Spirit of the Game Page #7

---

Yeah. Good. Good.

- We better get back.

- Yes, yes.

Nice work, guys.

Just pass it off.

Dribble it across to me.

Nice work!

Condie!

Bill Russell!

Delyle Condie.

I played against you

at Utah, right?

That's right, sir.

I'm down here on a mission

for my church.

Well, that's one basketball

player who got it right.

This here is Coach Tucker.

This is my team.

Guys, this is Bill Russell,

Coach Tucker

and the entire American squad.

Saw your match the other day.

Some good defense.

Thank you, Coach.

You boys got it. You

all doing our country proud.

Delyle, best jump shot

I ever seen, man!

You should have

been on our team.

So, are you guys up

for a match against us?

You know, you're a tough

team to track down.

Are you kidding?

No, we wouldn't stand

a chance against you guys.

It wouldn't feel right playing

against our national team.

Well, you think about it.

Anyway, I was hoping

you could give us

the lowdown on the Russians.

Well, their tall

guy is just that.

He doesn't do much else.

The one you need to watch

though is the short guy.

- He's fast.

- All right.

Faster than

anybody I've ever seen.

The way he brings it down

the court like that.

He'll put it up and score two

before you can do anything.

With only days to go before the opening

ceremony of the Olympic Games,

we're thrilled

to bring you this live

television event

on ABC TV tonight.

Behind me, people are gathering

to watch this

exhibition basketball game

between the Mormon Yankees,

a team made up of

young church missionaries,

and the French Olympic team.

This is the second time

these teams will have met,

and we should be set

for an exciting game.

Elder Condie.

Tell me, are you anxious

about this evening's game?

"Anxious"?

Uh... I'm excited.

The French are incredible players.

They're a great team.

But the Mormon Yankees,

we're excited to get out there

and play our best, so...

That's fantastic. Congratulations

and good luck, sir!

Roger Breeny, ABC TV.

Welcome to the official telecast

of the much anticipated rematch

between the French

Olympic basketball team

and Australia's

adopted favorites,

the Mormon Yankees.

The Yankees have been preparing

our very own boys

for the Olympic Games,

and taken time out from their

training for this exhibition match,

coming to you live from Olympic

Stadium, right here in Melbourne.

If I could have a moment.

After today's over,

we go back to being

just missionaries.

Go on, go on.

My father once told me

that basketball

could bring people

from all walks of life together,

no matter what color

or religion you are.

These people are

here to watch us.

We've been blessed.

Just want to say thank you

to all of you.

Including you, President.

I was told that

serving a mission

would be the best

two years of my life.

And it has been.

To be able to use

the game that I love

to bring people

towards salvation...

It's a story worth telling

our kids about, right?

As you all know,

I wasn't in favor of

allowing my missionaries

to play organized basketball.

But I was wrong.

The sportsmanship

that you have exhibited

to everyone who's seen you play

is going to change

people's hearts.

You've done us proud.

Now, I don't know

much about basketball,

but I know that tonight

we're going to beat

the pants off the French.

Elder Garn, would you lead

us in prayer, please?

Dear Heavenly Father...

The crowd are on their feet

as the Mormon Yankees enter the stadium.

There he is.

Who?

Delyle.

Where?

He's the star player

of the team.

These young

American missionaries

are set to take on

the best in the world.

Coming to you live from Olympic

Stadium in Melbourne, Australia.

Yankees on three.

One, two, three.

Yankees!

The starting lineup

for the Mormon Yankees

are Condie, Hull, Frodsham,

Kimball and Garn,

with the French team fielding Ray,

Antoine, Monclar, Beugnot and Grange.

The bombs bursting in air

Gave proof through the night

That our flag

was still there...

Dad, what are they singing?

The national anthem.

O say, does that

star-spangled banner yet wave

O'er the land of the free

And the home of the brave

If they pull those roughhouse

tactics on us again,

I want you to be our enforcer.

Within the spirit

of the game, of course.

You don't have to ask me twice.

I'll show those wine sippers

how we play ball.

Missionary style.

And, Garn,

Monclar's their go-to guy.

If you give him space,

he'll score on you.

Not tonight, he's not.

Let's play ball, boys!

Very short shorts.

And we're

all set for the tip-off.

The French are

certainly athletic

and one of the best

teams in the world.

They'll be looking to dominate

this young American Mormon team.

First possession goes to the Mormon

Yankees, Hull carrying the ball.

A low pass from Garn to Kimball.

The Yankees look

in complete control here.

Frodsham to Condie who goes up,

and the Yankees

are first to score!

Ray is bringing

the ball down for the French,

but the Yankee defense

is looking solid.

To Antoine now, who makes short

work of Garn and passes to Monclar.

Monclar is going in and...

He goes down!

Just minutes in and this game

is already getting physical.

Seven, push.

Prepare for war.

Oh, yeah? How'd the

last one work out?

Monclar easily

taking his free throws

as the tension mounts

between these two teams.

And another

Mormon boy goes down.

That was on 12 white, push.

What are they doing?

That was

an interesting call, ref.

If you don't like it, too bad.

No, you were spot on,

it was most definitely a foul.

Thank you. It's just

for the wrong team.

A foul called on the Yankees!

The crowd clearly showing their

displeasure at this decision

as the French score,

slowly starting to pull ahead.

A long ball finds Hull.

Shoots it to Condie.

He's contacted by Beugnot.

Condie's on his feet, but they

are really taking a beating.

Come on, come on!

Clearly, the French are trying to

intimidate the Mormon Yankee team

with some rough tactics.

With Hull now.

And he, too, goes down

as we hit halftime.

Oh, no!

The French are the

fourth-ranked team in the world

and are pulling out all the stops

against these young Mormons,

leading them by just four points

at this stage of the game.

Right, listen, listen!

Those guys are going to

throw everything at us.

Prepare yourselves.

If we can ride the knocks

and hold them steady,

we can win this.

Hull, Hull?

Are you okay?

Yeah.

Okay.

What is that?

You continue to be humiliated by

this bunch of religious fools.

But this time

in front of the world.

But coach

it was a superb basket.

And you, you play for

your superb country...

France...

Does that mean anything to you?

Remember why we got on that

boat to come out here.

This is not for us, but for all

of those who are following us.

And for those who

are cheering for us.

Okay, this, this is our time.

Come on, boys!

Come on, boys, come on!

And Condie scores again!

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes