Woodlawn Page #5

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Please welcome our governor,

and if I had it my way,

the President

of these here United States,

George C. Wallace.

We'll have to take care of that.

Well, then, the governor

has just informed me

that he would like to have a picture

taken with these two young individuals.

So, Jeff, Nathan, come on up here.

Nathan, you hard of hearing?

Come on up.

We ain't got all night.

I'm sorry.

I can't.

What do you mean you can't? Huh?

You shy or something?

I can't

Well, of course you can.

The governor ain't gonna bite.

Just stand up, walk up to the governor,

and take a picture with him.

He said I couldn't go to Alabama,

not me or anybody like me.

Not today, not tomorrow, not ever.

So, I can't, sir.

Tandy, you get your

Negro up there right now.

I'll stand behind the wishes

of my player.

You sure about that?

Mm-hmm.

Take the picture.

Get on, come on!

Okay, second stop, the market.

You call the police?

No, I did not.

I'll call 'em.

You okay, champ?

The only way.

Welcome, everybody,

to Woodlawn High School.

One of the most heated rivalries

in the state of Alabama,

dating back over 4 decades.

It's no secret that the animosity exists

between Banks and Woodlawn.

You walk on this field,

you better walk off.

Gentlemen, shake hands.

Have a good, clean game.

I want you to punish them,

do you understand me?

Yes, sir!

What happens to compassionate people?

They lose!

They lose, that's right.

They lose. They lose!

It's been a Cinderella

season for Woodlawn,

but they have to win here tonight,

or that fairy tale is over.

Okay, come on, men.

Everyone take a knee.

Our Father who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Jesus can't save you now, fellas.

This is Jets football!

Jesus can't save you now!

You're going down!

Amen.

- Boys, you ready to beat Banks?

- Yes, sir!

- I said are you ready to beat Banks?

- Yes, sir!

One, two, three, believe!

A devastating hit on Tony Nathan,

and he is getting up slowly

at the 30-yard line.

Their gunnin' for him.

Hike!

I know, Jerry.

I know.

Come on, boy.

Nathan looks right,

then left, nowhere to go.

High left, 4-24 draw.

Hike!

He is short.

Down set.

Blue 18.

Blue 18.

Hike!

Excuse me, Coach.

Can't guard perfect, Coach.

Get 41.

Forty-one!

Down set!

Hike!

Middle, middle, middle!

Touchdown!

Get out there, boys.

You silence them, Nathan.

Nathan, you silence them.

You get out there, and you shut them up.

Come on, get it done.

Come on!

That's just football, boys.

Little bit of rain.

Power C Waggle left on one.

On one.

Ready, break.

Hike!

Get up, son.

Hey, Danny!

You stop him right here.

You hear me?

You make 'em pay, son.

Right here!

He's still on his feet.

He's in the 20, the 15,

working his way through

the defense toward the end zone.

He's willing his way forward.

He scores.

Touchdown, Woodlawn.

Break it up!

Break it up!

Atta boy, atta boy, atta boy, atta boy.

Hey, that flag don't hurt me.

That flag don't hurt me.

Doc!

Coach, think we'll be taking

a big risk to let him play.

Nathan, we win with you.

We cannot win without you.

You understand?

Tony!

Adversity is a crucible of greatness.

Yes, sir.

Can you do this?

Yes, sir.

Okay, let's do it.

Come on.

Nathan!

Let's go.

Hey, Coach, has it rained harder?

Them angels is crying!

Them angels is crying!

I just wanna say that

I am proud of all of you.

I'm proud of each and every one of you,

for the game that you played tonight

and the men that you

have become this season.

Hank, come on, just...

you say something.

Hey, hey, come here.

Come here, come here, come here.

Why didn't you play me?

You know what is more important

than winning football games?

You are.

You are.

You are.

Jesus says to love our enemies.

We have to love those that oppose us.

We have to love those

that are against us,

to do good to those that persecute us.

This is the kind of love that

isn't easy, but if we do it,

we will see change like

we have never seen before.

Because here's the question.

If you only love those

that love you back,

what kind of love is that?

Amen!

Think about it, church.

Think about it.

I can do pork chops.

I'm gonna fry 'em up in some flour.

Ha-ha-ha-ha!

What in the world?

That's Bear Bryant.

Hello, son.

I'm Coach Bryant.

I know.

Junior, get the baby.

Did you always wanna be a coach?

My mama wanted me to be a preacher,

but I told her that

coaching and preaching

is pretty much the same thing.

We both serve something

greater than ourselves.

She went for it.

Oh, I could eat that whole thing.

You know, a great team

shares the same heartbeat.

That's what I believe.

Amen.

If there is one thing

that has helped me as a coach,

Louise, it's my ability

to recognize winners,

or good people who can become winners.

And that's what I see

when I look at you, Tony.

And I'm talking about

winning in the larger sense.

I'm talking about character.

Now, you have a strong family.

That's a great advantage.

And you're coached by a special coach.

Thank you, sir.

So, you coming'?

Where?

'Bama.

My coach, he played at Auburn.

Son...

don't you want one of these?

Sure do.

Louise, he ain't gonna

get one at Auburn.

I feel sorry for those boys.

How many black players you got?

Well, we got Wilber Jackson,

and he's a stud.

But I don't have white players

and black players.

I have football players.

That's how I see it.

But in answer to your question,

not nearly enough.

So, why do you see that changing?

Because it's time.

Are you gonna help me?

Football just hurts me

and everybody around me.

Nobody's forcing you to play football.

You know that, right?

You can walk away right now

and let the world pass on by.

But this is bigger

than football, ain't it?

Yes, sir.

Some kinda great power

been given to you, son.

I can see it in them kids' faces.

I know what they're thinking.

"A black star like you

at a white high school?

If he can do it, so can I."

That is your gift.

This is your time to do as you choose.

And that's a lot to carry.

So tell me what to do, and I'll do it.

The Good Book says

"When there is no vision,

the people perish."

That means people

can't live without hope.

They need it like they need air.

I say...

go give it to 'em.

Tony.

You all know Tony Nathan.

He set this up.

Thanks Jeff.

This is Hank.

He's got something to say.

Thank you very much, Mr. Rutledge.

We found something at Woodlawn.

Something that's bigger than winning.

It's bigger than football.

It's why we're here.

It's bigger than this rivalry.

We wanna share it with you.

We wanna schedule a meeting with

your entire team and your coach.

You think this school'll understand

what we're doing here?

They won't understand, and that's okay.

Boys.

Coach!

Shorty, Hank, what's this all about?

We finally had our first meeting,

that tent revival thing.

Jeff set it up over at the church.

I went to shut it down anyway,

'cause I thought Jesus

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