The Replacements Page #7

THE REPLACEMENTS - Rev. 9/18/99 37.

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ANNABELLE:

Why were you staying in thepocket today?

SHANE:

That's a personal question?

ANNABELLE:

It is for me. Normally I wouldnever make a comment to a

quarterback about his style, but Icouldn't help noticing that you'veabandoned yours. You'll need to

keep scrambling against Miami withPrescott back in the lineup.

SHANE:

Prescott hasn't crossed.

ANNABELLE:

He will on Sunday. They'rekeeping it quiet so you won't havetime to prepare.

SHANE:

How do you -- ?

ANNABELLE:

A friend of mine is a cheerleader

for Detroit. She tipped me off.

SHANE:

But why would -- ?

ANNABELLE:

She's Prescott's ex-wife. That's

why he's crossing. To keep upwith the alimony payments.

SHANE:

So what should I -- ?

ANNABELLE:

Well, since Prescott is a left-side

linebacker I thought, naturally,

shotgun formation and roll right,

right?

SHANE:

But Van Gundy's on the right side -

(CONTINUED)

THE REPLACEMENTS - Rev. 9/18/99 38.

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ANNABELLE:

-- and he's been all-pro two yearsin a row. I know, but one of mycheerleaders is friends with the

sister of the girl who just broke upwith Van Gundy and she says thathe's been on a drinking bingeever since she left him.

Meaning -SHANE

ANNABELLE:

He's been hung over and a goodsecond slower off the snap thanusual.

SHANE:

(head reeling)

So... I should stick with the rightside?

ANNABELLE:

Exactly.

(a beat)

Unless what I hear about Martinez is

true...

We STAY ON Shane's reaction before we -CUT

TO:

37 EXT. HARBOR - AFTERNOON 37

Annabelle pulls up into the parking lot...

ANNABELLE:

Which one's yours?

SHANE:

See that new cabin cruiser? The

big one with the satellite dish?

Yeah?

ANNABELLE:

SHANE:

I'm the old houseboat next to it

covered in sea gull sh*t.

ANNABELLE:

Well, it's what's on the inside

that counts, right?

(CONTINUED)

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SHANE:

You've haven't seen the inside.

Good point.

ANNABELLE:

She laughs as he climbs out with his duffel bag.

SHANE:

Would you like to?

Her laugh stops short.

ANNABELLE:

I'd better not.

SHANE:

You don't sound too sure.

ANNABELLE:

(grinning)

Oh, I'm sure. Nothing personal,

Shane. I just don't date footballplayers.

SHANE:

Including quarterbacks?

ANNABELLE:

Especially quarterbacks. They'rethe biggest babies of all.

She gets into her CAR and STARTS it up before lookingback one last time.

Shane?

ANNABELLE:

Yeah?

SHANE:

ANNABELLE:

Good luck tomorrow.

She pulls away as he watches her go, not quite surewhat to make of Miss Annabelle Farrell...

DISSOLVE TO:

37A EXT. WASHINGTON D.C. - WIDE SHOT - SUNSET 37A

as the sun sets over the Potomac, reflecting off the

water.

(CONTINUED)

37A

THE REPLACEMENTS - Rev. 9/18/99

CONTINUED:

40.

37A

Darkness falls over the nation's capital as we hear:

RADIO HOST (V.O.)

This is K.F.A.N., the sportsfan's show for Greater D.C.

You're on the line.

CALLER #1 (V.O.)

I'm on the line?

RADIO HOST (V.O.)

Am I talking in a cave? I justsaid you're on the line, Einstein.

37B EXT. LINCOLN MEMORIAL - SAME TIME 37B

As the lights come up to illuminate the grounds...

CALLER #1 (V.O.)

Okay, like, I just wanted to saythat this sucks. This whole

strike sucks! We're finally gonnamake a run at the playoffs andthey go on strike? That...

Sucks?

SUCKS!

Well put.

K.F.A.N.

RADIO HOST (V.O.)

CALLER #1 (V.O.)

RADIO HOST (V.O.)

Next caller, welcome to

How do you feel about

the strike?

CALLER #2 (V.O.)

I'm sick of the owners and the

players arguing over who's gettin'

screwed. The only ones gettin'

screwed are the fans. I got

season tickets to the Sents that I

can't give away.

38 OMITTED 38

thru thru

45B 45B

46 EXT. NEXTEL STADIUM - FIELD - LATER 46

Shane is all alone on the empty practice field.

(CONTINUED)

THE REPLACEMENTS - Rev. 9/18/99 41.

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46

He stands holding the football, staring down the field...

RADIO HOST (V.O.)

So you won't be going to check outthe replacement players tomorrow?

CALLER #2 (V.O.)

What for? They're a bunch ofnobodies.

CLOSE ON SHANE:

as we see a faraway look in his eyes...

McGINTY (O.S.)

Shane?

Shane stops and turns to see McGinty watching him.

SHANE:

Huh? Oh. Hi, Coach...

Shane looks back down to the empty field.

McGINTY

What are you doing?

SHANE:

(shrugs)

Just... watching the game...

McGinty looks down to the empty field with him.

McGINTY

Your next game or your last?

McGinty holds up his hands and Shane throws him thefootball. They play a game of "catch" as they speak:

McGINTY

Nervous?

SHANE:

I'm fine...

McGINTY

(laughs)

Kid, you're like a duck on a pond.

On the surface everything lookscalm, but beneath the water those

feet are kicking a mile a minute.

Shane gives a little smile. He can't fool McGinty.

(CONTINUED)

THE REPLACEMENTS - Rev. 9/30/99 42.

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SHANE:

Coach?

McGINTY

Yeah?

SHANE:

Why me?

A beat as McGinty looks him over. And then:

McGINTY

I look at you and I see two men:

the man you are and the man youought to be. One day the two ofyou will meet...

(nods)

And that should make for one hell

of a football player.

McGinty tosses him the ball for the last time.

McGINTY

Now get some sleep, kid. You're

playing professional football

tomorrow.

We STAY ON Shane's reaction as it really begins tosink in...

FADE OUT.

THE REPLACEMENTS - Rev. 9/27/99 42A.

FADE IN:

47 EXT. NEXTEL STADIUM - PARKING LOT - DAY 47

It's another beautiful fall afternoon as cars are

entering the stadium parking lot. At one of the

entrances, the striking Sentinels are picketing.

48 INT. NEXTEL STADIUM - LOCKER ROOM - DAY 48

Everyone is extremely tense, thinking private thoughtsas they try to keep down the butterflies of actuallyplaying professional football again. And then, suddenly,

from out of the silence, Nigel begins to sing an oldWelsh folk song. Franklin smiles and nods to the

lovely lilt of Nigel's voice.

(CONTINUED)

THE REPLACEMENTS - Rev. 9/18/99 43.

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NIGEL:

'It was war that came calling,

It was war that was heard,

We shall march on to victory,

I gave them my word.'

Franklin's smile begins to fade as the song darkens...

NIGEL:

'But we lost more than blood,

At the gates of St. Winifred,

Even worse was the gore,

That was spilled at Bangor.'

Shane glances over too...

NIGEL:

'But my heart stopped at Swansea,

For what did I there see?

Severed heads hung from treesFull of maggots and fleas --'

SHANE:

That's enough singing for now!

Nigel. Thank you.

Nigel shrugs and goes back to smoking.

ON FUMIKO:

sitting in front of a bowl of hard-boiled eggs. He's

methodically popping them into his mouth. He eats four

as we watch. Pilachowski steps in and watches him eat.

PILACHOWSKI:

Are you crazy? Nobody eats rightbefore a game!

FUMIKO:

I need to bulk up.

WIDER:

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