Spirit of the Game Page #4

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the Olympics are coming.

Look, I'll be honest.

We're struggling.

And we could really appreciate

going up against some

players with experience.

- Thank you.

- Thank you.

Otherwise we're

gonna get thrashed.

I'm sorry,

Mr. Watson,

but we have disbanded

the basketball program.

Yes, they're here to work,

not to play athletics.

Oh... Mr. Bingham...

President.

I don't know a great deal

about your church.

But I do know those boys are

some of the finest examples

of basketballers

in this country.

Now, in Australia,

our religion is sport.

And if you want to

connect with Aussies,

well, then you do it

through sport.

Do you have children,

Mr. Watson?

Yes, I do.

Well, then you'll know

you must provide them

with strict rules

and discipline.

These boys need to be

attentive and obedient,

and not partake in, shall

we say, worldly activities.

Oh, missus.

Basketball is a good,

wholesome sport.

It was started by Christians.

But I can see

you've made up your mind.

It's simply not

why they're here.

We could do great things.

To the Church,

for basketball.

I hope you'll think about it.

I'm sorry we can't

help you, Mr. Watson.

Well, thank you anyway.

Thanks for coming.

- Goodbye, Mr. Watson.

- Please.

Wouldn't have a bar of it.

I thought they were

here to teach.

Church stuff, not basketball.

He was adamant and his

wife even more so.

And do you know what? They wouldn't

even give me a cup of tea.

Well, if those Mormon boys

are anything like my kids,

they won't listen

to what they're told.

Ken.

What President Bingham

doesn't know won't hurt him.

Now, do not let him shoot, okay?

Hands in there.

Put your hands in there.

Don't let him shoot!

Don't! Come on!

Thanks for

letting us come around.

I haven't seen him smile

that much in a long time.

It's good for him.

Because he's small for his age,

he has trouble fitting in.

Well, he sure

does love basketball.

He doesn't have much of a choice

with Jim playing it

all the time.

It's a good sport.

He sure does idolize you blokes.

Well, mostly Hull.

He's a swell kid.

Would you like to stay for tea?

Yes! Thank you!

Don't! Don't let him shoot again!

Yeah! Come on.

Ready? Ready?

Oh, yeah.

Who's Stan Page?

Stan, Stan. What?

Hello.

Fellas.

I'm Stan Page. I believe

you've already met Ken.

Thanks for coming.

We got your note.

How can we help you?

We were hoping to appeal to your

sensibilities as sportsmen.

Yes, this is our Olympic squad.

As you can see,

they're pretty raw.

We want you to work with

us on our skills and drills.

And I could certainly use some

help as far as coaching goes.

I'm sorry, Coach,

but we're not allowed

to play basketball anymore.

No, well, we thought you'd be

able to help us on your days off.

You know, sort of on the sly,

if you know what I mean?

That's not possible, sir.

Don't you miss it?

The thrill of the game

when the buzzer goes!

You have a chance

to help these boys

with more than just basketball.

I don't think you understand.

What you're asking would go

against everything we stand for.

Well, we didn't realize that.

Uh... Sorry.

They could send us home.

Really?

Yes.

I'm sorry, sir.

Well, that went well.

Mmm.

Can you believe them?

Asking us to be

disobedient like that.

Yeah.

Wait, you're not

thinking about it?

No! No, no way,

of course not.

I mean, you've got to admit

it's a great opportunity.

For what?

Think of the doors

this could open for us.

Like with Brett and Elspeth.

The only reason we got

invited in was because of...

This is different.

Yeah. Yeah, it is.

This is bigger!

This is the Olympic team.

Imagine all the people

we could reach.

No more being hosed off lawns.

No more doors in the face.

Even if you're right,

President Bingham said no.

"Find, teach, baptize"

is what he said.

You're prodding at a

tiger in its cage here.

We should be sharing our skills.

Basketball, it can

break down barriers for us.

I'm going to talk to President Bingham.

Are you crazy?

Condie, we're being disobedient

just by being here.

Just relax, okay?

President Bingham, he's

really just a teddy bear.

Yeah, but Sister

Bingham's like a dragon.

She's really scary.

At the moment,

we're just these

strange Americans

who knock on people's

doors, but...

But they love sport and they're

crazy for the Olympics.

If we help them with this,

we can break down

so many barriers.

We'll be a part

of their community.

Elder Condie, your

enthusiasm is admirable,

but it's misguided.

You need to re-channel all that

enthusiasm into your missionary work.

I have been, President Bingham.

Every day we go out tracting,

and I can tell you firsthand

that getting our message

across is that much easier

when there's a point of

connection, like basketball.

There's this young boy, Brett...

Elder Condie,

if you wanted to play

basketball so much,

you should have

stayed in college.

We are not a basketball team,

I am not your coach.

No, I understand that,

sir, but...

No buts.

We have but one purpose

and one purpose only.

We cannot do our work if we are

distracted by playing sports.

Now, gentlemen, let this be the

last time we talk of this matter.

Are you okay?

"My son

is an intuitive young man.

"And he feels that basketball

could be the means

"to help them to connect

with the people.

"And indeed ingratiate

themselves into the community."

Brethren, Elder Tanner

passed this on to me

from his good friend,

Brother Condie.

Missionary work is hard enough

without us making it any harder.

We send our fine young men

out into the mission field.

And we have an opportunity

to assist them

to bring others into

the arms of the Lord.

And that is exactly

what I intend to do.

Elder Condie, you must

have prayed very hard.

Salt Lake has proposed that we

put a basketball team together

in order to help

the Australians.

And I'm putting you

in charge of it.

We'll do whatever

you ask of us, sir.

I want to make it absolutely

clear from the outset

that there will be

certain parameters.

Elders are not to be distracted

from their missionary work.

You will be given one

day a week to practice.

I want you to work closely

together with Elder Burt

to handpick the best team

from the mission.

Don't let me down.

Johnson was at BYU. Where's

he serving at the moment?

He's in Adelaide. But he

goes home in a few weeks.

Dang. West and Grant

were at the U.

Grant's in Tasmania.

Elder Garn was a starter

at Sugar City, Idaho.

Oh, yeah, I remember playing against him.

That guy is fast.

Frodsham. He's a good

all-around sportsman.

He played at BYU.

He's tough as nails, too.

Elder Hull, sit up straight.

That is not a footrest and this

is not a Chinese bathhouse.

Do up your tie.

So, are you elders

staying for dinner, then?

We hadn't planned to, so please

don't go to any trouble for us.

Well, I'm planning for you

and I already have,

so it's settled.

I still think all of

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