Any Given Sunday Page #7

I'm trying to win, coach!

I ain't trying to disrespect nobody.

Winning is the only thing I respect.

Listen very carefully.

One day you'll realize this is

the truest thing you ever heard.

This game....

This game has got to be

about more than winning.

You're part of something.

Lombardi, Tittle, Sammy Baugh, Unitas.

Those men on the wall.

You're part of that now.

I want you to cherish it

because when it's gone...

...it's gone forever.

When I look at them pictures

and trophies, it just makes me sad.

It's like a room full of ghosts.

When I'm done with this game...

...I don't want to be no ghost.

I wanna be more than that.

Looks like Cap's gonna make it

back in time for the playoffs.

-What?

-I'm gonna start him.

I knew you were gonna sell me out.

Cap's a leader. He's a team player.

That's such bullshit!

He ain't half the athlete I am.

You look me in the eye and tell me

that Cap is a better player.

Cap's a better player.

I guess somebody else

won them last two games.

He lost four in a row!

I lead by doing.

You kicked ass.

But Cap Rooney has been doing it

for years.

And his time is over.

And yours is too,

unless you take some risk!

Play this game the way

it's played today.

It's not about

the pictures on the wall!

I've lived this game

for three decades, kid!

I know football.

-Those men on the wall--

-They wanted to win.

Just like you do.

You can feed the press that whole

sacrifice and glory-of-the-game crap.

But I been there.

I seen a long line of coaches...

...with that same old bullshit

halftime speech.

-Bullshit?

-Yes, it's bullshit.

You know it's bullshit

because it's about the money.

The TV contracts,

fat-cat boosters in the skyboxes.

Coaches trying to up their salaries.

You looking for the next black stud

to take it to the top 10.

Get you in a bowl game.

It's the same way in the pros.

Except in the pros,

the field hands get paid.

Don't play that race card on me, kid.

of your color.

Maybe it's not racism.

Maybe it's placism.

Brother has to know his place.

Right, boss?

I don't understand

what you're talking about.

You don't trust anybody

because of what happened in college?

You knew the rules.

You were the one that broke them.

-How did I break them?

-How?

I lost a million-dollar

signing bonus...

...because I took a $300 suit

from a booster to go to a wedding.

What's a brother supposed to do

in college? He ain't got money.

He wants to go out on a date.

Wants to get some nice clothes.

Everybody had their hands out...

...but it was me they suspended.

I dropped six rounds in the draft

because of that.

The coaches labeled me: "He's trouble.

He don't wanna play ball."

You talk about sacrifice.

I sacrificed $10 million because dumb

rednecks like the coach in San Diego...

...made me a cornerback

because I got quick feet.

He separated my shoulder tackling

I don't do that!

I was a great football player.

But nobody let my shoulder heal,

and they traded me out of there.

You go ahead.

Blame everybody but yourself.

Whatever.

Because that's what a leader's about.

Sacrifice.

The times he's gotta sacrifice

because he's gotta lead by example.

Not by fear and not by self-pity.

Who you think you're talking to?

Half my career is over

and you want me on the bench...

...to sacrifice for the glory

of Cap Rooney? F*** you!

I ain't buying your brand.

Just because you some scared old man.

You feel like if I play my way,

I just might win.

Then what was your life about anyway?

You're not some flash-in-the-pan

corner or receiver...

...or even Julian Washington.

You're a goddamn quarterback!

You know what that means?!

It's the top spot, kid.

It's the guy takes the fall.

It's the guy everybody's looking at

first, the leader of a team.

Who will support you

when they understand you.

Who will break their ribs and their

noses and their necks for you...

...because they believe.

Because you make them believe.

That's a quarterback.

I'm the leader of your team...

...till Cap's back up.

Then I'm back on the bench.

You ain't said two words to me

till Cherubini went down.

Then it was, "Go out there and...

...play like you're in the 'hood.

You're throwing the ball...

...and your mama's

ringing the dinner bell."

All you do is talk at me, man.

I'm gonna stay who I am.

Steamin' Willie Beamen.

With the time I got left,

I'll play my way. Get my dollars up.

So when you go to waive me, trade me

or whatever the f*** y'all do...

...I'll be worth 10 times what

I was worth before I got here.

You're very, very young.

And you're very, very stupid.

What're you doing? Get off the lawn!

It's Mr. Beamen. Willie, how you doing?

It's about winning. That's what this

country's about. Being number one.

This whole country was built

on kicking immigrant ass.

African ass, Chinese ass.

Don't matter who ass.

Get the f*** out!

Get the f*** out of here, b*tch!

Every kid can grow up

to be President, right?

Who the hell want to grow up

and be vice president?

There ain't no number twos

in football.

Homeboy! Welcome to the pit!

You come to my house,

you bring me no flowers?

You played me.

Blowj*bs upstairs. If you want

the skin, trawl the beach.

Don't mess the sheets.

My wife's back on Tuesday.

-I won't spill a drop.

-Hey, no semen, no blood.

Goddamn!

You tell me.

Who lost the Pantheon Cup last year?

Who came in second

at the 100-yard dash in the Olympics?

Where I'm from, either you're

number one, or you ain't sh--!

That's a fact.

Did you get

the Vince Lombardi speech?

He was in my face

like we lost the game.

I got out of Dallas because

I worked harder than anybody else.

You make it and get the big car,

or you don't and catch the bus...

...and you in the funeral home,

because to me, losing is dying.

"Losing is dying".

I am down with that!

I think we'd be top dog

if the defense would step up.

Lay off the D, man. Shark hear you

saying that, he'll kick your ass.

Like I give a f***.

I'm trying to win some games.

I ain't trying to kiss

no overrated loser's ass.

What you care about?

You playing for yourself.

What you talking about, punk?

You gotta earn the right

to diss somebody on this team.

You call this a team?

I see a bunch of super-fly

brothers running around...

...living in the white man's world...

...getting their d*cks sucked by ho's.

J, you were a great football player.

Now you done turn into a joke.

You're playing,

but you're dying inside.

What the f*** you mean,

I'm dying inside?

Kiss my Armani ass! Know what I did for

this team? I'll take your life, man!

Football is a corporation.

Black kids are raised

to be stars, individuals.

They do not learn to work together.

-Beamen's talking sh*t about you.

-What?!

Talking about how we'd be on top

if the defense would do their job.

F***ing kidding me!

Motherf***er! I'll break a piece

off in his goddamn ass!

What the f*** is wrong with you,

motherf***er?!

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