03x17 - All American: Homecoming

Episode transcripts for the TV show "All American" Premiered on the CW October 10,2018 to current*
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Inspired by the life of professional American football player Spencer Paysinger. High School football player is recruited from South LA to play for Beverly Hills and the two worlds collide.
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03x17 - All American: Homecoming

Post by bunniefuu »

[CHEERING]

Hey, Bringston University,
y'all, make some noise!

- [LOUDER CHEERING]
- Uh! Let's go.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, uh!

♪ Sweet Lord, please have mercy ♪

♪ Baby Jesus, please save us ♪

♪ I know I used up my three favors ♪

♪ Back to sinning, like, a week later ♪

♪ New car, speed racer ♪

♪ Cop a crib, need acres ♪

♪ Most of all, we all need prayer ♪

♪ Karma coming, beware... ♪

Wow. I bet Princeton isn't doing
all this for their homecoming.

Princeton who?

SPENCER: Exactly. Look,

if they too wack to
accept you, forget them.

Look, guys, I thought the
whole point of this trip

was to help cheer me up and
take my mind off that school.

OLIVIA: Well, yeah, and to
scope out the HBCU experience.

JORDAN: You're the only one
with HBCUs on your list, Liv.

Well, at least she has
a list. I ain't got nada.

All right. Ok. Stop the
college talk, all right?

This weekend is about visiting your aunt

and having some G.A.F. Am I right?

Grown-ass fun. Come on, guys.

[CHUCKLES] Hold up. Hold up.

Is that really Cordae on the stage?

CORDAE: ♪ All gas and
the brake's slower ♪

♪ Took a trip out to Tokyo ♪

♪ Now I'm here in Paris
for the layover... ♪

SIMONE: All right, y'all.

Welcome to Bringston University.

It's time to turn up.

CORDAE: ♪ Life will hit
you with a light jab ♪

♪ Mike Tyson, strike back ♪

♪ You go on now, slight sad ♪

♪ Know I'm all about my bag ♪

♪ New drip, I grab ♪

♪ I just wanna get my life back ♪

It's just like in any other space.

As black journalists,

you will be held to a higher standard.

There's a larger, unrealistic
burden on black journalists.

And if you take someone like
me, who lies in the intersection

of journalism and activism,
that burden is even greater.

- OLIVIA: Is that your aunt?
- PROFESSOR: Keisha?

KEISHA: So how can you maintain
journalistic objectivity?

- STUDENT: The same way white reporters do.
- KEISHA: Except, do they?

Just because the views of
whiteness are normalized

to be the objective neutral
doesn't mean that they actually are.

All right.

Forget about journalistic
objectivity, Keisha.

I instead believe in being ethical,

fair, and telling the
truth. There's a difference.

And as for ethics, my philosophy

is if it doesn't cross
your line in the sand,

there is no shame in walking away.

But if it does, you pursue
it until you have it right,

and then bring it all to the light.

Ok. Yas, poetry!

[LAUGHTER, STUDENTS SNAPPING FINGERS]

PROFESSOR: All right.
See you all Tuesday.

Keisha, you're a mess.

Hootie hoo!

Hootie hoo! Ha ha!

Hi, auntie.

Oh, my baby girl.

- I can't believe you're really here. Ha ha!
- I know.

Olivia, which makes you Spencer.

- And you must be nephew-in-law.
- Something like that.

Uh, by the way, thank you so much

for letting us stay this
weekend, Ms. Patterson.

Dear God. Call me
Amara. I am not that old.

So what you got going on?

What do you mean? Teaching.

You are never just teaching.

I know you got some amazing article
brewing somewhere up in there.

I'm still putting the pieces together.

In the meantime, it's homecoming.

Yeah, y'all seem to take
that real serious out here.

Oh, honey, you have no idea.

Keisha has offered to be your
unofficial ambassador for the weekend.

So leave your bags with me.

Have some fun. I'll catch you later.

- Wait. Are you sure?
- Girl, don't ask twice.

♪ I made the long climb
for the first time ♪

♪ I'm on top for the third time... ♪

KEISHA: You made it just in time
for the best part of homecoming.

- OLIVIA: What's that?
- Tonight's fashion show,

choreographed by moi.

Oh. So you're a journalism
major/choreographer?

Premed, actually,

and proud captain of the
undefeated Bringston dance squad.

Hey.

What are you thinking
about applying here for?

Oh, no, I'm not applying here.

- I'm just visiting with my family.
- More like hiding from family.

Simone's mom is, like, a lot.

KEISHA: So where are you applying?

Honestly, I don't know.

Girl, tick-tock. You're
kind of running out of time.

- What's your thing?
- Tennis.

- Tennis.
- Mm-hmm.

- Ok. You any good?
- Yeah.

- KEISHA: Ok.
- SIMONE: I am.

Yo, is everyone in
Atlanta here this weekend?

- This is bananas.
- Girl, HBCUs are hot right now,

especially with of our grads out
here saving the country from itself.

Thank you, madam V.P.

And thank you, Ms. Stacey "Nobel
Peace Prize Nominee" Abrams.

Hey. I like the way you say that.

Wait. Who's the third one, though?

BOTH: Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.

Ok, so what's the real on
the two sexies behind us?

- Well, one of them is my husband.
- Husband?

Ok, well, that's a story
that I need to hear,

but please tell me it's
not the dark chocolate one.

Oh, no. Spencer is all Liv's.

Um, no. Spencer and I are not
together. We're just friends.

Well, then, heh, yay, me.

["WOBBLE" BY V.I.C. PLAYING]

KEISHA: All right. So, um, who's hungry?

♪ Wobble, baby, wobble, baby, wobble ♪

- ♪ Yeah... ♪
- ♪ Wobble, baby, wobble, baby, wobble ♪

- ♪ Yeah... ♪
- ♪ Wobble, baby, wobble, baby, wobble... ♪

♪ Yeah... ♪

♪ Get in there! ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah ♪

♪ Get in there ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah ♪

♪ Get in there... ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah... ♪

All right. So who gonna wobble with me?

Oh, I'm good. I'm not really
in a group dance kind of mood.

Whatever drama you got
back home, forget about it.

Just for the weekend, give in to the fun

of a beautifully
melanated HBCU experience.

All right. So I'm gonna be real mad

- if we don't get out there before my song ends, so...
- Well, I'll come.

Next song, I promise.

Ok?

♪ Get in there! ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah ♪

♪ Hey, big girl, make 'em back it up ♪

- ♪ Yeah... ♪
- ♪ Make 'em back it up ♪

[STUDENTS CHEERING, OLIVIA LAUGHING]

♪ Make 'em back it up... ♪

[DEADPAN] Giving in to the fun.

♪ Make 'em back it up ♪

♪ Hey, big girl, make 'em back it up ♪

- ♪ Yeah... ♪
- [ECHOING] ♪ Make 'em back it up ♪

♪ Girl, wobble it, and
I'mma gobble it... ♪

Yo, can you not?

- Are you crazy?!
- Look, look.

I'm just not trying to
do the whole picture thing

this weekend, all right?

Look, I just want some privacy.

Wait. I don't know who
you are, nor do I care.

I was taking a video of my
friends dancing behind you.

[CHUCKLES] Oh. Oh, my bad.

Your bad? Are you serious?

If you ever touch me or
my property again, i...

why are you amused right now?

I'm sorry. Look, uh, please continue.

Oh. So you think you're cute.

Ok, well, uh, let's see
how funny you think this is

when you go viral for getting
your ass handed to you by a woman.

JORDAN: Hey, everything good, babe?

- SIMONE: Yeah.
- JORDAN: You sure?

Yeah. Man. Just a, uh... just
a little misunderstanding.

Forget him.

- ♪ Big girl, make 'em back it up ♪
- ♪ Yeah ♪

♪ Make 'em back it up ♪

♪ Hey, big girl, make 'em back it up ♪

- ♪ Yeah... ♪
- [ECHOING] ♪ Make 'em back it up ♪

MAN: Whoo!

MAN : You know, if you
really don't want folks

to know you're here this weekend,

this is the last place you should be.

I just wanted to see the
field where Hank Dawson

- broke the record for stolen bases.
- Mm!

Greatest to ever do
it in the n*gro league.

Yeah.

You all right?

Yeah, man. I'm cool. Just...

wish I could've met him.

So what's it like to play
for the great Leonard Shaw?

Crazy intimidating.

They keep me on the bench
most of the time, though.

Man, your time will come.

All right?

You see yourself coming
to school in the south?

Come on, man. The
dream's to play in Cali.

What if Simone don't
want to stay in Cali?

She does, ok, now that
Princeton's off the table,

so everything's gonna be a-ok.

SPENCER: I knew it. I knew
that cat looked familiar.

Who is he?

Damon Sims.

He one of the top
recruits in the country.

That boy's a sure thing to
go first round to the MLB

straight out of high school this year.

MLB. Then,

well, why is he here checking
out Bringston's baseball program,

trying to be all incognito?

I'm gonna catch you after practice.

- Hey, yo, is that Damon Sims?
- What?

MAN: Hey, guys, check it
out. Damon Sims is here.

I told you.

OLIVIA: Who knew there was a whole
mini-Wimbledon going on back here?

KEISHA: Thea's parents
insist on nothing but the best

for their baby girl.
They are major donors.

SIMONE: Damn. She is ridiculous.

Do you see how aggressive
she is from the baseline?

OLIVIA: Ok, calm down.
She's not Beyoncé.

KEISHA: Came up on the junior circuit,

and the national
women's HBCU champion.

So, yeah, she's kind of our Queen Bey,

just not as nice.

[GROANS]

Are you guys done?

Like, is there anywhere else

you can hang out and be disruptive?

- Or it has to be here?
- Oh, uh, sorry.

We, like, weren't trying
to distract you or anything.

And yet here you are even closer.

Oh. Uh, I'm trying to
give you a compliment,

but I guess I'll just mind my business.

- You play?
- Excuse me?

Oh, yeah. I came up
junior circuit like you.

Oh, like me? Let's see what you got.

You can help warm me up.

Becca.

Wait. You mean, like, right now?

Oh, yeah. Uh, ok, cool.

All right. Good luck this season, y'all.

Hey, how about it?

[CHUCKLES WEAKLY]

Thanks, but I'm good. I
don't want to interrupt.

Interrupt? Dude, we're all
dying to see that velocity.

What'd you clock at the
all-star futures game, ?

. , actually.

Hey, we got time before Coach get here.

Let's toss a few.

- Really, I'm... I'm good, man.
- Y'all really gonna make him say it?

Million-dollar baby over here can't
waste his arm on little old us.

- Don't put words in my boy's mouth.
- My bad.

Am I wrong, though? Correct me, please.

All right.

Who's got a pitcher's glove?

♪ You gonna ♪

♪ You gonna ♪

♪ You gonna ♪

Get ready.

WOMAN: ♪ Hey! ♪

MAN: ♪ 'Cause you got
to feel it in your soul ♪

♪ 'Cause you got to believe
it, you got to know ♪

♪ 'Cause you got to wake
up and dream and go get it ♪

♪ A visionary knows no limit ♪

♪ Do it big so your name be remembered ♪

OLIVIA: I thought this
was a friendly match.

Those don't exist for Thea.

♪ You gonna dream big... ♪

PLAYERS: Whoo!

PLAYER: That's what I'm talking about.

WOMAN: ♪ Calling sh*ts
'cause you're in charge ♪

♪ You gonna dream big,
you better dream large ♪

♪ You wanna live life like a renegade ♪

♪ Climb to the top for
your piece of fame... ♪

PLAYER: Let's go, boys.

♪ Calling sh*ts 'cause
you're in charge ♪

♪ You gonna dream big,
you better dream large ♪

♪ If you gonna... ♪

♪ Mm ♪

♪ You gonna dream big,
you better dream large ♪

♪ Mm mm ♪

♪ You gonna dream big,
you better dream large ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

♪ You gonna dream big,
you better dream large ♪

♪ Mm mm ♪

♪ You gonna dream big,
you better dream large ♪

♪ You say you wanna be famous ♪

♪ Stand feet tall ♪

Take it easy on me, man.

Wouldn't know how.

♪ You gonna ♪

♪ You gonna ♪

♪ Uh! This is the time of
your life, the moment to live ♪

♪ The moment to shine ♪

♪ The moment to rise
and take over the world ♪

♪ I'm on top of everything,
on top of my game ♪

♪ Uh! ♪

Uh!

You always warm up that intensely?

Sorry. I thought you could hang.

MAN: Hey, what the
hell y'all doing? Huh?

So y'all just got time to waste?

DAMON: Uh, look, I'm sorry.
This was... this was my fault.

- Laps around the field now.
- [PLAYERS GROANING]

Look, you don't stop till I
tell you to stop. Let's go.

Let's go! Move it, now.

You play how you practice. Go!

Uh, Damon Sims, sir.

Man. You must be proud of this team.

I mean, they're tight,
a well-oiled machine.

I know. I oiled them.

And next time you want to show
off, you do it elsewhere, son.

- I apologized.
- Yeah, I heard you.

It's nothing personal, kid.

I just don't like my
practices being interrupted.

Funny, 'cause it feels
pretty personal, Coach.

I just don't take to players who all
about themselves and not the team.

- You don't even know me.
- Aren't you the star pitcher

who's currently sitting out of
his high-school baseball games

when his team needs him the most,

because he's saving
his arm for the pros?

See, I've watched a
lot of tape on you, son,

and here's what I don't get.

Why do you play the game
in the first place, son?

'Cause it's clear you don't enjoy it.

You lecturing our
surprise guest, Marcus?

Just having an honest
conversation, Coach.

Heh heh! Well, Coach Turner is
known for his honest conversation.

Leonard Shaw, head coach.

Marcus Turner, assistant head.

Nice to meet you, sir.

I've had my eye on you
since first year varsity.

Mom came down on me pretty hard, though.

Coach Turner, them
boys look plenty warm.

Why don't you go ahead
and get things started?

[LAUGHTER]

[MUSIC PLAYING, CELL PHONE RINGS]

AMARA: She's probably
checking to make sure

- I haven't corrupted you yet.
- Mm-hmm.

She does know you're here, right?

- Dad knows.
- Simone.

Auntie, I need to figure out
what my college future looks like,

figure out what's best for me,

what's best for us.

And I can't do that at home.

It's either Tina Hicks' way or no way.

I won't blow up your
spot under one condition.

You give Bringston some
careful thought this weekend.

I know you didn't come to scout
the school, but just consider it.

I think it could be a good fit...

For both of you, for
all of you, actually.

SPENCER: All right. I'll bite.

What makes HBCUs so special?

It's a connection to
our history, our culture.

- OLIVIA: Black excellence.
- AMARA: Exactly.

And the tennis program is really good.

Yeah, just maybe don't put all
your eggs in the athletic basket.

[CELL PHONE VIBRATES, AMARA CHUCKLES]

Keisha, shouldn't you
be getting ready for...

Damn. Ok. I'm on my way.

Big fashion show emergency. Come on.

It's a fashion show. How big
of an emergency can it be?

♪ This is the story of my
reign and my arrival... ♪

Listen, I'm a miracle worker
with cover-up and a contour brush,

but even I can't fix this craziness.

- AMARA AND SIMONE: Ooh.
- We are not putting her on the stage like that.

Not my fashion show.

KEISHA: Dr. Patterson,
you're our advisor.

- You know the routine. So, like...
- AMARA: Oh, no, no, no. But,

Simone, you used to dance.

- Uh, Olivia still dances.
- Uh, no one asked me.

Ok, you know what? You're both doing it.

Symmetry. You'll be fine.

And you have an hour until curtain.

- That's like a year in dancer time.
- Ok. But I didn't say yes.

You did. You said,
"next song... Promise."

Well, the next song's here,
sweetie, so let's go. Come on.

- AMARA: You'll be fine.
- OLIVIA: I...

- You're ok.
- Come...

DAMON: Hey, what's the deal
with Coach Turner anyway?

I thought Coach Shaw would be
the one with the stick up his ass.

Heh. Coach Turner's the real deal.

That dude's just mad stressed lately.

Why? You all are a championship team.

- I don't know.
- EMCEE: B.U.,

are y'all b*tches ready
for a fashion show?

[APPLAUSE]

[VOCAL SAMPLES]

BEYONCE: ♪ Driver, roll up
the partition, please ♪

Look out.

♪ Driver, roll up the
partition, please ♪

♪ I don't need you seeing
'yonce on her knees ♪

♪ Took minutes to
get all dressed up ♪

♪ We ain't even gonna
make it to this club ♪

[CHEERING]

♪ Oh, he so horny,
yeah, he want to, mm ♪

♪ He bucked all my buttons,
and he ripped my blouse ♪

♪ He Monica Lewinski'd all on my gown ♪

♪ Oh, there, Daddy, Daddy
didn't bring the towel ♪

♪ Oh, baby, baby, we
better slow it down ♪

♪ Took minutes to
get all dressed up ♪

♪ And we ain't even gonna
make it to this club ♪

♪ Take all, take all ♪

♪ Of me, of me ♪

♪ I just wanna be the girl
you like, girl you like ♪

♪ Take all, take all ♪

♪ Of me, of me, I just wanna be... ♪

Wow. She is stunning.

Yeah. Yeah, she is.

♪ ... Is right here with me ♪

♪ Right here with me,
right here with me ♪

♪ Right here with me ♪

♪ Driver, roll up the partition fast ♪

♪ Over there, I swear I
saw them cameras flash ♪

♪ Handprints and
footprints on my glass ♪

♪ Handprints and good
grips all on my... ♪

♪ Private show with the music blasting ♪

♪ He like to call me Peaches
when we get this nasty ♪

♪ Red wine drip, we'll talk that trash ♪

♪ Chauffeur eavesdropping,
trying not to crash ♪

♪ Oh, there Daddy, Daddy,
now you ripped my fur ♪

♪ Oh, baby, baby be
sweating out my hair ♪

♪ Took minutes to
get all dressed up ♪

♪ And we ain't even gonna
make it to this club ♪

♪ Take all, take all ♪

♪ Of me, of me ♪

♪ I just wanna be the girl
you like, girl you like ♪

♪ The kind of girl you
like is right here with me ♪

♪ Right here with me,
right here with me ♪

[OVERLAPPING VOCALS]

PERSON ON RECORDING: Hello!

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

Oh, my God.

So they just breed y'all different
out in Beverly Hills, huh?

I cannot believe I just did that.

Like, we just did that.

- Oh, my gosh. That was so...
- Sexy.

The word you're looking
for is sexy, sexy...

- Ok.
- Sexy!

Now, come on with your fine selves,

and let's get you out of
these hella expensive dresses

- so I can return them.
- OLIVIA: Oh, oh, ok.

KEISHA: I was gonna say. Come on.

Ooh.

That was fire.

I'm good. Thanks.

Uh, listen, about earlier,

um, there's been just, like,
a lot more attention lately,

so I'm still getting used to
the whole loss of privacy thing.

Oh, that's it. That's your apology.

Uh, nah. Of... of course not.

What I meant was, like, I'm
sorry that I was a little...

Obnoxious? Over the top? Opinionated?

Did you want me to pick one?

Ok, yes, all right. All the above.

Now, can I get a do-over
for real this time?

I'm Damon Sims.

Simone Hicks.

Ok, Simone Hicks.

[BOTH CHUCKLE]

So what are the chances I can talk you

into showing me around campus tomorrow?

She says she's not interested.

- Jordan, I got it.
- Look, man, I don't care how famous you are.

You keep bothering my girl,
we're gonna have a problem.

I just came back here to
compliment her on the show.

Ok.

I know you, right?

- I don't think so.
- Justice for Tamika, right?

You're the football cat that
set off the chain of forfeits.

Made national news.

I'm Damon Sims.

I'm Spencer James.

Look, no disrespect, man.

BASEBALL PLAYER: Hey,
bro, I've been calling you.

Check your damn phone.

You're the top story on
every sports news feed.

_

- STUDENT: , , , ...
- [STUDENTS CHANT]

, , , , , , , .

, , , , , ...

Mom, I swear I didn't
know it was gonna go viral.

- Look, I can explain.
- I bet you can.

Funny. This doesn't look
like camping with Chase.

I just wanted a weekend,
one weekend to...

To what?

To just be normal.

We've worked so hard to get here, right?

To have the MLB at our fingertips,

and you're ready to risk
injury this weekend for what?

A chance to chug fruit
punch out of a trash can

and swag surf with mediocrity?

Hey, Ms. Sims. Look,
it's kind of my fault.

Mom, you remember J.R., right?

We were on the U
national team together.

There's a way for all this
to actually work in our favor.

No, we don't have to spin this one.

It worked for Kumar.

He chose a top D school
in place of a lower draft.

And now he's expected to
be the number one pick out

of college this year.

So what, you want the MLB to think

that I'm considering enrolling here?

It'll create more hype around you. Yeah.

You know what? Go shower.
Put something nice on.

You're doing interviews.

No.

Excuse me?

I said, no, Mom.

You keep saying "we," but I'm the one

who's out there on that field, Ma. Me.

I'm the one who has to
play hurt or healthy.

I'm the one who has to deal
with disappointed teammates

because you insist that I
save my arm for the pros.

I'm the one who has to miss class

so that I can show up and show out

and get another
unnecessary showcase, Ma.

- Me.
- Oh, really?

So who was it who gave up everything

so that you could be out on those
fields showing up and showing out?

Your career doesn't happen without me.

And yours doesn't happen without me.

Boy, everything I do is for you.

And one day, you'll thank me.

Now, get dressed.

- Damon.
- Y... yes, ma'am.

Uh, excuse me.

I'm sorry. I'm looking
for Liv and Simone.

They said they were meeting you here.

Uh, yeah, change of plans.

They said they'd meet you
and Jordan at the tailgate.

OK, bet.

Is that the story you're working on?

College athletic scandals?

Is something happening
here at Bringston?

My bad. Last night,
you was mad cagey about

the whole athletics thing here.

Nothing gets past you, huh?

Is that for me?

Yeah. Yeah. It was taped
to your door outside.

- I'll see you later.
- Mm-hmm.

Yeah. This is Dr. Patterson. I
need to pull some transcripts.

Did you know Marian Wright Edelman was

the first woman in Mississippi
to pass the bar exam?

She was a lawyer for the NAACP,

a Spelman grad, got the Presidential
Medal of Freedom in .

She's a badass.

I mean, clearly.

So then why isn't she
in our history books?

Why isn't Toni Morrison a part of
our English lit required reading?

This place is growing on you, isn't it?

Liv, I guess I just didn't expect
to come to this place and...

I don't know... feel so full.

[CELL PHONE CHIMES]

It's Keisha. She's with
Spencer and Jordan already.

Oh, and she says, "you better haul ass."

OK, stop. Keisha is cool.

I just, uh...

I'm not surprised that
she's already with Spencer.

OK, well, if you're not going
to go after what you want,

you can't get mad when
somebody else does.

Well, it looks like somebody
needs to take her own advice.

MARCUS: Kids like Damon
Sims just don't walk away

from a chance at playing pro ball.

- WOMAN: Dr. Patterson, please...
- I'm sorry. I just need a minute.

Dr. Allen, it's urgent.

I'm in the middle of a meeting.

Oh, it's all right. We all done here.

That's your head baseball coach

and your anthropology department chair.

ALLEN: OK.

And these are the academic
transcripts I pulled

for every baseball player enrolled in

and acing anthropology
and over the last years.

Get to the point, Amara.

Anthropology isn't a real class.

It's a paper class. No
real professorial oversight,

no actual class time.

It's a sham to keep these
baseball players eligible.


You're telling me Leonard Shaw
cheated to win at baseball games?

He's cheating these boys
out of a real education.

And are these...

These, uh, paper classes,

are they open to all students?

I mean, yes, but that
doesn't change anything.

To the NCAA, it will.

Means it's not solely
an athletic privilege.

So because they won't care, what?

That means you're just gonna
sweep the cheating under the rug?

- Look, I get this story is a big break for you.
- Story?

You think this is about a
damn story? Screw the story.

This is about doing right by
an institution that I love,

a school that shaped who I was
as a student, who I am today,

a place of excellence.

You need to get ahead of this, Zeke.

You need to show everyone
that selfish bastard

does not define Bringston,

that we are still above reproach,

because when this kind
of flagrant crap happens,

we clean out our own damn closets.

[HEAVY SIGH]

[SIGHS]

Remember, when she asks you about rumors

that playing at college is
back on the table for you,

keep it vague but humble.

I know, Mom. I'm prepared.

OK. And if she brings up...

- Wait. What the hell?
- What's going on?

- Shh, shh.
- REPORTER ON VIDEO: In a statement just released

by president Allen, an internal
investigation has been launched,

looking into alleged academic fraud

by some prominent members
of the baseball team.

Coach Leonard Shaw is
resigning, effective immediately.

More to come.

Damn. We just lost our leverage.

Leverage? Is that really what
you're focused on right now?

What else should I be focused on?

Mom, a team just got decimated,

people's livelihoods destroyed.

What is with you and this school?

And why are you so
obsessed with this team

you've spent all of seconds with?

Forget it.

All right? It's nothing.

I'm walking back to
campus, all right, Ma?

How could you do it?

It was two seasons of a
couple of ghost classes.

Spare me the lecture.

In fact, I dare you to
find me a college coach

that isn't gaming the system.

If you do, it's 'cause
they haven't been caught.

Me, ok? Because I don't coach like that.

Well, that's why you couldn't
even make it in the minors.

But I'm prepared to do what it takes
to gain the competitive advantage.

What about your responsibility
to these boys, huh?

My job is to get them
ready for the pros.

And that's what I've been doing.

I won't apologize for that.

I guess that's where you
and I fundamentally differ.

You'll learn.

[HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING]

[JORDAN CHUCKLES]

- JORDAN: Now we're talking.
- SIMONE: I know, babe.

You've been wanting
to party all weekend.

I've been wanting to grind
on my wife a little bit. Mwah.

KEISHA: Yay, y'all here. Let's go!

SPENCER: OK!

KEISHA: Hey, yo, Nate,
K.E.K. punch for everybody.

OLIVIA: Oh, actually, no
punch for me. I'm sober, so...

Good for you, girl.

SPENCER: Dear God, tell
me that's not a trash can.

It's the cleanest thing in here. Trust.

Here y'all go.

Cheers, b*tches.

[ALL CHEER]

[MUSIC CONTINUES]

[SLOWLY] Simone Hicks.

Why do you keep saying
my name like that?

'Cause it's dope.

- [DEADPAN] OK.
- [CHUCKLES]

Oh, ok. So athlete.

That's the vibe?

Or are you just a big Naomi Osaka fan?

Mm. It's both.

I've been trying to get
my way back to athlete,

find my mojo again.

And how's that going?

Let's just say the
competition's a little stiff.

So use it.

Don't let it shake you.
Competition is just motivation.

Hmm.

So is that how you kick ass in baseball?

I heard about the scandal.

But that doesn't affect
you, though, right?

Nah. Not at all.

STUDENT: Yo, you seen J.R.?

He's been M.I.A. since
that baseball nonsense hit.

Wait, I thought he was in there.

OK, ok, hey. Hey. I don't
know where Keisha is,

but you got to dance with
me before she comes back.

Well, you know you can just say no.

So is now a good time to tell him

Keisha ain't really into him?

Uh, yeah, she is. What
are you talking about?

No. She just needed someone to
help make her ex, Terrell, jealous.

- Works every time.
- Oh.

♪ ... Eh, everything is gonna heat up ♪

♪ I can feel that fever ♪

♪ Wind is blowing fast
underneath us, eh ♪

♪ Just turn up the speakers, eh ♪

♪ We, we make it through it all ♪

♪ We, we breakin' through the wall ♪

♪ Way up in the top ♪

♪ Rise, don't stop ♪

♪ Take your sh*t ♪

♪ When you hear me knock ♪

♪ Got to wake up, wake
up, wake up the party ♪

- ♪ Wake up, wake up, wake up ♪
- ♪ The night! ♪

♪ Wake up, wake up,
wake up the party... ♪

What'd I miss?

Just, gross.

She's going after what she wants.

Um, uh, my bad. I'm looking for J.R.

I haven't seen him.

I'm saying my good-byes to the field.

They're brooming out
the whole coaching staff.

I'm sorry. Um, I'll
give you some privacy.

Sims, when you're out
there playing for the pros,

I want you to always remember one thing:

Integrity.

That's the most important
thing an athlete,

a teammate, a man has. And
without it, nothing else matters.

I guess Coach Shaw
saw things differently.

This team's finally rid of him.

Now, next season, those
boys can go out there

and show the whole world
what they can really do

under an honest program.

It was you, wasn't it?

You tipped someone off.
It cost you your job.

Those boys needed a chance

to rebuild something pure and great.

Look, I did what I had to do.

Sometimes you just got
to take one for the team.

I'll leave you to your good-byes, Coach.

I underestimated you.

But none of that skill matters
if you can't perform like that

when eyes are watching
and the pressure's on.

- I was hoping for some privacy.
- On my courts?

You're the visitor.

[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]
Fine, girl. You got it.

THEA: You know, tennis is a game
of both mental and physical fitness.

You'll never make it if you
keep being so easily psyched out.

What is your problem? You don't know me.

You have no idea. I'm not a quitter.

Ok. Whatever.

Just watch your back right
foot on your forehand volley.

Try stepping forward
with your left instead.

It'll give you more
forward momentum and power.

- And why are you helping me?
- I'm not.

I'm helping the sport I love.

See, don't let Serena and
Naomi's success fool you.

Every time we walk out on that court

as black women,

we're being judged on everything.

You have one job when you play...

bring excellence

or don't play at all.

You were right, you know?

This trip, this place.

It was everything I
wasn't even expecting.

And it's just...

it's amazing to be someplace
that's for us, by us,

where excellence is expected,

even by your frenemies.

It's not too late to apply.

Baby Shay is in L.A.

And I have such a great
relationship with his adopted family.

I can't just up and move
clear across the country.

And what were you gonna do
if you got into Princeton?

Exactly. You'd have figured it out

because it's just the east
coast, sweetie, not Mars.

Come on, auntie.

You know my mom would
never let me come here.

Mm-mm. Don't get me
started on your mother.

It's way past time you stood
up to her for what you want.

You don't have to make a decision today,

but as you are thinking about it,

just remember, in order to be the
best version of yourself for Jordan

and Shay and everyone else you love,

you may need to choose
yourself first, Simone.

SPENCER: And I thought I'd
be the only teen at college

up at the cr*ck of dawn.

Look, I know we don't really
know each other like that,

but I know what it looks like

when somebody's carrying too
much weight on their shoulders.

Were you scared when you
forfeited that game in protest

and football and everything
could just go away?

Man, of course.

It don't change the fact that
it was the right thing to do.

[SIGHS] This weekend didn't go
at all how I planned it, man.

Oh, what, you weren't

planning on a championship-winning
baseball program

getting demolished while you
were visiting for the weekend?

I know, right?

Go figure.

In a few months, I'll be drafted,

and life will never be the same.

I guess I just wanted a weekend

to really connect to who
I was before it changed.

For somebody about to
get their dream, man,

- you don't seem too happy.
- Yeah.

I'm starting to realize that the
MLB is more of my mom's dream.

She's just done so much for me,
I don't want to let her down.

She's not gonna be the one
out on that field, though.

Man. You don't get it.

She saved my life.

Yeah.

Adopted me out the system.

Raised me, loves me.

I know she's just trying
to do her best by me.

My birth parents are
actually from here in Atlanta.

And all I know is that years ago,

they went to school here at Bringston.

Is that why you're here?

You trying to find 'em?

I really don't know.

This school's the only
connection that I have to 'em.

I guess I just wanted to feel it.

I don't know why I just
told you all of that, man.

Clearly you needed to tell somebody.

Look, man, I know you feel
like you owe your moms,

but it sounds like she loves you.

And that don't come with a fee.

So whatever it is that you decide to do,

it's got to be the right thing for you.

[EXHALES]

Thank you.

Thanks for agreeing to see me, sir.

Where's my son?

[CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICKING]

ALLEN: Thank you all for coming.

It is never easy to discover
something's gone wrong in your house,

under your leadership.

It's my hope that we will not be
judged by the poor choices of a few

but by how we responded to rectify it.

It is my hope that
integrity will be our legacy.

I'd like to give

Damon Sims the opportunity
to say a few words.

[CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICKING]

DAMON: Uh, thank you, Dr. Allen.

[EXHALES]

Uh, there's been a lot of discussion

about what my future will
hold in these next few months.

Dr. Allen talked about legacy.

And I want my legacy in this sport

to be that I made a difference.

And that's why I won't be
participating in the MLB draft.

[SPECTATORS MURMURING]

Instead, I will be committing to
playing baseball here at Bringston

with Coach Marcus
Turner as our head coach.

We will rebuild baseball
together out there on that field.

We will bring championship
baseball back to B.U.,

back to us the right
way, the honorable way...

With integrity.

Thank you for your time.

[APPLAUSE]

[J.R. CHUCKLING]

You know, when I invited you down,

I did not know it would actually
end in you committing here.

I know, right?

It feels like home.

Home. Yeah.

I guess Bringston baseball
has found its star.

No stars, man. Just ballplayers...

All of us.

We'll do this together, all right?

Rebuild Hank's legacy here, man.

Make him proud. [CHUCKLES]

Hey, look, man, I got to get going.
My frat brothers are waiting on me.

Oh. For sure.

I guess I'll see you this fall, brother.

SIMONE: Congratulations.

I guess that baseball thing did
have some effect on you, huh?

Yeah. Something like that.

Well, you seem at
peace, so good for you.

I should, uh, get going. My
husband's waiting outside for me.

Husband?

Oh, ok.

What about you?

Find your mojo?

Yeah.

Something like that.

Good.

Take care of yourself, Simone Hicks.

RHYS LEWIS:
♪ I don't read the headlines ♪

♪ And I don't watch the news ♪

♪ 'Cause I lose faith in something ♪

♪ Every time I do ♪

♪ Well, I don't need ♪

- ♪ To bury my head... ♪
- What?

Nothing. You just...

you seem happy.

♪ As best as I can ♪

♪ So let's keep
searching for somewhere ♪

♪ We're gonna find a way ♪

♪ To make tomorrow ♪

♪ Tomorrow better than today ♪

♪ Let's make tomorrow ♪

♪ Tomorrow better than today ♪
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