The Express Page #7

and this time

we're gonna win it.

So why don't you tell that

to the Mayor of Dallas?

I'm playing. You hear me?

I'm playing.

You're goddamn right you are.

There's an electricity

in the air today in Dallas.

And, as you can see from

the clear skies behind me,

it's not

a local thunderstorm.

All eyes are on the field

as undefeated Syracuse,

the Beast from the East,

takes on Texas, the power

of the Southwest Conference.

Do I need to say anything?

Come on, it's on.

Come on, it's on, the

Cotton Bowl. Come on, Marie.

Come on. Come on. Come on.

All right, all right.

Get two ice teas,

please.

And the Cotton Bowl.

Drop your heads.

Our Father,

who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come,

thy will be done...

George,

fancy seeing you here.

You taking a look at Davis?

I've seen him.

Really?

In a Redskins uniform?

I think he'd look better

in a Cleveland uniform.

Now, wouldn't that

be something?

Ladies and gentlemen,

please give a warm

Texas welcome...

to the Syracuse

University Orangemen.

With a phenomenal record

of 10-0.

Ben Schwartzwalder and his

mighty Orangemen of Syracuse,

ranked number 1

in the nation,

take the field here at the...

historic Cotton

Bowl in Dallas...

to face Darrell Royal...

and the second-ranked

Longhorns of Texas.

You ready for this?

I'm ready.

Get off the field.

If the Orangemen are going to...

be successful moving

the football today,

they're going to have to go...

through Clay Taylor

and Pete Logan,

two very dominant

football players...

and the defensive leaders

for the Longhorns.

Davis, hamstring.

Tails.

Syracuse receives.

That's what we wanted.

Go, boy.

- Get them.

Ernie, if you get the ball,

go all the way.

Let's go. Let's go.

- Let's go, four-four.

And the 1960

Cotton Bowl is underway.

Offense. Let's go.

An incredibly

enthusiastic crowd on hand...

as Syracuse lines up

for its first series.

I've been waiting

for this n*gger.

Okie. Okie. Set.

I'm about to kick your black

ass back to Africa, boy.

Oh, yeah?

Too bad I'm from Philly.

The give is to Ernie Davis.

He gains two yards

and is brought...

down quickly by

Taylor and Logan.

We're in the Cotton

Bowl, not the

cotton patch, boys.

Personal foul, ref.

- 84.

The handkerchief

on the field.

There appears to be some late...

contact by both

Taylor and Logan.

Holding, offense.

That's bullshit.

- Will.

But there, did you see that?

- I saw it.

You don't stop this quick,

it's gonna get out of hand.

That's one.

You've been warned.

'I've been warned.'

What are you, my

first grade teacher?

Sophomore Davis is...

clearly favoring

his right leg...

as he moves back to

the Orangemen huddle.

Okay, on one,

on one. Ready?

The Orangemen

facing first and 20.

It's to Davis.

Runs to his left.

Looks to throw.

Now cuts back to the right...

with a dazzling spin move,

and sheds the tackler.

He turns the corner.

He's in the clear. He's gone.

Quick. Go. Go. Go. Go.

Go.

He's drilled out of

bounds at the 3-yard line.

And now Davis, who's lying

prone on the sidelines,

appears to be

either exhausted or hurt.

I can't believe

they caught him.

Ernie, get up.

Ernie. Ernie.

Ernie, you all right?

Davis is finally

helped to his feet...

by All-American

tackler Jack Buckley.

One has to wonder...

just what kind of shape

Ernie Davis is in.

I told you.

Syracuse, first down

at the Longhorn three.

The give is to the right

halfback, Gerhard Schwedes.

Outstanding block by Davis.

He crosses the goal line

to put Syracuse on the board.

Here in the second quarter

Coach Ben Schwartzwalder

and his...

top-ranked team

find themselves...

on top of

the Texas Longhorns, 7-0.

Ready?

- Break.

The Orangemen are knocking

on the door once again.

State seven.

State seven.

Set. Hut one.

The give is to Ernie Davis and...

the sophomore

finds the end zone,

as the Orangemen increase

their lead on the Longhorns.

So precisely when is it

you're going to...

start kicking my

black ass back to Africa?

Hey, Buckley.

Hey, come on, stay cool.

They're baiting us.

- They're baiting them.

Hey, Logan, Taylor,

And after a successful

two-point conversion...

the Orangemen of Syracuse

lead the Longhorns of Texas...

by a score of 15-0.

McKinley on

a sweep to the right.

Bobby Lundy steps up and...

there's a huge

hit on McKinley.

And the ball is loose,

recovered by the Orangemen...

and Syracuse takes over.

Yeah.

My,

that's a cheap shot.

A late hit by Talbert

on Ernie Davis...

after the play

was whistled dead.

Back. Everybody,

back. Back. Back. Back.

You all right, son?

You okay?

I'm all right, Coach.

All right. You sure?

- Yeah.

Offense on the field.

Let's go.

Told you this would get out

of hand. This is bullshit.

Syracuse will run

one last play before halftime.

Pack your bags, spook.

Scoreboard, eight-four.

Come on,

let's just play ball.

You defending this n*gger?

How you gonna call yourself

a white Christian?

I'm Jewish.

Hut one.

That's another late hit.

And once again,

Ernie Davis is pummeled.

Break it up, ref.

Come on, ref,

do something.

And both teams

are clearing their benches...

and heading to

the middle of the field.

Ref, I told you to

do something about this.

This has become a fiasco.

It's a donnybrook.

My God, no.

- This...

This is no longer a football

game, ladies and gentlemen.

Is somebody gonna stop this?

...ugly display...

Get off. Get off the field.

Hey, Coach.

Get off of him.

- Break it up.

Petey, you all right?

You guys see what happened?

Come on,

cozy up to the blackboard.

You see what happened,

Lundy? That's what

I'm telling you.

You can't let people

talk to you like this,

be pounding on your leg

the whole time.

I know, but you'll

get ejected. They won't.

You're done for the day.

We're up by 15.

We can take it from here.

Coach, I can still get

back out there and play.

No, I want you to

put some ice on that leg.

I had a halftime speech

all planned out.

It seemed pretty good

up till about 10 minutes ago.

It was all about victory

and champions and glory.

But this is not

just a game anymore.

We're fighting something else

out on that field right now.

And I can see it

just as clearly as you.

And that's why

winning this one...

means nothing

if you lose yourselves.

Don't give this one away.

Keep it. Hold on to it

for yourselves...

and for everyone

in this room.

It's here. It's right here.

And no one can

take it from you, gentlemen.

Not the officials,

not the crowds...

and certainly

not the other team.

It belongs to you, gentlemen.

Don't you let anyone

steal history away from you.

Glory.

- Glory.

As play resumes

here at the Cotton Bowl.

Ernie Davis has not joined

the rest of the Orangemen...

for the second half.

Down 15 to nothing,

the Longhorns are...

desperate to get

something on the board.

Bobby Lackey

drops back to pass.

And it's complete

to Bobby Gurwitz...

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes