Greater Page #3

I'll even make you an invited walk-on.

But I wanna make one thing

absolutely clear,

there ain't no way you're ever gonna

play, not here, not at this school.

God bless.

Thank you, coach.

Thank you very much.

Well, I guess that does it.

The good Lord just didn't

make you the right size.

- Hey, hey, hold on.

- What are you doing?

Coach said I gotta get bigger.

- Really?

- Yeah.

- You want change?

- Uh...

You've gotta be kidding me.

Have I told y'all lately that I love ya?

No, coach, you haven't.

Well, I'll have to get

back to you on that.

You know, football's a rough game.

It's unpredictable.

Life itself, squeezed

into 60 minutes in 100 yards.

Now, you can't control

who your mom and daddy is,

but you can control

how hard you work.

Sow with thought, you reap in action.

Sow with action, you reap a habit.

You sow a habit, you reap a character,

You sow a character,

you reap a destiny.

Every place starts with a cadence,

and ends with a whistle.

What you do in between,

determines your legacy,

so make sure you give it everything

you've got until you hear that whistle.

Is that understood?

Yes, sir!

Hey, coach.

Where's your mama, Brandon?

You got a scholarship offer.

Arkansas Tech.

Full-ride. Coach Oliver's asked me

to hand-deliver it to you.

Yeah! My little brother's

gonna be a college boy!

- Congratulations, son.

- I love it, Brandon.

- It certainly is closer.

- Closer?

Well, we got a call

from Army the other day.

We thought it was perfect,

because he's so strict about schedules

but I don't think his grades were good

enough to get into West Point, anyway.

I'm not going there, or anywhere else.

- I'm a Razorback.

- Whoa, whoa, whoa,

we're talking about

a college degree here, Brandon.

Your grades weren't good enough

to get an academic scholarship, son.

If I was in your financial position,

I'd take this.

But aren't you the one who told me, it

doesn't matter what other people think?

It only matters what I think?

This next graduate

has accepted a scholarship

to play football

at Arkansas Tech University.

Brandon Burlsworth.

- Woo!

All right, now.

Everybody say, "Arkansas Tech."

Arkansas Tech.

Eyes. Mama, stop squeezing him so much.

Come on, one more time.

- You ready?

- Come on, Mom.

- I'm not going to Arkansas Tech.

- What did you just say?

I'm gonna walk-on at Arkansas.

Arkansas? And how you gonna afford

that there, cheesecake?

This family cant afford a stick

of gum at this time without a co-sign.

- It's what I'm supposed to do!

- Oh, really?

If that were true, you think

it would be a little bit easier?

You think God would give you

D1 dreams with D3 body?

You got one shot at this.

And you got a full-ride.

Do you know what I would have done

to have gone to college?

Oh, look at you. Yeah, it's easy to be all

pious when you're 18 years old.

What happens when you're 40?

How are you gonna pay

for your rent, with what? Faith?

Huh, how are you gonna pay

your gas, and food?

I'm going to Arkansas.

Oh, really?

"Going to Arkansas."

Looks like you're not

going anywhere, there, cheesecake.

Woo pig sooie.

Mama.

Let's go.

Whoo.

Can you help me do that?

That way, this notice will be paid.

Yeah. How much could you... hold on.

Give me that number.

Times 12, right?

- Hey.

- Hey, Mom.

Leo's agreed to help you with the car

to get you back and forth to school.

Well, it won't be much, but,

it'll be the best we can afford.

And, also, I just found out

I can get a second mortgage.

- Wh... Mom!

- You will be the first Burlsworth

to get a degree.

You're gonna make something

of yourself, you hear me?

But I can only do it for one year.

Mama, that's... that's all I need.

I mean...

I'm gonna...

I'm gonna earn a scholarship,

and... and I'll pay you back

every penny, whatever it takes.

I know you will

'cause I'm gonna need it.

Oh, honey, guess what?

You're gonna be a Razorback.

A Razorback. That's right, Mom.

I'm gonna be a Razorback.

- I love you.

- I'm so... woo!

Remember, you can't just trust.

You have to obey, too.

- You can do this.

- Yes, ma'am.

Just, you be careful.

Mama, he's not going to Alaska.

It's a 90-minute drive.

When it's your baby driving

over those mountain roads,

- it feels like a million miles, Marty.

- Yes, ma'am.

Hey, you watch out for old big trucks.

And pray.

When Brandon was a little baby boy,

we used to call him 18-wheelers.

"Big Old truck."

Look, look, it's an easy drive, okay?

Once you get to Marble, you're halfway.

Oh, Vickie? Yeah.

Vickie and I got this for you.

We'll put you on our plan.

- Marty, I can't. Marty.

- It's already done. All right?

You can call me anytime you want.

I mean that.

Be careful on the road, okay?

I'd tell you play by the rules,

but I'm as unsure if they are any.

I miss you guys already.

This will always be my home.

- Make us proud, son.

- Stay away from those fast women.

Stop that. Come on.

- Get out of here, cheesecake.

- Good luck, honey.

Don't forget your sundae, son.

All right?

- All right, 'cause he's watching it.

- Get out of here.

- Keep working on that footwork, now.

- Good luck, honey, we love you.

- Drive safe, son.

- We love you.

Phone's always on the hook!

- There he goes.

- Call me when you get there!

- There's your baby.

- There he goes. There he goes.

I think Marty's going with him.

Marty.

- Yeah.

- Come on back now, Marty.

Pleased to meet you, Mr. Burlsworth.

My condolences for a grave injustice.

I love working on these.

You ever do any whittling?

There's nothing so satisfying

when you finally finish one.

I just had to get out of there

for a while.

Well, I don't blame you.

Today ought to be about you.

Your brother, your family.

You've got a bunch

of busy-bodies up there,

trying to make it about something else.

Holding their hands in prayer

when they ought to be

shaking their firsts in anger.

And who are they worshipping

up there, anyway?

A god who was unable

to prevent this tragedy?

Or the one who was just unwilling to?

It's just what they know.

- Traditional stuff.

- Oh, well.

Used to use leeches

to bleed out a fever, too,

but we got over that, didn't we?

That was your brother.

Right there.

Right there on that field.

That's real.

What happens out there

either is, or it isn't.

There's no maybes.

That's Brandon.

So, I'm with you,

would it really honor his memory,

to crawl into that gym,

face that casket, and give a thanks

that you don't feel.

Hey, Marty. I'm so sorry.

Thanks, Mikey.

Well, I know they say "Trust in the Lord."

I'm trying.

Me too.

Yeah. The Lord gives,

the Lord takes away.

Only trouble is, he only gives

for just a little while,

then he takes away forever.

Coach Tice said we could put flowers

out on the field for the service.

The seven of us have been all over the

last couple of days, picking up donations.

That must have been some doing.

If something's worthwhile,

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