We Are Marshall Page #7

is the matter with you?

Just playing till the whistle blew, coach.

Bullshit!

You think you're the only one

who has a right to be pissed off?

You think you're the only one

that's had it rough?

Ruffin, get up. Get up, Ruffin.

That's enough.

Go water down.

-Oliver, you okay?

-Yeah.

Where are you going?

What the hell are we

doing out there, Jack?

We're trying to run a Veer.

We're trying to get ready for Xavier.

Really?

Feels a lot more

like Bloody Knuckles to me.

l mean, it feels like we're just

punching walls out there, Jack.

l mean, we're not actually helping them.

We're bringing the worst out in them.

Sh*t, we're bringing the worst out in me.

And for what?

So that we can collect pity applause

in front of every college in the conference?

You didn't know Rick Tolley.

l did.

And on the day that he died, he said...

...the only thing that they judge us on,

the only thing that counts, is winning.

Nothing else matters.

So, what do we do?

How are we honoring their memory?

We put together a team

that doesn't win. Can't win.

Not this week, not this season.

Hell, maybe not ever.

We're not honoring them, Jack.

We're disgracing them.

l'm done.

Don't bench me, coach.

-Jesus, Nate, have you even slept?

-Not now.

Not before our first home game.

Now, look, Nate, your shoulder

is in bad shape.

The rest is gonna do it some good.

No. No, it ain't.

The rest ain't gonna do it good.

Nate, l'm not questioning your courage

or your drive, okay?

-My shoulder's fine.

-This shoulder?

lt's ready to take the field?

lt's ready for hits?

-My shoulder's fine.

-Yes or no?

-My shoulder's fine. Yeah.

-This one?

-Can it take hits like that?

-My shoulder's fine.

Gonna be a lot harder than that.

My shoulder's fine.

Talk to me.

Oh, coach.

That was my team.

They left it in my hands.

Oh, Nate.

No, no, no, they did not.

No.

They just left.

Then why?

Why, coach?

Why?

l don't know.

The board voted you out this morning.

What? May l ask why?

Come on, Don.

You were always a temporary solution.

You said it yourself after Roland resigned.

You were just a Band-Aid, remember?

ls this about the football program, Paul?

The crash just cut too damn deep, Don.

lt's not just the team that's bleeding.

lt's not just the school.

lt's the entire town.

Do you have any idea

what it's like for Annie right now?

She can't read the paper.

She can't watch the news.

She can't even go to work

without being reminded of football...

...which reminds her of the crash,

which reminds her of my dead son!

Paul.

This isn't about football, is it?

And this isn't about Annie.

And this isn't about the town, Paul.

This is about the loss of your son.

And l'm sorry.

But until you find the strength

to deal with that pain...

...nothing's going to get any better.

No matter how many presidents

you fire, Paul.

Just about closed. Sorry.

My wife tells me you've got

the best apple pie in Huntington.

Depends on the apple.

Well, do you mind if l try?

Hey, Annie.

-Annie Cantrell?

-Yeah.

-Thank you.

-You're welcome.

Mr. Griffen?

l don't believe we've been

formally introduced yet.

l'm Jack Lengyel.

Thank you.

l understand Don Dedmon

lost his job this week.

He's well-qualified, he'll find a place.

You know, if you have a problem

with anything that happens on the field...

...blame me, not him. l'm the coach here.

And what happens out there

is my responsibility, not his.

You're not from here,

you weren't here last November...

...so l don't expect you

to understand this.

This is not about what happened

on that field.

This is about what happened

to this town.

This is not a game.

l'm real sorry about your son,

Mr. Griffen.

He was a hell of a running back.

l bet you were real proud.

Please don't talk about him

like you knew him.

l was proud of him,

and l'm still proud of him.

He was right, you know.

-Who was right?

-Your boy Tolley.

Winning is everything

and nothing else matters.

l mean, l've said that

so many times myself...

...l've lost count. You know?

And it doesn't matter in what sport,

and it doesn't matter what country...

...any coach who's worth a darn

in this business believes those words.

Fact.

And then l came here.

For the first time in my life...

...hell, maybe for the first time

in the history of sports...

...suddenly, it's just not true anymore.

At least not here, not now. No.

You see...

...Red, it doesn't matter if we win

or if we lose.

lt's not even about

how we play the game.

What matters is that we play the game.

That we take the field,

that we suit up on Saturdays...

...and we keep this program alive.

We play the game, Red,

and l'm telling you, one day...

...not today, not tomorrow,

not this season...

...probably not next season either,

but one day, you and l are gonna wake up...

...and suddenly we're gonna be like

every other team in every other sport...

...where winning is everything

and nothing else matters.

And when that day comes...

...well, that's when we'll honor them.

We've got a team meeting

tomorrow morning, Red.

Got a little field trip planned

for the boys...

...and, well, we'd love

to see you there, coach.

We'd love to see you there.

Seven on the goal line. Tough on....

Secondary C five through eight.

D can prevent kicking game onside

and kickoff.

Game day.

Yes, it is.

l left your ticket on the kitchen counter.

l would appreciate it if you could make it

to the game before halftime.

One time. l missed kickoff one time

and you'll never let me forget it.

No, no, no, l won't.

Because if l don't see you

in the stands, honey...

...l don't know, l get all out of whack,

you know?

-l'll be there.

-l know you will.

How big a crowd do you think you'll get?

-Well, after last week, l don't know.

-Yeah.

-Hey, buddy.

-Hey.

l'll race you to the ''newpacer.''

-The what?

-Newspaper.

-When, right now?

-Yeah.

l don't know. Maybe!

Get him! Run!

Hey, hey, hey--

Hey, coach!

-Lengyel!

-Win, Coach Lengyel!

-What day is it, son?

-Game day.

-What day?

-Game day!

Time to play until the whistle blows.

-See you on the field.

-See you there!

Hi, Mr. Griffen.

Does nobody eat in this town anymore?

Not today, anyway.

You should go.

Oh, no, my shift ends in a few hours.

lt's no big deal.

That's not what l meant.

Come on.

Let's take a walk.

l don't think your customers will mind.

Do you know l was baptized

right here in the Ohio?

Swam in it all the time when l was a kid.

When l was away at the war...

...l'd fall asleep at night

to the sound of this water.

When my wife died,

l'd lay awake to the same sound.

Whenever l see this river,

l know l'm home.

This is my home, Annie.

You were going to California

with my son.

-How long have you known?

-l'm his father, l've always known.

You should go, Annie.

Things have changed now.

l mean, l have responsibilities,

l have a job.

And you.

-You're all alone. l can't--

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote