Ampipe Bulldogs. Ampipe Bulldogs. Ampipe Bulldogs.
Ampipe.
- Bye, Pop. Morning, Stefen.
Greg.
- Stef, we gonna beat Walnut Heights? You know it.
All right! Get in.
Hurry up. Hey, wait up.
There you go.
The Stinger! - You take good care of Charlotte?
- She's my freak of the week. - Shadow, damn you!
You know when people die and they donate stuff?
Well, I'm gonna donate my dick to Charlotte.
Here comes my nervous breakdown. I'll see you guys later. Take care.
- Why is what's-her-name crying? - Her and her boyfriend are breaking up.
I bet I know why. I mean most guys aren't as understanding as I am, Lisa.
I know that, Stef.
- What did you do? Swim to school? - Yeah, my chauffeur was a little late.
- Stefo. Hey, Tracy.
- You got my English? I got your English right here.
You want your English? You want his English?
- No? Come on.
- I'm not sure about 20 and 21. - How do you know football stuff...
...and not know how to conjugate a verb?
- What's a verb? - What's a hand-on?
- I taught you Saturday night.
Stef!
- Come on. See you at lunch.
Yeah, you buy, right?
Tracy, come on.
Tracy, come on. Come on.
All right, brain pump.
Harry. - Hey, brothers.
Give me a break, man.
- Vinnie.
She keeps looking back here. Do it.
- No way. - Come on.
No.
- Come on. - No.
- Guinea. - Okay.
Vucci. Vucci. Vinnie!
You got something to share with us, Mr. Salvucci?
- Can I leave the room? Yeah, I think you'd better.
Don't tell me that hurt. - Yes, it hurt.
You ruined my chances for a scholarship.
Have you heard from any recruiters?
You know the reason I'm playing is because Prazowicz is hurt.
- You still got a shot. - Right, for welfare.
Stef?
Stef? Are you in here?
Stef?
I got the lunch.
You are my lunch.
Scared you, Lietzke? - No.
- Next time, you go. I almost got busted. - You want me to get busted?
No one's gonna put you on report the week of the Walnut Heights game.
Yeah, Walnut Heights, huh?
There's gonna be recruiters from every college.
All to see Stefen Djordjevic.
Only it's no joke.
Walnut Heights have the best halfback in the state.
I knock him on his ass, I'll have my pick of colleges.
You pick one near home, huh.
Yeah, I'd like to.
This is my shot.
This is my way out Friday night.
And I gotta go to the best school, with the best engineering program.
Djordjevices have been humping steel out of this town for years.
You know, Grandpa, Pop, Greg.
I mean, you know, it's about time one of us...
...had something to say about the stuff after it's been made.
And it's gonna be me.
- You're making fun. You're laughing. - No.
- Yes, you are.
Those fries are terrible.
Is someone in here?
Is it you, Salvucci?
If it is, you're in bad trouble.
- The University of Southern Cal. - Bullshit.
No, no bullshit. A full fucking ride, man!
- We're getting out of here, buddy. I know. Shit!
Excuse me, ladies. Brian Riley is going to SC, motherfuckers!
All right.
All I gotta do is maintain my 2.0 average-
- You can do that if you cheat. - Bonehead is going to Hollywood.
- Maybe you better take us with you. - We make you look good.
I don't have to shovel any more damn snow.
You might not shovel snow, but you will shovel earthquakes.
I'll be playing in the Rose Bowl. You guys will watch me on TV.
You going to Hollywood, you're gonna have to learn to dress.
- And dance. - That's right. You gotta be cool, man.
One, two. Come on. Come on, man, come on. One...
- Shake it out, Bri. Hey, Fox, show me how to do that.
Okay, now you've got to be gliding. Come on.
Move your hands just like you're a puppet.
- This shit comes in handy. You know it.
Mouse, wake up and check this out. Not bad for a white boy, eh?
You look horrible. No wonder you get beat on defense.
Yeah? Who's wearing the letter, pal?
Bri, you ain't never gonna be one of them exotic dancers.
It's a good thing.
- Don't give her too much now. - Yeah. Charlotte.
- Charlotte? - Just tease it, Charlotte.
Ladies!
Five minutes.
Look, I've been up all night. I want you to take a look at this.
If we play straight, they're gonna blow us out.
But if we force them to pass, we can take away the edge they got.
We'll put our linemen a yard and a half off the ball.
-62 stack? - Yeah. Submarine every play.
- Goal line defense the entire game? - Yeah.
When Alexander comes up, all he's gonna find is people.
- What if he tries to break around end? - We got our linebackers.
- If they pass, we're too quick. - Nobody's ever tried it.
If it works, we're geniuses. If it doesn't, what've we got to lose?
Our lives.
Right. So let's make it work, Jess.
I want you to attack the legs of the man in front of you.
Get your ass up, Nicatancous.
- Get down! Ready! Go, Tank!
34! Blue! Great. That's where we want you.
- All right. 23! 22! Hut!
Hut! Hut! Hut!
Get in there! Hit their knees!
All right, that was good. That was good.
What the hell's coach got us doing? Don't ask, just do it.
See who's over there watching us?
Not us. Nickerson.
Riley, come here. Alexander, come here.
Riley, this is Alexander. Follow him the entire game.
And it's your key, son.
He goes to take a crap, show him the way.
- Understand? - Yes.
- Can you handle it? - Yes!
- I can't hear you! - Yes!
All right, I trust you.
Safeties, I want you right up here with the linebackers.
If they block down, I want you shooting down.
Djordjevic, get in here, wuss. What's your key in this formation?
I cover the tailback or go with the flow.
Listen, they can't run against a 6-2 stack, okay?
We're gonna force them to pass.
- Who are we? Ampipe!
- What are we? - Bulldogs!
What are we? Bulldogs!
Who are we gonna beat?
You keep them here all night till they get it right, okay?
Will do, coach.
- How are we gonna beat them? 2-2! Blue!
Here we go now. Here we go. 22. Blue.
Hi, baby.
Well? - Yeah, well. It was great.
Those guys from Cal Poly stayed the whole time.
- And? - Yeah, well...
...we're gonna grab a few beers, eight or nine.
Eight or nine?
- That's great. - Yeah, it is.
I got a good shot at defensive backfield coach.
It's down to me and a guy from Aliquippa.
Yeah, he's good, but you're better.
- We're gonna get out of here. - Yeah.
Mr. Djordjevic, we'd like him to come to our school.
- Djordjevic. - I'm sorry.
- To play football? - And to get an education.
Would you tell us about that?
We'll do everything to see he gets his diploma.
We have tutoring to help him get his degree.
Our people graduate, Mr. Djordjevic.
We'd like you to visit the campus. Take a look at the conditions.
Meet the coaches, the players.
We got two alumni in the pros now. One of them is All-Conference.
Do you want to play pro ball?
Me?
How about it, Pop?
No, there's not much call for a 5' 10" white cornerback in the NFL.
- I could do the job in college, though. - Yes, you can. You hit like a truck.
What are you looking for?
I'm looking to trade football for an education.
- I'm gonna be an engineer. I checked your grades.
A "B" average is not going to get you a scholarship.
- I know that. - Well? We offer a B.S. in engineering.
Yeah, well... You know, Mr. Smith, I like your school.
It's got a pretty good football team.
But to tell you honestly, there's other schools I'd rather look at first.
Maybe you do belong at another school, Stef.
Mr. Smith, because my son is good at football...
...he has opportunities that otherwise would not be his.
I'd like to thank you for coming and offering them.
I know what you're thinking, what you're looking for.
Maybe I don't blame you.
If things fall through, you've got a place with me.
Okay, thank you.
I hope you know what you're doing.
- That's Lisa. Pop, can I go? - Stefen.
Don't worry. I'm gonna get a good scholarship to a good school.
They haven't been beating down the door.
Yeah, you just wait till they see me in the Walnut Heights game.
Stef, stop. Stef.
Stef, stop.
Stef.
Stop!
I want to go home.
- You don't have to be mad. Look at me. - I'm looking at you. I'm not mad.
Listen, I'm sorry. I guess I shouldn't have let it go that far.
- See you tomorrow? - We have history and lunch, right?
Right, Stef. Look, I'm scared, and you're going away.
I don't understand it. It's not like I don't love you.
We've been going out a long time and...
...Brian and those guys see me here. Nothing is going on.
- Brian? Brian? - I didn't mean that.
- Brian, right. - Lisa, I didn't mean that.
I don't want it to be for Brian or anybody else.
- I want it to be special and not in a car. - Okay.
I understand. Let's go home.
Go!
Halt!
Nicatancous, what are you doing? You spin all the way from here.
You really piss me off! What's wrong with you?
Nothing. - That wasn't a block!
- I can't hear you! - Nothing, sir.
What was that? That was a third-base slide!
You block about as good as a jelly doughnut.
- That was nothing! Are you listening? - Yes!
- You want to play against Walnut Heights? - Yes, sir.
- Convince us you're a dog. - Yes, sir.
I want you pissing on every fire hydrant in Walnut Heights.
- Yes, sir. - Get down on your knees! Now growl!
You bite! You dig!
- You want to go to college? - Yes, sir.
- Then play the way you've been taught! Break!
Ready? Break!
Dig in there, dig in there. Formation right!
Set! Ready! Go!
No. Mouse, give me that ball. Djordjevic, what are you doing here?
I've told you 1000 times, go for the ball not the man.
This is a football, see? That's a man. There is a man over there.
- Do that in a game, we got a penalty. I had the coverage.
- What? - I had the coverage, sir. I made the play.
- You do it my way, or it's the highway! - Hustle on in. Hey, hustle up. Hustle up.
- A good practice, gentlemen. All right!
Today you're not ladies, you're gentlemen.
- We got any quitters? No!
- I didn't hear you. - No, sir!
You quit on this field, you're gonna quit high school...
...you're gonna quit your job, your lady.
You know what you're gonna end up being? Quitters and losers!
None of you guys are quitters and losers!
- Any quitters here? - No!
- Didn't hear you. - No!
- Can't hear you. - No, sir!
All right, everybody, five laps. Five laps!
You do 10.
- Why are you so hard on Djordjevic? - Shit.
He's good, he's got talent. You know what?
He's using me, Jess. He's using me.
Hey...
...relax.
- They're gonna give you the job. - Yeah? Christ, I hope so.
Ready. Okay.
When I say, "Ampipe," you say, "Bulldogs. "
- Ampipe. Bulldogs!
Ampipe! - Bulldogs!
- When I say, "let's," you say, "go. " Let's. - Go!
- Let's. - Go!
All right, team, get it together. Go, Bulldogs!
This rally, this game is not just for the students.
It's for the whole town.
It's for the mothers, for the fathers and the steelworkers!
And now, here's the man who's gonna bring us a victory...
...and who's gonna make Ampipe what it used to be. Coach Nickerson!
Walnut Heights is undefeated.
And Walnut Heights is ranked third in the state.
They have a swim team, a tennis team. They got golf for boys and girls!
But they don't have a football team like we've got.
And they don't have a student body like we have!
I've gotta talk to you. What?
I've gotta talk to you.
Tracy's pregnant.
- What? - Tracy's pregnant. I took her to the doctor.
We are gonna beat Walnut Heights because we're Ampipe.
And this Ampipe football team can't lose! They're gonna win!
Well, how does she feel about an abortion?
You know Tracy, not real good.
You dumb bastard.
What are you gonna do? You gonna have the kid? Huh?
What am I supposed to do, Stef?
Captain, quarterback, team leader, Clarence Oliver, Rifleman.
What you do is you talk to your recruiter at SC, okay?
I've heard about stuff like this. They can work things out for you-
- I'm having a kid. - Look, we're getting out of here, Brian.
Right?
I proudly introduce defensive captain and linebacker...
Right, Bri? Bri?
...Brian Riley!
This is the biggest game of our lives. We've worked hard.
We no longer want to win. We have to win.
And we're gonna. We're gonna win.
Not just for us, but for you too. Thanks a lot.
Jeez, look at the place.
Now this is what a real locker room looks like.
- Tank, you take my tape roll? Fuck it.
Did you take my tape roll, huh?
Did you take it?
Cut it out, man! Save it for the field, Vucci.
Let's go, fellas.
That's everybody.
Let me have it over here. Right here, let's have it.
Settle down.
Gentlemen.
Here's the situation.
We haven't beaten Walnut Heights in my five years as coach.
There are people out there who don't think you're gonna do it.
But there's 37 people in this room who can.
Yes, sir! - Right?
Yes, sir!
That's you, and that's me.
Why are we so sure? What do we know?
I don't think they know about the pain you're willing to endure.
- Do they, Tank? - No.
Or how hard you hit. - No, sir.
- Or what you'll do to Alexander. - No, sir!
- They don't know about Rifleman's arm. - No, sir.
In 48 minutes they're gonna find out who you are. You're gonna make me proud.
You guys are gonna achieve some great successes. And I hope and pray you do.
There's seldom gonna be a moment like tonight when you hold it all in your hands.
You can achieve something together they can never take away.
Your friends, your family, your parents, your school, this town.
A win tonight is gonna give them something to be proud of.
You know what they call us? You know why they only gave us 500 tickets?
We're the dagos, we're the Polacks, we're the niggers!
That's what you are. That's what I am. That's what we are.
That's how we're gonna win this game, together!
- How? - Together!
- We'll do it! - Together!
- How? - Together!
We're gonna win together! Come on down!
Now taking the fiield the Ampipe Bulldogs.
And here come your Knights!
Ampipe kicks off.
And the game is under way!
Come on! Get tough!
- Six-two stack monster. Ready! Break!
- All right, fellows, this is it! Break!
Full house! Full house!
- I'm coming after your ass, Riley! - Do it. Make me happy!
Way to go, way to go, all right. - Way to go, LaRue.
Bellow, come here. Why can't we block those little turkeys?
- They're cutting my knees. - I don't want to hear that.
Block them anyway. Now let's do it.
That's the end of the fiirst quarter. No score.
Break!
Ready, set!
Hut! Hut!
Alexander's in the clear.
Touchdown!
And the Knights take the lead!
Ampipe's ball 2:48 left in the half.
Ampipe touchdown by number 19 Austin Williams.
Yeah. All right!
Walnut Heights leads 10-7 with 3:47 left in the game.
We did it! We did it! - Yeah!
Stefen!
In your face Walnut High! In your face!
Ampipe touchdown by number 33 Stefen Djordjevic.
Ampipe leads 14-10 with 3:12 left in the game.
Alexander for 17 and a fiirst down on the Ampipe 42.
Hold that line!
Great catch by Alexander down to the 29!
Out of bounds on the 10.
- First and goal for the Knights. That's my man.
Ready. Set.
Pass interference. The Knights have the ball on the Ampipe fiive-yard line.
You got a boy playing for Walnut Heights?
You hit too soon. It's your penalty. Interference.
- It's the same play from practice. - Shit!
It's the same play!
- Blind bastard! Good hit! It was a good hit!
It was a good hit! You're damn right. Come on.
Okay, we're holding them. Now keep up goal line D, goal line D! Ready! Break!
Third and goal for the Knights on the three.
Ready! Set! Hut-hut!
- Hold them! Come on! Yeah! Yeah! All right!
Fight, damn it, fight!
Fourth and goal for the Knights on the one-yard line! This is it!
Ready! Set! - Hold them! You fucking bastards!
Alexander is stopped short of the goal line!
Ampipe takes over on their own one- yard line with 12 seconds left.
- We did it, Riley! Did we do it?
You did it!
Rifleman!
- Coach! - I strong right, 42 condition.
All right!
Salvucci fumbles in the end zone and the Knights recover.
It's a touchdown! No time left. Knights win! Touchdown. The Knights win!
Come on, Salvucci. Let's hear a good cry, all right.
All I'm hearing is a whimper. Let's hear a cry! I want to hear a good one.
You choked! You cost us the game. You quit on me and on this team.
He didn't quit.
What did you say?
Well, Salvucci, he didn't quit. None of us quit.
I don't know. We beat those guys' asses up and down that field tonight!
We got nothing to be ashamed of, right? Isn't that right?
You know, maybe the scoreboard doesn't say it, but we won that game.
We held them.
It was just a fluke. That's all, it's just a fluke.
A fluke?
That pass interference penalty, that was no fluke.
If you had done it the way I taught you...
...they never would've been down there and scored and we would've won!
You're just as responsible as he is.
If you'd have had Rifleman hold on to the ball, then we would've won.
We didn't quit, you quit!
Get your stuff and you get the hell out of here right now.
What?
You heard me. You get out of here. You're through. You're off the team.
I'll see you, I gotta get on the bus. All right.
- Yeah, that's him. Right there. Wait up.
Wait a minute, wait a minute. Where you going?
- On the bus. No, this is the wrong bus.
This is for players. You ride with the cheerleaders.
- Stef? Stef? Okay. - Hey, Lisa, don't talk to me now.
- I want to be left alone. - You were good.
Just leave me alone!
Why didn't Nickerson take the safety and then punt it out of there?
Because he's an asshole. We're never gonna beat those rich pricks.
Not as long as he's coach we won't. - Maybe that won't be for too long.
Goddamn it, it's true.
He's kicked off for disciplinary reasons. What does that mean?
- His big mouth got him in trouble. - What'd he say?
He knew this would ruin his chances.
Word gets around he has a bad attitude, he'll be lucky if he gets any offers.
I can't believe he meant it. Everybody's-
Your kid cost us the game.
Oh! Hot damn!
I'm gonna go home and wait for your brother.
Because whatever he said, he'll have to apologize.
Sure, Pop. Sure.
Goddamn!
Hey! Hey!
Hey, Stefie, come on in. All right.
Suzie? Uh-huh?
I should've had Rifleman fall on the ball.
Please, Vern, you're driving yourself crazy.
Daddy, there's a man playing on the lawn, and he waked me up.
Honey, you get in bed with Mommy, okay?
Hey.
Bosko. What the hell are you guys doing?
What do you think? - Isn't this a little crazy?
You gonna do something about it?
Bastards.
Hey, Stef!
- Hey. - How you doing?
- You going to talk to the coach? - Yeah. Wish me luck.
- Want me to go with you? - No.
You sure?
- Okay, good luck, pal. - All right.
Hey.
- How you doing, man? - How you doing?
Coach Nickerson.
I'd just like to say I'm sorry about what I said. I didn't mean anything.
And, well, Friday, it's our last game, it's at home, and I'm a senior.
I'd really like to play, and it means a lot to me.
And I feel really bad about what happened.
I was hoping maybe you'd take me back on the team.
I'm sorry.
So what?
Real forgiving, aren't you?
You were at the house, and I saw you.
The best thing you can do is get out of here.
I can explain. They picked me up. I just dumped garbage on your lawn.
- I tried to stop them! - No.
You dumped garbage on me, my wife, my little girl.
- I'm sorry. - Now leave me alone.
What about the game?
I mean, this is the last game.
Please.
You've played your last game.
Coach, you are really fucked, man!
No, son. You are.
Lisa!
How about it, Lis? I was at band practice today watching you.
- You're real good. - Yeah, I saw you there, Stef.
Maybe I'll join the band to spend more time with you. How's that sound?
It sounds like Nickerson didn't take you back.
Screw Nickerson. I've got the grades, the talent. I'll get my scholarship.
You'll get your football scholarship, I'll get nothing.
What are you talking about?
Asshole jocks who can't spell their names get scholarships and I can't.
Asshole jocks?
An asshole who'd scream at his girlfriend who he says he loves...
...in front of a busload of people.
- I don't need to be treated like that! - Wait, Lisa.
I apologize. A lot was going on. You don't understand.
I don't understand? You don't understand!
I want to go to college and study music. But we can't afford it.
Nobody in Ampipe gets a music scholarship, just football scholarships!
So I'll be a grocery clerk.
I'm stuck here, Stef. I haven't even got a chance. I'm 17 years old.
It's not fucking fair.
And, you, you're so selfish, you don't even see it.
- God, I've been such an asshole, huh? - Yes.
Yeah.
I can spell my own name, though.
No, Lis, I mean, I don't know what-
I'm really sorry. What can I do to make it up to you?
Just be my friend.
I can do that.
I need you, Lis.
I need you too sometimes, you know? You gotta be there for me.
Okay, I will. I promise.
I promise. I'm sorry.
I'm sorry. I promise I won't pressure you about what happened last week.
You know, sex and all that stuff. It's stupid, and, I'm sorry.
Yeah, you will.
How do you know that?
You're so gorgeous, I just can't help it. That's why.
I love you so much, Lisa. I'm sorry. I just mess up.
Now I get to carry this, huh?
Come on!
I don't need to graduate, I need a job. My uncle and brother are out of work.
You quit school, you'll be on the streets. How will that help?
Let me make some calls. Before you make a decision.
Hey, Nick, how's it going?
Sherm, how are you? - Nice to see you.
Vinnie, Sherm Williams, Boston College.
I've heard good things. Everything okay?
- That time of year again? - Playing Pitt.
- I understand, you- - Hold it.
- Vinnie. I know you're no quitter. - What?
- Don't quit on me, man. - Right, coach.
Hey, nice to meet you.
I understand you had a hell of a defense against Walnut Heights.
I want to see film on Riley, Djordjevic and Oliver.
Riley and Oliver, they're good. Djordjevic, I got to pass on.
- Why? That kid's tough. - He's got an attitude problem.
- I cut him from the team. - That must have been a tough decision.
Yeah, it was tough.
How about it, Greg? How about what, Stef?
I don't know. How you doing?
- You want to use the car tonight? - What?
Just drop me off at the Carpatho.
- You're not going to go to the game? - No, I'm going to go get drunk.
I got laid off today. Me and 700 others.
- What are you going to do? - I told you. I'm gonna get shit-faced.
I mean, after that.
I don't know.
I'm real sorry.
- Aren't you supposed to be at the game? - I hate football.
I just like to watch number 33 run around in those tight pants.
It's pretty cold out here. You want to go upstairs?
I'll beat you!
- What were you doing up here? - Just drawing.
- Then show me. - You want to see? Step into my office.
Did you do all these?
Yeah. This is what I've been playing football for, for the past 10 years.
What's that one?
That's my undersea dome. It's just one of the first things I ever did.
It's good.
- Where's your dad? - He's at work.
- And Greg? - Carpatho.
- Are we alone? - Yeah. I could call someone.
No.
Why don't you take your coat off and stay a while?
That would be nice, wouldn't it?
- You got that right over your bed. - Yeah. Remember that night?
I've got a funny outfit to show you.
It's cute.
I love you.
I love you too, Lis.
You hear from Syracuse or any other school?
No.
Pretty soon it'll be letter-of-intent day.
The last school I saw was Walnut Heights.
- How about it, Vin? - Fuck school, man.
Fuck Christmas.
Hi, Miss Malevik. - How are you?
- All right. Do I get a kiss? Where are you going?
Don't ask. - Pittsburgh.
- See the Penguins and Flyers. Aren't we lucky?
- Can I come? - I'm surprised you're not.
No. You don't go.
- He's only kidding. - Honeymoon, they go alone.
- That settles that. Will you carry this?
Bye, Miss Malevik. Goodbye.
- How you doing? - All right. How are you doing?
Big day.
I heard Nickerson got that coaching job.
Yeah. Apparently the guy in Aliquippa got a better offer.
A toast. To the bride, the groom...
...and the baby. May it be a boy. Na zdrowie.
Thanks.
- What do you think of this? - I know.
Tracy always wanted a big wedding with a long gown.
Every girl does, I guess.
Like we wanted to play for the Steelers, huh?
- I'll give you a hand with this stuff. - Yeah.
Should we be spending U.S. tax dollars in Guatemala-?
Excuse me, Miss Dudukovich. - Yes, sir.
- Yes, I do. - She doesn't.
Police officer. You're under arrest.
All right. Come on!
- Hold it! Where are you taking him? To jail.
- What for? Armed robbery.
Help me, coach!
Hey! Help me, coach!
Come on, what are you, chicken?
Hold it.
- Babe, I want you to wait here, okay? - No way, Stef. Come on.
Hey, Henry, can I have another Iron?
- How about it, Mr. Bosko?! - Mr. Bosko.
Hey, Stef. Lisa Lietzke.
- What can I do for you? - Mr. Bosko, I have a real problem.
Nickerson is blackballing me because of the stuff at his house.
I was hoping you'd tell him what really happened.
What really happened?
No college will even touch me now.
- Come on, Bosko, the whole town knows. - Knows what? That I was there?
Hey. Was I at Nickerson's house? Did I trash it? Were you there?
Were any of you there?
- Please. You gotta help me. - I don't gotta do anything.
I don't plan on spending the rest of my life here.
Now, you can't even get a job in that goddamn mill!
That goddamn mill. Is that your problem, Stef?
Hey, fellas. Stef's got a problem with the goddamn mill.
Where your father works? Where your brother works?
My brother was laid off.
Where my father worked and all who made this town what it is?
You mean, what it was.
You too good for us or something?
No, sir. I just want to go to college.
Stef. Is that what's the matter, Stef?
- You getting tired of Polack pussy? - You son of a bitch!
All right. Enough. Enough! Enough! I said enough!
Bosko.
Hey, Djordjevic, we'll see you around, okay?
- Yes? - Mrs. Nickerson, my name is Lisa Lietzke.
Can I talk to you for a moment?
Please believe me. I know Stef, and he'd never try to hurt anyone.
He's a kid. He wants to go to college and be something.
And your husband's stopping him.
You know, someone happens to bow out, or a spot opens up...
...I would appreciate it if you could keep me in mind.
Yes, sir.
Okay. Thank you for your time.
- What would you do? Would you go? - I'm a junior. I have a year left.
What about after you graduate?
You know, if he leaves here you'll probably lose him.
I have to let him go. I love him.
I was in love in high school. We were gonna get married after graduation.
The Army took him. I went to North Carolina State and met Vern.
What do you want to do, Lisa?
I want to study music.
Then do it.
- What happened to that high school boy? - Tommy?
I guess he's in Parkersburg. I haven't thought about him in 100 years.
- God, I loved him. - No more than I love Stef.
Well, yes, sir, I realize it's a little late, but I've been very busy.
You know, I was meaning to call you sooner.
Mr. Smith, you said I could count on you.
I understand. Okay.
Thanks anyway.
Drink some of this.
Are you ashamed of me, Papa?
What are you talking about? That's crazy.
You're my son. I love you. Why would I be ashamed of you?
I don't know. I must have done something wrong for this to happen.
You've done nothing wrong, Stefen. You're a good boy.
I love you. We love you.
Your mother was always proud of you.
I know you're hurt.
It's okay. I understand.
- I love you and I'm proud of you. - I'm sorry.
I was never prouder of you than right now.
- You got it. You got it, bro.
Drink.
- How's it going, man? That's for luck.
Hey, can I have your attention? Everybody.
I'd like to toast a friend who couldn't be with us. To Vinnie Salvucci.
- To the Vucc. To Vucc.
What's it going to be?
- Girl. - A boy.
I'm going to West Virginia. To West Virginia!
Good for him. He wanted to go to West Virginia.
- Shadow. Here's to West Virginia. - Here's to it.
- And SC, right, Brian? - Stef, man. I'm going to have a kid.
That's more important than college.
I got what I want. I really got what I wanted.
How you doing, Trace?
You're the 18th person that's touched my stomach.
- Job? What job? - Greg got on with a demolition company.
He pulled a few strings and got me weekend work.
- Doing what? - You know that blast furnace...
...down at Franklin and Seven? Tearing that piece of shit apart.
My father worked there 14, 15 years.
Then on the fifth day, thank you, God, he created cheerleaders.
- Amen. - And commanded that they wear skirts...
...and do cartwheels, and that was very good!
Great. - I mean, that was pretty good.
And on the sixth day, he created the football player.
And fans paid money to watch them hurt.
And that was good. On the seventh day...
...they all played football.
Six-two stack monster. Six-two stack monster. Ready, hut!
- He's over there on the counter. - I know.
Mrs. Nickerson, excuse me.
I want to tell you I know it's late and I have to say this for my own sake.
I was there the night your house got messed up.
And I'm sorry it happened.
Hey, Djordjevic!
Djordjevic, I'd like to talk to you.
We got nothing to talk about.
Where are you going?
- Where am I going? - Yeah.
No place, man.
Shadow, he's going to West Virginia. He just found out tonight.
Tank's going to Furman, you knew that. You're going to Cal Poly.
Mouse...
Mouse is going to college. He's gonna play ball.
Me, I'm just gonna hang out here. I don't know. You know.
Hey, Nickerson. You lied about me. You blackballed me.
Together, remember that? Together, together, together.
That was always just bullshit.
- What? - You're full of shit, man.
You sit in your office, scholarship, no scholarship. He goes, he stays.
Who in the hell gave you that power?
You're just a coach. A high school football coach.
I mean...
I don't know.
You know...
...Nickerson, you are not God!
You are just a typing teacher.
- Mr. Djordjevic. - Hello, Lisa.
- Hi, Greg. - Hey, Lisa.
It's so good to see you.
- You've been working hard. - What have you been up to?
- What's he doing here? He's been looking for you.
I brought him here. Listen, why don't you just talk to him?
Just talk to him, huh?
Hi, Joe. Hello. How are you?
Hi, Greg. Coach.
How are you feeling? - Okay.
Djordjevic.
I've come here to apologize. I wanted to tell you...
...that I'm sorry about what I did. You know, and I was wrong.
I'm sorry.
I'd like you to come play football for me at Cal Poly on this scholarship.
- You wanna run that by me again? - I want you to play football for me.
- You're just doing this to feel better. - I am.
You're damn right. I feel a hell of a lot better right now.
Full scholarship, huh?
Yeah. At one of the finest engineering schools in the country. So sign it.
Come on, Stef. Just sign it. I love you. I want you to. Just sign it.
What about you, Lis? Huh?
Sign it.
- Pop? Yeah? Mmm.
Hey, Kurowski!
You tell Bosko, I'll be seeing him around.
Thanks.
- Coach. - No, thank you, Stef.
But next time go for the ball, will you?
Okay?
Yes, sir.
Thanks.
- Yes, sir. Oh, babe! All right!
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