That Championship Season (1999) - full transcript

(CROWD CHEERING)

(PLAYERS SHOUTING INDISTINCTLY)

(BUZZER SOUNDS)

Thank you.

It gives me great pleasure, and an even greater privilege,

because I'm so proud to introduce

five men that gave honor and glory to Fillmore High.

Twenty years ago today,

Fillmore went to Philadelphia,

a 20-point underdog

and came back with the State Championship.



CROWD: Yeah! (CROWD CHEERING)

Yeah!

So on this 20th anniversary,

it gives me great pride to introduce

the starting lineup of the 1978 Pennsylvania Basketball Champions,

number 30, James Daley.

(CROWD CHEERING) (BAND PLAYING)

Come on, James.

MAN IN CROWD: C'mon, Mr. Daley!

Number 31, Phil Romano.

WOMAN IN CROWD: Whoo, c'mon, Phil!

Number 12, Tom Daley.

And sadly, not with us this evening,

number 24, Martin Rhodes.



(WHISPERING)

Oh, I'm sorry.

And number 21, the Mayor of our fair city,

George Sikowski.

I'm sorry, George. Oh...

(AUDIENCE CHEERING AND APPLAUDING)

And now, the Coach

of the Pennsylvania State Basketball Champions,

Joseph Spinel.

(CLAPPING AND CHEERING)

(BAND PLAYING FILLMORE ALMA MATER)

CROWD: ♪Another victory for Fillmore

♪As we swing into the fray

♪For loyal sons of Fillmore

♪Are out to win today

♪With hope and courage never failing

♪As we swing right down the field

♪Our hearts will ever be faithful

♪To the foe we'll never yield ♪

MAN IN CROWD: Hey, guys! Come on! You're the best! Go Fillmore!

(SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)

Claire,

we're gonna go to the Coach's house for a drink.

Mother and I are going to Farley's for a drink.

Be home around 12:00. I need some money.

A hundred?

Two?

Do I get the both of you for three?

Five.

For five, we film it.

Dream on, pervert.

(CHILDREN CLAMORING)

Okay, you guys...

Oh, I'm so proud of you.

Thanks, honey. I'm goin' over to Coach's for a drink.

Oh, of course. Enjoy yourself. I'll see you in the morning.

Stop the roughhousing. Get back in your seat.

Karen, back in your seat.

Take the kids for some ice cream.

Who wants ice cream here? Ice cream.

(CHILDREN CHEERING)

Five's enough.

Joseph, stay in the seat while your mother's driving.

Dad? Yeah.

Please don't say anything to Mr. Romano.

Please. Don't you worry. I'll handle it.

Can I borrow that camera there? Sure.

Okay. I'll be early.

GEORGE: We're going to go up to the Coach's for a drink.

He looked good, didn't he? Yeah, not bad, considering.

Yeah, you know what? Not too late now.

Let's have our celebration.

Sure. No, no.

You're gonna get me, Big Guy.

(BOTH CHUCKLE)

All right, honey, I think I'll be back by 1:00. I'll be home by 1:00.

I love you, sweet pea.

I love you, too.

How about me, Marion? Tom.

TOM: Bye. Bye-bye.

(VIOLIN PLAYING KATY'S WALTZ)

GEORGE: Huh? What is that?

Son of a bitch. Look at this! Look at this!

What the hell is this, Tommy?

What did they find when they opened him up?

Who, the Coach? Nothin'. An ulcerated stomach, that's all.

He'll live forever.

I love that man as we all do. Oh, yeah.

Georgie, fadin' back, here's the pass...

Hup-hup-hup-hup, ah, up! Feedin' back. Oh, it's the buzzer. Oh!

I mean, hell, I owe my whole life, my success to that man.

He's the one who convinced me I could be mayor of this town. He ran me.

Scotch? Yeah. Get a fifth.

Where's the Foster's?

Sanji, where's the Fosters?

SANJI: Oh, you will find it.

How about two picks? Yeah, okay, you dirty bastard.

You've been missed around here, Tommy.

It's only been a couple of years, George.

Three years. You missed three reunions, Tom.

You remember the time you put the wintergreen in my jock? (CHUCKLES)

You want some Rolling Rock?

Oh, yeah, sure.

Tommy, Tommy, remember, I thought my balls were on fire.

Uh-huh. Those were the days.

Huh, the good old days.

You know I am sincerely

more proud of winning that Championship

than I am of being mayor of this town.

You believe that?

No. (LAUGHING)

Let me get another one. Oh, yeah. Bring another.

Go on, pile 'em on here. You bastard.

I'll never forget you.

You were a great guard, a brilliant playmaker.

You were a great guard too, George.

I mean it. Bottom of my heart.

Hey, hey, come on.

JAMES: Just perfect. You're such an asshole.

Yeah, I know. Every time I'm with you. Who is this guy?

Oh, it's Donnie.

Holy Christ, Phil.

You were doin' 120 miles per hour in a 55 zone.

I have a job to do, Phil.

It's important.

Fuck it. Gimme the ticket.

Isn't there a donut waitin' for you somewhere?

Who the hell do you think you are, Phil?

I'm the great one, asshole.

Let me grab a Heineken's, here. No, I'm all right.

You got, you got it? I got it.

We'll have to come back for that.

Tommy? Tom? Tom?

Hey, hey, let's go this way. Yeah.

GEORGE: He left it open.

TOM: C'mon, I'm thirsty.

GEORGE: Hey, Tom, Scotch and water, on the rocks?

No, no ice, George.

Tommy? Tom?

Tom, he keeps those loaded.

Yeah, I know.

Tommy, those guns have hair triggers.

Oh! Son of a...bitch!

(LAUGHING) You son of a bitch.

I got the safety on.

You son of a bitch.

Only my laundry man'll know how scared I was.

Scotch, no ice. Your laundry man.

(CHUCKLES)

Come on, help me with the beer.

(FARTS) Oh! Oh!

(LAUGHS)

Feen-A-Mints.

The pressure is murderous.

I get constipated now and then.

Mostly now.

When do you start your campaign, George?

Tommy, I campaign every day of my life.

The real grind begins next week.

All right. (BURPS)

I never thought Sharmen would end up a politician.

Everybody ends up a politician.

He wants this town. He wants to take it from me.

So where is the Coach?

Oh, he's probably upstairs. He takes catnaps anymore.

Hey, Coach?

(CHUCKLES)

I remember this.

How... How's, uh, Marion, George?

She's my conscience, for God's sake.

She's my severest critic.

She knows the political scene.

She's almost as sharp as I am.

After the baby

she was very depressed, but

she's comin' around now, thank God.

That's good.

Hey, you know what would make this reunion truly memorable?

Martin would come walking through that door.

Magic on the court, wasn't he?

Unbelievable.

Greatest high school basketball player I ever saw.

He was un-fucking-believable.

Now, you were...

(CHUCKLES)

You were kind of a homely kid, George.

Wasn't I?

I'm what they call a late bloomer.

I'm handsome now, so...

Oh, yeah.

Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.

Make that the last, huh?

It's only 4:00, George.

4:00? It's 7:00, where the hell have you been?

I drink on Pacific Coast Time, that way I'm three hours behind everybody else.

Ready for another one, Your Honor?

You got a drinking problem, Tom?

No, I. don't have a problem. I get all the booze I want.

'Cause I've got these programs, you know, I've set up these programs.

Uh, well, thanks, George.

Well look at you. You're restless, your memory's going.

I'm almost 40, George.

Forty.

It's like halftime.

Hey, I remembered somebody yesterday, she was standin' over by the library. Mary.

What's her name?

James is gonna get pissed at me if you're high when he gets here.

Hey, brother James wouldn't dare get pissed at you, George.

You are the Mayor.

(LAUGHS) I'm the Mayor!

I'm the Mayor.

After the election, I'm goin' to endorse James for Superintendent of Schools.

He's too valuable a man to be wasting his time as a junior high school principal.

Ah-ah-ah, that's patronage, George.

I know. Is there any other way?

How the hell long does it take to go get fried chicken anyway?

Did you get a look at that little German car Phil's driving now?

Yeah. Oh, it goes like a rocket.

I cancel at least five tickets a month for him.

He's goin' out with a 17-year-old now. Believe that?

Had to take her to Philadelphia for an abortion.

He gave me a big hug and a kiss.

He hugs and kisses everybody.

Italians are like that.

Hey, what's air pollution?

Five hundred Italian paratroopers. (BOTH CHUCKLE)

What has the IQ of 100? Poland.

See, I'm Polish, but I don't mind that.

I don't mind it at all. (LAUGHS)

But Phil gets pissed. Moody bastard.

I can never tell what he's thinking.

Right now I'm waiting for him to kick in 100,000 for my campaign.

A hundred thousand? That's a hunk.

Oh, but in return,

he gets to keep all the strip land he's leased from the city.

See, Sharmen wants to break that lease

because he thinks Phil wants to turn it all into landfills.

Does he? Absolutely.

Billions in garbage, Tom. A million a week.

But Mr. Sharmen is an ecology nut.

A popular issue.

I'm tellin' you, he becomes mayor, you won't be able to piss in your own toilet.

I love this town, Tommy. I love the people.

Greatest little city in the country.

That's my campaign slogan.

Original, George. You want a... You want a beer?

Yes, sir.

We have got some information for Phil that's gonna knock him on his ass.

He's holding back. He knows we need him. See,

Phil's not bright, really. James has often said that about Phil. Thanks.

Ah, it's hot.

Marion went up to see Phil last week about the contribution.

He stalled. She doesn't trust him either.

We think he's havin' problems with Claire. (LAUGHS)

Where the hell were you guys, New Jersey?

We had to go to Old Forge.

I wanted to get some real beer, PBR.

Cop stopped us. GEORGE: A cop stopped you.

I knew it. I knew it.

Here it comes. Who do you love, George?

Okay. Georgie.

No kissing. Who do you love?

Uh, no kissing.

How're you doing?

Stay sober, I may need you tonight. Yeah.

When the shit hits the fan, I'll be right behind you.

Look, you know you can handle this stuff in moderation.

You can handle anything in moderation. He didn't say a word.

He evaded the subject completely. What do you mean?

Hey, Phil! Did you bring your dirty movies?

He's got the porno movies, the dirty bastard.

I love him! I should arrest him.

Arrest me? I got 'em from your brother-in-law, the Chief of Police.

He's got the best collection in town, this guy.

Tommy, Rin Tin Tin Gets In.

Incredible. I couldn't believe my eyes. PHIL: Who're you kiddin'?

You bought a German Shepherd the next day. (ALL LAUGHING)

(BLOWS WHISTLE)

(ALL GRUNT RHYTHMICALLY)

All right. Line it up. Shape it up.

Twenty laps around the room, there's too much fat in the ass around here.

I want my boys lean and mean.

A voice from the past, boys, the old gunner can still bray with the best.

Hit those boards hard, Romano!

And you, Sikowski, don't stand there with your finger up you know where.

And you, Daley, defense, defense!

And you, big Daley, hit the boards, no fouls, no fouls, huh?

You haven't changed in 20 years, Coach.

I haven't changed in 60 years. I can take the four of you around

the court till you drop. Run you into the ground.

Uh-oh! Here we go!

ALL: One,

(CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS) two,

three,

four. Easy, Coach.

Five. GEORGE: Stop.

Six,

seven, eight,

nine, ten.

(CLAPPING AND CHEERING)

And that is after havin' my belly cut open, boys.

Forty stitches. My belly looks like a baseball.

What's the secret, Coach? Ho-ho. Walk softly and carry a big stick.

Who said that, boys? ALL: Teddy Roosevelt.

Christ, boys, Christ.

It's so good,

the joy in my heart to feel you boys around me again, together again.

I can't find words to say it. Magnificent.

Let's have a toast

to the 1978

Pennsylvania State High School Basketball Champions.

GEORGE: Here!

You were a legend in your time, boys. Never forget that, never.

We owe it all to you, Coach.

I used to tell people that you boys were like a fine watch,

my very expensive and fine watch that kept perfect time.

You froze the ball against Tech for three minutes.

Fantastic!

Stay in shape. Lean and mean.

You're in your 30s, boys. That's the heart attack season.

The most important muscle in your body, the heart.

Keep it in shape. Work it out.

Let's go down to the locker room.

(ALL CHUCKLING)

All right!

Drink it up, boys, put it away. The night is young.

Bought one of those exercise bikes. Keeps the stomach flat.

Yeah, but your ass is still down around your knees (BOTH CHUCKLE)

You're workin' on your third chin yourself, Phil.

I'm an executive.

You're beginning to sag a little, too, James. You look tired.

Uh. I haven't been sleepin' well, Coach.

Why?

My teeth.

What's a matter?

They're gone.

They're gone?

Yeah, I had 'em out last month.

Hey, there's a three, boys. Could be game.

You got plates? Yeah.

Here, lemme see. Open your mouth. Uh...

Yeah, yeah.

Oh, that's a good job. They look almost real.

You never had enough vitamin C in your diet.

ALL: Oh! Ho! Nice shot, Tommy.

(LAUGHING)

Try feedin' five kids.

You didn't feed 'em your teeth, did you?

You need iron in your blood. I got 27 originals.

Actually they recently completed studies

proving that nerves can cause severe damage to teeth.

Maybe you should've gotten your nerves out.

(SCOFFS)

Hey! (LAUGHS)

I am so goddamn grateful, so thankful that you are back here with us.

Christ, Tommy, Christ, where've you been?

Just down the road, Coach.

But you're home now. Doesn't he look wonderful, boys?

(ALL AGREEING)

Hey, nothin' keeps the old gunner down.

You were a thing of rare beauty, boys.

Life is a game

and I am proud to say that I have played it with the best.

We were one flesh 20 years ago. Never forget that. Never.

Ten seconds left on that clock.

We were down by one point.

Remember?

I passed the inbounds to Tom.

I brought the ball up.

Passed it to me in the corner.

Six seconds left. I hit.

James comin' across the court.

And I saw Martin... Three seconds.

...at the foul line.

Martin caught the ball in midair and he went up.

Up. COACH: One second.

Yes!

COACH: State Champions.

They said we couldn't do it, boys.

We beat a school three times our size.

We. beat 'em in Philadelphia.

We performed the impossible, boys. Never forget that. Never.

Jesus, do you remember they had that 8-foot nigger, jumped like a kangaroo.

Fast. Jesus! You were fast.

A flash of legs. Gone like lightning.

Martin was the pressure ball player.

He thrived on it. JAMES: Had a great eye.

Priceless. GEORGE: Perfect ballplayer.

COACH: Not a flaw. He made it all go round. Magnificent talent.

Not a word in 20 years.

Yeah.

Boys, let's say a little prayer for him.

A little prayer, that he is safe,

and happy, and still a champion.

We never had a losing season, boys.

Not many can say that.

Sharmen won't be able to say that after next month, will he, Coach?

He will see politics played like he's never seen it before.

We will run him off the court. That little mockie is gonna think...

He is trying to ruin Phil. Put Phil out of business.

I wanna open a landfill. Son of a bitch made me out to look like a criminal.

Phil is one of the most respected businessmen in this state,

and this Sharmowitz is trying to ruin his good name.

Tommy, I'm not prejudiced. Live and let live,

but that Jew attacked me, the Mayor of this town, attacked me in print!

He's runnin' against you for election. But there's still

such a thing as respect for the office.

He said I wasn't smart enough to be corrupt. In the newspapers.

Do you believe that? Yes.

(LAUGHS)

You dirty bastard.

Fashion politics.

He's running on all the headlines. The women love him.

Looks like Tom Cruise.

He said under my term this town took five giant steps into the past.

I gave this town four memorable years.

And you'll give it four more. It's like old T.R. said.

Teddy was fond of saying,

"Never settle for less than success."

And, boys,

they carved that man's face into a mountain.

They don't make Teddys anymore.

Man among men. Giant.

Took Panama from the spics, boys, just walked in and took her.

I'll drink to that feat.

And I am happy to see all of you boys climbing to the tops of your professions.

Politics.

Business. Education.

Travel.

And there's only one man I know who's responsible for it,

and he's sitting right there.

No, no. no, not, not me.

You did it yourselves, boys.

Best advice I ever gave you, you get yourselves a name.

Phil, listen up. I hear that your little league team lost three in a row.

I lost my best pitcher, and my center fielder.

Injured? They go to camp in June.

Use my James. He can play center field.

He can't hit a curve.

He's only 12 years old, for God's sake.

PHIL: Well, work with him. He needs a lot of work.

You're the coach, not me.

He's a quick learner.

I don't think he's interested if you want to know the truth.

He's a gifted child. Very smart.

JAMES: He has an IQ of 155.

Yeah, but that's about two points higher than his batting average.

Maybe you should trade him, Phil. (LAUGHS)

It's not funny. The boy is first team material.

His self-esteem is being damaged.

Not playing, sitting on the bench.

George, get me a beer.

JAMES: He's not just your ordinary kid.

He doesn't like the game. Not sitting on the bench.

James, he told me that

he doesn't wanna play ball.

I want him to play. Well, he knows that.

But he doesn't share your enthusiasm.

He's goin' through that difficult stage right now.

He avoids me.

Keeps to himself.

Think he's masturbating.

On the bench? (CHUCKLES)

You are ridiculous.

You say anything?

Well, what am I gonna say?

I'm certainly not gonna tell him all those old horror stories

that my father told us.

We'd go insane. Grow hair on our palms.

Well, you kept it in your pants when you played for me.

But, James, he's a good boy. Oh, he'll do it.

He will. I'll see to it.

He's the cream of the crop, that boy.

You keep him playing.

You quit on the field, you'll quit in life.

It's on the playing field that wars are won.

He's a good boy. He's a respectful boy.

How could he be anything else, being your son?

You were the perfect son, you took care of your father.

Well, somebody had to do it.

Well, there's no respect. No personal sacrifice. Not today.

Not too many who would've made the sacrifice you did, James.

There's a decline of respect. An absolute decline.

COACH: Well, you see, there's no discipline, George.

Tommy,

the high school newspaper had a picture of a pig with Phil's name under it.

Do you believe that? Sharmen was behind that.

"The number one threat to the environment."

They called me that.

Stupid bastards, they don't realize you can't kill a mountain.

Mountains grow back.

I fixed it up, Phil. Don't forget that. Don't worry about it.

What, me worry? I could buy and sell those little bastards a hundred times.

I got a shovel workin' for me now, looks like a dinosaur, right?

I can still get you an apology, in print.

I don't need it.

I called the principal and gave him hell, I chewed his ass out.

That's it! Ha-ha, that's it!

That. That is your campaign poster, George. (LAUGHS)

What?

There's a picture of you,

on your knees,

you're salivating.

You're buck naked, and you're...

There's a caption that says, "I'll

"chew the ass out of unemployment."

(ALL LAUGH)

I want him.

Hire that man. Oh, yeah! (LAUGHS)

Where is the john?

Where it always was, Tommy.

(CHUCKLES DRUNKENLY)

(CONTINUES LAUGHING)

He was very sick.

I think it's affected his memory.

He's gettin' back in shape, though.

Oh, nothin's gonna beat that boy. Nothing.

Oh, he'll... He's comin' along. Comin' along.

Why don't we make him your speech writer?

Press releases. Speeches.

My speech writer.

JAMES: Oh, I'd love it, but he's leaving. Bought his ticket today, he said.

Why?

That's him. Here today, gone tomorrow. Says he has to leave by Sunday.

Well, I'll talk to him. Gimme an hour with him. I'll talk some sense into that boy.

GEORGE: We could use him. PHIL: We need something.

Miracle or somethin'.

What does that mean, Phil?

It means we've got problems.

Who? You.

Us.

I've got a great record. Wonderful.

This town loves me. Tell him how popular I am, Coach.

Let's hear Phil.

Don't overestimate your strength, George.

What? What I mean to say

is never underestimate your opponent.

I'm putting this town back on its feet again.

PHIL: Not with your taxes.

A 4% increase in property tax, you're lucky you weren't hung.

We were broke. The city was broke when I took over. We needed money.

Operating capital.

No work around. No money.

Taxes raised every year.

Look, people want change.

It's a small town. Forty, maybe...

Fifty-four thousand is our total population.

There is unemployment, but studies have shown

that our unemployment is below average.

You can't tell me that the working man isn't behind me!

The unions piss on your leg, George.

We had a garbage strike here, lasted five weeks, city smelled like a whorehouse.

George has given this city the finest playground facilities in the state.

I mean, the program has become a model for other cities.

Well, that is a fact, Phil.

And Sharmen possibly has IBM ready to come in here tomorrow.

Phillip, you bring those gigantic companies in here

and in five years the briefcases will be running this town.

I'm popular! Extremely popular!

Wasn't there 5,000 people cheering in the rain when I opened the new zoo?

They were waiting to see the new elephant, George.

I bought the goddamn thing! And it died one month later.

It lived for one month only.

I'm the Mayor, not a vet.

How was I to know it was sick?

I think what Phil is trying to say...

I know what I'm trying to say, James.

It took you a month to bury the thing.

Ten days, not a month, ten days.

You could've burned the thing in a day.

You can't burn dead elephants!

It's against the health laws. Don't you people know that?

Goddamn thing drew more people dead than alive.

Well, we got rid of it.

PHIL: Yeah, you advised him, James.

GEORGE: I finally had to throw the damn thing down a mine shaft.

Goddamn City Council made me look foolish.

Had to rent a crane.

Another 500 bucks.

Newspapers weren't kind, George.

They came around, after I called 'em up and chewed some ass.

They called you Sabu for a month.

It hurts your image.

I have a fantastic image in this town.

If the goddamn City Council was behind me I'd get some action and you know it.

How can I work with a divided council, the bastards?

Trash it out, boys.

Would somebody tell me why we are not upstairs drinking 50-year-old cognac?

(CHILDREN TALKING INDISTINCTLY)

COACH: Tommy?

Come on inside, have some of this 50-year-old.

There's no riots on my streets, got no niggers burnin' down my town.

Oh, last nigger in this town was Larry Holmes, he was passing through.

No gangbangers, no junkies, one rape in four years.

That's three murders, that's four felonies. Thank you.

My streets are safe. Any hour, day or night.

We are not even certain that she was raped.

Who? The girl that Mike Pollard raped,

he's the one with the glass eye, you remember.

She claimed he assaulted her, forced perverted acts.

He said he performed cunnilingus on her.

Cunny what? Oral sex.

The male performing an oral act on the woman.

Oh, yeah, yeah, Jesus, that's a fancy name for it, isn't it?

(ALL LAUGH)

Well, if that's a perversion,

I should be in a cage.

All right, boys, but let's not get away from the subject.

We are on a very important subject here.

I'm talking about dissension. I can sense dissension in this room.

Dissension is destroying this country.

Tearing it apart.

You're George's speech writer.

Forget about the Dow Jones and the Clinton economy, boys.

That's a paper moon. This country is hurting, boys, hurting.

So let's pull together. Teamwork.

Dangerous times all over, Coach.

We are killing off, murdering the best among us.

Gunning down the best we have. The Kennedy boys, killed by their own.

Such a waste. Reagan.

Reagan. Christ almighty, they shot Reagan.

We don't take care of our own anymore.

They killed McCarthy, boys.

His own kind killed a great American.

He looked under the rock and found the place infested with Communists.

You're too young to remember, boys.

Joe McCarthy. They turned his name into a dirty word.

When the government goes bad they kill the good ones, they kill 'em quick.

It's been a tough decade.

Never changes. Newt Gingrich.

An intellectual genius. A patriot. Out.

Father Coughlin.

You're too young to remember that.

He told the truth about certain people, on the radio.

International bankers. Jews. Fellow travelers.

And they muzzled him. A priest of God, telling the truth,

and they put him away. Exiled him.

And that is a fact, boys.

We are the country, boys.

Don't ever forget that. Never!

Thousands of cities like ours. We fire the furnace. Keep it all goin' round.

Indispensable. But no dissension. None. We stick together!

We stick together!

♪And there'll be a hot time in the old town come election night

Come on. Let's dance. Come on.

♪A hot time in the old town tonight... ♪

GEORGE: Come on, sing, you guys! (HUMMING)

Come on, come on, come on. Let's dance.

You sing, George. You sing.

GEORGE: Go get the women, I think the Coach has got a woody.

What're you, kiddin'? I will run 'em into the ground and if... (GROANS)

GEORGE: Hey! Hey, Coach! Get him in the chair.

What's the matter?

PHIL: What is it, Coach? Can you move?

Take a drink.

PHIL: What is it, Coach?

Stomach.

PHIL: Do you have pills?

(GROANS)

Oh, Lord, I overdid it.

I overdid it. It comes and goes.

It's just adhesions. The incision's healing.

Can we do anything, Coach?

Just help me upstairs, will you?

JAMES: Okay. Here we go. PHIL: I got him.

JAMES: You got him.

PHIL: Up, there you go. GEORGE: I'll take him.

I put on that goddamn girdle they gave me.

Gives me a rash... In this weather.

Easy. It's nothin'. It's just adhesions.

It's all right. It's just a healing pain, boys. I'll be all right.

I'll be all right. I'll be down in a few minutes.

Drink up, boys.

Come on, Coach.

Didn't look good to me.

All that dancing around.

He gets like a kid. He overdid it.

Why, he looks yellow or something.

He's sick.

He overdid it.

He's all right.

He's mixing something. Kelp.

He says it's an organic painkiller.

I'm gonna stay with him.

George is gonna get assholed by Sharmen.

Why are you so down on him?

Because he's a loser.

Four years ago he beat that old alcoholic we had by 32 votes, remember?

Five recounts. You know it, I know it.

Is that the only reason you're against him now?

Isn't that enough? Well, I thought it might be because

you're having an affair with his wife.

(SNICKERS) Christ.

Not now, James. I'll handle this, Tom.

Who told you?

It could easily become common knowledge.

It's a rumor.

Don't deny it, Phil.

She never got over me since high school.

TOM: Oh, Marion.

I hope she improved with age.

You keep quiet, you understand? (CHUCKLES)

Humpin' Marion was part of the curriculum.

Not when she went with me.

Look, don't get involved with her, Phil, she's sick.

She's unstable.

She was a great girl. (WHISPERING) Till she married that asshole.

You know what?

That asshole stands between you and a complete business disaster.

I know that.

Do you think I don't know that?

You need him as much as he needs you.

Sharmen needs contributions, too.

Jesus Christ.

You'd do that? You'd jump to Sharmen?

An investment!

Politics is just another way of makin' money.

Sharmen is no different than any other politician...

I don't care what you do with your private life,

but when it endangers...

You're in it for what you can get, piece of the action. Don't shit me.

Look at these tomatoes.

Hey, T!

He's all we have right now.

And he's not enough.

(PHIL SPRAYING)

All right. There's another alternative.

My career is politics, Phil. I'm a political animal.

Now I hope to run, as you know,

for School Superintendent, next year, with George's endorsement.

I want you to realize that this is ahead of my time schedule.

And I only offer my candidacy

because we seem to be faced with an insoluble crisis here.

You're not serious.

Run me, Phil. I can carry this town.

Have a drink, James.

Somebody has to challenge Sharmen's charisma.

How about a head of lettuce?

My reputation is spotless.

I'm a respected public official known all over town.

George could be convinced.

I don't believe you're serious.

I'm a seasoned politician.

You against Sharmen? I could be mayor of this town.

Half the time. More than half,

it was your advice that turned George into the village idiot.

Oh, Phil, Phil, I kept his head above water.

I mean, he wanted to stuff that fucking elephant and put it in the museum.

James,

take a look at yourself, an honest look.

Sharmen attracts people.

He's young, new, he's poised.

You're a school principal, and you work for the Mayor.

Patronage job.

Hey, recognize this?

The game ball from '78!

T!

(LAUGHS)

Oh, can't get the rhythm goin' without Martin.

But it's still there. All we need is some practice.

James.

Tell 'em my campaign slogan.

Not now, George.

"Four more years of serenity and progress."

Don't you think it has a ring of security about it?

Yeah, if you have a choir of angels singing it.

GEORGE: It'll be expensive.

We'll saturate the local stations with it.

Billboards, etcetera, etcetera.

JAMES: Later, George. Now is not the time.

See, I got a whole new image for me now.

Boo!

(LAUGHS)

Brand-new image.

Grassroots guy.

Show me movin' among the people. No egghead. Dynamic shots.

George, will ya please?

I'm dynamite on television.

George, will you shut up a minute, please?

What's the matter? Somethin' wrong here?

Phil has serious doubts about us.

What?

JAMES: He doesn't think we can beat Sharmen.

Not after he hears a piece of very hot news we picked up last week.

What're you talking about?

My ace in the hole, James. Me and the Coach kept it even from you.

A little research goes a long way, my friends.

Sharmen's grandfather was a Communist...

New York Times. June 5th, 1952.

A blacklisted, Hollywood writer.

(LAUGHING)

Old news. Nobody cares.

He's probably dead. He is.

PHIL: Can't hurt Sharmen.

In this town? He's dead with a resume like that.

JAMES: Are you sure about this? Not a shadow of a doubt?

GEORGE: Uncontestable, comrade. The Coach will give you more details.

Well, Phil, how stand you now?

There was a Communist in his family.

It's 1998, for Christ's sakes, times have changed.

Nobody gives a shit about his dead Communist grandfather.

It's a whole new ballgame, Phil.

Ancient history. Communism has joined the dinosaurs.

It's gotta hurt him. There's no way it can't hurt him.

Wake up! You guys watch CNN? Breaking news.

The Soviet Union is no more. It's the year 2000, nearly, already.

George has been good to you, Phil.

I paid for it. My money got him elected last time.

There's more to it than money and you know it.

Is there? Yes, there is.

My suit costs $100.

Yours is, uh, silk.

Tailor-made... 2,000, right?

I have a 10-year-old Ford. You get a new Mercedes every year.

Five kids. One a genius, maybe.

I support my alcoholic brother... TOM: James. James.

Shut up! You're an alcoholic. You're a marathon drunk.

I am working my ass off for George's victory because I want a share of the spoils.

I'm a talented man being swallowed up by anonymity!

I want my share.

You two guys fucked up. Share that.

What's next, Phil, lunch with Sharmen?

You son of a bitch.

Uh-huh. Betrayal. Betrayal!

(INDISTINCT SHOUTING)

Why're you so fucking...

Oh, can I help it if you're nobody?

(INDISTINCT SHOUTING)

Shanty Irish prick!

He's fucking your wife, George! That's why he won't support you!

Fucking who? What?

JAMES: Your wife. Marion.

When? What?

That's not why I won't support him.

Wait a minute!

You're doing what with Marion? Georgie.

It's just a thing. It just happened.

Marion?

Unfaithful.

I'm the Mayor, for Christ's sakes!

This was the wrong thing to do.

(PANTING)

I... I need some drink.

You should be dead!

Wiped away like a dirty stain.

George, my intentions... I know your intention!

You prey on people. You fucking animal!

Dead!

Dirty dumb dago, fucking animal bastard!

COACH: Hey, boys, I've got the record.

Watch it, George. She's loaded.

(GASPING)

What's happened here, boys?

George...

The safety is on.

(SWITCH CLICKS)

I'll blow your dago balls off, Phil! You fucking animal.

That's a hair trigger, George. It's loaded.

Dumb, dangerous animal.

(CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS) Ahhh!

I gotta have this picture. (CHUCKLES)

You stupid fucker!

Be quiet, James.

COACH: George,

don't lose your poise, boy.

Be a man.

And give me the gun.

COACH: George, give me the gun.

(SOBBING)

All right. That's all right.

(GEORGE SOBBING)

Just sit down. We're gonna work it all out. It's okay.

All right. Get him some Scotch.

We'll put our heads together, we'll work this out, George, huh? Yeah.

I couldn't even shoot the fucking pig.

Yeah. Here, drink this. Here.

Good.

You've had too much to drink. You can't hold it. You've got a lot of tension in you, boy.

Lot of tension. George, take deep breaths.

Breathe deeply, George. Come on. Breathe deeply.

Maybe you should do some pushups or run in place.

Oh, God! Coach, I'm sorry.

It's all right. No one's hurt.

No, I'll fix it. I'll fix it.

COACH: It's only a wall. I'll come over tomorrow and I'll fix it.

I said forget it!

You made a goddamn mistake, now put it behind you.

Let's get to the bottom of this. What has happened between you and Phil?

It's a private matter. Private? Nothing's private.

There's been nothing private between the men in this room for 20 years.

Look, I just... It's my wife. I'll tell it.

It's my story, right, Phil?

Old pal, friend...

Great guy... Prick! George!

(STUTTERING) I'm all right. I'm all right.

Calm.

Phil is having an affair with my Marion.

Your Marion?

(CRYING) My...

Continue, George.

I save the man's business,

put my political future on the line.

GEORGE: I trusted my friend.

You prick.

Get some air, George. Take him outside. Take him out.

COACH: Is this true, Phil?

It's over, you know? No, I don't know!

Because I never laid my friend's wife!

What in Christ's name are you playin', boy?

He's nothin' but a whore. COACH: I said enough!

A diseased, old whore!

Ow! (GROANING)

You're pussy-whipped, boy, pussy-whipped. Get some discipline.

You think with your cock and it's gonna ruin you quicker than Sharmen.

Somebody's gonna scatter you someday all over the ground, and God damn it,

there are people being hurt, people who have their whole lives

invested in this game you're playing.

I am stunned. I'm shocked.

I'm damn glad I have a good heart because...

Did she tell you you were the best, Phil, huh?

Was she good? Tell your friends? You dumb dago!

Get him in here, he'll announce it to the neighborhood.

GEORGE: I wanna know if my wife was a good lay.

What's a matter with you? It's none of your business.

What? Sit down.

What happened, from beginning to end?

She was there in my office one day...

And we... COACH: When?

Last month. She came to see me about campaign money.

She went to see all the businessmen in town.

I wonder how much she raised?

I'm warning you, Tom.

We were talking, we had some drinks.

It just happened.

Right there in the office, for Christ's sake.

It's a private office!

On the floor?

I have a couch in there...

And I asked her if she wanted to, uh...

Fuck! The word is "fuck."

Could you shut that rummy up?

(CHUCKLING)

I said... She said yes.

Just like that? Like buying butter.

Christ, Marion never struck me as a whore.

No, wait a minute.

Jeez, you are somethin'. You are some dago.

Did you take her clothes off? GEORGE: Wait a minute!

I'm trying to establish who made the first advance.

I don't remember, Coach.

This is better than Rin Tin Tin Gets In. (CHUCKLING)

We had a few drinks. Oh... I see what happened.

You doubled her drinks, got her hot on booze and memories,

and humped her on the floor. The couch, God damn it.

Enough said. You turn on each other, boys,

you don't stand a chance alone, not a solitary chance.

She's not a whore.

Nobody said she was.

You need each other, boys. Need.

I don't need him.

I am talking about survival, George. Survival in the 21st century.

You can't do it alone, George, not anymore... I'm done with him!

Gone forever those days.

I didn't rot and die in that hospital

because I had you boys around me. I wasn't alone.

I had you around me.

They didn't experiment with their needles on me.

Phil has betrayed everything!

I had you boys around me!

George, the point he's trying to make... I know the point! I know it!

But it doesn't apply to me. This situation.

I could never deal with ignorance, George. It disgusts me.

He took advantage of my wife.

She hasn't been the same since the baby. She never got over it.

She resents me for putting it away.

I wanted to adopt a child. I told her.

Adopt. Right away.

You did the right thing, George. No man in this room faults you.

Am I right, boys?

Speaking for myself,

I couldn't see any other way.

I had chances to be unfaithful.

The widows who cashed in their policies. I could've fucked 50 widows.

It was there.

They all wanted someone to keep them company.

Booze and women. I tried to protect you from it.

I got you the Jesuits. I got you scholarships.

Got the Jesuits to teach you boys.

I graduated in three years from the Jesuits.

They all wanted me to become a Jesuit.

My father used to say the Jesuits are the scholars of the church.

But I liked my women. My booze.

And after a while I had my mother, I was all she had.

Someday, I said, I'll marry. Someday.

But time does strange things.

It's high tide before you know it, as my father said.

High tide.

Miss Morris, you remember her?

The music teacher.

We knew each other for years.

Biblically.

I used to visit her on Saturday afternoons. She'd make honey biscuits.

Very cultured woman. Protestant.

She'd never think of becoming a Catholic, and my mother was alive then,

so I could never bring her here.

She read poetry in French,

and wore silk stockings,

and smoked cigarettes.

Elegant.

And she could hump like a $500 whore.

And she loved me on those Saturday afternoons.

Fell dead in the street seven years ago.

I never had the time.

Teaching the game was not just a profession to me.

It was a vocation. Like a priest.

Devoted my life to excellence. Superiority.

So don't fall apart before my eyes, boys. Not in front of me.

Because you boys are my real trophies, never forget that. Never.

Every man in the room realizes that, Coach.

Never take less than success.

JAMES: I still hear that in my sleep.

That's a philosophy of life, boys, not a slogan.

A philosophy. Now we've got a challenge coming up.

We beat 'em by the rules. Pride, loyalty, teamwork, no other way.

Beat that Jew! Beat that Jew!

Beat that Jew! Go Gentiles!

You are ridiculous.

I'm absurd. Are you kidding?

Why don't you take a walk, Tom?

I took one, remember?

But you came back.

I can't support George.

You will, Phil. When you hear some news.

I told him already about Sharmen.

Do you wanna win this campaign, George?

I don't need him. I didn't ask you that.

I asked if you wanted to win.

Yes I do, but not... Then you have to pay the price.

What price? What is it?

Pain. The price is pain.

Endurance. You endure pain to win. A law of life, no other way. None.

The pain in my gut? It's been there all my life.

It's good to hurt. The mind overcomes pain.

You keep your marriage, George. Hold onto it.

We are all waiting for your answer, Phil.

I have to protect myself.

You've already made your choice, haven't you?

Not Phil.

Not my Phil. You big moosher.

Had to keep a bed check on you in high school, make sure you were in your own bed.

Look, I'm sorry, but Sharmen's grandfather could be

the head of Castro's army and he'd still beat George.

He was a Commie.

I don't even know if that's true.

When have I ever lied to you? Or you? Or anyone?

No, I mean, so what?

The FBI came to the school in the '70s.

They asked about the grandfather. Very casual. I knew what was up.

I didn't know the man. I'd never seen him.

They said goodbye, and that was that.

I forgot all about it until I was flat on my back in that hospital,

and we researched it and discovered the whole truth.

Why didn't you say somethin' back in the '70s?

Why hurt a young boy? He wasn't a Communist.

Why hurt him now?

He's on the other side now. He's opposition.

I'm tellin' you, public opinion wants George back in the insurance business.

Public opinion changes every day, Phil.

That is right.

After listening to all this, I'm ready to campaign for Sharmen.

I don't like that kind of talk here, you.

It's the liquor talking, Coach.

Go to sleep, you're drunk.

I would, but...

I think I pissed on myself. Oh, Christ!

I gotta go upstairs.

Well, go up, for God's sake.

Is it

still in the same place? Jesus.

(SNIFFS)

Oh, wait.

False alarm. It's... It's... I just spilled my beer.

(CHUCKLING)

Don't let the booze beat you, boy. I'm behind you.

Stand on your own two feet like the man you are.

Would you mind if I go up first? My stomach.

Oh, well, after you, Your Honor.

I expect that nothing will be settled without consulting me.

(SIGHS)

I want to say now...

And especially for Phil's benefit,

that what I did tonight was not done for personal reasons,

but for the good of us all. We all know that, James. Give Phil a drink.

JAMES: Let me explain myself.

I felt that only the truth would bring us together again.

I would, never intentionally hurt you for the world, Phil.

You don't have to convince me, James.

He took the Fifth Amendment 11 times.

PHIL: Things have changed today. Nothing's changed.

The wall is not down. The wall is up. The wall will always be up.

They kill you in the womb today, in the womb.

The government's gone bad, children slaughtering children,

Christ, it's a slaughterhouse.

He's out to get you, Phil.

He wants to ruin you, boy. TOM: He's a Jew.

That's good enough to beat him in this town.

He is a smart Jew boy.

Why're you tryin' to smear him with this Communist thing?

Who's smearing? We're telling the truth.

He's not smearing Phil?

COACH: Exploiting a man's weakness is the name of the game.

If he can't move left, you left him to death.

If he can't stop a hook, you hook away on him.

You find his weak spot and go after it. You punish him with it.

I drilled that into you a thousand times.

My brother is accusing us of guilt by association.

Wrong! Guilt by accident. He can't choose his grandfather.

You don't think that kike would use Marion against us?

Wave her at us like a dirty flag?

Maybe he wouldn't.

Look, he took the Fifth Amendment.

I've lived my life taking the Fifth, James! So have you!

Everyone, sooner or later...

Everyone.

There was a Commie in his family and that is all we are interested in.

The Jesuits would be pissed at you, James.

I expect that nothing will be settled without consulting me.

It breaks my heart to see that boy fall apart like that.

That's a tragedy.

It's up to you, Phil.

Well, uh, I'm not convinced.

I can't take a chance on him.

I mean can't you understand, if I lose that business, I have nothing. It's too late.

There's nowhere to start over.

Call him, Phil. C'mon. Right now. Call him. Sharmen.

Call him. You were gonna do it anyway. Oh, you're full of shit.

C'mon, call him. Offer him a contribution.

His number is 555-0991.

How come you know the number? Don't you try to insinuate against my loyalty.

I called him about a picture of a pig in a high school newspaper.

Ah, forget it. Forget it.

He wouldn't take a contribution from you anyway.

(LAUGHS)

(DIALING)

Hello, Norman. It's the number one threat to the environment.

(LAUGHS)

PHIL: Right, Phil Romano, the friendly pollutionist.

Right, it's all politics, right? Listen...

I'm gonna come right out and say it. I like your style.

In fact, I'd like to talk over your campaign with you.

What? Oh.

Everybody needs some help. Money's tight. Don't forget,

I've been known to make a few political contributions now and then. What?

No. No.

You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. It's that simple.

Is that so?

How's your grandfather, the Communist? Huh?

Yeah, well, you won't be laughin' so hard when you read about it in the newspapers!

You li... You listen to me! You li...

You kike bastard, you listen...

(SWEARING IN ITALIAN)

It's his uncle, not his grandfather.

It's still in the family. We can still use it, it's all right.

He laughed at me, the fucking kike!

You made me blow it, James. You pushed me into blowing it.

Look, Phil, if I wasn't your friend...

Oh, don't shit me. My money's made my friends.

Without my money, in school even, you wouldn't piss on me if I was on fire.

My old man's money. Everybody got laid in the backseat of my car.

No goddamn mockie is gonna beat us on our own home court, the crowd loves us.

Politics is not basketball.

Hell, yes. You get the crowd behind you, you can't lose.

Everybody votes for a winner, boys, you know that.

We can't sit around fingering the past.

Nobody but us remembers that game for what it was.

Remember that we gave this defeated town something to be proud of, a victory.

We won the town that year.

Look, I'm no dummy and I know you can't fight progress.

Progress. Nothing changes but the date.

Put a Jew in my place, you'll have progress, all right.

Jews ruin a country. Nobody says it.

But many think it.

People never forget. They know.

You know, I think we should go easy on Sharmen being a Jew.

It could be labeled anti-Semitism.

Yay, Israel, I'm all for Israel.

Give that one-eyed son of a bitch the seventh day

he'd've blown those greasy Arabs off the face of the Earth.

Arabs are Communists. They wash their hair in camel piss.

Let the Jews blow 'em the hell away.

There're good and bad in every race. Nobody's anti anything, James!

Some of the greatest athletes in the world were Jews.

Sid Luckman. Magnificent.

Nobody could punch like Barney Ross, pound for pound.

Jesse Owens alone beat the goddamn Germans.

A splendid nigger. Fast as the wind.

But as a rule, watch 'em, can't trust 'em. Jews the same.

My friends in the kingdom of the blind...

GEORGE: Oh, Jesus. Tom! Tom!

PHIL: Is he all right?

COACH: Don't move him. Don't move him. Broken bones.

JAMES: Can you hear me, Tom?

Somebody just fell down the stairs.

Get him on the couch.

(TOM MUMBLING)

(GRUNTING) Up, up, up.

James, this drinking in moderation is murder.

COACH: Get him a drink.

TOM: Get him a drink.

I'm all right, I'm all right...

I'm all right.

(SIGHS)

Get him a drink! (CHUCKLES)

The one-eyed man...

is king.

Before I was so rudely interrupted.

None of you can hold your liquor. You drink like women.

You'll be squatting to piss next. PHIL: Coach?

Can I talk to you alone? Are you sober?

Yeah.

I don't trust Phil. Something's up.

Let's let the Coach handle it.

Why not? He's handled everything else.

We have nothing more to say to each other. Ever!

Fuck you, and the horse you road in on, as me old grandmother used to say.

I love you, George. How's the little woman?

Oh, shut up, you insensitive son of a bitch.

You think I don't feel things, huh?

You think the old clown doesn't have deep feelings, huh?

Phony bullshit artist, huh?

None of you know what goes on inside my head.

Nobody knows.

I can understand what makes a man take a gun,

go up in a tower and start blowin' people apart.

I know the feeling.

I'm all smiles, huh?

I have rage in me.

I hate.

Hate like everybody.

Hate things.

I could've taken his head off.

Why didn't you?

He wasn't worth it.

I have a career to think about.

In the hospital.

Looked like something that floats. In formaldehyde.

It was freakish.

Blue eyes.

This is not the time, George.

We put it away.

Boy.

A boy.

Never even named it.

Just...

Institutionalized it.

Coach advised me.

Us... To give it up.

Pay 400 a month.

What else could you do?

Child like that?

Mongoloid.

GEORGE: Doesn't help my career.

I need a beer.

Casts a reflection

unfavorable to my image.

GEORGE: People get suspicious.

Advised me to...

put it away immediately.

You lose the Mongoloid vote, George, hands down.

JAMES: Shut up! George...

Don't get drunk. We have to make some important decisions tonight.

I can't get drunk enough.

I don't need that bitch, either.

We were gonna renew our vows.

Hah! Our 15th anniversary. On the altar.

Why don't we stone her?

It's an old Jewish custom, George.

Why're you doing this to me?

Stop leaking all over everybody. Stop this...

Stop this tragic act and take the money. Stop this.

Stop this dishonesty.

You always thought I was a phony, didn't you?

JAMES: Don't pay any attention to him.

Un-fucking-believable.

George. George, the Coach is down there right now,

he's tryin' to convince Phil to back us, now, I know he can do it.

The only question is will you accept the money from Phil?

JAMES: Now, I think we should consider it.

Would you accept the money if it was Helen?

You son of a bitch. I'm... GEORGE: Wait a minute.

How about that question?

GEORGE: Huh?

I'm not in any such situation.

It wouldn't apply to me. Oh!

Be me, James. Imagine

you're me. (STUTTERING) And a friend,

a boy you grew up with, champions,

was fucking your wife.

GEORGE: Imagine that a while.

It wouldn't happen. Pretend.

Pretend you're me...

And answer me.

Would you take the money?

Yes, I'd take it. Yes, yes, I'd take it all.

The Jesuits would be really pissed at you, James.

You know, you are nothing but a complete and total disgrace.

All cheap cynicism and booze.

Don't let's do my biography tonight.

I saved your life, boy.

Oh, you sound like him. "Boy."

I saved your life!

And now I'm trying to save what's left of mine, so stay out of it!

Stop this. Don't fight.

Brothers should love.

Take care of each other.

I carried him my whole life. I carried everybody. I'm exhausted at 38.

James never did anything out of love. James never loved anyone,

anything. He's... He's just obedient.

He's an obedient man, press a button.

Nobody's listening. He shoulders responsibility, but he...

You know, he can't sleep at night, and his teeth fell out.

I'm 38 years old.

I used to have a 32-inch waist. Shit.

I used to be the most popular boy in the school.

(SOBBING)

I used to have friends.

Everything's in the past tense.

I'm in the past tense.

Your future is politics, George.

GEORGE: I can't find myself.

I lose myself.

I'm all handshakes

and speeches and smiles.

I don't think I'm the man

I wanted to be.

I seem to myself to be somebody else.

I'm always, can't, can't stop

watching myself.

It's all in how you look at things, George.

It's your angle of vision.

Take Marion, for instance.

She may have gone to Phil did what she did, I'm not condoning it,

but she may have, with Phil,

did the whole thing for the money.

Why?

Support you. Help you.

It's entirely possible. It's within the realm of possibility.

She was devoted to my career?

I don't know.

I... I don't know. I don't even know if I care.

George, it's been done before.

She always said he couldn't be trusted.

Used the stupid slob.

You could be right, James.

She probably recognized the problem before we did.

I wouldn't put it past her.

You could be right.

Yes, you could.

I think she humped him out of plain old lust, George.

I'll see you when I'm sober for that remark.

You are up for sale tonight, George. You are goin' cheap!

You see what he does to me?

Me, who went to another city to find him. How many cities, Tom? How many times?

You were nothing but rags, filth.

I picked you up, I carried you screaming into that hospital.

Nobody held a gun.

I had no choice.

Only alkies like me have no alternatives, James.

Do you know what the old man left me?

He left me, when he finally died, 12,000 in medical bills,

3,000 for the funeral. And me, old faithful,

ends up 10 years behind everybody else, and for what?

GEORGE: Everybody respects you, James.

You sacrificed...

Well, you know.

Mediocrity.

My son,

Jimmy, the bright one, he asked me what it meant.

He asked me the definition of the word "mediocrity."

It means of low excellence.

You know why he asked?

Because that's what he thinks of me.

That's how he sees me.

How I'm beginning to see myself.

That School Super job is yours, after the election.

Oh, that's only the beginning.

I found my talent late in life.

I didn't go into politics till I was over 30.

There's always Congress, George. Congress.

In the distance.

I'm gonna make my stand in the political arena.

PHIL: He wants to talk to you, George.

Me? Yeah.

No.

He's waiting.

(SIGHS)

The suspense is killing me.

Like before a game.

Drink?

Thank you.

George will accept the money, Phil!

Good. Ice?

Nope.

How are you disposed?

You mean how do I feel about it? It's iffy. It's all iffy.

What's the Coach say?

We got a town of dress factories, right?

Bars, car lots and empty mines.

Christ, the growth industry in this town is arson.

And some Jew wants to come in here and turn it into Miami Beach.

Well, he's gonna try.

But if we coordinate. Who cares? Do I really care?

I'm so bored half the time it's killin' me.

Watchin' the same old faces get old.

Same bullshit day in, day out. Bored.

PHIL: Sometimes I get on the turnpike

and I just drive until I feel like gettin' off.

Alone. Drove to Binghamton last week.

A hundred miles on a Friday night by myself. Believe that?

What's left? You know, you hit a few bars,

some music, drink,

play old basketball games over in my head.

(SIGHS)

Pick up some strange pussy now and then. Here and there.

You know, I always gotta have somethin' young and juicy sittin' beside me.

But mostly

I sit around and replay the good games over in my head.

Can you believe that?

We were good.

Called each other's moves every time.

We had some good times. (CHUCKLES)

Great.

Sometimes

I think that's the only thing I can still feel, you know, still feel in my gut.

Still feel that Championship Season.

Feel the crowds.

That's my best memory to date. Nothing's matched it. Nothin'.

We were good then.

Martin.

I think about him all the time, too.

I loved that guy.

Perfect ballplayer, wasn't he?

You know what I do for excitement now?

We all have a pretty good idea.

(LAUGHS) No, no, no, everybody does that.

My Porsche. Boxster. James Dean, right?

Upped it to 120 comin' back from Binghamton.

Smashed. Everything a blur.

Can't see the road, but I'm laughin' my ass off.

I'm laughin' so hard I gotta wipe my eyes and then I'm hittin' 135.

I have one hand on the wheel,

pissed out of my mind, radio's blarin'.

And suddenly, it's crazy, but I think that I'm just speed

and nothin' can catch me. I know that nothing alive can touch me.

And then I open her up to 140.

Shit scared.

Everything becomes a blur.

But I'm laughin',

because I know that nothin' on Earth can catch me.

Some Friday night they're going to be putting pieces of me in a rubber bag.

I wonder what it's like getting it at 140 miles an hour.

Splat! (LAUGHING)

Yeah, like a bug hitting a windshield.

Sounds more dangerous than married women. (SNICKERS)

James is offended by... No, no, I was joking.

Offended.

You know why I like married women?

They don't yell, tell, swell and they're grateful as hell.

Marion took my cherry in high school.

Nobody gets involved.

I really cared for her.

She's a bitch now. Bitch on wheels. She's finished.

Yeah, he really did a job on her.

I thought maybe we could go back to something.

See if it was still there.

Well, it ain't like in the movies.

She's a bitch now.

I never understood women like her.

Never did. Never wanted to.

Better watch your Helen. (JAMES SCOFFS)

My Helen.

Never happen.

Helen does everything by the book.

No, Helen is a champion of chastity.

Sex is children, children is sex.

She'd be happy spending the rest of her life rubbing cocoa butter on her tits.

Breasts.

She's only happy when she's pregnant.

It clears up the skin.

Does she still paint?

Not really. PHIL: Yeah, she won all those art prizes.

She's the only one that didn't laugh that time, remember? In art class.

We had to do...

We had to identify these paintings for an exam,

and I said that mine was an El Gresso.

(CHUCKLING) And you laughed out loud.

And somebody behind me, well, the whole class was laughing, even me.

But I remember she didn't laugh.

Whatever happened to the chicken?

Oh, shit.

(DOOR OPENING)

Burned bad? Ah! No, no.

(CHUCKLING)

PHIL: Bring it out.

Did old Marion laugh?

Don't worry about George. He'll get over it.

You think so?

You could rub the two of them together and you wouldn't get a sound.

All that shit about her being ripped up about the baby.

She didn't want it? No.

She had to convince him. He wanted to keep it.

He wouldn't give it up until the Coach damn near ordered him to.

Hey, I'm not the first guy she laid. She's been running around the last few years.

Why doesn't she leave him?

Where's she going at 38?

You're an alcoholic.

Whatever gave you that idea?

Jesus Christ, what happened?

(GLASS CLINKING) (POURING DRINK)

Do you need any money?

I'll let you know.

(PLAYING NOTES ON PIANO)

(PLAYING SOFT MELODY)

Sharmen's got class, style.

George is like Bugs Bunny on television.

(IMITATING BUGS BUNNY) This is the Mayor. What's up, folks? (RAZZING)

We got Looney Tunes for our Mayor.

George is not a modern man, it's that simple.

I am. Maybe you, too.

You know, Claire and me, we have an arrangement. It's civilized.

You know, as long as she doesn't make it with anyone in town, none of my friends,

fine, you know? It's a mutual arrangement.

You got to change with the times.

Be modern.

I think I'm medieval.

Yeah? Yeah, probably somewhere in the Dark Ages.

(CHUCKLING)

(PLAYS DISSONANT CHORD)

I'm gonna get a vasectomy.

That so? Yeah, they tie your tubes.

You still come, but you don't come sperm. Sterilized.

I fuck a lot, you know? Oh?

PHIL: I can't take any more abortions.

Oh.

I told Claire, you know, we discussed it,

and she agreed it's the intelligent thing to do.

You're right, everyone here lives in the Dark Ages.

Pitch black.

He wants to talk to you, James.

George, have some chicken. I can't, with my stomach.

You want me to step down as your campaign manager.

Phil has contacted these people...

You dump me now and my politics are over.

James, Phil has contacted these advertising...

George, everybody will know I've been dumped!

From Philadelphia. I won't be able to buy a vote. I'll be ruined in this town.

After the election I can still be able to endorse you for Superintendent.

After dumping me from running the campaign!

COACH: James we need a very experienced man in this position.

You'll still be involved in the campaign,

we're just bringing in some professional help.

Wait a minute, wait a minute. You did this.

James, I can't put a $100,000 in the hands of an amateur.

No ignorant lout is going to take... You're an ignoramus!

And you're a shabby man. And you're a goddamn ignoramus!

(GROANS) COACH: Oh, Christ! Phil!

COACH: Damn it. My plate.

My plate. Damn it.

Here, It's not broken.

If I had my wits, some anger,

some guts, I'd take your head off, Phil.

PHIL: Yeah. Well, I'm just money to you guys, right? Money to everybody.

I'm not giving it away. No more charity from the dumb dago.

(SOBBING)

(SNIFFLES)

If you... If you people do this to me,

I will walk every street in this city. Hear me!

And I will tell every single person about Phil and Marion.

Shabby.

I will not be abused like this.

I will turn George into the village idiot.

You wouldn't do that, James.

I swear it, by Christ.

And your brother-in-law, and the kickbacks to the city.

You'll ruin me. You'll ruin us.

(SOBBING) What did you just do to me?

An hour ago he suggested we back him for mayor.

I don't believe that. Ask him.

I proposed an alternative.

Uh...

(BELCHES)

(GROANS)

Can you make it upstairs, George?

I... I think so. Okay, good.

I think I'm gonna... All right, all right.

(VOMITING) Oh, George, not in the trophy! God damn it.

Nice shot, George.

I'm sorry. (VOMITING) Oh, no!

Get away from there. Jesus Christ.

I can't get my breath. Then stop talking.

Wash out the trophy, James, in cold water.

COACH: By Christ, get some strength.

A dull night.

Maybe I should go up and fall down the stairs again.

He gets more desperate.

People get more desperate.

Why's everyone so fucking desperate?

Everyone wants a piece of me. Only my money. Nothing else.

This is a dentist bill. $35,000. My wife.

For $35,000 you could cap a shark's mouth.

I'm expected to finance everybody's life.

Marion brought up the campaign money about the third time I laid her.

She brought it up very casually, and then talked about it for three hours.

I expected it. I knew it.

She laid it in.

Well, she worked for it. I made her earn it.

You wanted George to find out.

Yeah, maybe, I don't know.

She worked for it.

I took her up to the Holiday one afternoon,

I fucked her on the bed, floor, chair, tub, toilet,

everywhere but the ice machine.

You know the only woman I ever loved?

My mother. Fuck the psychiatrists.

My mother's the only woman I ever knew.

The rest are... I don't care, you know?

The truth is I don't care about the melodrama of your life.

(FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING)

I have been betrayed by my friends.

I carried that imbecile Polack for four years,

him and his nymphomaniac wife.

Watch it. I know, I was his best man.

The ushers were comparing notes on her.

George got sick before the wedding, too. He threw up with joy.

We know her past history, James. No lecturing...

You don't know anything.

You fornicated and read the newspapers, that's what you know.

But nobody is going to abuse me.

Nobody.

(IMITATING RICHARD NIXON) Now we won't have James to kick around anymore.

Exactly. I'm a new man.

And I come high.

My success has been delayed by my responsibilities.

My youth was given over to my responsibilities and now it is my turn.

And I'm going to demand my right to success. Demand.

I had... Christ, I'm ashamed...

To borrow money from Phil to bury him.

You don't owe me anything.

I owe everybody.

I don't own a goddamn thing.

I won big on the Broncos.

And now you knife me in the back.

James, I like being rich, okay?

I need money. I want two of everything. Cars, boats, women, etcetera, etcetera.

Around expensive things, I get a hard on. Turned on. I want them.

My old man was like you, James.

Desperate. Yeah, he built a business, 24 hours a day,

but he didn't have time to learn the language. He knew two words, "money" and "work."

No, three. "Bizzyness."

Well the "bizzyness" killed him at forty-fucking-three

and we buried a man that no one ever knew!

I worked for my old man. Slept with him. Ate.

I have no memory of who he was,

what he was.

Well, the fucking "bizzyness" is mine now.

It's all mine.

He's cleaned up.

He's gonna call his wife.

I am bewildered, stunned,

never... Knocked on my ass.

Never did I think I would live to see the day

when you would turn savagely,

savagely turn on one another.

You are not the people that played for me.

We are a myth.

What?

Myths.

(SHOUTING) Is this trophy a myth?

See the names engraved on it.

Look! Don't grow old on me, boys.

Don't lose faith. Don't get old on me.

I carved your names in silver. Lasts forever.

Never forget that. Never!

Nothing changes but the date, boys.

And it's a good life if you don't weaken.

You're still all immensely talented.

I'm a junior high school principal.

Christ, I have the walls scrubbed every day

because inevitably some little bastard scribbles all over them.

"Mr. Daley eats it."

"Daley is a shithead."

Taking care of your father slowed you up, James.

Slowed me up?

I wiped the man's ass, like a baby.

Rubbed oil on his body. Washed him.

I had to feed him before he died and all that time I never felt

love from him.

He'd get drunk and abuse me.

In fever, bedridden, a man can say strange things.

I just want...

What?

I want... I wanted...

What? I wanted him to respect me!

Respect me! That's all!

Whine. You are a 38-year-old whine!

Bitch and whine and blame your life on everybody.

You got the eyes of a beggar.

Did they respect me?

Thirty years a teacher? A coach?

A teacher devoted to excellence?

Did they respect me

when they forced me into retirement?

Gave me a farewell dinner and a gold watch and a pension.

A pension is a ticket to death.

It's a goddamn passport.

Said I was old-fashioned.

Said I abused a student.

The boy made an obscene gesture to my face and I hit him.

What's old-fashioned about that?

You broke his jaw.

Next thing I know I'm walking the streets at 8:00 in the morning, nowhere to go.

I start listening to the radio.

I watch more TV than any man alive.

You make them respect you!

Ahem.

I talked to Marion.

You were right, James. Absolutely.

Was I?

What did she say?

She did it for me, for the money.

COACH: Well, you heard that, Phil.

Yeah, I know.

Next time the ice machine. Right, Phil?

It's late. Uh, I better...

She convince you to take the money, George?

It's none of your goddamn business.

When old James gets through, they're gonna give you

a pair of horns on the steps of city hall.

That's not gonna happen.

(GLASS SHATTERING) No more drinking.

Nobody. Hear me?

I meant what I said.

Marion said that the... I don't care what that hotpants bitch said.

Go home and kick her ass all over the kitchen, all that slutting around.

She's not a slut.

She was punished for slutting, wasn't she?

She was punished and so were you.

That's a terrible thing to say.

Leave her the hell out of the campaign.

She's trouble, she is. Lock her in a room.

I have pride, you know. I have...

You have no pride. None.

You got a face for everybody.

All slick smiles and empty eyes.

You lost something, boy.

And, Phil, playing the lout.

Screwing and ruining your life away. You lost something.

And you,

stumbling and reeling through the streets like some broken thing.

Hearing people laugh at you breaks my heart.

You were a gifted boy.

Past tense. Gifted.

Unbelievable talent.

All of you. Not just basketball.

I remember, James, sitting in that auditorium,

watching you win, what contest was that, what?

I Speak For Democracy.

I Speak For Democracy.

You held that audience spellbound.

When you stood up to speak the crowd hushed.

No movement. Still. They were spellbound.

You overwhelmed them. I'll never forget it. Never.

I won a $100 bond.

The old man cashed it in and drank it up.

They gave you a little gold cup.

"Run to win."

Saint Paul said that. A saint.

Run always to win. I drilled that into you.

Healthy minds, healthy bodies.

The Greeks said that, boys, and they started it all.

Great athletes, the Greeks. Magnificent.

The Greeks were pederasts.

What the hell is he talking about?

He means the Greeks were homosexuals.

The Greeks, homos?

Not the Greeks.

The Romans, maybe. But not the Greeks.

Don't come around me with that liberal bullshit. I won't listen.

The Greeks made their men into gods.

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena,

whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood.

A man who knows the great enthusiasms and the great devotions,

who spends himself in a worthy cause.

Who in the end knows the triumph of high achievement,

and if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.

So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls.

Who know neither victory nor defeat.

That's a great man's words. A man among men.

Monday morning, we start on Sharmowitz.

We get into the arena and draw some blood.

Not me. Not James. Not till my participation is settled.

It's been settled. Not to my satisfaction.

Phil, as soon as possible,

contact those people in Philadelphia. Okay.

(GLASS SLAMMING) You will not change your minds?

Get them here by Monday. God damn it!

No one is gonna walk over me.

I'm done! My back's against the wall!

Come on, James. Come on, let's go. (SOBBING)

Let's get your coat. Come on. Let's get out of here.

God damn it. Come on, James. Who are you?

I don't know you!

I will walk the streets of this town.

I will.

I'm going out there and I'm gonna open up!

I will!

(WHIMPERING)

(EXHALES)

(SCOFFS SOFTLY)

Low excellence.

Welcome to anonymity, James.

No bench. No depth.

Playing with too many injuries.

You have been sneering at us all night.

Laughing in our faces.

Don't start on me. I'm not here, I'm in New Orleans.

You are useless. You're finished. And you had talent.

You quit on everybody who ever needed you. Stop lying to us.

Stop telling us how good we were.

We never had a losing season, and we're not going to start now.

That's not what Martin said.

What?

Martin.

You remember him? Yeah.

Oh, but he's not here.

You know why he left, why he never came back to a reunion.

Do I? Oh, yeah.

He told us the truth. Twenty years ago.

Did he?

He wanted you to publicly refuse the trophy, remember?

You told him, in the third quarter

to go out there and get that nigger center.

That kangaroo, remember?

Well he did, he really did, he went out and broke the guy's ribs.

I told him to stop him.

That nigger was playing him off the court.

I told him to get tough under the boards and stop him.

He came to you a week after the game.

Yes, he did. He came to me, he walked in here.

He came babbling something about the truth.

"What truth?" I said. "We won." That trophy is the truth.

The only truth.

I told him to get mean. Punish some people. Put some fear into them.

It takes hate to win. You have to hate to win.

I never told him to break anybody's ribs.

You don't believe me, boys?

I believe you, Coach.

We've gone through this phony ritual champion shit.

We stole it!

I told him there was no such thing as second place.

(BLOWING WHISTLE)

Never less than success! Pay the price!

Get yourself a name. Well, I did.

I really did! I fell on my ass in 10 cities!

That's a record. Here, here's my trophy.

I read the fine print on you, boy.

(BLOWING WHISTLE)

Find the man's weakness! Exploit him!

Hook him to death! Watch out!

Watch out. Get him before he gets you.

You get that son of a bitch before he gets you!

The only sin is losing. Win! Win!

Bless me, Father, for I have sinned!

Need to lose.

(SOBBING) I'm... I'm sick.

Look it in the eye, old man.

We stole that trophy.

Championship Season is a lie.

Say it out loud.

Deny this. It has weight. You can feel it. Deny it.

Read the names in silver there!

I don't believe in trophies, God damn it, it's empty!

Get out! Get out of here! Get out!

And Martin? Out!

I...

I got a ticket somewhere.

Martin tried to tell me that same story, Coach.

PHIL: Martin was a real son of a bitch when you think about it, Coach.

Martin didn't have a brain in his head.

We don't need him, boys.

It's history now. In the books.

You were a rare and beautiful thing, boys.

A miracle to see people play beautifully together.

Like when I was a boy, long time past.

The whole town would come together.

We'd have these huge picnics. Great feasts of picnics.

My father ran the only bank in town.

Elegant man.

Bach was played in this house.

He quoted Shakespeare. "To be or not to be, that's the question."

Shoulders like a king.

He carried me on his back,

in the freezing, God, yes, waters of the lake.

So clear you could see the white pebbles on the bottom.

Gone now.

All gone. Vanished.

Lake, picnic grounds, all gone.

All concrete and wires and glass now.

Used car lots now.

Phil's trucks came and took it away.

But we can bring it back, Coach. Urban renewal.

Preserve the environment. Jesus.

I can still see buckets of ice cream,

great red slabs of beef, kites, yes,

the sky full of blue and red kites.

Men playing horseshoes.

Big silver pails of beer.

In the late afternoon, the men would dive from the high rocks,

so high they made you dizzy to look down.

I watched my father dive and turn and glisten in the sun,

falling like a bird falls,

and knife the water so clean as to leave only ripples.

The Depression killed him.

The bank went under.

His hair turned white.

Threw his wedding ring away,

threw his teeth across the room. Stopped talking.

He died a year later, in his prime.

Wouldn't let anybody in the room, not even my mother.

Died alone, in a room.

He lost faith in everything.

Country.

He told me, that man,

who listened to Bach, quoted Shakespeare, elegant man,

he told me never forget Marx was a Jew.

"Jews will ruin the country."

'29, killed him dead.

(SOBS)

Not enough of them jumped out of windows in '29,

the whole race should've splattered on the sidewalks in '29!

The old man didn't know how to fight back!

He lost his character! He lost his character!

I chose my country, God forgive me.

I made the supreme sacrifice and went to work in the mines for my country.

You got to fight back, fight back, fight forever!

They killed McCarthy, too. Kennedy. Patton, even.

There are no leaders, boys. All the great ones in stone.

Somebody has to lead the country back.

I'm talking about survival.

All we have is ourselves, boys.

And the race is to the quickest.

And this country's fighting for her life.

And we are the heart and we play always to win.

You won't lose, boys. Because I won't let you lose.

I'll whip your ass to the bone, I'll drive you into the ground.

Your soul belongs to God, but your ass belongs to me.

Remember that one? Yes, sir, we can do it.

We are going to win because we cannot lose.

Won't lose, dare not lose, lose is not in our vocabulary!

I shaped you boys. Never forget that. Never.

I ran you till the blisters busted,

ran you right into perfection, bloody socks and all.

You had no character.

You couldn't put your jocks on. Afraid.

Awkward. All legs. A mistake a second.

I made you winners. I made you winners.

(GRAMOPHONE PLAYING)

COMMENTATOR: As I look across the parquet floor I see everyone's eyes

are down on the court as we speak.

I look up to the clock with 10 seconds left.

Fillmore High School has fought their way back

from a near-disastrous first half.

They're behind now by one point,

71 to 70. But they have the ball with 10 seconds on the clock.

George Sikowski will throw the ball to either Tom Daley or Martin Rhodes.

(BUZZER SOUNDS) (CROWD CHEERING)

Ten seconds. Pennsylvania State's Basketball Championship

comes now down to one shot, one play.

(WHISTLE SOUNDS ON RECORD) And here we go, time is in.

The ball's in play. Sikowski passes the ball to Daley,

Daley in the backcourt, a pass to James Daley in the corner.

Daley across the court to Romano. Five seconds.

Romano to Daley. Daley to Rhodes at the foul line. Two seconds.

Rhodes up and shoots. (BUZZER SOUNDS)

Yes! Yes! Fillmore High School wins it.

Fillmore High School wins the Championship. I can't believe this.

♪Another victory for Fillmore

♪As we swing into the fray

♪For loyal sons of Fillmore

♪Are out to win today

♪With hope and courage never failing

♪As we swing right down the field

ALL: ♪Our hearts will ever be faithful

♪To the foe we'll never yield ♪

(SOBBING)

COACH: Don't punish yourselves, boys.

The world will do that.

Protect.

Survive.

Phil, do you have something to say to George?

Yeah.

Georgie,

I'm sorry. Forgive me.

I'm sorry.

(SOBBING)

Whoop.

Whoop.

Us and the Whooping Cranes.

What's that?

On the way out.

Cranes.

Whoop.

Love one another, boys.

No way a man can make it alone.

Love one another.

George.

Um... I'll do whatever you want. I'm... I'm behind you.

You dirty bastard. I love you like a brother.

All right. Album time. Mmm-hmm?

Album time.

Come on, Tommy. Come on. Album time.

Come on.

GEORGE: We better, uh...

We better get together and start mapping the campaign out.

COACH: Yep. Monday, 12 noon, the Mayor's Office.

You'll need a speech for the K of C by Thursday. Hmm?

James?

I'll have it to you by Monday, right, Tom?

Yeah, why not? If I can still remember the alphabet.

(ALL CHUCKLE)

Smile, James, come on. Let's see them new teeth.

Okay, let me get one of you, Coach.

No, no, not me, I don't want to... Come on, come on.

Get in there. We don't need one of me.

Come on, Coach, one for the album.

Hey, Coach, why don't you come over tomorrow, watch the basketball?

Big screen TV. COACH: Maybe.

Okay.

(MUMBLING INDISTINCTLY)

Smile, Coach. Okay, yeah.

Say "cunnilingus." (ALL LAUGH)

(FILLMORE ALMA MATER PLAYING)