Concussion Page #19

It’s the next morning. Bennet’s suit is immaculate. Pocket

square. There’s an ironing board out. He’s freshly ironed

everything. He’s nervous as sh*t.

BAILES:

We need to talk.

Bailes steps in. His expression like he just bit down on

something rancid.

BENNET:

What’s wrong?

BAILES:

There’s no easy way to say this so

I’m just going to say it.

(MORE)

CHERRY PAGES 1.21.15 97.

BAILES (CONT'D)

They aren’t going to let you speak.

They don’t even want you in the

room.

(--)

I told you. They will not accept

you as the face of this issue.

(--)

They want me to do it.

Pause. Bennet shocked. Rocked.

BENNET:

One of their own.

BAILES:

Yes.

BENNET BAILES (CONT'D)

They want to pretend--You don’t exist.

BENNET:

You said Goodell is good-

BAILES:

They still have to sit there and

listen.

BENNET:

To you.

BAILES:

Yes, me. You blew up their world.

BENNET BAILES (CONT'D)

And yours. Yes. Mine. *

BENNET:

And how can an African know this

subject better than them?

Bennet looks at him a long moment. Fish or fowl? Us/them?

BENNET (CONT’D)

Or better than you?

Bailes stunned. Confused. Now livid, explodes-

BAILES:

(that power/hostility held

in reserve surfacing--)

Wait a second ... You think this is

about Bennet Omalu? I’m not here

for you. I’m here because people

are dying-

CHERRY PAGES 1.21.15 98.

BENNET:

You’re here for redemption! You’re

here to use me to cleanse your

sins!

BAILES:

You self-righteous bastard! Do you

have any idea what I could have,

how much I could have, if I went

back to my side of the ball? Just

kept quiet? Everything in my world

is telling me not to agree with

you. Except one thing - science. So

I’m here. Not down there in that

audience. Up here, beside you. What

do you want from me? How much more

can I do?

And HOLD on them a long beat. And Bailes is right. And Bennet

knows it, is ashamed. And is going to take it in the ass

because it’s the only thing to do-

BENNET:

You’re right, I’m sorry. Go. Take

it. All of it. And you convince

them, Julian-

BAILES:

I’m sorry-

BENNET:

Convince them, Julian-(

and as Bailes turns and

marches down the hall)

Convince them!

(now cut to--)

141 INT. HOTEL FOYER - DAY

The huge, weird hub of three different enormous conference

rooms. Empty. A MAINTENANCE PERSON is pushing a vacuum.

Bennet stands against one of those removable accordion walls.

Trying not to look at his reflection in the wall of mirrors.

Trying not to stare at the double doors to the conference

room. Where it’s all happening.

Pacing now.

As a BEEFY PLAINCLOTHES SECURITY GUARD (NFL? Hotel?) crosses

the expanse, approaching-

CHERRY PAGES 1.21.15 99.

SECURITY:

Sir, this is a private function.

You’re not supposed to be in this

area.

BENNET:

You’re right, I’m supposed to be in

there-

(in THERE, past the big

dude)

SECURITY:

I’m going to have to ask you step

away and return to the lobby with

the other guests.

(and he’s in Bennet’s face

now)

BENNET:

Don’t put your hands on me! Get

your hands off me!

Now the double doors push open at us. Football officialdom is

on its feet in there and starts to pours out. Bennet’s POV

locks on the one black man.

Duerson, vibrating with rage. Right up in Bennet’s face--

DUERSON:

My father can’t remember a goddamn

thing. And he never played a day of

football. He was too busy working.

In a factory. You quack. You think

I’m some boy you can control? Take

your bullshit science, go back to

Africa, and get away from our game-

(and moves on, and--)

Bennet, stunned, can see Pellman back in the conference room

with Goodell and Jones-

And Jones looks up, and they HOLD a look. And we’re in SLOMO,

and Jones slowly blinks, turns away, and--

The doors swing close, leaving Bennet looking at Bailes.

Bailes is sweaty. Stunned. Like he’d been punched in the

face.

BAILES:

Roger Goodell just said Justin

Strzelczyk may have gotten his

concussions swimming. In a swimming

pool.

(then)

(MORE)

CHERRY PAGES 1.21.15 100.

BAILES (CONT'D)

It was a set-up. They needed to say

they heard us. So they can goddamn

bury us.

Bennet HEARS nothing but a low-grade hum. Bailes slips out of

frame as Bennet floats past Bailes into-

142 OMIT

143 OMIT

144 INT. HOTEL CONFERENCE ROOM

And stops. Because Goodell, Pellman, Maroon and Jones are

setting up for a summing-up. News conference. National

cameras. Background with NFL logo hung dropped behind the

lectern. As Goodell takes his place, adjusts his mic-

GOODELL:

This is an important day in the

National Football League. We’ve had

some very good dialogue, which will

help us improve the care for our

players.

REPORTER 1

What do you think when you hear

about former NFL players who are

suffering from symptoms that have

only been seen in boxers or people

over 80-years old? What does that

say about the effect of concussions

on players?

GOODELL:

I’m not a doctor here. But you have

to look at their entire medical

history. From my standpoint, not

being a doctor, that just makes

logical sense. You’re seeing some

great scientists and doctors, who

have done terrific work in this

area, sharing information. They

don’t all agree. The NFL has had a

committee of expert doctors and

scientists going on this for 14

years. This is an evolving science

and that’s okay.

We’re pushing in on Bennet, listening to all this, watching

it all evaporate. Pellman jumping in-

CHERRY PAGES 1.21.15 101.

PELLMAN:

While I agree with theCommissioner, as I was discussingwith other NFL medical personal, noempirically determined proof waspresented today. Because theresimply isn’t any. The truth is -

and we will be delivering thisdirective to our players - thatcurrent research with professionalathletes has not shown that havingmore than one or two concussions

leads to permanent problems, if

each injury is managed properly.

Bennet starts to back away, as-REPORTER

2 GOODELL *

**

Are you comfortable with thelevel of care for former

I don’t know about

comfortable. I’m not sure I

*

**

*

**

players? understand what you mean. *

**

Bennet turning now, exiting as the news conference drones on-REPORTER

1 (O.S.)

Do you think the league iscurrently doing enough for players,

or do you think you can do more--?

And as the pile-on grows and crescendoes, and now FADES,

FADING IN, in PRE-LAP-NFL

FILMS NARRATOR (PRE-LAP)

(operatic baritone)

From whistle to gun, there areenough major collisions in profootball to stock a junkyard for a

century--

Bennet has left the room, gone, the doors flapping behind him145

NFL FILMS PROMO REEL (4-WALLED)

Two BALTIMORE RAVENS ready for a play by BUTTING HELMETSrepeatedly. This SLO-MO, under a swelling elegaic score, asif two mythic rams. Now-NFL

FILMS NARRATOR (OVER)

Hitting is what separates playerfrom player. One team from another.

Pretender from contender.

(MORE)

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