

A diary?
She's a chronic liar.

A very, very ill young woman.
LAURIE: Really?

Did I mention delusional?

You have a diary.
It's a playbook. At least my earrings

aren't bigger than my girlfriend's.
Sure. Okay. That's mean, but true.

Yo, my fellow Spartans.

Oops. I gotta mind my etiquette.

You're officially Captain Chris I'm-Gonna-
Break-the-State-TD-Scoring-Record now.

Well, at least the vote was based
on ability

not family connections,
huh, little Lad?

Like how I'm gonna be starting
wide receiver and not you?

Hey, man. It's cool. We'll see.

Oh, look out. Here comes the luckiest
cornhusker in Contra Costa County.

Beasie!
What's up?

How's it going, fellas?
Hey, girls.

Unh! My big man
on the line!

Gotta bring it for me!
To the house!

Okay! Woof, woof, woof!
Woof, woof, woof!

Okay, I'll go freshen up. Wanna come?
Yes.

How much fresher can she get?
LAURIE: Too fresh for you.

Sassy.

Why do they do that?
Go together.

How did you get with her?
She asked me out.

She asked him out.
Tell me you're jumping all over that.

No, we're... We're waiting.

They're waiting.
Yeah.

For what?
The big day.

We took a purity pledge.

Son, what's the name of the cult
that you're in?

Pleasant Hill Baptist.

[GUYS LAUGHING]

That boy's taken one too many sh*ts
to the head.

BOB:
Sounds like all the other college offers.

A nice house?
Yeah.

The kids going to college for free?
What was I thinking?

Look, the players are handpicked,
self-motivated, smart,

eyes fixed on their bright futures.
They don't need what I do, Bev.

They don't need a coach who
knows the game inside and out?

Who knows how to teach kids to
become honorable, accountable men

with self-worth?

Bob, you do it and I've watched you do
it brilliantly since I was 23 years old.

I wouldn't be helping anyone.

I mean, shouldn't it be easier?
Don't you deserve that?

I've seen the schedule
for college coaches.

You think it'd be easier,
less grueling? It would not.

You don't know.
How do you know?

I just want you happy
and healthy,

and, yeah, home every once in a while,
just playing football with your own kids.

Going for a stupid walk
for hot chocolate,

maybe more than, you know,
twice a decade.

You... You're gonna get your record,
bro.

Even if Mickey has to steal it.

Forget about your dad.

You're 37 touchdowns away
from breaking a state record.

All right, it's about you.

Us.

Our year.
Our year.

Hold them high, boys. Hold them high.
DANNY: T.K.

What's up, big guy?
To your year. Chris, you, uh...

You're captain now. My man Danny
over here, he grew up on the team.

Has all the credit,
he doesn't need a title.

Kind of makes me wonder.

About what?

If it's gonna be your year,
or some other team's year.

K, we haven't lost a game...
I know, believe me.

I'm just saying, you guys gotta
open your eyes. You ain't ready.

On skills,
you have half the team we did.

On attitude, most of y'all got big heads
or just wanna wear the jersey.

So you gotta step up.
You gotta become real leaders.

You have to motivate your players
to get their game even tighter than ours.

Next year is on you.

Take care, boys.

Peace, man.
Yeah.

It's time to deal
with the De La Salle problem.

Last year,

De La Salle out-scored
league opponents 326 to 27.

Their average score
against league teams was 47 to 4.

How, Bob? How are we supposed
to compete against a program

that pulls in the best players
with the wave of a scholarship?

For the hundredth time,

De La Salle High's code of conduct
forbids scholarshipping athletes.

Explain to me why
the best wide receiver in my district

rides a bus for a solid hour
up to De La Salle.

Our program attracts great athletes,
plain and simple.

No matter how you get your players,
you're stacking your team with talent.

That's not cheating?
Let me get this straight.

You wanna penalize
us for building a winning program?

I'm done with this! Nobody wins 151
football games straight without cheating!

We will not play De La Salle
next season.

[MEN MURMURING]

Great. Done.
We don't wanna play you either.

We'll play
our five league games,

then we'll fill our open slots with
tougher teams from bigger conferences.

Gee, seems like I heard the 49ers
already have a full schedule.

MEN: Ha, ha, ha.
Who's left?

Long Beach Poly.

[MEN MURMURING]

Heh. Eidson, Poly's the number-one
high-school team in Southern California.

Yeah. Isn't it great?

[WHISPERS]
Poly?

We talked about this.
Never said you set it up.

Nationally, we're number one.
They're number two.

They've been trying to get us
on their schedule.

They're not afraid of us.

Guys, can't wait to see you play Poly.

Good luck.

[MEN MURMURING]

You can thank me later.

BOB:
In Luke 6:38,

Luke says,
"Give and it will be given to you.

Good measure, pressed down,
shaken together and running over

will be poured into your lap,

For with the measure you use,
it will be measured to you."

Any idea what Luke is saying here?
Arturo?

You reap what you sow.

Like, whatever you do, good or bad,
comes back to you.

Anyone else think you give to others

and the blessing is returned
in equal measure?

Salinas.

I've worked hard to do the right thing,
and I've been blessed.

How's that?
Getting to play on the streak team.

[SCOFFS]

You ain't in line to be starting
quarterback on the streak team

because you've done the right thing.

It's because you're 6'2"
with a cannon for an arm.

GUYS: Ha, ha, ha.
So, Tayshon, what do you believe?

Well, down where I sleep, the dealers
in Richmond make mad money.

My aunt was an ER nurse.
Worked her whole life helping people.

Time came for her to get hers,
they up and fired her,

six months
before they gotta pay her retirement.

Dog-eat-dog, yo. Take what you need.
They don't care how good you've been.

You sitting around waiting for somebody
to pay you back, you going hungry.

So why does a guy like Luke, who's a
doctor, painter, writer, historian,

take the time to invent a lie?

It ain't a lie.

Your pops dies, five-0 puts your mom
on trial for it when, oops,

our bad, the shipyard poisoned him.

Pressure gives her a stroke
and now she ain't got long.

Easy. Everyone knows the story.

So tell me, homey.

You really been that bad
to deserve all that's come your way?

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

Can I speak to Cam?

Cam.

[HIP HOP MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ Everybody doing this and that ♪

♪ Homie, what you talkin' about?
Homie, what you talkin' about? ♪

♪ Hey, what you sayin', homeboy
We on that other, unh ♪

♪ Homie, what you talkin' about?
Homie, what you talkin' about? ♪

♪ Hey, what you sayin', homeboy
We on that other unh ♪

♪ n*gg*s be fronting in their rap records
So I went the other route ♪

♪ First word was treason ♪♪

Yo, Coach Lad.

Yo, Jamal.

Cool, thanks.

Coach.
Mm-hm.

JAMAL: You know how you
like to talk and talk

and sometimes holler?
That's right.

And one time,
Cam said you said the S-word.

I remember that time.

JAMAL: Well, here, you gotta be real quiet.
My mom's resting.

BOB:
Shh. Not a peep.

Hey, coach.
Cam, look.

Oh, man, that is tight.

Watch Mama, all right?

See, Mama?

BOB:
How is she?

The nurse say, um,

it's just a matter of time.

And that's it.
That's the last of my Mohicans.

You have Jamal.

The boy don't know it yet,

but he's going down to San Jose,
stay with my cousin.

They should be good to him,
but ain't got no room for me.

I got nobody left.

Well, family isn't just blood relatives.

It's anyone
who loves you unconditionally.

♪♪♪

"To Coach Lad,

I promise to live the rest of my days
by the lessons you taught me.

'Give and it shall be given to you,

for whatever measure you use, it shall
be measured back to you in equal... "'

Why is this happening to me, coach?

What did I do?

I'm trying.

I'm making my perfect effort.

It don't matter. Ain't enough.

What if Tayshon is right?

Maybe God don't see me,
or he don't care,

because I ain't worth his time.

Don't make no sense, coach.

I'm alone.

I got nobody left.

No, you're not.

You've got Jamal...

me and 60 brothers.

[CAR DOOR LOCK CHIRPS]

♪♪♪

BEV: I'm just gonna nap for


Don't snore.

[SNORTING]

I'm not laughing.

[SNORTING
AND GRUNTING]

What did I ever see in you? Bob?

Bob? Bob?

Bob, Bob, please. Bob? Bob?

Danny!

Bob, what's going on?
Bob? Oh, my God, Bob!

Danny!
Yeah, Mom.

BEV:
Danny!

Mom, what's wrong?
Danny, please call 911!

Oh, my God! Call 911!
Mom! Morn!

Dad? Where is the phone? It's not here.
Danny, tell them it's a seizure.

Find the phone!
Where is it?

Oh, my God. Look at me.
Look in my eyes. Look in my eyes.

Oh, my God, you okay?
You okay? Breathe.

[CHATTERING]

MAN 1: Hey, Amani. Thanks for coming.
MAN 2: Hey, Amani.

MAN 3: Oh, one for me. Just one second.
AMANI: Cool.

Hey. Who's in there?

Currently paying his respects to
the coach, Maurice Jones Drew.

No way.

Coach, make sure I get you tickets
to come see me, all right?

I want 100 from you.

I still can't believe it.

Coach Lad smoking.

Mrs. Lad. Good seeing you.
So great to see you.

Take care of the big guy for me.
Okay, I will. Thanks for coming, Maurice.

Hey, you.
Hey, Dad.

Don't look so tough now, huh?
Heh, heh, heh.

DOCTOR:
Mr. Ladouceur.

Eighty-three percent occlusion
in your PLA descending artery.

We call that the widow-maker.

You're a very lucky man.
Yeah.

So, what happens next?
Recuperation.

Near-term, I'll be happy
if you're in good condition by April.

That's spring practice.

Not for you.

You've got five stents
and one sh*t to heal.

Stepping onto a field before summer?

Don't even think about it.

Dad, you're gonna coach me
next season, right?

Danny.

Danny.

JENNIFER:
Hey, Michael,

wanna go harass
some more doctors?

Come on.

Danny's just worried about you.
This really scared him.

It's a lie.

♪♪♪

What is?

Me. I got caught up in work
and the streak and let it nearly k*ll me.

I talk character, honesty, perfection,

commit to each other, your teachers,
your friends, your family.

Was I committed to you?

Was I committed to my children?

I've been a lousy husband
and the worst dad.

Danny's not angry because he isn't
getting the chance to play for you.

He's angry because he wants
a chance to know you.

What do I do now?

Spend as much time with your family
as you do the team.

WOMAN: See you later, babe.
Call me tonight.

BOY:
Hey, T.K. Heads up.

BOY 2: Over here.
T.K. Who wants it?

BOY 1: Me.
BOY 3: All right.

Me, me, me.
BOY 4: Right here. Right here.

T.K.: What's all this?
T-GRAM: All for you.

LITTLE [ON SPEAKERPHONE]: This is Coach Little.
The rules say you can't keep any of it yet.

You're getting looks
from other schools.

Peek at what you look like in our gear.

If I'd have had these,
I'd have been All City.

LITTLE:
Newest model from Nike.

Mrs. Kelly, maybe you wanna open
that last bubble package.

Hey, what you got, T-Gram?

Diploma.

With your name on it.
LANDRIN: What?

What? What?

LITTLE: No matter what, four years from
now, when you have your real diploma,

it will reward you and your family
for the rest of your life.

Yeah, sure.
So you've got a lot of offers.

What's it gonna take to get you
to play for Oregon next year?

Say yes.

Yes.
Cam Colvin comes with me.

We offered a full ride.

We know his mother passed away,
but haven't heard back.

Done deal. Full ride. Ha, ha.

T-GRAM:
Oh, we did it, man.

♪ Homie, it's the art of w*r
And I don't know what you thinking ♪

♪ But when you see
Them lasers blinking ♪

♪ Next thing is the preacher preaching
That he was a young man ♪

♪ 'Cause it's the art of w*r ♪

♪ I gotta keep my enemies close ♪

♪ And if you want my bread
Then I give you the toast ♪

Yo, the great black hope.

Cam here?
He's in the back.

WOMAN: Y'all come on and
get something to eat now.

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

Oh, coz, what's up?
What's up?

You get a full ride from Oregon
and dodge my calls. That's what's up.

Look, man, I ain't going to Oregon
or any place near you.

I'm going to Miami.

Miami?

It's best for me.
Best for you?

Since day one,
we've been doing what's best for us.

You and me, together.

We were 14.
We were friends.

Whatever.

Man, get up!
I'm talking to you, dog!

Get off me! As smart as you are,
you don't know what you don't know!

You still got Landrin, T-Gram,
you got everybody.

All I got left is Jamal.

I gotta make it to the league
so I can take care of him.

Cam, I know how hard this has been...
Don't.

You're just making it harder.
Don't you see?

♪♪♪

You see me?

I'm cursed.

Everyone I love...

I can't lose nobody else, man.

T, I gotta let you go, man.

Man, you done lost a lot of folks,
Cam,

but you didn't lose everybody.

Man, Why'd you bring me this?
It's proof.

We dreamed about playing
college ball since we was kids.

We prayed for it.

And now here we are,
damn near grown.

Cam, what you're holding,
that just ain't a jersey, man.

It's an answered prayer.

Look at me, dog.

You and me.

Brothers for life, dog.

Come on.

♪♪♪

Brothers for life.

ALUMBAUGH: All right, team, bring it in.
Everyone settle down.

Coach Lad is on his way in
to say a few words. Bring it down.

Alumbaugh's pulling the team together.

Okay. Good.

BOB:
I talked to my doctors,

and they don't feel that I should
come back to coaching you.

But rather than
drawing this whole thing out,

I'm just gonna be truthful with you.

I'm not sure when I'll be able to return.

I expect you seniors to step up
and lead this team.

And I expect you guys
to continue to give a perfect effort,

every game.

[TRUMPET TOOTING]

Not your typical trumpet number, huh?

No, not typical. Heh, heh.
Heh, heh.

Getting the hang of it?

Me or Michael?
You.

[LAUGHS]

Anything else I can help you with?

Uh, no.

Think you're doing great.

Just remember,
I like mine rare.

You got it.

[WHISTLE BLOWS ON TV]

You want the other half of this?
Yeah, sure.

[CHATTERING ON TV]

I've dropped more passes this summer
than the previous three years combined.

BOB: You're not seeing the
ball into your hands.

You're looking up-field before you catch.
I know.

I try to stop, but...

What should I do?

You gotta work on that
with Coach Alumbaugh.

I don't need Coach Alumbaugh.

I need you.

My senior season is here, Dad.
My last sh*t.

Danny, I'm not your coach.

But I wanna spend
some time together, get closer.

I found a river-rafting outfit...
River rafting?

Afterwards, we'll win
the father-son three-legged race.

This is perfect. The whole time
I needed a father, I got a coach.

And now I need a coach
and all I've got is a lame dad.

Exercise?

Running again.

How are my test scores?
Better than expected.

Your heart has made an unusually
strong recovery, Mr. Ladouceur.

You're free to return
to normal activities.

Coaching?

Keep the stress down,
but, yes.

♪♪♪

[SIGHS]

Wow, that's great.
It must be such a relief.

Yeah.

She, uh,
said I could go back to coaching.

So is that your plan, Bob?

We'll see.

Hey-

What's that?

What?

Smells good.
Heh, heh.

Me or the sauce?

The sauce.

I was hoping it was me.
Heh, heh, heh.

MAN:
Ready, and go.

[WHISTLE BLOWS]

[PLAYERS GRUNTING]

CHRIS:
Hey, butt kicks.

Ready, up.

You're late.

Yeah, I been busy.

Well, that explains yesterday.
You missed an entire practice.

I got a note from the nurse,
little Lad.

How insensitive of us, Chris.
He had a tummy ache.

And you call me that again,
I'll drop you.

Ha, ha. Now, that's funny.

Nobody misses practice
without clearing it with the captain.

Well, I ain't nobody.
On JV, man, I played both ways.

Caught 38 passes and five picks.
How much practice do I need?

It's not about
It's about us. This team.

Both of y'all can go ahead
and kiss my...

Push me? Team?

Ain't no team! Truth is, it comes down
to four or five of us bringing our game!

Say what you want, Chris, Danny. This
team thing don't mean nothing now!

Back off!
TERRY: Hey, hold up!

"Team" means everything
right now.

Look around. To be successful,
you'll have to scrap for everything.

Wanna be a scrappy team?
You're gonna have to respect each other.

Now, get back to practice.

High kicks.

[WHISTLE BLOWS]

[CHATTERING]

♪♪♪

♪ Tell me, who do it better? ♪

♪ What? What? ♪
♪ Who do it better? ♪

GUYS: Ooh!
GUY 1: That's how you do it.

That boy do football and basketball.
Y'all got nothing on him.

Hey, I want you.

I want you, boy.

[INDISTINCT DIALOGUE]

♪ Shut your whole block down ♪

♪ Yeah, so went to the spot
Throw the lights on ♪

GUY 2: Where the police at?
Because y'all getting robbed.

He just schooled you, man.

Y'all see it.
Come on, let's get it.

GUY 3: Hey.
Catch you later.

That's how it's done.
That's how it's done, boy.

So when you headed up
to Oregon?

First thing tomorrow,
man.

Don't forget about us, homes.

Course not, baby.
Of course not. Come on.

Man, all y'all horrible!

Just straight garbage
on the court, no game.

Have you heard from him?
Boy's got to get up early in the morning.

Okay, Mama.

[BEEPING]

[PHONE RINGING]

Yo, Pops, what's up?

You didn't forget to fill the car, did you?
No, I just did. Supreme.

All right. Home in 10.

He on his way.

Let me go get his cornbread ready.

[PHONE RINGING]

Yo, what did you forget?

LAMARCO:
It's me, coz.

Lamarco, you high, dog?

I lost my ride, man.

Where are you?

♪ This is how we do it ♪

♪ This is how we do it ♪

♪ Sha-la-la-la-la-oh ♪

♪ Sha-la-la-la-oh-oh ♪

[CHATTERING]

♪ This is how we do it ♪

♪ Mm-ah-mm-ah-mm-ah-oh ♪

♪ This is how we do it ♪

♪ It's Friday night
And I feel all right ♪

♪ The party is here on the west side ♪

Yo, Lamarco. Come on, man.
One minute. Let me cop these digits.

Get them and come on. I gotta get home.
One minute, coz.

You gonna give me them digits, or what?
You see my ride here.

Lamarco, come on!

I'm coming. I'm gonna call you.

♪ All the gangbangers forgot
About the drive-by ♪

♪ You gotta get your groove on
Before you go get paid ♪

GUY:
School me, player?

Nah, school you.

[g*nshots]

GIRL:
Ah! Oh, my God!

[CROWD SCREAMING]

LAMARCO:
Call an ambulance, man!

[SIREN WAILING IN DISTANCE]

♪♪♪

DISPATCH [OVER RADIO]: We have an 18-year-old
African-American with g*nsh*t wounds.

LANDRIN:
Mama, you stay here.

T-GRAM:
Oh, God.

LANDRIN:
Jesus Christ. No, no.

Oh, no, no, no! That's my son!

It's all right.
No!

Let me go! Let me go!

T.K.!

T.K.! That's my son!

T-GRAM:
Is that our baby?

[LANDRIN SOBBING]

Oh, no! Oh, no!

[SOBBING]

♪♪♪

[GOSPEL MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ Hold on, help is on the way ♪

♪ God hasn't forgotten you ♪

♪ Be not dismayed ♪

♪ Through the rough times in your life ♪

♪ Everything will be all right ♪

♪ Just hold on
'Cause help is on the way ♪

MINISTER: And without further
ado, Coach Bob Ladouceur.

[SOBBING]

Thank you, Coach Ladouceur.

Minister.

I remember the first time I saw T.K.

He was that...

awkward freshman, all arms and legs,
with an infectious smile.

A coach couldn't help
but notice the smooth grace of his...

athletic ability.

♪♪♪

People always ask me
what it's like to never lose.

Today, I am lost.

WOMAN 1:
Lord, have mercy.

It's as if life has taken
more than it gives,

and I don't know if I can handle it.

Lord, I'm struggling.

I wanna understand why.

Why Terrance?
WOMAN 2: Yes, Lord.

BOB:
Why now?

If we are to call ourselves Christians,
we cannot ask these questions

because to do so is to question
your benevolence, your divine wisdom.

But today I am lost.

Mr. Kelly,

T-Gram,

I can't even imagine your pain
right now.

But you raised the kind of young man
we all strive for.

We ask our players...

to learn and embrace ideals,

perfection, commitment,

compassion, brotherhood, faith.

From the first time T.K. came
across that field, I saw it.

A kid whose grace
wasn't just athletic,

but genuine in so many ways.

He embodied those ideals.

WOMAN 3:
Yes, Lord.

You never gave up
on anything or anyone.

And I did not teach you.

You taught me.

Thank you,

because when on some other day
I am lost

and struggling to keep my faith,
I need only remember you.

And for reasons we are not privy to,
God wanted T.K. home.

He is with him now.

May God bless you.

♪♪♪

Cam.

Doesn't make no sense, coach.

I don't know what I'm supposed to do
anymore.

You stick to the plan.

Go to Oregon.

♪♪♪

Mowing the lawn?
What are you doing out here?

Dancing at our wedding.

With your dad.

He grins, looks over.
You were talking with the priest.

I remember, he leans in and said:

"if you didn't know better, which one
puts the collar on every morning?"

[CHUCKLES]

The music stops.

The dance is over.

And I'm heading over to rescue you.

♪♪♪

And he said something
I still remember.

What's that?

"I hope you won't be too lonely."

Your dad raised you.

He loved you,

but when he d*ed,

I think he felt like
he didn't really know you.

Till a minute ago,
I thought that might happen to me too.

I was sitting up, watching you sleep,
and it hit me.

Some people don't know
who they are,

all that they have.

They just know something's missing.

So I was just sitting out here...

getting ready to let you go again.

[WHISTLE BLOWS
AND PLAYERS GRUNTING]

No, still way too slow.

You need to blow off the ball.
Faster step. Strike with intent.

[WHISTLE BLOWS
AND PLAYERS GRUNTING]

On Friday, we play a football team that's
been preparing for this game for a year.

You're not hitting with intensity,
conditioning with discipline.

Salinas, pull your weight.
Come on.

TERRY: Oh, you're dogging it.
You're dogging it.

Commitment.
TERRY: Bellevue is bigger and stronger.

Accountability. Perfect effort.
Finally, love.

This bond is what has led Spartans
to achieve far more than anyone,

including themselves,
believed they were capable of.

Six, seven.

Without it,
you may continue to win games.

Rep it out, Tayshon.
Four more.

But you will have lost the chance
to become Spartans.

Eight's good.

ANNOUNCER: Welcome to Seattle,
where the 2004 season opens

with a matchup between two of
the best teams in the country.

Come on! Whoo!

[CROWD CHEERING]

Let's go, let's go, let's go!

[PLAYERS GRUNTING]

The powerhouse De La Salle Spartans
and their national record,


Keep the streak alive!

Taking on defending
Washington State champs, Bellevue.

[CHANTING INDISTINCTLY]

Down, set, hut!

[WHISTLE BLOWS]

Strong right, lead at two.
Veer, pass, drag. Let's go.

PLAYER:
Strong left! Strong left!

Open back 11. Back 11.
SALINAS: Down, set, hut!

Rick Salinas
throws a perfect pass,

connecting with Danny Ladouceur
for a 13-yard gain.

SALINAS:
Sixteen mid-line on one. Ready?

Go get them, Beast.

ANNOUNCER: Chris Ryan. This man has the size
and speed to play anywhere in the country.

SALINAS:
Red dog! Red dog! Set, hut-hut!

♪♪♪

Go, go, go! Come on, Chris!
Come on, Chris!

Come on, Beast! Come on, Beast!
Come on, Beast!

That's it! Yeah!

ANNOUNCER: Chris Ryan, showing off
his ability, breaks a 45-yard run

to give De La Salle a 7-to-0 lead.

That's a great run, but our left tackle
needs to seal that backer better.

ANNOUNCER: Ryan has been a scoring
machine, amassing 52 touchdowns

in his sophomore and junior seasons.

He is now 36 touchdowns away

from breaking
the California career touchdown record.

QUARTERBACK:
Twenty-two. Hut, set, hut!

Beaser!

This is like the drill we run every day
at practice!

Shed that block
and get to the ball carrier!

Okay.

SALINAS:
They're changing it up.

They're in man to man,
then dropping to cover two.

Why don't you simplify it?
Read the free safety.

Free safety will tell you everything.
CROWD: Whoo!

What? Someone break one?

Stop him! Stop him!

Get after him!

Ah, jeez!

[CROWD CHEERING]

Bellevue's Taylor King
breaks a 76-yard touchdown.

This Bellevue team
is not afraid of De La Salle.

We may just have a game here.

♪♪♪

[CROWD CHEERING]

And yet another completion.
First down, Bellevue.

They're playing exactly like us.

This Wolverine passing att*ck
is shredding De La Salle.

It's a three-deep and you got b*at?

Your responsibility is the quarterback
when they run the option.

Right? We practiced all of this,
come on, now!

[ALL GRUNTING]

You have to break down
to make that stop.

Don't get caught flat-footed.

No, no, no!

Stop him! Stop him!

God!

Here's something nobody expected.

The Wolverines are controlling the line
of scrimmage against De La Salle.

[WHISTLE BLOWS]

They're b*ating us off the ball
on every snap.

PLAYER 1: Down.
QUARTERBACK: Blue 22! Blue 22!

Set.

PLAYER 2:
Go left! Go left!

Hut!

ANNOUNCER: Bellevue scores to give
the Washington State champions

a 28-to-7 lead
over powerhouse De La Salle.

[CROWD CHEERING]

We're gonna lose.

Argh!

Hit Danny on a 12-yard curl in the seam
between the linebacker and the safety.

Down, set, hike!

ANNOUNCER: Oh! Danny Ladouceur drops a pass.
His dad will not be happy about that.

MICKEY:
Gotta get it to the players.

He's gotta catch it, Bev.

SALINAS:
Ready. Set, hut!

ANNOUNCER: Ladouceur's hit
and coughs up the ball!

Gotta hold on to that ball,
Danny!

ANNOUNCER:
Bellevue recovers. Bellevue recovers.

♪♪♪

[CROWD CHEERING]

I don't care how good you think you are!
I'm the best receiver on this team.

I ran my route, they att*cked, man.
Ran the ball right by you.

[CHEERING]

CHRIS: Come on! Let's go, let's go!
CROWD: Eight, seven,

six, five, four,

Down, hut!
CROWD: three, two, one.

[WHISTLE BLOWS]

ANNOUNCER: And that's it. The
streak is over! The streak is over!

The longest winning streak
in sports history is now over

As the Bellevue Wolverines
have shocked the De La Salle Spartans

in perhaps the biggest upset
in high-school football history.

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

[INAUDIBLE DIALOGUE]

Are you okay? It's okay.

[ARTURO SOBBING]

[BANGING]

Hey, hey! We don't do that here.

We don't do that.

Reporters, friends, family, strangers.

They're all gonna ask the same thing:

"What happened?"

This is a question
that's gonna follow you.

"How did you lose the streak?"

And every time,
you're gonna answer the truth:

"Bellevue played better than us
and we lost a high-school football game."

That's football.

But it's not you.

Don't let a game define who you are.

Let the way you live your lives do that.

Coach.

I truly believe that life's most
impressionable lessons

are ones where something bad
happens to you

or something challenging
confronts you.

No one can climb into your head and hear
what that little voice is saying to you.

Is it saying,
"Oh, no, we lost the streak"?

Well, what's it gonna say?

After today, you're gonna find out
a lot about yourselves.

And you know something, we're all
gonna find out what this team is made of.

BOB: The effort you put in during
the off-season was commendable.

[CROWD CHEERING]

But it has not translated onto the field.

You've got to decide
what you wanna be.

I get the feeling from you as a team
that you just wanna hop on that throne

and place the championship ring
on your finger.

That you're at De La Salle
and deserve that.

For the most part, we're inconsistent,
mistake-prone, ragged,

and not very physical.

That's where we are.

As much as you don't wanna hear it,
that's my assessment.

Do I feel like you can pull this off
and earn the right to that throne?

Yeah, I do.
TERRY: Attaboy, attaboy!

I'm not hoping you play well
against Clayton Valley.

You have to.
You have to play well this week.

Even if you step it up and play at your
ability level, it still won't be easy.

You're gonna have to fight
for victories in those games.

[PLAYERS GRUNTING]

MICKEY:
All right, that's it, that's it!

TERRY:
Oh, he's got a seam! Go, go, go!

Nice work.
MICKEY: Oh, for...!

Argh!

ANNOUNCER: Despite a well-played
game, De La Salle comes up short,

and after two games,
is still winless in this young season.

Bob Ladouceur's gonna have to figure
something out to get this team on track

if they plan on making it
to the playoffs this year.

[CHATTERING]

BOB:
Pick up your heads.

Meet me at the locker room tomorrow.

Eight a.m.

WOMAN:
What's up, Alex?

CHRIS: Miss you. I'm all sweaty.
It's okay. It was a tough game.

Party is tomorrow, if you wanna go.

CHRIS:
Maybe. I don't know. If you do.

Are you kidding me?
Dad, please.

You let some punk pull you
down at the two-yard line.

I scored three touchdowns.
How many did you promise?

Mr. Ryan, please.
Laurie, stop.

Forty-one blast. Run it, now.

Dad, it's midnight. I'm tired.
So am I.

Forty-one blast. Run it, now.
You run it!

Unh!

MICKEY:
You listen close.

I want that record.

He's not gonna get it for you
with a busted rib.

Now let him go.

Hey, coach. Let's you and me
huddle up for a second, okay?

I don't usually huddle up
with parents, Mick.

♪♪♪

[SIGHS]

You think
this is gonna freak them out?

I certainly hope so.

♪♪♪

♪ When you're on top of the world ♪

♪ Every man and every girl
No one ever come around your way ♪

♪ When you're sitting on the corner
No one ever gonna pay you
Any mind that day ♪

♪ Like a piece of your mind
That was stolen in time
Never listen what nobody say ♪

Good morning, Carol.
Hi, Bob.

Nurse Ballard is a friend of mine. She's
in charge of the entire nursing staff.

Today, we will be following her orders.

Coach Lad and I worked at the Juvenile
Detention Center in Richmond.

It was a little longer ago
than I'd rather admit.

So you guys play a tough game.
Anybody ever been injured?

You've never been injured?

It's part of the game. You don't think
about it, you bounce back.

You're very brave.

This is not that.

Here, nobody bounces. Break into three
groups. When you hear your name,

follow the nurse who called it
to the appropriate unit. Let's go.

Nurse Adams is in charge of the Recovery
Ward, and she will take over from here.

Good afternoon, gentlemen.
Welcome to the VA Recovery Ward.

So here we specialize
in transplants,

amputations and general rehabilitation
for limb recovery.

Our focus here is on full recovery,
body and spirit.

If this is too hard for anybody,
don't come in.

Why would it be?

♪♪♪

All our patients
are here for rehabilitation.

Our job is to help them recover
from injuries received during combat.

It's long and difficult, but we're dedicated
to getting them back to functioning lives.

Hey, May.
MAY: Hey.

[PHONE RINGING]

Hello?

I'll be right there.

Hey, would you do me a favor?
Would you finish up?

Thanks.

♪♪♪

What are you looking at?

Oh, no, no, I just, um...

You just what?
Nothing.

What's the matter, boy?

Get on. Pace me.

What?
You do speak English, right?

Get on, pace me.

Ah!
Ah! What? What did I do? Did I hurt you?

Heh, heh. No, I'm just messing
with you, man.

I can't feel anything.

Heh. Wow.

Man, I...

Sometimes my legs hurt so bad,
I'd wish I didn't feel anything.

No, you don't.

No, I don't.

♪♪♪

What's wrong with you, boy? You blind?
My bad, man. I didn't see you.

No, man. I swear I didn't even see you.
Hey, what the...? Hey! Hey, man!

Ha, ha, ha.
Is that...? Was that pee?

Well, it sure ain't no Gatorade.
Ha, ha.

Oh, heck, no!

Hey, nurse!

Come on, man!

Come on, Danny.
You gotta speed this up.

[BEEPING]

All right.
Let him catch up, though.

Oh, great. You're a real gentleman.

[BEEPING]

On, baby.

[BEEPING]

Stop. Salinas. Quit it.

Salinas, enough.
I don't know if it is fast enough.

Show me what you got.

Let's go, Danny.
Show him what you got.

VETERAN: One night we get overrun.
I just curled up, waiting to die.

Till somebody dragged me
into this deserted mosque.

I look at the guy who just saved my butt.
He's just some hillbilly kid from Arkansas.

Hey, at least you got out.

If they could put me back together,
I'd go back today.

For what?

VETERAN: My unit. Listen, half
of them are still over there.

That don't make no sense.

It's simple. Over there,
who you are in the world don't matter.

Fighting for your country
don't matter.

What does?

The guy next to you.

It's a brotherhood.

SALINAS: Let's go, boys.
You're running. Come on.

Come on, Danny.
Spartans for life, baby.

Live together. Die together.
Pick it up. Pick it up. Pick it up.

[BEEPING]

You wanna go faster?

Let's go faster.

[BEEPING]

[CROWD CHEERING]

SALINAS:
Don't let us down, baby. Come on.

Let's go, baby. Come on, Danny. You got
this, dog. Don't stop, baby. Come on.

Do not stop on me. Do not stop.

You're a Spartan.
Don't stop, Danny.

I can't. I can't.

What?
He's gonna go forever.

No.

Not forever, Danny.

Just a little more than you.

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

♪♪♪

♪ So keep believing ♪

♪ They will follow ♪

♪ Wake me up
Wake me up ♪

♪ Let the sunlight wake me up ♪

♪ I keep on dreaming about tomorrow ♪

♪ So wake me up
Wake me up ♪

♪ Wake me up ♪♪

BOB:
Long Beach Poly.

By every measure, the best high-school
football team in the nation.

Offensive line,
average over 300 pounds.

Their starters. Beaser,

meet Buster Matthews.

Three hundred and thirty pounds
of pure aggression.

Poly runs 60 percent of their plays
behind him.

And you're gonna face him
the whole game.

But we have speed, right?

Their number-one wideout
clocks a 4.4 40.

I don't think we have anyone that fast.

Their key player?
Strong safety Darnell Bing.

Just committed to SC and plays
like he's been there three years.

Tayshon. You're a better match
for this guy's speed.

You're gonna start against Poly.

You're going into the most physically
demanding moment of your life.

[ALL GRUNTING]

Drive, drive, drive!

[ALL GRUNTING]

♪♪♪

♪ I will, but you won't ♪

♪ Probably never
For as long as you live ♪

♪ Put on your coat ♪

♪ And meet me over by the end
Of the bridge ♪

[GRUNTING]

♪ Some people just won't move
That slow ♪

Unh! Let me go again!
Let me go again!

♪ They don't get me ♪

Unh!

♪ They don't break me
Don't hate me ♪

Way to go, Beaser! Way to go!
All the way to the line.

♪ They don't get me
They don't know me ♪♪

TERRY:
One tradition...

that defined this program
is the willingness of our players

to share their emotions
at the end of these meetings.

This team hasn't done that.

You guys are still carrying around the
stigma of losing the streak. Forget that.

Forget it.

Open up.

Talk to each other.

My brother was captain
of the 2000 team.

In four years, he never lost one game.

When we blew the streak,
I couldn't look him in the eye.

I'm done with that.

Everything we've been through
was for a reason:

To bring us together.

I love you guys.

I will die on that field
before I let you down.

Collapse. Not die.

It's just a high-school football game.

♪♪♪

I've been on this team four years.

I've never once played
in a varsity football game.

I mean, I'm not good enough.

And that's okay, because
the greatest moments of my life

were the times I've spent on this team
with you.

I've never been prouder of anything
than being a Spartan.

♪♪♪

When we first watched Poly's film,
and I saw Buster Matthews...

I was scared.

Then I remembered something Coach
Lad told us on my first day of practice.

"Face your fears."

That night I pasted Buster's name and
his number on my ceiling above my bed.

And every night since,
no matter how tired I was,

I've been saying:

"Buster Matthews, number 79...

you are mine."

A hundred times every night.

I promise you, guys.

We're not gonna lose
because of Buster Matthews.

My old man is insane.

My mom used to keep him in line,
but he wore her out.

Once I made the team,
I thought it'd be better.

He became an animal.

I hated him.

Funny thing is, what...

What saved me
was being on this team.

I used to play as hard as I could because
I thought that would make him happy.

And then I'd be happy.

You guys love me whether
I'm scoring touchdowns or not.

I was missing that,
and you guys gave it to me.

I could never repay you for that.

But come tomorrow...

I don't play for him.

I play for you.

ANNOUNCER: Welcome to Veterans Stadium,
home of the Long Beach Poly Jackrabbits,

where the De La Salle Spartans
of Concord, California

have traveled to the Southland for this
matchup of powerhouse programs.

At the end of last season,
these were the top two teams

and this was hyped as the game
for the national championship.

[RUMBLING]

[STOMPING]

♪♪♪

Dude, these guys are giants.

[CROWD CHEERING]

ANNOUNCER: Poly is riding high
on 34 straight victories.

De La Salle's 151 -game-winning streak
ended two weeks ago

and the Spartans come into this game
with an abysmal 0 and 2 record.

This team is struggling
and is nowhere as talented

as previous De La Salle teams.

This is the toughest game
on their schedule

and the most pivotal
of their season.

If they can't get a win,

they will go into league play 0 and 3
and with zero momentum.

[CROWD CHEERING]

And here we go.

The first nationally televised
high-school football game is underway.

Ryan takes the opening kickoff.

And it's gonna be hot as the temperature
on the field has reached 95 degrees.

Poly is big and fast. Their offensive and
defensive lines outweigh the Spartans

by over 50 pounds per man.

SALINAS:
Set, hut!

Whoa! Chris Ryan gets pounded
into the turf.

That's all you got?

SALINAS:
Set, hut!

ANNOUNCER: Salinas drops back, and his first
pass of the day goes to Tayshon Lanear. Oh!

Darnell Bing lays a big lick on him.
Twenty-two power pass throwback.

Get leverage on the corner,
occupy the free safety.

Chris will be wide open behind you.
Let's go.

SALINAS:
Hike!

MICKEY:
There he goes! That's it, that's it!

Go, go, go!

♪♪♪

REFEREE: Touchdown!
ANNOUNCER: Chris Ryan somersaults

into the end zone,
giving the Spartans a six-point lead.

Ryan is a force on the field
and has D-1 size and speed.

That's one, Chris!
I need two more from you!

Chris. Nice run. Dive in the end zone
one more time and I bench you.

We're not a celebrating team.

Yes, sir.
Go.

We knew they were quick.
Now we've seen how quick.

Settle them down. Let's show them
real speed. Hit Jones on a one. Go.

LAWRENCE:
Go, red 27, red 27, set!

Hut!

ANNOUNCER: Lawrence launches
a b*mb to Derrick Jones

and he just can't hang on.

Yeah!

You know why he dropped that? He ain't
been dragging truck tires all week.

Yeah!

Beaser! Only second down.
Keep your head in the game.

ANNOUNCER: The heat on the field is brutal,
but this Spartan team has come to play.

They are banging heads with 300-pound
linemen out there and holding their own.

What they lack in size

they make up in quickness off the ball,
determination and toughness.

Reverse!

[WHISTLE BLOWS]

No! No!
That's how you play football!

ANNOUNCER: Poly gets its first
score of the game, tying it at 7.

On-field temperatures have soared
to 100 degrees.

On the pre-game show, De La Salle's
assistant coach Terry Eidson said

the heat could be a factor
in today's game.

Pssh. He wasn't kidding.

SALINAS:
Down.

Over me! U 52!

SALINAS:
Set, hut!

ANNOUNCER: Salinas fires a
29-yard pass to Tayshon Lanear

for his first touchdown of the game.

Yeah! Yeah!
De La Salle, back in the lead, 13 to 7.

With eight minutes left in the half,

De La Salle's two-way players
are struggling to get back up.

And because Poly has a hundred-man
roster, nobody plays both ways.

This could be a huge factor
in today's game.

LAWRENCE:
Five-forty down! Fifty-fifty!

You know why they call me Buster?
You're stupid enough to let them?

LAWRENCE:
Set, hut!

Nice hit!

ANNOUNCER: Joe Beaser sheds a
block by big Buster Matthews

and makes a huge stop
on fourth down.

♪♪♪

PLAYER:
Split! Split!

SALINAS:
Doubles!

Hut!

Stop him! Come on!

[WHISTLE BLOWS]

ANNOUNCER: Tayshon Lanear reels in
his second touchdown of the game,

putting the Spartans up 21 to 7.

[CHEERING]

Lanear has been playing both ways
the first half

and is exhausted down
on the De La Salle bench.

Offense, get in there!

ANNOUNCER: Big third down here for Poly
as the clock is under a minute to go.

Whoa! Did you see that?
Did you see that?

PLAYER:
Get off of him, man!

[WHISTLE BLOWING]

[PLAYERS SHOUTING]

Come on, guys! Let's go, let's go!

ANNOUNCER: Fourth down and after
that big play by Chris Ryan,

Poly is going for a field goal.

From 34 yards out,
the ball is up and good.

Poly cuts the De La Salle Lead
to 21-10.

Eighteen seconds on the clock.
Poly is spread wide.

Looks like they're kicking away.
Onside! Ball, ball!

ANNOUNCER: No, it's an onside kick. The
ball is on the turf. There's a pileup.

Officials are diving in, and...

PLAYER 1: We got it! We got it!
PLAYER 2: Our ball.

ANNOUNCER: Poly has the ball.
You have got to be kidding me.

A perfectly ex*cuted onside kick
with 12 seconds left in the half.

When he lines up,
they're gonna throw to him.

Well, I can't go out there
and play for them. Pass! Pass!

LAWRENCE:
Set, hut!

♪♪♪

ANNOUNCER: Lawrence finds his big
tight end as the clock expires

in one of the best first halves
you will see.

Long Beach Poly has pulled
within four points of De La Salle, 21-17.

PLAYER 1:
You need water?

PLAYER 2:
Move. Open that window, man.

PLAYER 3:
Water!

♪♪♪

PLAYER 4:
Where's that ice bucket?

[CHRIS GRUNTING]

DANNY:
Here, give me that.

Give it to him. All right.

Take it. Put it on the neck.
Yeah, yeah. I got it.

All right. Lay him down.

On his back here.

Watch his head, watch his head.

[GRUNTING]

How are you doing?
All right, take it easy.

Terry. Our guys are gassed.

Poly's coming on strong. There's no way
we can start Beaser or Chris

or any of our two-way players
in the second half.

Empty the coolers,
check the concession stands.

Grab all the ice they have.
You've got two minutes.

MAN: Right.
I need your help.

There is no a.c. in here.

Assess the kids' physical condition.

Determine if they can play.
You're gonna handle substitutions.

Okay, coach.
Rotate in the second-stringers.

I don't want any kid on that field
that's not fit to play.

I don't care if it costs us the game.

[CROWD CHEERING]

The Spartans are literally dragging
themselves back

on what has become
a 100-yard blast furnace

as the heat continues
to be a major factor in this game.

Hey, Poly.

Anybody so much as waves
at your moms, you're on suspension.

There is nothing to celebrate, yet.

Finish these guys. They're fading.

Long Beach!
PLAYERS: Poly!

Long Beach!
PLAYERS: Poly!

LARA: Long Beach! Long Beach!
PLAYERS: Poly! Poly!

Sanchez, Antoine, Lance. Come on.

ANNOUNCER: Coach Bob Ladouceur is
buying some rest for his starters

by sending in his second-stringers.

[CROWD CHEERING]

LAWRENCE:
Down, set, hut!

Come on, you guys!
Here we go, here we go, here we go.

LAWRENCE:
Hut, hut!

ANNOUNCER: Poly is pounding on
De La Salle's second string.

Can somebody please
make a tackle?

[WHISTLE BLOWS]

Get in.
ANNOUNCER: In for De La Salle,

number 25, Arturo Garcia.
Right here, right here.

You got it, buddy. Come on.
Here we go, Spartans.

LAWRENCE:
Set, hut!

ANNOUNCER: Poly executes a perfect
screen pass for an eight-yard gain.

Hey, hey! What was that?
ANNOUNCER: Oh, man.

[WHISTLE BLOWS]

Buster Matthews has crushed
one of the smallest players

on the De La Salle team.

Arturo Garcia is listed
at only 147 pounds.

That's gonna cost the Jackrabbits


Oh, man!
Arturo Garcia gets revenge,

making a huge tackle to keep Poly
from making a critical first down.

Get up, Arturo.

ANNOUNCER: Spartans' second string is
playing tough against the bigger Poly team

and made them scrape
for every yard.

The question is, how much longer
can Terry Eidson leave these guys in

before Poly's offense explodes?
Great!

That was amazing. Amazing.

ANNOUNCER: Poly lines up for
a field goal. High snap.

The kick is up, and...

no good.
Yeah! Let's go!

See that? That's on you.

If you don't make that stop,
they don't miss that field goal.

ANNOUNCER: Poly misses.
The score remains 21-17.

[INAUDIBLE DIALOGUE]

TAYSHON: Yo, coach, coach. Yo, take
a look at us, man. We ready to go.

Beaser?
I'm ready.

Tayshon?
I'm ready.

Ready?
CHRIS: Let's do it.

Bob. They're ready.

You sure?
Absolutely.

All right, D, 40 cover two and go.
TAYSHON: Let's go, man. Let's go.

It looks like the starters are running back
onto the field.

This is no longer about who the
bigger, faster, stronger players are.

It's about who plays with more heart.

Relax. We're good.
That's right.

PLAYER 1: Fifty!
PLAYER 2: Draw right.

LAWRENCE:
Set, hut!

♪♪♪

Go, go, go!

No! No!

[WHISTLE BLOWS]

[CROWD CHEERING]

The Jackrabbits have come back

and now lead 24-21
over an exhausted De La Salle.

Chris is getting blocked by 280-pound
guards while playing linebacker,

then being tackled by 300-pounders
when he's running the ball.

That's how you wrap them up! Good job!
PLAYER: Get off of him!

How are they still on their feet?
Those linebackers are flying out of there.

Run the draw. Go.

Set, hike!

Come on, Chris! Come on, Chris!

Yeah! Go!

Chris Ryan's spectacular run puts
the Spartans back on top, 28-24.

What do you think?
You can't play with the Beast.

You can't play with the Beast.

With two minutes left in what is a classic
high-school football game...

LAWRENCE:
Hut!

Shed these blocks!

These guys are half your size.

Start playing like the number-one team
in this country before you aren't!

[CROWD CHEERING]

ANNOUNCER: Derrick Jones makes
an unbelievable fingertip catch

at the Spartans' four-yard line
as 15,000 fans go crazy.

[CROWD CHEERING]

With 1:02 left in the game,
Long Beach Poly has a first down

on De La Salle's four-yard line.
Hold them.

LAWRENCE:
Blue 32. Blue 37.

Set, hut!

ANNOUNCER: Tayshon Lanear with
a monster hit on first down.

Textbook!
This kid has played a terrific game

in his first start.
Double-tight rocket special. Go.

ANNOUNCER: Looks like Foster is injured
on the play as he limps off the field.

You're in that corner for Foster.
That ball goes up, come down with it.

Okay.

[WHISTLE BLOWS]

ANNOUNCER: Pulling out all the stops, Lara is
sending in sophomore fullback Jason Knight.

At 257 pounds, this kid is bigger
than most pro running backs.

Bang them. Do not let them score.

LAWRENCE:
Blue 72. Set, hut!

Pass! Pass! Pass!

Yes!

ANNOUNCER:
Wow, what a save.

The tight end was open
in the end zone,

but Danny Ladouceur comes out
of nowhere

to make a huge play.
All right.

PLAYER 1: Watch the sweep.
LAWRENCE: Break for 22.

Set, hut!

[BOTH GRUNTING]

[BOTH GRUNTING]

ANNOUNCER: Spartan linebacker Davis makes
another big stop, but Chris Ryan is down.

This would be a huge loss
for De La Salle.

Let me see. Let me see.
Get away.

Get out. Get out, come on.

Only way I'm going out of this game
is on a stretcher.

All right, hold on.
ANNOUNCER: Fourth and goal, folks.

This game has come down
to one play.

A critical play, not just for the game,
but for the rest of the Spartans' season.

Poly lines up in a Power l.

LAWRENCE:
Green 37. Green 37.

Down.

PLAYER:
Forty back. Watch out for 2.

♪♪♪

Come on, D. Come on, D.

♪♪♪

[ALL GRUNTING]

♪♪♪

[ALL GRUNTING]

[HORN BLOWS
AND CROWD CHEERING]

MIKE:
Yeah! Yeah!

[CHEERING]

Ah! Yeah, Spartans! Let's go!

ANNOUNCER: De La Salle started their
season 0 and 2 and lost their win streak,

But have come back
to stun the football world

by knocking off the number-one-rated
team in the country.

Folks, I have played football
and gone home exhausted,

I have broadcast games
and gone home elated,

but today, I go home inspired.

The De La Salle Spartans
have a new lease on life

as they go into league games
in Northern California.

Hey, coach. Coach Ladouceur.
Can I get a comment?

Danny.

Hey.
Hey, Dad.

You made a heck of a play
on second down.

You saved the game.

Thanks, coach.

PLAYER:
Yeah!

[BAND PLAYING
AND CROWD CHEERING]

REPORTER:
Fantastic. Everyone looks great.

Tonight, the feeling is electric.

The team's rolling up right now,
it couldn't be more exciting.

This is what these people

have been waiting for.

Tayshon, come on.

Beaser, take that sign down.
Yes, sir.

REPORTER: Come on, buddy.
Don't be shy, chat with us.

Hey, man, take it down.

How does it feel to go from being the
biggest loser to the biggest winner?

Uh, it's great.
Great?

Dude, you are on your way
to a new streak!

CROWD: Whoo!
No, no.

Whoo! Streak! Whoo!

Our goal is to go out and give
the perfect effort on every play.

REPORTER:
Perfect effort? The secret?

But we a team,
and Chris Ryan is like...

ls dope, no doubt,
but, look, man, you are a star.

You're the man who's gonna
lead DLS to the next what?

The next what?
CROWD: Streak!

CROWD [CHANTING]:
Streak! Streak! Streak!

Another streak, baby!

REPORTER:
Yes! One hundred and fifty games!

CROWD: Streak! Streak! Streak!
Let's go.

CROWD:
Streak! Streak! Streak!

Streak! Streak! Streak!

[ALTERNATIVE ROCK MUSIC
PLAYING]

[CROWD CHEERING]

There he goes!

[WHISTLE BLOWS]

♪ Ooh ♪

BOB:
Growing up is tough.

It's not easy.

That's what our program's about.

It ain't about the football.

It ain't about scoring the touchdowns.

♪ Sail ♪

It's about moving you
in a direction

that can help you grow up.
ALL: And forgive us for our trespasses...

BOB: So when you take your
place out in the world

or out in our community,
you can be depended on.

♪ This is how I show my love ♪

♪ I made it in my mind because ♪

[CLASS BELL RINGS]

GUY 1:
You guys are rock stars!

GUY 2:
Great game, Chris! Whoo!

GUY 3: Hey, streak 2.0!
GUY 4: It's a streak, man.

♪ This is how an angel dies
I blame it on my own supply ♪

MAN:
Faculty housing is also subsidized.

What's the offer?

Three hundred fifty thousand.
Three years. Firm.

Performance bonus. Car.

Stanford sees you
as a valuable investment.

♪ Sail ♪

♪ Sail ♪

Go.

♪ Sail ♪

♪ Sail ♪

♪ La-la-la-la-la ♪

♪ La-la-la-la-oh ♪

♪ La-la-la-la-la ♪

♪ La-la-la-la-oh ♪

Hey, coach. Great game Friday.
Three more touchdowns for the Beast.

Yeah, he played well.

Whole team did.
GIRL: Hey, Chris!

Over here! Hi!

What's up?

Get ready to break that scoring record.

Got a place for the trophy
all picked out.

Hey, Mickey?
Yeah?

Did Chris show you the thesis he wrote
for my class on Matthew 23:12?

Uh...
Amazingly insightful for someone his age.

Really terrific. You should read it.

MICKEY:
Matthew 23:12? Seriously?

What's he talking about?

We're on our way to a
championship, a state record.

Those who exalt themselves
will be humbled,

those who humble themselves
will be exalted.

Exalted?
Yeah.

You get 37 touchdowns in the season,
then you'll be exalted.

Sheesh.

Do you realize what winning this record
is gonna mean for you? For your life?

Do you have any idea
how people are gonna look at you?

How they're gonna respect you?

Breaking this record,
you'll have something

that nobody can ever take from you.
Nobody.

That's why I push you so hard.
It's not about me, it's about you.

You're a salesman, Dad.

I'm a what?

You sell cars.

Don't try and sell me.

This is for you.

I'm just another one of your trophies
you keep in your case.

Like all the medals you've been collecting
to show everybody when they walk in.

I am sick of it.

What are you trying to say?
You don't want this record?

What do you care?!
It's always about what you want!

You little punk.
Don't you ever talk to me like that!

While you live in my house,
you will do as I say,

and you will show me the respect
I deserve! You understand me?

Now you tell me
with that mouth of yours,

you promise me that you'll go out
and get me that record.

Promise me, Chris.

Okay.

No, Chris.
I wanna hear you say it. Say it!

I promise I'll get you that record, Dad!

Attaboy.

♪♪♪

MAN [ON TV]: And in local sports, we toss it
to Jim, who's standing by at De La Salle high.

JIM: De La Salle Spartans pulled off one
of the greatest comebacks in sports.

After a devastating opening,

they're poised to compete
for their 13th championship.

Dad, look.
It's about the championship game.

All around me and very excited
are the new generation of Spartans.

What grade are you guys in?
Sophomores, play on the JV.

JIM: You're riding a nine-game streak.
What do you think about that?

If we go undefeated
in our junior- and senior-year season,

we're gonna push this streak
to 33 games in a row.

PLAYERS [CHANTING]:
Thirty-three, 33, 33!

JIM:
Thirty-three games in a row.

PLAYERS: Thirty-three, 33, 33!
Back to you.

PLAYERS:
Thirty-three, 33, 33!

Bob?

♪♪♪

Hey, you.

Hm.

Yeah, I couldn't sleep.

Are you seriously considering that?

You know, when we started this
25 years ago,

there was no Internet.

No high-school football on TV.

Not every kid alive was a celebrity.

It's all changed now.

Hm. Maybe the kids
have changed too.

All the things I've taught
and believed in.

I don't know
if l'm still doing much good here.

I better get some sleep.

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

[HEAVING AND COUGHING]

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

Is this mine?

Who else's would it be?
Of course it's yours.

How do I look?

Real cool, man. Real cool.
Thank you.

Mm.
Uh.

Oh, my gosh. Okay, I'm dying, I'm dying.
Thank you again.

Get dressed. Let's go to the game.

De La Salle staged
a miraculous comeback

for an unprecedented 13th sh*t
at the sectional championship.

On the line for running back Chris Ryan
is a personal quest

as he takes the field only three
touchdowns away from breaking a record.

BOB:
Let us begin.

ALL:
Our father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread
and forgive us our trespasses

As we forgive those
who trespass against us.

Lead us not to temptation,
but deliver us from evil. Amen.

CHRIS: One, two, three.
ALL: Spartans!

ANNOUNCER: This season is ending with
De La Salle in a familiar place:

Competing for their 13th
North Coast section championship.

[ALL GRUNTING]

Danny Ladouceur is slammed
to the turf,

but somehow holds on
for a De La Salle first down.

Yeah, Danny boy!
Huddle up. Get it to Chris. Let's go.

ANNOUNCER: De La Salle is a
favorite to win this game.

And most eyes are on Chris Ryan's
quest for a touchdown scoring record.

[CROWD CHEERING]

[WHISTLE BLOWS]

Yeah!

Yeah, that's it! That's it! Way to go.

One down, two to go for the record.
Two more touchdowns for the record.

ANNOUNCER: Chris Ryan's historic
run at the state touchdown record

continues with another touchdown
as De La Salle takes a 7-0 lead.

♪♪♪

Pick him up!

No!

[WHISTLE BLOWS]

Why didn't you tackle him?

It is a contact sport.

You can hit someone.
It's encouraged even!

Yes!

With just a little over five minutes left
[WHISTLE BLOWS]

In the second quarter in this hard-fought
championship, the score is tied, 7-7.

Beaser, you need
to keep him contained!

QUARTERBACK:
Hut, blue one. Hut!

Reverse! Reverse!

Ooh! Oh!

Contain the runner!
Contain the runner!

ANNOUNCER: Amador Valley dips into its bag
of tricks, but Joe Beaser isn't fooled.

The senior defensive end
played that perfectly.

[ALL GRUNTING]

De La Salle is up 14-7
here in the fourth quarter.

The Spartans have the ball
on the Dons' 35-yard line.

Chris Ryan is one touchdown away
from tying the state record.

[CHEERING]

Danny.

Coach.

Watch the defensive back.

He leans inside a lot. When he
does, b*at him to the corner.

Give him a hard fake on
your first move. Finish strong.

DANNY:
Corner.

Thirty-four, 34. Give it to 34.

CROWD [CHANTING]:
Chris, Chris, Chris!

Chris, Chris, Chris!

SALINAS:
Down. Hut!

♪♪♪

[CHEERING]

[WHISTLE BLOWS]

Yeah!
Chris Ryan won't be denied.

He scores again to give De La Salle
a two-touchdown advantage.

He is now just one touchdown away
from breaking the state record.

One more for the record.

SALINAS:
Set, hut!

[WHISTLE BLOWS]

BOB:
Salinas.

This is your final drive
as a Spartan.

Coach?

It's yours. You call the plays.

CROWD [CHANTING]:
Chris, Chris, Chris!

SALINAS: Strong right, 16
midline on one. Ready?

CROWD:
Chris, Chris, Chris!

SALINAS:
Down. Hut!

Go, come on!

Come on, block for him!
Give him some help, will you?

Come on!

One more for the record.
Give it to the Beast. Give it to Chris.

SALINAS:
Down.

Set, hut!

[WHISTLE BLOWS]

Booyah, baby!

Hey, good catch, dog.

Come on, come on. There's still time.
Still time. Let's get it to Chris.

ALL [CHANTING]:
Chris, Chris, Chris!

Break that record, son! Let's go!

Here we go, baby,


TAYSHON:
Hoo-hoo-hoo. Here we go.

It's the last play of the game, dog.
Make me proud.

♪♪♪

♪ This is where it all began ♪

♪ This is where it all began ♪♪

Time out.

[WHISTLE BLOWS]

What are they doing?
I don't know. It's their drive.

What are you doing?
Coach Lad's doing this for me.

He won't say...
Dude, what are you talking about?

I just... I don't want my last play
as a Spartan to be about me.

Why not? You trained to get here,
you deserve it.

Look, it's an easy sh*t.

He never took the easy sh*t.

Coming back to coach us,
he could have d*ed.

And what have we done for him?

Won a few games? A championship?

No, he's right.

While we've been staring at the dirt,
coach has been saying look up.

It's about time we did.

It's time for us to stand tall.
Victory formation.

No, no, no. You gotta do it.

All right.

Boys, no matter where we go
or what we achieve,

nothing's gonna come close
to what we have right here.

You're all my brothers.
Spartans for life.

ALL:
Spartans for life.

Shotgun formation, direct snap,
on me, on one. Ready?

ANNOUNCER: De La Salle is
lining up in shotgun formation,

but Chris Ryan is quarterback
instead of Salinas.

This is a formation we haven't seen
from De La Salle.

Look for Ryan to run this in for his
record-setting 89th career touchdown.

Maybe this wasn't the best time
to give Salinas free will.

Down. Set, hut!

ANNOUNCER: The snap, and Ryan
What the hell was that?

Takes a knee.

Wow, rather than running in
for his 89th career touchdown,

Chris Ryan instead opts
to take a knee.

MICKEY:
What are you doing, coach?

Let him run it. Forty-one blast, come on.
There's still time. Run it! Run it!

Mickey, Bob's not calling the plays.
You don't understand football.

It's not about football.

Your husband is costing my son
this record.

My husband's turning your son
into a man.

You're the only person who doesn't see.
CHRIS: Down, set, hut!

No, no, no. Come on.

Ryan takes another knee.
Time out. Stop that clock, Ladouceur.

Stop that clock and run that play!

Run the play!
Let him get the record! Come on!

♪♪♪

ANNOUNCER: What could've been a record-shattering
night has now turned into a tribute

to the man who took them here,
Coach Bob Ladouceur.

♪♪♪

Why didn't that boy get his record?
Because it's not about the record.

CROWD: Nine, eight, seven, six,
It's about the team.

CROWD:
five, four,

three, two, one.

[HORN BLOWS
AND CROWD CHEERING]

Yeah!

[ALL CHEERING]

For you.

Come here.

[LAUGHS]

ALL [CHANTING]:
DLS, DLS, DLS!

♪♪♪

[ALL CHEERING]

♪♪♪

♪ In the middle of the night ♪

♪ When the angels scream ♪

♪ I don't wanna live a lie that I believe ♪

♪ Time to do or die ♪

♪ I will never forget ♪

BOB:
Remember one other thing:

Nobody on this staff expects you
to play perfect tonight.

That's impossible.
But what we do expect,

and you should expect
from yourself and each other,

is a perfect effort.

♪ Oh ♪

I'll say this about Bob Ladouceur,

that he's a better coach
than our big-time college coaches,

and he's a better coach
than our big-time pro coaches.

♪ That's how the story goes ♪

Everybody stands up as an individual
and says, "My name is DJ Williams.

I commit to 20 carries, 150 yards,
seven tackles and no dropped passes."

Once you say that, you hand the card
to somebody, and you shake hands

And they say,
"I hold you to that commitment."

♪ I will never forget the moment ♪

To the Kelly family,
Landrin and Bevelyn,

my heart breaks for your loss,
and I pray for your recovery.

God bless you both,

and please,
take some solace in the fact

that you did a fantastic job.

♪ That's how the story goes ♪

BOB: I told you before, this is
the last thing I'm gonna say.

Growing up is painful.

It's not easy.

But that's what our program is about,
in case you haven't figured it out.

It ain't about the football.

It ain't about scoring touchdowns.

It ain't about the win streak.

It's about moving you in a direction

that will assist you
and help you grow up.

So when you can take your place

out in the world, and out in society,
and out in our community,

you can be depended on.

Lad said it. He goes:

"You know, if, you know,
Terry wasn't on my staff,

I wouldn't be doing this right now."

There's a tremendous bond
of trust and friendship that's there.

They share a commitment
to their players.

No matter what's going on,
the players come first,

and that means the team.

They will never sacrifice the team
for the individual.

And all they wanna do
is create a community,

have a common goal,
and play the game.

We're De La Salle.
Some guys wanna call it a curse,

I say that's the blessing
of De La Salle.

You gotta go out every week
and prove it.

So when you show up tomorrow,
whatever it is that excites you,

whatever it is that's gonna get you
to bring your A-game and your A-heart,

you bring it and you do it.

I don't know what that is for you.
What is it that gets your heart swollen.

Hopefully, it's gonna be
that last chapter in the book

that you've written for yourself
this year.

And I'd like to say, I'd like to just call
that last chapter just what, uh...

Just what Coach Eidson called it.

Last chapter of the book
isn't the NCS 3A title or San Leandro.

It's "Brotherhood."

That's what it should be titled.

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