no, we're just a young team on the verge. we'll be back in a major bowl next year.
then stop raising the entrance requirements on me. we never could have gotten alvin mack in here under the new guidelines.
you layin' all this at my door? there's been a recession on.
what are you trying to say to me, grant? after 12 years, my job's in jeopardy?
looks like i've lost weight.
darnell, you have the potential to start for us as a freshman. that 108 yard kickoff return you made against taft? one of the greatest runs i've ever seen a high school player make. now, michigan is set at tailback for two years. you won't play till you're a junior. with joe here gettin' you the ball, runnin' 28 thunder right, you'll be all-american with us as a sophomore.
believe me, education is the first priority in our program. that's why all the players are smarter than me. after all, a football coach is smart enough to understand the game, but dumb enough to think it's important.
i knew you'de like it, lou. merry christmas. put some fresh flowers on your mom's grave for me. i'll be home in a couple days.
good to see you again, gentlemen. jefferson, either take off the earring or put on a dress.
i wanna talk a little about what we're trying to do here. there are many highly respected people who feel football is about preparation for life.
these people are full of shit. you see, football is not like life. it's better. more exciting, more intense, more fun. in life, people are always wondering how they measure up; whether they're getting ahead or fallin' behind. in football, you know. every week you get a chance to show what you're made of, a chance to demonstrate the physical and personal qualities that all those poor bastards who can't play this game are left to agonize about.
last year we didn't make enough of those chances. last year everyone felt we let the school down. fuck the school. we let ourselves down. we let down a great tradition, a 120- year-old line of champions.
any football program worth the name is a special brotherhood, an elite corps of warriors, a select group of knights. that first time our starting unit takes the field, the first time we huddle up; that's our inner circle, that's our round table. if i were an upperclassman, i'd be real nervous about my seat, cause we got some very talented new-comers this year. guys who want a place at the table. this is the trophy one of our freshman, darnell jefferson, won as a pennsylvania state high school first team all-american. you know what this says to me?
not a god-damn thing.
everybody here was a high school all- american. whatever any of you have done before is out the window. we're startin' over. ground zero. the table is empty. are you ready?
don't worry, joe's a tough kid. he'll be allright.
allright, move it up. let's go, 15 yards, run the next play.
cut the necktie tackle horseshit. you think you're in some kinda highlight reel? he left you huggin' air. target his guts. drive right through his abdomen. i wanta see snot bubbles in his nose. i wanta see shit in his underwear.
you injured, jefferson, or just hurt?
if you're hurt, you can still play. if you're injured you can't. are you hurt or are you injured?
o.k., then get up.
nice run. think what it coulda done for us if we still had the ball. this is a football. i want you to carry it with you wherever you go. never let it out of your sight. any of you see him on campus, take a swipe at the ball. try to knock it out of his hands. recover it. if anybody, but you, returns this ball to me, you'll wish you'de never been born.
this isn't gonna get it, goddamnit.
i see tackling, but i don't see hitting. i see effort, but i don't see ferocity. what do you think, they're gonna motivate themselves? football's just a game to most of these kids. this is our program, our livelihood. it's our job to make them care as much about it as we do. make them hate me if you have to. it'll bring them together, give them a focus. so get off your butts and put the fear of god in these guys.
we're not doctors, gentlemen. the ncaa has testing programs for this. let's let them worry about it. besides, it's not that hard to put on 35 pounds in a summer, if you really hit the gym.
what's the matter with you guys? you're supposed to be a team. winning depends on thinking and acting and going to war together. but you don't even eat like a team. you eat like two teams. a white one and a black one. what do i have to do? make out a seating chart? now get up. move around. mix it up. now!
that's more like it.
any questions, joe?
hell, yes. plus it's a good thing for the program. publicizes the school, gives a boost to recruiting, and it's a great thing for you. jumps up your draft position, the size of your first contract, everything. it's a hell of an opportunity.
the keys.
i told you, as long as you're in this program, you don't take unnecessary risks off the field. a man in contention for the heisman trophy should be able to remember that.
okay, alvin, this is mississippi state's offensive set. 2nd and 2 on our 24. what defense are you in?
good. how about here? 3rd and 7.
what's your assignment?
n.c.a.a. is gonna test half the team before the game saturday. make sure lattimer knows about it.
as the veteran players know, we have pride night every year before our opening game. it's a chance to get to know each other better, share some thoughts, and bring us closer together as a team. so to start off, i'd like each player to tell the others in his group what he likes best about football and then what he's most proud of off the field. i've asked some of the seniors to lead it off. gentlemen.
atta baby, alvin, heads up. big pop, steve, way to stick 'em. o.k. joe, let's go up top. take it to 'em right away.
jefferson! in for griffen.
guess we'll be on the payroll for another week.
yeh.
what's the penalty?
fortunately, we've got friends on the board of regents. i think we can beat this if we really go to bat for him. we got mack off when he turned in that other guys term paper. but what kinda idiot would do something like that?
i don't mean bobby. i mean what kinda guy would be dumb enough to take a test for him?
a girl? typical collins. he must have banged her until she couldn't think straight. who was it?
jesus, louanne, how could you be so stupid?
sorry! you're sorry! you've destroyed my credibility at the university, my authority with the players.  christ, it looks like i'm running a dirty program. and collins of all people! what the hell's the matter with you, louanne?
loved you? he loves anything that winks back, the little rat bastard. and what are you gonna do for school now? i use my influence to get you back in, it'll stink to high hell. the press'll crucify me.
god, louanne, i told you to stay away from my players. that was my cardinal rule, stay away from the damn players.
you're changing the subject, louanne. we're talkin' about you breakin' the rules.
you all played a fine game on saturday. take the day off.
c'mon in, collins.
shut up.
i could easily take your case to the board of regents. you've had no prior infractions and i could argue that you were under abnormal pressure. but i won't. you embarrassed me, you embarrassed my family, you embarrassed the program. as of now, you are no longer a member of this university or it's football team. clean out your locker.
you think you can go?
jefferson, in for griffen.
hello, yeh.  what?!
he said that? the father?
we're still gonna have to suspend lattimer.
he's outa control, lyle. we can't ignore this anymore. i don't know what pisses me off more -- that he's juicin' or that he's doin' such a shitty job of hidin' it.
yeh, but we can't sit and wait till he kills somebody. i hate to lose him as much as you do, but we gotta clean him up before he does somethin' that lands the whole program on probation. plus, we have to take some action or the girl's dad is gonna start havin' second thoughts. i don't care how many checks he's written.
bring him down here.
you oughta be grateful i didn't suspend you for the whole year.
we'll say you've got a hamstring pull.
don't thank me. during those three weeks, you better kick the roids, cause when you come back i'm gonna personally test you before every game. no n.c.a.a. shit either. i'm gonna watch the piss go into the bottle. you got that?
start practicing your limp.
what is it now?.  oh jesus.
doesn't make any difference. it made the papers, all the wire services. the guy had to go to the hospital. worst of all they got you on drunk driving. you had a blood alcohol level .50 above the legal limit. we can't smooth that over, joe. it'd look like we were sprayin' pledge on bird shit. we had to agree to send you to rehab.
it was the only way we could get them to drop the assault and d.w.i. you go to trial on those, we lose you for a year, and risk ncaa investigation. c'mon, lotsa athletes have been through rehab.
you'll only miss four games. you'll be back in time for the last one, georgia tech, and a bowl if we get there. plus, you've still got your senior year.
don't worry, you'll still be the man. you'll still be the leader of this team.
these things happen.
fuckin' kids.
what's he wanta do now, cut practice down to once a week?
he thinks he's gonna have trouble marchin' the ball down the old fund- raisin' board, huh?
what are you sayin?
wilson say that?
forget it, galen, collins is no all- star either.
look, just because you're wilson's boy all of a sudden, doesn't mean i'm gonna let him make me look like a fuckin' whore.
i don't know much about all this other stuff, but i do know the punishment should fit the crime. cheating's bad, but i don't think it deserves a life sentence. here's one of those athletes who takes college level courses, who wants to graduate. i think bobby collins made a big mistake, but he's already been suspended for several weeks. he's served his time. i think he deserves a second chance.
he's helpin' to pay for your physics lab too. if you're willin' to go without a new office, maybe i could hold him out a few games. save his body.
most of my players are farm boys, inner-city kids. football is their deliverance.
you throw bobby collins and alvin out, you take away their futures. in alvin's case you probably cost him a couple million dollars in the pros.
yeh, but when was the last time 80,000 people showed up to watch a kid do a chemistry experiment?
yes, sir, i can.
don't mess with me, learnihan. i'll have you teachin' study hall.
get up. i wanta talk to you.
don't sit up. stand up. if you can.
what's the matter, joe? you won't shake hands with me. you don't want me to see your hand, do you? so i guess what i heard was true, huh? you been poundin' the walls with your passin' hand, right? i tell you what, joe, you want to hit somethin', hit me.
i said hit me. i'm the one who put you in here. don't hit the damn wall. it ain't the wall's fault. hit me! go on, hit me right now!
who else you wanta hit, huh? you're daddy maybe? cause he's a no-show prick? well, i'm a daddy, too, and not a very good one at that. so just hit me instead! i'll take your daddy's beatin' for him. go on, you want to. hit me, damnit!
hit me! i'm not gonna leave you alone until you hit me. the guys'll thank you. they've always wanted to do it. so do it now, damnit! do it!
o.k., joe, it's o.k. i guess i need it more than you do. you gotta quit beatin' up on yourself. let me see that hand.
it's o.k. you can still throw with it, you fuckin' mook. look, the nurses say this is the toughest time for you right now. i thought i'd stick around a little, case you wanta play some cards, pick a fight with the wall again, whatever.
yes i do.
shit, lattimer.
oh, no.
you look good, alvin.
any of the guys been down yet?
hell, you know how football players are about hospitals and injuries.
doctors aren't always right, alvin.  but i just want you to know.  you're the best defensive football player i ever coached.
congratulations. i'm proud of you, joe.
i know you had a difficult time. michigan is easy, right? bourbon is tough.
i got somethin' for ya. coupla round trip tickets. go see your dad. get it cleaned up.
i wanta do something different for this game. try to maximize our speed, but keep you both in the lineup at the same time. ray, i'm moving you to fullback. darnell, you're startin' at tail.
ray, you'll be carrying the ball less and blocking more, but they'll still have to respect your running and pass-catching ability. not everybody can make a transition like this. you think you can handle it?
good. we can't afford any hang dogs.
he's worse than that. he's outa shape. all right, that's enough for today. practice is cancelled. everybody off the field, but kane. c'mon what the hell are you standin' around lookin' at? get outa here.
didn't do much while you were in there, did ya?
you could've worked out on your own.
well, we're gonna make up for lost time. we'll start by hoppin' the steps.
don't talk back to me, joe. i'll kick your ass. i went easy on you, 'cause you had to get through detox, but that's out to sea now. you let this team down; you let this program down. start those steps. right leg.
now the left.
70 guys. 70 guys who busted their butts all year. because of you they might not win the conference. because of you they might not go to a bowl.
you dogged on them.
then you shoulda stayed in shape. keep runnin', dammit.
nobody forced you to play football, joe. not me, not the program, nobody. but when you sign on, you commit yourself to pay the price, to do whatever it takes. well, you haven't paid the price yet. you still owe this team. you owe this team big- time. get a shower.
gotta get it done today, boys. gotta ring that bell. 60 minutes. 60 minutes of mean. no prisoners. no mercy. nothin' but snot bubbles. gotta ring that bell, gotta ring that championship bell.
don't tell me who started it. i don't care. all i care about is this football team. we win together. we lose together. so whatever your problem is, get over it. i don't want any more of this shit. understand?
as for the rest of you guys. here's what i think of the way you played.
they're laughin' at you over there. makin' plans for the evening. they never dreamed it'd be this easy. you guys are nothin' but bugs splattered on their windshield. you better stock up on potato chips, 'cause you're gonna be watching a lotta t.v. on new years day.
get warm, joe. you're startin' the second half.
by the way.  don't let me see you miss anymore blocks.
joe just needs to get the feel back. he'll be allright.
i said he'll be allright.
joe, i know that rehab was good for you. got rid of a lotta bad habits. but what about the rest of you? what happened to the joe kane that used to take command of this team, the joe kane these guys i'd run through a bulldozer for? they put him out with the trash? what are you waitin' for, somebody to feel sorry for you cause you've had some problems? nobody in this stadium gives a shit. it's time to step up, joe. time to sit at the head of the table.
no, we're gonna go with the sweep.
time for 2 plays. if it's not open in the end zone, take the sideline. as the offense runs onto the field, winters checks the scoreboard. 17 seconds left. georgia tech 10. e.s.u.
you want me to send in the kicking team or you think you can handle it?
o.k., let's do 24 inside slot, left blue lightning.
hell of a throw, joe. good to see you back.
and don't worry about the heisman. we'll gear up for it next year.
he's still got a bowl game.
so make sure he doesn't violate curfew.