Rudy Page #7

Prove what?

- That I was somebody.

- Oh, you are so full of crap.

You're 5 feet nothing.

A hundred and nothing.

And you've got hardly

a speck of athletic ability.

You hung in with the best college

football team in the land for 2 years!

And you're gonna walk out of here

with a degree from Notre Dame.

In this life you don't have to prove

nothing to nobody except yourself.

And after what you've gone through,

if you haven't done that by now...

...it ain't gonna never happen.

Now go on back.

I'm sorry I never got you

to see your first game.

Hell, I've seen too many games

in this stadium.

- You said you never saw a game.

- I've never seen one from the stands.

You were a player?

I rode the bench for two years.

Thought I wasn't being played

because of my color.

I got filled up with

a lot of attitude, so I quit.

Still not a week goes by,

I don't regret it.

And I guarantee a week won't go by,

you won't regret walking out...

...letting them get the best of you.

Now, you hear me clear enough?

Yeah.

Bill? The pitch was too soon.

Wait. Make him commit.

38 option, 38 option.

Hustle up.

It's Rudy.

Welcome back. Line up.

What's going on down there?

Get back to work.

Yeah?

Oh, hi, Roland. Come in.

I want Rudy to dress in my place.

He deserves it.

Don't be ridiculous.

Georgia Tech's one of the top

offensive teams in the country.

You're an all-American

and our captain. Act like it.

I believe I am.

Me too, coach.

I want Rudy to dress in my place.

Coach, this is for Rudy.

This is for Rudy, coach.

I promise. This is the real thing.

I'm gonna be on

the sidelines, in uniform.

Frank, I've never asked you

for anything in my life.

Promise me he'll be

on that bus tomorrow.

Frank, I want you to be there too.

Please.

Here you go.

What a day for a game, huh?

You bet.

All right. Go Irish!

- Go Irish! Thank you.

- Thank you.

I'll get you on the way back.

I don't got my wallet.

This is our gate.

Hey, Rudy?

I just want you to know that

I think this is a great thing.

Thanks.

You're welcome.

It's your day.

- I wish you could be out there with me.

- I know.

This is the most beautiful sight

these eyes have ever seen.

Come on, Dad.

Huddle up.

Bring it in, guys.

Father.

Everyone, take a hand.

Hail Mary, full of grace,

the Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou among women and

blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, mother of God,

pray for us sinners now...

...and at the hour of our death.

Notre Dame, Our Mother.

Pray for us!

You all know what you have to do.

Remember...

...no one...

...and I mean no one...

...comes into our house

and pushes us around.

This is your game now, gentlemen.

And for you seniors, it's your

last one, so make it count...

...because you'll remember it

for the rest of your lives.

Let's get 'em.

Rudy!

You ready, champ?

I've been ready

for this my whole life.

Then you take us out on the field.

All right, let's go.

Here they go!

- That's him. 45.

- 45. You see him?

Forty-five! Forty-five!

That's him! I know him!

That's Rudy!

You guys already know this...

...but this is the most important

game of your lives!

No excuses! Do the work!

- Our Lady of Victory!

- Pray for us!

What the hell?

They're across the line.

Watch number 70.

He's waltzing with him.

Forty yards for

a Notre Dame touchdown.

It's the fourth quarter with 3 minutes

to play and the issue still in doubt.

As Barratt fades back to pass for

Georgia Tech from his 30-yard line.

Looks upfield, throws.

Intercepted by Roland Steele!

He has a convoy of blockers

down the sidelines.

Steele going in unmolested

for a Notre Dame touchdown.

It's a backbreaker for Georgia Tech.

Joe, play all the seniors!

And Rudy?

- Let him in for one play.

- Absolutely not.

Coach, you gotta play him.

Come on, coach. One play.

Give him a chance, coach!

Notre Dame all over the ball.

Thompson recovers for the Irish.

Rudy!

Rudy! Rudy!

Rudy! Rudy! Rudy!

37 seconds remaining and it'll be

all over here at Notre Dame.

To our left...

...I'm picking up a chant

from the Notre Dame student body.

Can't quite make out just what it is.

Devine's gonna empty his bench with

a little time remaining in the game.

One of the players going

into the game is Jamie O'Hare.

O'Hare was heavily recruited throughout

the country several years ago.

He came to Notre Dame...

...and it's safe to say that

his career has been a disappointment.

They're chanting for Rudy.

Tell him to go to a knee.

Listen up.

Victory formation.

The hell with Devine.

If the offense is here,

Rudy can't play.

- We gotta run the play.

- No, we gotta score now.

- Let's get a score for Rudy.

- It's the last game!

All right, this one's yours.

Pro right.

38 halfback pass on one.

On one. Ready?

What the hell is he doing?

Touchdown. Notre Dame, 23.

Georgia Tech, 3.

That was for you.

What was that?

Who called that play?

It's just occurred to me...

...what they've been chanting

for the last few minutes.

It's the name "Rudy."

Dan Ruettiger, a walk-on senior...

...subject of an article in yesterday's

student newspaper, The Observer.

All right, go get 'em, kid!

He's so little!

Come on. One more play.

What do I do?

Stay in. Stay there!

Who's the wild man now?!

That's it.

You won.

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote