Going to the Mat (2004) - full transcript
Jace Newfield has a problem. Besides being blind and being the new kid at school, his problem is that the kids at his new school thinks he's a jerk. Jace has to find a way to be accepted into his new school. Joining the wrestling team just might work.
(BAND PLAYING)
(AUDIENCE CHEERING)
Yes!
Yeah!
(WHOOPING)
MAN: Lucille, get your brother.
Hey, think fast!
BOY: Ah, here it comes.
And I'm striking him out this time.
-Here it comes.
-Give it to me.
(BALL BEEPING)
(BALL POUNDING IN THE MITT)
Ooh, swing and a miss.
What's there to do in Utah?
Same stuff they do here,
except much slower.
Hey, good luck trying to find
a kosher hot dog in that state.
-Yeah, come on, give it to me.
-BOY: Here it comes.
(HORSE WHINNIES)
-(DOG BARKING)
-(BALL POUNDING IN THE MITT)
-All right, you got this one!
-BOY: Strike you out.
Here it comes. Here it comes.
-BOY 1: Ooh, nice hit!
-BOY 2: Ooh, nice hit!
-That's out of here!
-(BOY LAUGHS)
Bet the only jazz they have
is the basketball team.
Come on, switch it up.
That sounds bleak.
I'm happy it's you
and not me going to Utah. (CHUCKLES)
BOY WITH THE MITT: Thanks.
-All right, come on. Ready for this?
-Yeah!
Okay, here we go.
All right, give me a target. Come on!
(HAND POUNDING MITT)
They got a music program at this school?
Get this, their band plays
at football games.
-Whoa, hold me back.
-(LAUGHS)
Hey, who wants an egg cream?
I'm buying.
-Oh, you know I'm in.
-I don't know what happened.
You know, I was going along
perfectly happy.
My dad gets one phone call,
my life turns
into an after-school special.
MAN: That'll be eight dollars, kids.
-Bummer.
-Yeah, you can say that again.
-Bummer.
-Bummer.
-Bummer.
-Oh, bummer.
-Bummer.
-Bummer.
That's it.
You guys are going down.
We're gonna miss you, man.
(WHINNIES)
MAN: Up there on the right.
Oh, wow!
WOMAN: Oh, honey, this is great.
It's huge!
MAN: Jace, we're gonna have to teach you
how to mow a lawn.
Looks like it's gonna work for all of us.
I think this is gonna be great.
-WOMAN: Hey.
-MAN: Good morning.
Um, would you mind putting
that on the front porch?
-I'm not sure where I want it yet.
-Yes, ma'am.
Can you take the drum set upstairs?
You know, the bass drum?
-MAN: Yes, ma'am.
-Thanks.
MAN: There it is, home sweet home.
-JACE: Wow.
-MAN: What do you think?
-JACE: Oh, wow.
-Yeah.
That's nice.
That's much better.
So, what are we talking about here?
A six-story castle?
-My own private club on the roof?
-Close.
Video arcade in the dining room?
Mermaids frolicking in the pool?
Karl Malone shooting hoops with ya.
Uh... he's not here anymore, Dad.
Or maybe not.
But I did make sure they
put your rim up first.
You wanna play some ball?
You're on.
Let's go.
(BOARD BEEPING)
MAN: Hey, Jace, you all right?
Yeah, thanks, Dad. I'm fine.
MAN: Great.
-(HOOP BEEPING)
-(WHEELS CRANKING)
How you doing?
What's up?
You moving in?
That's the rumor.
Name's Jace.
Vince.
What are you doing?
I was...
testing.
You're, uh...
You can call me... Daredevil.
But how'd you know my hand was there?
Facial vision.
It has to do with vibrations in the air.
I can tell where people are
when they move.
Like bat radar, huh?
Just one of my many superpowers.
Wanna shoot some hoops?
No, um...
I was, uh...
I'm not, uh,
that much into sports.
I... I'll talk to you later, okay?
Whatever.
(BELL RINGS)
Are you sure you don't want me
to take you in and get you settled?
What am I, in kindergarten?
I'll be fine.
I love you, Mom.
Me, too, sweetie.
(ENGINE STARTS)
Let me get the door for you.
-JACE: Thanks.
-BOY: Yeah.
(BELL RINGING)
(OVERLAPPING NOISE)
Are you okay?
Excuse me?
Do you need any help?
No, I'm all set.
BOY: So, you gonna go to
the game on Friday?
What do you say, huh?
Hey, man, are you blind or something?
Oops, my bad.
Hey, everybody.
Check it out,
a talking side of beef.
What's your name, farm boy?
Ooh, it's one for John,
one for the blind kid.
Yeah, well, I'd, uh...
I'd punch his lights out,
-but it looks like...
-Somebody already has. (LAUGHS)
You know that one.
I haven't heard that one
since like the second grade.
Come on, John boy,
park your cow and take a shot.
Come on, let it go.
-(FINGERS SNAP)
-Oh!
Where you going?
I gotta go look after the cows.
Ah, funny guy.
Do you always make friends this easily?
How big was that guy anyway?
Well, not terribly big.
-He's just captain of the football team.
-Oops.
And the captain of the wrestling team.
-Major oops.
-You know, if you'd agreed
to walk with me, we could have
avoided this whole thing.
Maybe I just like doing things
the hard way.
Please, all guys do.
I know. I have three brothers.
So, are you Jason Newfield?
Jace.
How'd you guess?
I'm Mary Beth Rice.
I'm gonna be one of your readers.
Why, 'cause it looks good
on your college application?
No. I'm totally doing it for the cash.
(CHUCKLES)
Catch you later.
(BELL RINGS)
Hey!
Is this Mr. Kamen's Spanish 2?
Yes, unfortunately.
Let me show you to a seat.
Thank you.
I guess that makes two of us
stuck here in never-never land. (LAUGHS)
So where are you from, dude?
Only the greatest place in the universe,
New York City.
Thank you very much.
Am I supposed to be impressed?
-Obviously.
-What?
Okay.
New kid's comedy
crashes and burns.
Howdy, partner!
Oh, boy.
Jace.
Farm boy.
(ALL PLAYING BACH SLOWLY)
(UP-TEMPO DRUM SOLO)
(PLAYING UP-TEMPO)
Ho! Ho! Ho!
Ho! Ho! Hey!
Hey who's playing the drums?
That's me, Mr. Wyatt.
Jace Newfield.
Jace Newfield.
(CHUCKLES) Mr. Newfield,
my man!
(CHUCKLES)
Wow.
Man, that is interesting,
Mr. Newfield.
I had no idea that Bach
had written a drum solo.
Class, did you?
I didn't know. I didn't know that.
But then again, I don't have your vast
musical knowledge.
I was just... It was a little...
No, I know.
You weren't trying to show off.
You were trying to improve
Johann Sebastian Bach.
You know what's amazing
is you are the first person
to be that brilliant in over 300 years.
Ladies and gentlemen,
a big round of applause
for Mr. Jace Newfield! Yes!
(CLASS APPLAUDS)
Look, Mr. Wyatt,
it's not that big a deal.
Mr. Newfield, please,
do not come into my class
and assume that you are better
than anybody else.
I'm not assuming anything.
Good.
Because if you want special treatment,
then you go to a special school.
In my class, everyone
is regarded as an equal.
Cool?
I'm sorry, all right. I...
Forget it.
You wouldn't understand.
My guess is I understand
better than anybody.
Okay...
In case nobody told you,
he's just like you.
Whoa.
Talk about the blind
leading the blind.
(CLASS LAUGHS)
MR. WYATT: See what you did there?
That's funny.
That was a joke.
You're a clown.
If you wanna juggle and sword swallow,
that's next door.
If you wanna make music
and be part of the ensemble,
that's right here.
Are we clear?
-Are we clear?
-Crystal.
Good. All right,
Bach, the right way.
And...
(CLASS PLAYING SLOWLY)
(BELL RINGS)
Hey, Jace, awesome playing
in there, man.
Hey, Vince.
-How's it going?
-Man, you are a superhero.
One meeting,
and you already recognize my voice?
You know what they say,
once you lose one sense,
the others kind of kick in
to pick up the slack.
-But, you're in the band, too, huh?
-Who do you think backed you on the piano?
Hey, wait. Hold on.
Nice.
So, who's that Wyatt guy?
Well... He's...
Hey, good night, Mr. Wyatt.
Hey, Mr. Shue.
Mr. Newfield.
Good evening, Mr. Wyatt. (CHUCKLES)
Shoot.
He's cool.
He just doesn't like surprises.
Great. So much for music
being my way in around here.
Well, it's kind of never in.
Uhh!
Out of my way, Fly.
Sorry for living, Nolan.
You should be.
Come on, John.
Hey, John boy.
I'm shaking already.
You know what?
You're gonna get hurt, kid.
Ooh, ooh, ooh. (CHUCKLES)
-Don't push it, Newfield.
-Oh, okay.
You really shouldn't mess
with those guys.
They were messing with me.
So, "Fly", huh?
What's the deal with that?
VINCE: Well, that's...
that's what everybody calls me.
-JACE: Not exactly a big dude, are you?
-VINCE: I will be.
I'm just behind five to ten years.
So, you walking home?
No. My mom's driving me.
She's afraid I might end up
in Colorado.
(BEEPING)
(CHAIN JINGLES)
And you're supposed to be blind?
Last year, my band played
the Christmas show at Rockefeller Center.
It was awesome.
Kids were dancing and screaming.
One girl even wanted
my autograph. No lie.
Not here, man.
Band guys are like sea monkeys,
the lowest form of life.
At football games,
it's a good night if no one throws
empty cups at our heads.
(FLY GRUNTS)
Fly, ball.
A bounce pass next time.
Yeah, sorry about that.
Forgot you're a blind guy.
So, what does a guy have to do
in this joint to be accepted?
Basically... be a jock.
(CHUCKLES) Great.
(BOARD BEEPING)
Everyone thinks, a Letterman's jacket
is, king of the world or something.
It's not gonna help me much.
VINCE: Man, what are you talking about?
You're ten times the basketball player
I am.
And you can't even see
what you're doing.
I shouldn't have said that.
Oh, I've heard worse.
Think fast!
Wait.
I'm confused.
I thought I was the blind guy?
Ha, ha. Very funny.
Chuckles.
Come on.
All right, gentlemen,
we're gonna work on the weave.
We'll need three groups at half-court.
Whose birthday is January to April?
-Mine.
-Left side.
May to, uh, August?
-Over here.
-You're in the middle.
Everybody else on the right.
Jace...
Phil Rice.
Welcome to homestead.
Thank you.
You might wanna use this time to go
do some homework or something.
Oh, no, I can do this.
I used to play basketball
all the time at home.
Not to be rude, but... how?
With a bounce-pass-only rule.
And we need a beeping backboard
so I can tell where the hoop is.
Well, I'm certainly gonna look
into getting one of those.
But for today, you'll have to sit out.
The...
the bleachers are over here.
Beep, beep.
Thank you!
Here we go, fellas!
Good, crisp passes!
(BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
BOY: All right, let's go!
-BOY 1: Nice.
-BOY 2: Go! Go! Go!
COACH: That's it.
Nice shot, Johnny.
Good job.
Good job.
(BOYS SHOUTING)
COACH: Shoot like a Ute!
That's it.
TEACHER: Yeah, Boomer?
-BOOMER: Twenty, 30, 40...
-TEACHER: No, no, no.
(SPEAKING IN SPANISH)
Claro.
Treinta,
cuarinta, y...
cinquana.
Yeah.
Yeah, okay. That's right.
That's there in the ole' ballpark.
Okay, who wants to try,
sixty, 70, and 80?
John?
(SPEAKING SPANISH)
y...
Pinta y Santa Maria?
TEACHER: That's cute.
Yeah, Jace.
(SPEAKING SPANISH)
(SNIGGERS)
Now that's what I'm talking about.
(SPEAKING SPANISH)
(BEEPS)
JACE:
(RECORDING) Sesenta, setenta, y ochenta.
TEACHER: (RECORDING)
Now that's what I'm talking about.
Yeah. What was that?
(BEEPING)
JACE: (RECORDING) Remember
to e-mail Pete about that genius girl
in math who thought an egg cream...
-Very funny, guys.
-...was shampoo. Hello, get out much?
Talk about living on planet hillbilly.
Is there a problem, Jace?
-(BEEPING)
-Somebody took my tape recorder.
Well, whoever has Jace's recorder,
return it to him, please.
(ALARM BELL RINGS)
Okay, that is the fire bell.
Now, let's take this seriously.
We don't know if it's a drill
or the real thing.
So, please, evacuate as quickly
and as calmly as possible.
(JACE GRUNTS)
MAN: (OVER PA)
Attention, students and faculty,
this is a fire drill.
-(ALARM BELL RINGING)
-All students and faculty
must evacuate the premises at once.
Make your way to the nearest exit.
Attention, students and faculty,
this is a fire drill.
All students and faculty
-must evacuate the premises at once...
-(ALARM BELL RINGING)
(INAUDIBLE ANNOUNCEMENT OVER PA)
Hey!
MAN: (OVER PA) This is a fire drill.
Hey! Somebody help me!
MAN: (OVER PA)
Please proceed with caution.
Please proceed with caution.
Don't keep staring.
For your safety,
monitors will direct you
to designated safety areas.
Please remain there
until further instructions.
(DRUMS AND GUITAR PLAYING)
(MUSIC COMING FROM ABOVE)
(MUSIC COMING FROM ABOVE)
(SIGHS)
(BELL RINGS)
Hello, hello. You're early.
All right, let the learning begin.
Let's go. Let's go.
Good afternoon. Good afternoon.
Give me some.
Give me some. Give me some.
-MARY BETH: Jace, are you listening?
-Give me some. Come on. Get up.
JACE: Yeah.
MARY BETH:
'Cause we only have a few minutes.
In the early days of colonization,
many Europeans considered
the Native Americans
to be acutely naive
and quite uncivilized.
In their remarkably narrow view,
they equated those differences
with inferiority.
Welcome to my world.
What's that supposed to mean?
Oh, yeah, like you haven't noticed.
People here have no idea
how to deal with me.
Do you know how many times
somebody starts
talking really loud in my face?
Hello, I'm blind, not deaf.
You wanna know the truth?
People don't care that you're blind.
Okay. They're turned off
because they think you're a total snob.
What are you talking about?
All your New Yorkers rule stuff,
the Hicksville jokes,
don't you think it gets really annoying?
JACE: I'm sorry but I never wanted
to be here in the first place.
MAY BETH: Well, you are here, aren't you?
So, you might as well quit blaming us
and lose the attitude.
MR. WYATT:
Mr. Newfield, you plan on joining us?
-(CHEERING)
-(BAND PLAYING)
Hey, Newfield,
why aren't you out there
playing for the home team?
Oh, I was going to,
but my seeing eye dog
kept pawing everyone's helmet off.
(LAUGHS)
-You're a funny guy.
-JACE: I don't see you laughing.
Oh, wait!
You're the one who's supposed
to be making the lame blind jokes.
You know, I would love a real chance
to take that guy down.
I really would.
Maybe you should go out for a team.
Please don't make it archery.
Oh, yeah, that's good. Look out!
I was thinking wrestling.
I'm sorry. I think she said wrestling.
Can he do that?
Please, don't encourage her.
Why not?
You could go out for our wrestling team.
My dad's the coach.
He and I went to the Regionals last year.
And saw this blind kid from Denver
who won his weight division.
(WHISTLE)
Are you two looking at me?
MAN: (VIDEO)
The only special consideration
afforded the sightless challenge
competitor
is that they and their
opponents begin each match
in full contact position.
Although each contestant
may subsequently move
and change the starting position
as long as there is some kind
of contact
between the two contestants,
the wrestling continues.
-Once contact is broken...
-(DIALING)
-...the referee must blow the whistle...
-(LINE RINGING)
-...and reestablish contact...
-Mary Beth?
(MAN TALKING ON THE VIDEO)
Okay, I'll do it.
Okay, stop laughing.
Stop...
I...
(BANGING PHONE ON THE TABLE)
Stop laughing.
Hello?
(BANGING PHONE ON THE TABLE)
FLY: How did I get roped into this?
Come on, Fly.
It'll be good for you.
Wrestling is the one sport
where the little dudes
are just as valuable
as the big monsters.
Yeah, but the little dudes get eaten
-by the big monsters.
-(JACE CHUCKLES)
Hey, coach?
Hiya, Jace.
-Who's your friend?
-Vince Shue.
You can call me Fly,
everyone does.
Good to meet you.
Word is, you guys wanna join the team.
Well, not exactly, we were...
Absolutely, sir. We are very keen.
Keen? Huh.
Well, have you ever wrestled?
A little with my dad.
Well, starting from scratch,
I mean, it'd take an incredible
amount of hard work.
Great! I love hard work.
Fly?
Yeah, what he said.
Jace, do you mind me asking
why you even think you'd wanna try this?
Just looking for a way to compete
around here, coach.
All right.
These are some tapes
from our matches last year.
I want you guys to watch them and...
Fly, why don't you describe the...
the moves to Jace, the major action.
And you guys come back
and see me next week.
If you're still interested,
we'll work something out. Questions?
Approximately, what are the odds
of me getting smushed?
(CHUCKLES) Thanks, coach.
Fly.
Oh, funny guy.
See you next week!
I don't understand.
MOM: Wrestling just seems so gross.
So sweaty.
Mom, everybody does
some sport around here. Why fight it?
Since when do you do things
just because everybody else is doing it?
That's never been who you are.
It's like I told you,
except for when I'm with Fly,
I'm either the blind guy
or I'm invisible.
Tom, don't just sit there. Help me.
I... I think he should do it.
Haven't we always told him he could do
whatever he puts his mind to, right?
So why should this wrestling
be any different?
Because it sounds dangerous.
Mom...
my whole life is dangerous.
Just walking out the front door
is dangerous.
It doesn't mean I should sit
in my room and hide.
First off, promise me you didn't forge
your mom's signature on this waiver.
If it's signed neatly on the line, you
can pretty much guarantee it wasn't me.
All right.
One forty-three.
That could work for us right now,
it's Luke Nolan's spot,
but we've got nobody in backup.
Mr. Shue.
One-o-three.
That weight class is open.
All right, here's the deal.
Anybody's welcome to work out with us.
But if you commit,
I expect you to show up regularly.
Now, if you wanna earn the right
to compete in a league meet,
you have to win your weight class
in a wrestle-off,
which I hold every two to three weeks.
Any questions?
Got it.
If you guys really wanna try this,
be at the gym after school Monday.
We'll see what you got.
Thanks, coach.
Yes!
No.
-Fly?
-No.
Come on, Fly.
All right, everybody
to the south end of the mat!
Freshmen, that's on my right.
-Sorry, coach.
-Yeah, sorry.
Okay, shot drill on my whistle.
(FLY GRUNTS)
Hey, Luke,
twenty-five bucks says the gimp
and the wimp don't last two weeks.
-LUKE: You're on.
-COACH: Chest over knees!
Watch yourself there, Jace.
Keep good head position, Fly!
Bottom man, sit out.
Top man, chop.
Bottom, sit.
Top, chop.
Tuck your elbow. Hip-heist.
Top man, follow his hips.
-That's it.
-(MIKE SCREAMS)
Dude, what was that?
JACE: Oh, man.
You okay?
MIKE: No, you head-butted me in my nose.
You probably broke it.
-COACH: Take it easy. Settle down.
-Hey, good call, coach.
Bringin' some guy in here
who can't even see what he's doing.
-Thanks a lot.
-COACH: That's enough, Mike.
Just get some ice.
Don't worry about it, Jace.
Accidents happen.
Especially when you hire the handicapped.
Let's get back to the drill.
Concentrate on your technique.
Referee's position, Jace.
When you sit out,
don't extend your head back.
It throws your balance off, okay?
-Okay.
-Ready? Go!
Good.
Perfect. Let's do it again.
Pressure first, Fly, pressure first.
Good job. Watch your hip angle, Tim.
What's your favorite nursery rhyme,
Three Blind Mice?
-Just do this.
-Big third eye blind fan, are you?
Or is it blind melon?
Quit it, freak! Get off of me!
COACH: Hey!
That's enough!
(GRUNTING)
Get off of me!
Luke, knock it off!
If you got aggression to work out,
get a punching bag.
This is wrestling, not street brawling.
And whether you were provoked or not,
I'm not gonna have one of my guys get hurt
because you can't control
your temper.
-The guy was tryin' to...
-What? He was what?
Luke...
Look, wrestling is not just
about brute strength.
It's about intelligence, Jace.
Now, you've got a good brain,
so why don't you start using it.
Okay?
Are we done?
So, how is wrestling going?
It's not like I'm in any danger
to making it into an actual meet.
I'm basically there to be
Luke Nolan's tackling dummy.
-Step.
-Thank you.
Our first scrimmage is on Monday.
The Wasatch cowboys. I know.
-The Wasatch what's it's?
-Cowboys.
(CHUCKLES) Cowboys.
How perfect is that?
Does their gym
have a hitching post out front?
What, do their uniforms
come with ten-gallon hats?
Hey, careful.
That is sounding an awful lot
like the sarcastic Jace
that you promised to stifle.
Sorry. I just don't know
why everyone's acting
like it's such a big deal.
Ancient rivalry.
Plus, their star T-Rex Turner
has been Lambrix's archenemy
since forever.
I mean, he is the defending state champ,
the only one that John has never beaten.
Wow. My palms are sweaty already.
GIRL: Come on, Boomer!
-(AUDIENCE CHEERING)
-(BOYS GRUNTING)
Yes! Yes! Yes!
GIRL: Come on!
Come on, Sheldon! Win!
You're going down, my man.
Yeah, all over you for the pin.
(WHISTLE)
-(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
-(AUDIENCE CHEERING)
Come on! Fight! (WHOOPS)
-Come on, come on, come on!
-COACH: Hey.
What was that about?
Nothing.
Nothing?
Hmm. I changed my mind.
You're gonna sit this one out today.
-What? Why?
-Because I'm not having you dive
into some personal grudge match and maybe
get hurt before the season even starts.
I'm not gonna get hurt,
I'm gonna kick his butt.
John, listen to me.
You're a senior.
This is your last chance at a state title.
Now, you're on the bench.
I'm putting Luke in your spot,
and that's the end of it.
Now, go sit down and set an example
for the younger guys.
MAN: Be strong! Be strong!
MAN: That's it, hustle!
Coach benched me.
What?
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
(GRUNTING)
Come on, Luke! Get him!
Yeah! Come on!
(BOTH GRUNTING)
Takedown, red.
Neutral, green.
(LUKE SCREAMS)
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
LUKE: My shoulder!
COACH: Better grab Dr. Norman.
Deep breath, Luke. Deep breath.
Deep breath.
(LUKE GROANS)
Try to lay still.
Try to lay still.
FLY: They took the dude away
in an ambulance, Jace.
An ambulance!
Oh, come on.
That kind of stuff happens in every sport.
Which is an excellent reason
to avoid athletics altogether.
My dad says it's a broken collarbone.
Luke's gonna be out
for at least two months.
You know what this means, Jace.
He's giving the 145 slot to you.
Why would he do that?
Because he says you've worked harder
than anybody. You've earned it.
Besides, you're the only one he's got
who fits the weight class.
First match is tomorrow.
(WHIRRING)
Hey, Jace?
Your first official match is Thursday.
Your dad and I can both be there.
His last class ends at 1:00.
Mom, you're not listening.
I don't want you there.
Why not?
Because I'll be nervous enough.
Having you and dad there will only...
I just want all my focus
to be on the match, okay?
-It's nothing personal.
-It feels personal.
I promise.
I'll let you guys come later
in the season,
as soon as I figure out
what I'm doing.
Okay.
As long as I'm still alive.
The freak is still here.
And I owe Luke 25 bucks.
How much does that stink?
Everybody thinks it's so great
he's on the team.
Do they even care how it affects
the rest of us?
No, it doesn't matter.
Everybody's too busy
being politically correct.
Hey, Boomer.
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
(FLY GROANS)
(AUDIENCE CHEERING)
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
Boo!
Hey, Fly.
Anybody can sit over there
in the crowd and boo.
You showed up out there.
Keep your head up.
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
Jace, you're on deck.
-Make sure you're loose.
-Thanks, coach.
BOOMER: Hey, Jace.
Good luck out there, man.
Good luck, man.
-Thanks, Boomer.
-Sure, sure.
(BOYS LAUGHING)
(AUDIENCE SHOUTING)
Boo!
-(LAUGHING)
-(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
(GROANS)
(AUDIENCE SHOUTING)
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
(LAUGHING)
COACH: Good job, Billy.
That's it.
Jace.
-How do you feel? You ready to go?
-Yeah.
All right. Think about
what we worked on.
Thanks, coach.
COACH: About ten more steps.
GIRL: Jace! Jace!
-Come on, Jace! You can do it, Jace!
-(BOYS LAUGHING)
Somebody sit up all night
planning this out?
When you disrespect a teammate,
you disrespect yourself.
-It's was just a joke, Coach.
-No, John. Jokes are funny.
I won't have a bully on my team.
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
Come on, get him, Jace!
GIRL: Way to go, Jace!
(WHOOPING)
This is pathetic.
He's gonna hurt us.
-(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
-(BOOING)
COACH: Go! Go!
Go!
Go!
Go!
Repeat! Repeat!
Go!
(GRUNTING)
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
(FLY SCREAMS)
(FLY STRAINING)
(AUDIENCE GROANS)
(CHEERING)
Oh, man.
(JACE HEARS OVERLAPPING NOISES)
Go, Huskies!
(JACE GROANS)
(MUSIC PLAYING
ON THE PORTABLE STEREO PLAYER)
(HUMMING)
-MARY BETH: He's at the end of the bench.
-JACE: Thanks, Mary Beth.
Nice groove.
Motown?
Late '70s, early '80s?
Maybe Funk Brothers on backup?
Nice ear, Mr. Newfield.
Nice ear.
Detroit, 1985.
Not the Funk brothers,
but definitely inspired by.
Something tells me that
you did not seek me out
simply to discuss 32 bar blues.
Well...
you know, I realize
we haven't... gotten along that great.
And I've been having a rough time.
And it seemed...
like you were the only one
that could relate.
Is this about music?
Wrestling.
Yup, I heard a rumor
that you joined the squad.
I'm getting hammered.
Besides, a bunch of the guys really
resent me for being there.
Why'd you join up in the first place?
I wanted to be part of one thing
where my disability
was totally irrelevant.
And your music doesn't give you that?
(SCOFFS)
Yeah, if I wanna be a walking cliché.
Me, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles,
-Jose Feliciano.
-Me.
-Sorry.
-No, don't apologize, man.
I'm happy with who I am.
Are you?
Doesn't it ever tick you off?
That when people look at you,
the only thing they see is a blind guy?
What?
I'm blind?
How am I gonna get home?
(MR. WYATT LAUGHS)
Man, of course! I'm a blind guy.
So are you. So what?
Thanks for your advice.
MR. WYATT: What do you want me
to say to you, huh?
"Wait. Stay the course. It gets easier."
Well, guess what, man? It doesn't.
People are gonna treat you differently
always because you are different.
Tell me something I don't know.
MR. WYATT: Okay.
Okay, I will.
You have been walking
around here with a chip
on your shoulder a mile high.
You might as well have
this little blinking light
right on your shoulder that says,
"Look at me. Pity me.
Poor, misunderstood me."
Look, why don't you...
play your song another way?
People listen to the music you make.
Play it so that they can see you
as you really are.
Wait up. I gotta grab my jacket.
(SOMEONE PUFFING)
Hey, Newfield.
Anybody tell your practice ended
a half an hour ago.
Yeah.
Maybe for you guys
that have been winning.
(GRUNTS)
Hold on. Let me grab that for you.
No, thanks, John.
I got it.
You know,
even if I don't score us
one point this season,
I don't want anyone to be able to say
I didn't work my butt off.
-Hey, Mary Beth.
-Hey, John.
Weren't we supposed to be reading?
I'm sorry. Just...
I gotta do something to turn
this wrestling thing around.
I know you're not asking for my advice,
but can I give it anyway?
(GRUNTS AND SIGHS)
Shoot.
After listening to my dad and my brothers
for a million years,
seems to me that maybe the reason why
you haven't won a match yet
is because your balance is off.
I mean, wrestling, it...
it's like dancing.
Every move should flow
from your body's center.
I mean, learn that natural rhythm,
and you'll be fine.
Great. How do I do that? (CHUCKLES)
Well, first off, you can hire me
to be your dance coach.
(DOORBELL RINGS)
(KNOCKING ON THE DOOR)
Good morning, Mrs. Newfield.
Hello, Mary Beth.
Nice dog.
And this is supposed to help me wrestle?
Yes. But first, we need some music.
All right, no problem.
I got it.
(BEATBOXING)
You know what?
I kinda brought my own.
Fine. Just trying to help.
(MUSIC STARTS PLAYING)
Now let's dance, okay?
Put your hands on my waist.
I promise I've had all my shots.
So have I.
This isn't ballroom dancing.
It's wrestling, okay?
Contact position.
Okay, we're gonna move right and left.
Just go with the flow, okay?
One, two, three,
four, five, six,
seven, eight. Now, back.
One, two, three, four.
Forward. One, two, three...
(THUMPING NOISE ABOVE)
(POTS CLANGING)
One, two,
-three, four.
-All right.
-This is working.
-One, two, three, four.
-Okay. This is working.
-One, two, three, four.
-And spin.
-Okay, this is not working.
-(MARY BETH CHUCKLES)
-There's no spinning in wrestling.
I know.
I just thought it was pretty funny.
-Okay.
-Okay.
This is Jesse the wonder dog.
-He's gonna be your wrestling partner.
-(GRUNTS)
Every move should flow
into the next, okay?
Your opponent acts, you react.
So, now show me referee position.
Okay. In a reversal,
step one is to bring
your right knee up.
Step two, swing your left knee through.
Step three, lean on your left elbow.
Step four, you grab the outside leg
and the inside arm and you flip.
So, how does that feel?
(SNORTS)
Furball.
MAY BETH: I remember when my youngest
brother Tim told dad
that he was gonna play golf
instead of wrestle.
My poor father felt so betrayed.
JACE:
Both your other brothers are wrestlers?
Oh, big time.
Billy was a state champ
his junior and senior year.
Man, how does your mom handle
all that testosterone?
Are you kidding?
She's even more into it than my dad.
I mean, there could be
10,000 people at a meet
and you could hear her screaming
over everybody.
That is, until I start screaming.
And then we're like
dueling maniacs, yelling
and carrying on until everybody
else clears out around us.
JACE: Huh...
What?
This is the first conversation
we've ever had
that hasn't ended up being all about me.
So?
So, why am I such a selfish jerk?
Selfish jerk? That's a little harsh.
No, seriously, Mary Beth.
Why would you ever
want to hang out with me?
Because you don't care that I look
like a hideous mutant she-beast.
That's not true.
How would you know?
Because somebody like you
would have to have a face
that matches her heart.
That's so sweet.
Hey...
let's not get too excited.
I'm only flattering you so you'll keep
showing up to cheer me on.
Go, Jace.
Go, Jace!
-Go, Jace!
-Go, Jace!
REFEREE: Takedown, red.
Come on!
-Two, reversal.
-Force it! Force it!
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
That's three! Near fall.
-AUDIENCE: Ohh...
-Green, injury time! Red!
Man, what is with you today?
All you gotta do is...
feel the flow.
Great fat man's roll.
-Yeah.
-Timing's good today.
-(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
-Thanks, Coach.
So, in wrestling, you have a team score
and a match score. Okay?
Each match has three tuned periods.
And you can score points
by using reversal
or an escape or pin,
which ends the match.
-Escape?
-Got it.
Here, I brought you some books.
Why don't you read up on it?
Oh, homework. Great, thanks.
-Go, Jace!
-JACE'S MOM AND DAD: Go, Jace!
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
Go for the hip toss, Jace!
(YELLS) Toss his hip!
(BLOWS THE WHISTLE) Out of bounds!
-Yeah!
-Come on!
What's going on? Is it over?
No, Jace is ahead by a point.
-That's good, right?
-Yeah.
REFEREE: Center.
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
MARY BETH: Do the hip toss, Jace!
REFEREE: Takedown two, red!
COACH: (VOICE ECHOES)
Turn him! Turn him!
Keep your head down!
One, bring up your right knee.
COACH: (VOICE ECHOES)
Come on! Pull your left!
Two, your left knee swings through.
COACH: (VOICE ECHOES)
Yes! That's it.
Three, drop to your left elbow.
Four, turn on a 90-degree angle.
AUDIENCE: Yeah!
Five, grab the outside leg and inside arm.
(AUDIENCE CHEERING)
(WRESTLING BOYS GRUNTING)
COACH: That's one! No, no! Nothing.
That's it! Center!
(WHOOPING)
JACE'S MOM: Is it over? Did he win?
No idea! Just cheerin' anyways!
-Go, Jace!
-Yeah!
Shake hands.
Green!
AUDIENCE: Yeah!
REFEREE: Victory, green!
Unbelievable.
Yup.
Buddy, you won.
Come on, man.
-JACE: No sweat.
-FLY: That's what I'm talkin' about.
(WHOOPING) Go, Jace!
And you would like to cheer
with my friend, Jace
He'll smack you in the face
He's blind as a bat
But I don't even mind that 'cause...
(JACE BEATBOXES)
Jace. Jace.
That's him right there.
-Thanks. Jace Newfield?
-Yeah.
Phil Pavone
from The Mountain Valley Times.
JACE: How's it going?
PAVONE: Great. Listen,
I'm interested in doing a story...
-What do you think of my freestyle, man?
-...on you for the Sunday sports section.
Well, my folks are kinda waitin'
for me upstairs.
We can certainly schedule
for another time.
Thanks. You know,
I'm really flattered and everything.
But there's a bunch of guys on that team
doing much better than I am.
-Why wouldn't you want to interview them?
-PAVONE: Humble, too. That's good.
Yeah, they're great, but listen,
with you, it's different.
With you, there's more of a...
Freaks and geeks angle?
That's not it at all. It's...
It's a wonderful human-interest story.
Mr. Pavone,
can we make a deal?
How about waiting
till I win a few more matches?
You know, really doing something
for the team.
Then we'll talk, okay?
Fair enough.
Good job, kid.
Thanks.
(BELL RINGING)
Study the vocabulary words
on page 79 of your workbooks.
Please expect a quiz.
Yeah, what are you worried about, Boomer?
You're doing fine.
Mike, did you get one?
Mr. Lambrix, I need to talk to you
for just a minute.
Just a bit of a problem, John.
If you're not able to manage
at least a "B"
on the upcoming midterm,
you're gonna have a "D" in this class.
That means you lose
your athletic eligibility.
But Mr. Kamen, you can't do that to me.
We're right in the middle of the season.
I'm not doing anything to you, John.
Those are the rules, okay?
It just means you have to work
a little harder over the next few weeks.
Well, I can't.
I don't get this stuff.
It's... it's like...
It's like a foreign language to you?
-Yeah, exactly.
-Yeah, yeah.
Well, maybe you should just
find somebody to tutor you.
(SPEAKING SPANISH)
-(SPEAKING SPANISH)
-Huh?
What'd you just say?
Relax.
Means "I can help you" in Spanish.
Oh...
You'd do that?
After the hard time
we've been giving you?
Yeah, well...
maybe I realized I haven't been
the easiest guy to be around.
Okay. Thanks.
You help me with my Spanish,
I'll help you amp up
your weight training.
Deal?
Deal.
(BELL RINGING)
JOHN: Up. Good job.
JACE: Very good.
JOHN: What'd I do?
JACE: Nothing. I'm saying tell me
"Very good" in Spanish.
-(SPEAKING SPANISH)
-Excellent.
(SPEAKING SPANISH)
No.
I'm saying, "Excellent",
'cause you knew "Very good."
What?
(SPEAKING SPANISH)
-I need water.
-(JOHN CHUCKLES)
-Here.
-Thank you.
Okay. How do you say,
"handshake" in Spanish?
Oh. It's, um...
It's...
(SPEAKING SPANISH)
Um...
What the heck is it?
-(DEVICE BEEPS)
-JACE: (SPEAKING IN SPANISH)
Just think, "to operate."
You know, the surgeon shakes your hand
before he operates on you.
(SPEAKING SPANISH)
JACE: Yeah.
-(MUSIC PLAYING)
-That's tight. Who is it?
Um... It's me.
For real?
Yeah, it's a fight song.
I'm still working on it.
You should keep working on it.
It's good.
All right, grab your gear.
Let me show you something.
Okay.
Here.
All right.
You ready?
All right, listen.
-JOHN: All right. Ready?
-JACE: Okay.
JOHN: All right,
go into your little over-under.
(JACE GROANS)
Okay.
-What was that?
-All right. Now, that
was my bread and butter move, my friend.
I mean, you learn that,
and you're golden, all right?
Here. One more time, huh?
-Okay. Yeah.
-Yeah? Ready? All right.
(BOTH GROANS)
(BELL RINGING)
(GUITAR PLAYING)
(MR. WYATT CLAPPING HANDS)
Very, very nice.
Feel like some company?
You think you can keep up?
Did you... Did he just say that to you?
Yeah, he did.
Go ahead. Come on, wrestle boy.
Go ahead. (HITS THE CYMBAL)
That's it?
(PLAYS FASTER)
(TAPS HIS FOOT)
(BOTH PLAYING UP-TEMPO)
Hey
All right
-Hey
-Yeah
Here it comes.
Better watch. Here I go.
Make it dirty. Come on!
Five, six...
(BOTH STOP PLAYING)
(CHUCKLES)
That was cool.
Well, told you
you could be a team player.
-I just took your advice.
-What was that?
And please, don't scare me
by telling me that you actually listened
to something that I said.
I got rid of that chip on my shoulder
the size of Brooklyn.
Yeah. Good for you, man.
It's kinda hard to wrestle when you got
a weight like that on you, right?
Thank you.
So...
Wanna go again?
Are you kidding?
I'm just getting started.
-All right.
-One, two, three, four!
-Thank you, Salt Lake! (WHOOPS)
-(JACE STARTS PLAYING)
(CHEERING)
Takedown! Two, three!
(JOHN GROANS)
-What?
-John got the pin!
-Two, fall!
-(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
Yeah!
Yeah!
All right, John!
Winner, red.
Good job.
Yeah!
CHEERLEADERS: Go, fight, win!
Go, fight, win!
(BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
(BOTH PLAYERS GRUNTING)
Takedown! Two points!
One, two,
fall!
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
REFEREE: Winner, red!
Shake hands, guys.
AUDIENCE: Jace, Jace, Jace, Jace, Jace!
Jace, Jace, Jace, Jace!
-Hey, there he is.
-Hey, Fly.
Fly! Hey, Fly.
-Wait up, man.
-Hey, guys.
Where'd you run off to so quickly?
We're gonna have victory burgers.
-You're coming, right?
-No, I've...
Gotta help my...
cousin with her math.
What cousin?
You don't know her, all right?
I'll see you tomorrow, okay?
See you, man.
I'm fine. Doc says I'm healed
a hundred percent.
It's only been five weeks, Luke.
All right? Let's give it
a little bit more time.
You start working out with us again,
but take it slow.
Coach, I don't wanna take it slow.
I'm ready now!
Let's think about your future, okay?
You're gonna be much more valuable to me
next year as a senior.
What's the point of risking
permanent damage
-to have you...
-Coach...
We're gonna take a few more weeks, okay?
Go, Jace! (WHOOPS)
How's it going, Newfield?
-All right, guys.
-You! Newfield!
-Hey, what's your problem?
-What's my problem?
You wrecked my life.
That's my problem!
What are you talking about?
You took my slot, Newfield.
Now coach doesn't wanna give it back!
Hey, I earned that spot
after you got hurt, Nolan.
Now coach is happy with what I'm doing.
So, deal with it!
What was that all about?
Jerk actually thinks he's on the team
because he's good,
not because he's coach's charity case.
Well, he has been winning lately.
You're gonna defend him now?
Dude, I don't need to defend him.
He can defend himself.
(BELL RINGING)
Coach Rice?
-Coach?
-Over here, Jace. What's up?
I want a wrestle-off, me and Luke.
Winner wins the 145 slot.
I've already told Luke
that he's not ready to come back yet.
Yeah, well, he thinks he is.
He also thinks that's the only reason
you're not giving him a chance
is because you like keeping me
around here for the freak factor!
All right, you listen to me.
You listen good.
I've been coaching for 15 years.
And I have never once made a call
that was not in the best interest
of my team.
You wanna think of yourself
as some kind of freak,
you go right ahead.
What I see is a kid
who's worked his tail off
and earned his slot.
Now, get your gear on, Jace.
-Step.
-Thank you.
You know, it really ticks me off
that you guys are so quick
to question my father's judgment
but you never stop
to think how hard it all gets for him.
I mean, no matter what,
someone always is crying and complaining
how they're getting ripped off.
You're like a stupid bunch
of spoiled babies.
Okay. I screwed up.
Do you want me to go and apologize?
I don't care. Do what you want.
Where did that come from?
You said do what you want.
But hey, if it freaked you out,
then we can just pretend
like nothing ever happened.
-Jace?
-Yeah?
Shut up.
Good idea.
(BOARD BEEPING)
(BEEPING)
(BIKE WHEEL CRANKING)
Fly?
Hey, I know you're there. Talk to me, man.
If you really wanna avoid me,
you gotta quit wearing
that stanky deodorant.
Man, you and your supersonic senses!
(METAL CLANGS)
Ow!
FLY: Hey, man, are you all right?
Are you okay?
Are you?
Please tell me what's going on.
I'm sick of being a loser, okay?
So, you're ticked at me for winning?
Yeah! At least when you suckered me
into this, we're both equally pathetic.
But, now, I can't even quit
or everybody will really think I'm a wimp.
-(CAR HORN HONKS)
-BOY 1: Let's go, Newfield!
BOY 2: Yeah, come on, man.
The party's already started.
All right. I'll be right there.
Hey, can we talk about this later?
-I gotta...
-Sure.
Wouldn't wanna keep
your superstars waiting.
-Fly...
-Look...
I get it, Jace.
You don't owe me anything.
Talk to you later, man.
(BIRD CAWING)
Didn't you have a party to go to?
I told them to hit it without me.
Why?
Care to dance?
Excuse me?
-Fly, you gotta trust me on this one.
-(MUSIC PLAYING)
If it worked for me,
it's gonna work for you.
All right, here we go, buddy.
Okay. You ready?
Keep your knees bent. Balance.
-Okay.
-Yes.
-Step.
-All right.
-Step.
-Okay.
-Step.
-All right.
-Back.
-Okay.
And hip toss.
Dude.
Hip toss?
Hip toss.
You got it?
You feeling the flow?
No, man. Actually, no offense,
but I'd rather be dancing with Mary Beth.
Come on. One more time.
No, no, no.
Since, you know, you taught me one,
now, I'll teach you one, all right?
So, watch this.
It's like...
Oh. Oh.
Fly?
-Oh, oh, oh!
-Fly. Fly.
Fly.
I'm the blind guy.
Oh...
-Yeah. Good one, though.
-All right. Yeah.
Well, I'm gonna have
to teach you that one, all right?
-You'll have to teach me. One more time.
-Okay.
By the way, in real life,
you go like this...
(BOTH GRUNT)
Looking good, Newfield. Looking good.
Nice fit.
Looking good.
How's yours fitting, Fly?
I look like the team mascot.
What?
This thing's humongous!
Why don't you take it back
and get a small?
This is a small.
Nice jacket, Fly.
What'd you do,
steal it from somebody's older brother?
It's mine, Yardley.
Give me this thing.
-Come here.
-(BOTH GRUNT)
Takedown! Two points!
-Come on, Jace.
-What'd you do, Fly?
You're next!
Running away!
JACE: KO'd Yardley?
FLY: Yeah, man.
Wish you could have seen it!
BOOMER: One fifty-eight.
I don't get it, Coach.
The scale doesn't lie.
All I know is this, you wanna face T-Rex,
you need to lose six by Friday.
Boomer. Tell me.
MARY BETH: From thence forward,
he doubled the pains
he had been at to instruct me.
He brought me into all company
and made them treat me with civility.
Because as he told them privately,
this would put me into good humor
and make me more diverting.
Hey, are you even listening?
-Huh?
-Where's your head at, kid?
Oh. Friday's our last wrestling meet.
And?
And I'm amazed
at how soon it's gonna be over.
Well, unless you make it into states.
Which we won't
unless Lambrix beats T-Rex...
Which he won't even get a shot at
unless he loses six pounds in two days.
Pressure's on, huh?
JACE: Remind me why I wanted to do this.
Wow. That was...
That was really...
That was bad. That was really bad.
No, I'm just kidding.
It's okay. We can... We can fix it.
Do you wanna...
learn to play something for real?
It can't be harder than the flute.
Oh, the flute!
Okay. Do the bass drum. Go.
Hey, we'd make a pretty good team.
You don't wanna do that.
I don't?
Well, who do you want bugged at you more,
my dad or your coach?
Aren't they the same guy?
Exactly.
Good night.
Hey, Coach!
Hi, Jace.
(BELL RINGING)
(SPEAKING SPANISH)
-Got about a minute.
-JACE: Hola. Gracias.
Hey, Newfield.
Did you read today's paper?
Oh, my bad.
He can't unless it has little bumps.
So here, let me read it for you.
"Speaking of his visually impaired
spark plug, Jace Newfield,
Coach Rice said,
'The great thing about Jace is,
whether we're winning or losing,
I know he's a real inspiration.
to every kid who sees him out there.'"
That's funny.
He tells us he's only doing
what's best for the team.
But he tells the paper that he's keeping
you around to be his poster boy.
(GIRLS CHATTER)
Coach!
If you don't put me into
a wrestle-off with Luke Nolan,
I am quitting and that's the end of it.
Is that a threat?
Oh...
Look, what's the point
of holding on to my position,
if I can't prove once and for all
I am the best guy for that slot?
All right, let's get this going.
Contact position.
Hope you had fun while it lasted.
Hope you like watching the sectionals
from the stands.
COACH: Ready.
Take him, Jace!
Wrestle!
Yes!
That's a pin!
I taught him that.
Shake hands, guys.
-(JACE GROANS QUIETLY)
-Good job.
What's up?
(GRUNTS)
Pain. (CHUCKLES)
Popped out.
Yeah, means you can just
pop it back in, right?
I can, but it's gonna kill.
Can't be any worse than it already is.
All right, trust me.
Try... relax, let me have the weight.
Let me have the arm.
Let me have the arm.
Hey, Mary Beth.
-(JOINT POPS IN)
-(JACE YELLS)
Ice.
Ice it good.
All right, let's go.
One fifty and a quarter pounds.
He's in, Coach.
GROUP: Yeah.
All right, fellas, you've worked hard
for this, you deserve it.
Now let's go out there and get it, huh?
Come on!
(BOYS SHOUTING)
Go, go, go, go, go!
Yeah, come on.
Get out there, let's go.
Whoa.
John, you okay?
Yeah, I'm fine.
You don't sound fine.
Hey look,
maybe you shouldn't do this today.
Maybe you're too wiped out.
You don't get it, do you?
This isn't just a sport for me.
It's who I am.
It's all I've got.
Unlike you, I don't do music.
All right? I... I... I stink in school.
I mean, you take away wrestling...
I don't even know who I am.
I mean, how sad is that?
-Come on, Jace!
-Go, Jace!
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
(CHEERING)
That's three... Pin! (BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
(AUDIENCE CHEERING)
All right! Jace!
The winner, green.
Winner, green.
(APPLAUSE)
Jace Newfield of the Huskies
wins the match
-over the Cowboys, Dante Romano.
-Jace! Good job!
-The team's score now is...
-Good job!
...eighteen to twelve for the Huskies.
All right, John.
We studied the film.
You know he's susceptible
to fireman's carry.
I want you to set it up
the way we talked about.
I got this guy, Coach.
Don't worry about it.
John, you need to focus, all right?
Work the game plan.
It's what you trained for.
Let's go.
-Come on, John.
-Go, John!
COMMENTATOR: This is the match
we've all been waiting for.
Two undefeated champions
and longtime rivals.
In the 152-pound match,
it's Homestead's John Lambrix,
versus our very own
Wasatch Valley Cowboy
T-Rex Turner!
-REFEREE: Shake hands, please.
-COMMENTATOR: All right. Here we go.
Shake hands like gentlemen.
Let's shake hands like gentlemen.
Shake.
Ready. (BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
COMMENTATOR: And here's the tie-up.
In a single leg attempt.
-John dive-rolled out, man.
-What's going on now?
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
COMMENTATOR: They're in the center
of the mat again. To tie-up...
John got a fireman's takedown, man!
REFEREE: Two! Takedown green!
-Two, reversal red.
-Oh...
REFEREE: Two! Two red!
That's it!
He's got him.
He's got him, Jace!
(PAYERS GRUNTING)
Takedown, red! Takedown, red!
Dude, T-Rex just tossed John.
(GRUNTS)
All right, John. Let's go.
Find your good position.
COMMENTATOR: Lambrix looks tired.
Doesn't have his usual energy.
BOY: Let's go, John.
Come on, man.
FLY: Come on, John. You got him.
-Let's go.
-BOY: Come on, John.
COMMENTATOR: Here comes Lambrix
at the center of the mat.
-Turner looks...
-(REFEREE BLOWS WHISTLE)
COMMENTATOR:
There's the lift and takedown by Turner!
-BOTH: Go, John!
-COMMENTATOR: He may have Lambrix pinned.
-John!
-Let's see what happens.
Referee looking, looking to the shoulders.
Bridge! Bridge!
(JOHN GROANING)
(BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
COMMENTATOR: T-Rex gets the pin.
The score tied.
The Huskies 18, the Cowboys 18.
We're tied now.
The rest is up to you.
Good luck.
COMMENTATOR:
Here we are in the last match of the day.
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
COMMENTATOR: We've got a few seconds left
in the third period.
Come on, Fly!
COMMENTATOR:
They're small, but they're strong.
Very wiry.
And Shue picks up his opponent
and drives him off the mat.
-REFEREE: Two! Takedown!
-(BUZZER)
COMMENTATOR:
Looks like the match is over on the clock.
We'll wait to see what the referee says.
-Go, Fly!
-Here they come.
-Good match, guys!
-It's a win!
A surprise win
for Vincent "The Fly" Shue.
Oh, a big disappointment
for the Cowboy fans.
But they'll be looking forward
to next week
when they'll meet again
in the Regionals.
(CHEERING)
Go!
Go!
Go!
Go!
Go!
Keep moving, keep moving.
(BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
All right, circle up, grab a knee.
Come on, double time, let's go.
I just wanna say
I'm really proud of you guys,
you've been working real hard.
And as you can see,
you're starting to reap the rewards.
I think this Husky team has what it takes,
not only to go to state
but to bring home the hardware.
-Yeah!
-Yeah!
-Yeah!
-Yeah.
-(WHOOPS)
-That's what I'm talking about, Coach.
And to give us the best possible chance
in the sectionals Friday,
I'm gonna put in a few changes.
John, I appreciate the sacrifice
you made for the team,
trying to get down to 52 and stay there.
But it's obviously not working.
You're going back to 160, okay?
What? No.
Coach, you do that,
I don't get my rematch with T-Rex.
You were half-dead out there.
You're lucky you didn't get hurt.
So what? I'll sleep more.
I'll power down protein drinks
and vitamins.
No, I've made my decision.
Dieting like that is dangerous
for a guy of your frame.
You're going back to 160, okay?
No, it's not okay.
Okay, guys.
That's not gonna be a distraction,
I'll handle that later.
But we have four days left, okay?
I want everybody to focus in.
Think about all the things
we worked on all year,
think about your technique.
I want you to think about
what you've sacrificed
to be here at this point
with the chance to accomplish something.
One last thing.
Luke, you're back in at 145.
Jace, you're going up to 152.
You're gonna take on T-Rex.
Motion drill, on your feet!
(COACH BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
Wait a second.
Did he just say
I'm going up against T-Rex?
Nice knowing you, buddy.
COACH: Chest over hip. Chest over hip.
Wow!
Felt that one.
Something we need to talk about?
T-Rex is gonna snap me like a twig.
You could always forfeit.
Yeah, right.
Then never show my face at school again.
On the other hand, you know,
if you truly feel
like you're not up to it,
your mom's right, you don't have to do it.
We're not gonna think any less of you,
that's for sure.
Look, not to take the easy way out,
but just... listen to your heart.
-Mr. Wyatt?
-That's me.
Why aren't you at lunch?
I wasn't hungry.
Well, you gotta pardon me for eating,
because I am starvin' like Marvin.
Hey, that was really nice, though.
Play that...
(VOCALIZING)
Thanks.
(PLAYS SOFT MELODY)
You know what I hate?
When people talk how brave
and courageous I am
for doing things
that sighted people do every day.
Like wrestling?
Yeah.
You know, bravery had nothing
to do with it.
And now they all expect me to go out there
and wrestle a guy like T-Rex Turner.
How messed up is that?
Well, Coach obviously thinks
you can handle it.
Yeah, but he's not the one
going out there, is he?
Yeah, I'm sick of almost
killing myself to fit in.
I'm really sick of it.
You're sick of what?
Aren't you the one
that joined the wrestling team?
-I was just trying to...
-You're just trying to... No, no, no.
You joined the wrestling team
to be just like everybody else.
Well, I got some news for you, Jace.
Everybody's afraid, man.
Especially people your age,
trying to figure out who they are
and where they're going
and who they're gonna be.
Man, it is absolutely terrifying.
But, see, what you gotta do right...
is you have to treat that fear
like one of your opponents.
You have to wrestle it to the ground,
and then you have to get on top of it.
You get me?
-Yeah.
-(BELL RINGING)
Cool.
But you made me miss my lunch.
Get ready for class.
JACE: Don't tell me you're bailing on us.
It's over, Jace. Just let it go.
Maybe I don't wanna let it go.
Maybe I've worked my butt off
this entire season
because I got the stupid idea
that this whole thing
-was about being part of a team.
-What's your point?
You're the one that said
wrestling's all you are,
all you have.
Finish what you started, man.
What does it matter if you wrestle
T-Rex Turner or Joe Faceless?
We don't care, all we care about
is you go out there and you win.
Hey, if anyone should run away, it's me.
I mean facing T-Rex, it's...
It's insanity.
You're gonna do this thing?
I mean,
because I can pretty much guarantee
he's gonna put some serious
hurt work on you.
I know.
JOHN: But you're gonna show up anyway?
I will if you will.
Who am I kidding, huh?
I'm totally addicted to the glory rush.
-Come on.
-All right.
COMMENTATOR: We're under way
with this year's
All-State Regional Wrestling Tournament.
And tonight's two winners
will get that coveted berth
in next weekend's State championship.
And there's a takedown and six-point lead,
an early lead for the cowboys.
Go, Huskies!
COMMENTATOR:
And now, heating up this crosstown rivalry
and moving up
to the 165-pound weight class,
for the Huskies, It's John Lambrix
And Andrew Krieger for the Cowboys.
-(CHEERING)
-(WHOOPING)
COMMENTATOR:
And we're underway, and here we go.
Come on, John!
COMMENTATOR: And here they go, they're
jockeying for position, here we go.
And Krieger gets his first takedown
with a fireman.
...a great escape and one point there.
REFEREE: One escape, green!
REFEREE: Two! Two takedown, green!
-Three, four.
-GIRL: Go, John.
COMMENTATOR: And we've got a pin.
Yes, we've got a pin,
and that ties it up.
Six points each for the Huskies
and the Cowboys.
Yeah!
(CHEERING)
Yeah, yeah!
Yeah, yeah!
And now, the Huskies' Vincent Shue
takes on the Cowboys' Grant Geisler
in the 103-pound category.
And here we go, and Shue's on the left..
-REFEREE: Takedown, green.
-Get him, Fly!
-Yeah.
-COMMENTATOR: ...trying to get him off.
REFEREE: Two!
(BOTH GRUNTING)
COMMENTATOR:
And there's the pin for the Huskies.
-He pinned his guy!
-No!
-He pinned his guy!
-Yeah.
Fly!
You know, they call him The Fly,
and he certainly flew through that,
as Vincent Shue grabs his win
and picks up another six points
-...for the Homestead Huskies.
-Yeah!
Now, that's what I'm talking about!
Come on, yeah!
JOHN: Good job, Fly! Good job, man!
Yeah, buddy. Way to go, man!
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
REFEREE: Two! Red.
COMMENTATOR: Nolan's getting up, he spins
back out, and looking for an advantage.
(CHEERING)
COMMENTATOR: Now we got a nice takedown
under the back arch, we flipped up.
-(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
-And there's the pin
and another win for the Cowboys.
Good match.
All right, folks, as we head
into the final match of this roundup,
remember, the Huskies lead at 34-29.
And anything but a pin
will send the Huskies on to state.
All right, here we go!
Remember what I told you, okay?
T-Rex loves the legs.
He's gonna go in for that sweep single,
so make sure you watch it, all right?
Got it.
How you feeling?
-Like a dinosaur snack.
-(JOHN CHUCKLES)
Come on, you can do this, all right?
-Let's go, Jace!
-Go, Jace.
Come on, Jace.
You got this, you got this.
Come on, Jace.
Come on, Jace.
BOY: Take him down.
Ready to go, man.
Jace.
Like the man said,
all you gotta do
is keep from getting smushed.
-Right, Fly?
-That's right.
I already know
you're not gonna get pinned.
You've worked so hard this year,
you should be proud of yourself.
I can't wait to see
what you're gonna go out here
and accomplish
in front of all these people.
Go get him!
Okay.
COMMENTATOR: All right, folks.
Here's another Husky competitor
who's moving up in weight class.
REFEREE: Contact position.
COMMENTATOR: This promises to be
the all-star match of the evening.
Come on, Jace!
It's the one that
everyone's been waiting for.
-Go, Jace!
-Let's go.
Right now, it's two-time
defending state champion,
T-Rex Turner taking on
Homestead's blind sensation,
Jace Newfield.
And what a contest this will be.
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
COMMENTATOR: Grappling for position.
Went for the leg sweep and didn't get it.
Still looking around.
Jace... and tries again
with another leg sweep.
-Finally it's there. Got the takedown.
-Two, red, takedown!
COMMENTATOR: Two-point takedown for T-Rex.
REFEREE: No change!
Go, Jace!
All right, buddy!
-Go, Jace.
-All right, come on! Come on!
-Roll out! Roll out!
-REFEREE: One escape, green!
-(BUZZER)
-(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
COMMENTATOR:
And that's the end of the first period.
BAND: (CHANTING) Jace! Jace! Jace!
(OVERLAPPING SHOUTS)
-COACH: Overpower him.
-(BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
COMMENTATOR:
And here we go into the second period.
He's got him. Throws him down.
No points.
Jace seems to escape once again.
Another body slam
and these have to take their toll.
FLY: Come on, Jace.
Get out of it!
COMMENTATOR:
Jace, looking for an escape.
And another...
back drop body fall.
(EXCLAIMS)
COMMENTATOR: That one looked like it hurt.
-(BUZZER)
-And that's the end of the second period.
REFEREE: Contact. Come on.
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
COMMENTATOR: Grappling for position.
Come on!
Still no advantage.
(GRUNTING)
-Break out! Come on, Jace, you got him...
-Jace manages to...
-You just gotta break out!
-Four! Five!
Yeah! That's it!
(GRUNTING)
-Come on, Jace, that's it.
-Go, Jace!
-Get up, buddy!
-Come on!
-Get up! Come on!
-Roll him over!
COMMENTATOR:
And he's out. That's a one-point escape.
-Hold on.
-And there seems to be a time-out called
for Jace Newfield.
-Yes, it's an injury call.
-Oh, no.
-An injury call has been taken.
-REFEREE: Coach, I think he's hurt.
This could spell disaster
for these Huskies.
Is he all right?
-Remember, there's an injury time limit.
-Are you okay?
That means that Newfield
will have to answer the referee's call.
Pop out again?
No, it just hurts.
-Can you go?
-Yeah.
All right, 28 seconds left, Jace.
You're in this thing.
Now, he knows you're hurt there,
so he'll probably attack it.
Use it as bait.
Leave it open, set up a lateral drop.
But you can't get pinned.
So, if it doesn't work out,
get back to your base, fat man's roll.
(BAND PLAYING ENERGETIC MUSIC)
You ready to go, son?
Ready, ref.
Everything you've got,
leave it on the mat.
-Let's go!
-DAD: He's... He's gonna be all right.
Yeah! See, right there!
Go, yeah!
T-Rex only has 28 seconds
to pin this incredibly feisty opponent.
Jace, come on!
And as Wasatch Valley team knows,
no pin, no win.
So, the question is,
can Jace Newfield hold on
and clinch the victory for the Huskies?
Ladies and gentlemen,
we're about to find out.
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
Jace hits his lateral drop. There it is.
Two-point takedown.
-Yeah!
-Yeah.
Two! Two, three, near fall.
COMMENTATOR: T-Rex with a reversal there,
a two-point reversal.
(GRUNTING)
-COMMENTATOR: Another drop but no points.
-Get it steady.
Jace worked for the fat man roll.
And there it is.
One, two, three, no.
One, two... no.
-One, two, three.
-(T-REX GRUNTING)
-(BUZZER)
-(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
AUDIENCE: Yeah!
REFEREE: Two, fall green! Great match.
COMMENTATOR: What an incredible match!
Shake hands.
What an amazing turnaround.
The win goes to Turner,
but the team win goes to the Huskies,
and they're on to state!
Yes! Yes! Yes!
Good job.
Good job, Newfield.
I'll see you at state.
I'll be there.
And that move of yours...
it won't work again.
Jace!
Yeah.
FLY: We won, Jace!
(CHEERING)
(TEAM WHOOPING)
Jace, Phil Pavone
from The Mountain Valley Times.
Now, do you feel you've earned the right
to have me do a story on you?
-I guess.
-Okay,
listen, I'd like to get
a little background first,
if it's okay with you,
talk to some of your teammates.
Sure, knock yourself out.
-John. John.
-Yeah.
Phil Pavone
from The Mountain Valley Times.
Hey, you've been wrestling for four years,
what makes this season so different,
having a blind teammate?
Wait, who's blind?
Well, this... This guy right here,
Jace Newfield.
Jace is blind?
Are you serious?
Gosh, I hadn't even noticed!
Hey, Mallon, Mike, Mallon,
did you know that...
-That Jace is blind?
-No way!
Yeah, that's what this guy's
trying to tell me.
Sounds like the dude
better check his facts.
I hang out with this dude all the time,
and it's...
It's never occurred to me
that he's like that.
Yeah, I don't know, man...
you might wanna go do some more research.
-DAD: Well, look who's here.
-MOM: Hey.
-DAD: It's the man of the hour.
-Hey!
JACE: What's up, guys?
-Ow, watch the shoulder.
-Oh, sorry, sorry!
-You were amazing tonight, Jace.
-Thank you.
Hey, uh, do you guys think
you could give us a minute?
Sure. No problem.
Yeah, we'll... We'll be out front.
-Thanks. I'll be right there.
-(MARY BETH CHUCKLES)
I'm so proud of you.
Cool.
Would you...
care to dance?
I'd love to.
You know,
I hear it's a lot like wrestling.
All you gotta do is feel the flow.
To the mat, we attack
And we'll never let up
You'd better get up
And take one for the team
Or we'll get fed up
It's one for all
The sun will shine for us
We'll run you over like a bus
And leave you in the dust
To discuss just how hard we can hit
So now you like a mosh pit
You think this is it
It's a head lock
Pile drive up homies to the mat
Like it's bedrock
You can't catch me
I move too fast
And I proved that last time we had a meet
It ended in defeat for your team
Fatigue
You retreat to the back
When we start to attack
You retreat to the back
When we step to the mat
You retreat to the back
When we start to attack
You retreat to the back
Now you're goin' to the mat
We're goin' to the mat
It's a matter of fact
-Mat
-You're goin' to the mat
It's a matter of fact
-Goin' to the mat
-You're goin' to the mat
It's a matter of fact
-Goin' to the mat
-You're goin' to the mat
It's a matter of fact
-Goin' to the mat
-Goin' to the mat
(AUDIENCE CHEERING)
Yes!
Yeah!
(WHOOPING)
MAN: Lucille, get your brother.
Hey, think fast!
BOY: Ah, here it comes.
And I'm striking him out this time.
-Here it comes.
-Give it to me.
(BALL BEEPING)
(BALL POUNDING IN THE MITT)
Ooh, swing and a miss.
What's there to do in Utah?
Same stuff they do here,
except much slower.
Hey, good luck trying to find
a kosher hot dog in that state.
-Yeah, come on, give it to me.
-BOY: Here it comes.
(HORSE WHINNIES)
-(DOG BARKING)
-(BALL POUNDING IN THE MITT)
-All right, you got this one!
-BOY: Strike you out.
Here it comes. Here it comes.
-BOY 1: Ooh, nice hit!
-BOY 2: Ooh, nice hit!
-That's out of here!
-(BOY LAUGHS)
Bet the only jazz they have
is the basketball team.
Come on, switch it up.
That sounds bleak.
I'm happy it's you
and not me going to Utah. (CHUCKLES)
BOY WITH THE MITT: Thanks.
-All right, come on. Ready for this?
-Yeah!
Okay, here we go.
All right, give me a target. Come on!
(HAND POUNDING MITT)
They got a music program at this school?
Get this, their band plays
at football games.
-Whoa, hold me back.
-(LAUGHS)
Hey, who wants an egg cream?
I'm buying.
-Oh, you know I'm in.
-I don't know what happened.
You know, I was going along
perfectly happy.
My dad gets one phone call,
my life turns
into an after-school special.
MAN: That'll be eight dollars, kids.
-Bummer.
-Yeah, you can say that again.
-Bummer.
-Bummer.
-Bummer.
-Oh, bummer.
-Bummer.
-Bummer.
That's it.
You guys are going down.
We're gonna miss you, man.
(WHINNIES)
MAN: Up there on the right.
Oh, wow!
WOMAN: Oh, honey, this is great.
It's huge!
MAN: Jace, we're gonna have to teach you
how to mow a lawn.
Looks like it's gonna work for all of us.
I think this is gonna be great.
-WOMAN: Hey.
-MAN: Good morning.
Um, would you mind putting
that on the front porch?
-I'm not sure where I want it yet.
-Yes, ma'am.
Can you take the drum set upstairs?
You know, the bass drum?
-MAN: Yes, ma'am.
-Thanks.
MAN: There it is, home sweet home.
-JACE: Wow.
-MAN: What do you think?
-JACE: Oh, wow.
-Yeah.
That's nice.
That's much better.
So, what are we talking about here?
A six-story castle?
-My own private club on the roof?
-Close.
Video arcade in the dining room?
Mermaids frolicking in the pool?
Karl Malone shooting hoops with ya.
Uh... he's not here anymore, Dad.
Or maybe not.
But I did make sure they
put your rim up first.
You wanna play some ball?
You're on.
Let's go.
(BOARD BEEPING)
MAN: Hey, Jace, you all right?
Yeah, thanks, Dad. I'm fine.
MAN: Great.
-(HOOP BEEPING)
-(WHEELS CRANKING)
How you doing?
What's up?
You moving in?
That's the rumor.
Name's Jace.
Vince.
What are you doing?
I was...
testing.
You're, uh...
You can call me... Daredevil.
But how'd you know my hand was there?
Facial vision.
It has to do with vibrations in the air.
I can tell where people are
when they move.
Like bat radar, huh?
Just one of my many superpowers.
Wanna shoot some hoops?
No, um...
I was, uh...
I'm not, uh,
that much into sports.
I... I'll talk to you later, okay?
Whatever.
(BELL RINGS)
Are you sure you don't want me
to take you in and get you settled?
What am I, in kindergarten?
I'll be fine.
I love you, Mom.
Me, too, sweetie.
(ENGINE STARTS)
Let me get the door for you.
-JACE: Thanks.
-BOY: Yeah.
(BELL RINGING)
(OVERLAPPING NOISE)
Are you okay?
Excuse me?
Do you need any help?
No, I'm all set.
BOY: So, you gonna go to
the game on Friday?
What do you say, huh?
Hey, man, are you blind or something?
Oops, my bad.
Hey, everybody.
Check it out,
a talking side of beef.
What's your name, farm boy?
Ooh, it's one for John,
one for the blind kid.
Yeah, well, I'd, uh...
I'd punch his lights out,
-but it looks like...
-Somebody already has. (LAUGHS)
You know that one.
I haven't heard that one
since like the second grade.
Come on, John boy,
park your cow and take a shot.
Come on, let it go.
-(FINGERS SNAP)
-Oh!
Where you going?
I gotta go look after the cows.
Ah, funny guy.
Do you always make friends this easily?
How big was that guy anyway?
Well, not terribly big.
-He's just captain of the football team.
-Oops.
And the captain of the wrestling team.
-Major oops.
-You know, if you'd agreed
to walk with me, we could have
avoided this whole thing.
Maybe I just like doing things
the hard way.
Please, all guys do.
I know. I have three brothers.
So, are you Jason Newfield?
Jace.
How'd you guess?
I'm Mary Beth Rice.
I'm gonna be one of your readers.
Why, 'cause it looks good
on your college application?
No. I'm totally doing it for the cash.
(CHUCKLES)
Catch you later.
(BELL RINGS)
Hey!
Is this Mr. Kamen's Spanish 2?
Yes, unfortunately.
Let me show you to a seat.
Thank you.
I guess that makes two of us
stuck here in never-never land. (LAUGHS)
So where are you from, dude?
Only the greatest place in the universe,
New York City.
Thank you very much.
Am I supposed to be impressed?
-Obviously.
-What?
Okay.
New kid's comedy
crashes and burns.
Howdy, partner!
Oh, boy.
Jace.
Farm boy.
(ALL PLAYING BACH SLOWLY)
(UP-TEMPO DRUM SOLO)
(PLAYING UP-TEMPO)
Ho! Ho! Ho!
Ho! Ho! Hey!
Hey who's playing the drums?
That's me, Mr. Wyatt.
Jace Newfield.
Jace Newfield.
(CHUCKLES) Mr. Newfield,
my man!
(CHUCKLES)
Wow.
Man, that is interesting,
Mr. Newfield.
I had no idea that Bach
had written a drum solo.
Class, did you?
I didn't know. I didn't know that.
But then again, I don't have your vast
musical knowledge.
I was just... It was a little...
No, I know.
You weren't trying to show off.
You were trying to improve
Johann Sebastian Bach.
You know what's amazing
is you are the first person
to be that brilliant in over 300 years.
Ladies and gentlemen,
a big round of applause
for Mr. Jace Newfield! Yes!
(CLASS APPLAUDS)
Look, Mr. Wyatt,
it's not that big a deal.
Mr. Newfield, please,
do not come into my class
and assume that you are better
than anybody else.
I'm not assuming anything.
Good.
Because if you want special treatment,
then you go to a special school.
In my class, everyone
is regarded as an equal.
Cool?
I'm sorry, all right. I...
Forget it.
You wouldn't understand.
My guess is I understand
better than anybody.
Okay...
In case nobody told you,
he's just like you.
Whoa.
Talk about the blind
leading the blind.
(CLASS LAUGHS)
MR. WYATT: See what you did there?
That's funny.
That was a joke.
You're a clown.
If you wanna juggle and sword swallow,
that's next door.
If you wanna make music
and be part of the ensemble,
that's right here.
Are we clear?
-Are we clear?
-Crystal.
Good. All right,
Bach, the right way.
And...
(CLASS PLAYING SLOWLY)
(BELL RINGS)
Hey, Jace, awesome playing
in there, man.
Hey, Vince.
-How's it going?
-Man, you are a superhero.
One meeting,
and you already recognize my voice?
You know what they say,
once you lose one sense,
the others kind of kick in
to pick up the slack.
-But, you're in the band, too, huh?
-Who do you think backed you on the piano?
Hey, wait. Hold on.
Nice.
So, who's that Wyatt guy?
Well... He's...
Hey, good night, Mr. Wyatt.
Hey, Mr. Shue.
Mr. Newfield.
Good evening, Mr. Wyatt. (CHUCKLES)
Shoot.
He's cool.
He just doesn't like surprises.
Great. So much for music
being my way in around here.
Well, it's kind of never in.
Uhh!
Out of my way, Fly.
Sorry for living, Nolan.
You should be.
Come on, John.
Hey, John boy.
I'm shaking already.
You know what?
You're gonna get hurt, kid.
Ooh, ooh, ooh. (CHUCKLES)
-Don't push it, Newfield.
-Oh, okay.
You really shouldn't mess
with those guys.
They were messing with me.
So, "Fly", huh?
What's the deal with that?
VINCE: Well, that's...
that's what everybody calls me.
-JACE: Not exactly a big dude, are you?
-VINCE: I will be.
I'm just behind five to ten years.
So, you walking home?
No. My mom's driving me.
She's afraid I might end up
in Colorado.
(BEEPING)
(CHAIN JINGLES)
And you're supposed to be blind?
Last year, my band played
the Christmas show at Rockefeller Center.
It was awesome.
Kids were dancing and screaming.
One girl even wanted
my autograph. No lie.
Not here, man.
Band guys are like sea monkeys,
the lowest form of life.
At football games,
it's a good night if no one throws
empty cups at our heads.
(FLY GRUNTS)
Fly, ball.
A bounce pass next time.
Yeah, sorry about that.
Forgot you're a blind guy.
So, what does a guy have to do
in this joint to be accepted?
Basically... be a jock.
(CHUCKLES) Great.
(BOARD BEEPING)
Everyone thinks, a Letterman's jacket
is, king of the world or something.
It's not gonna help me much.
VINCE: Man, what are you talking about?
You're ten times the basketball player
I am.
And you can't even see
what you're doing.
I shouldn't have said that.
Oh, I've heard worse.
Think fast!
Wait.
I'm confused.
I thought I was the blind guy?
Ha, ha. Very funny.
Chuckles.
Come on.
All right, gentlemen,
we're gonna work on the weave.
We'll need three groups at half-court.
Whose birthday is January to April?
-Mine.
-Left side.
May to, uh, August?
-Over here.
-You're in the middle.
Everybody else on the right.
Jace...
Phil Rice.
Welcome to homestead.
Thank you.
You might wanna use this time to go
do some homework or something.
Oh, no, I can do this.
I used to play basketball
all the time at home.
Not to be rude, but... how?
With a bounce-pass-only rule.
And we need a beeping backboard
so I can tell where the hoop is.
Well, I'm certainly gonna look
into getting one of those.
But for today, you'll have to sit out.
The...
the bleachers are over here.
Beep, beep.
Thank you!
Here we go, fellas!
Good, crisp passes!
(BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
BOY: All right, let's go!
-BOY 1: Nice.
-BOY 2: Go! Go! Go!
COACH: That's it.
Nice shot, Johnny.
Good job.
Good job.
(BOYS SHOUTING)
COACH: Shoot like a Ute!
That's it.
TEACHER: Yeah, Boomer?
-BOOMER: Twenty, 30, 40...
-TEACHER: No, no, no.
(SPEAKING IN SPANISH)
Claro.
Treinta,
cuarinta, y...
cinquana.
Yeah.
Yeah, okay. That's right.
That's there in the ole' ballpark.
Okay, who wants to try,
sixty, 70, and 80?
John?
(SPEAKING SPANISH)
y...
Pinta y Santa Maria?
TEACHER: That's cute.
Yeah, Jace.
(SPEAKING SPANISH)
(SNIGGERS)
Now that's what I'm talking about.
(SPEAKING SPANISH)
(BEEPS)
JACE:
(RECORDING) Sesenta, setenta, y ochenta.
TEACHER: (RECORDING)
Now that's what I'm talking about.
Yeah. What was that?
(BEEPING)
JACE: (RECORDING) Remember
to e-mail Pete about that genius girl
in math who thought an egg cream...
-Very funny, guys.
-...was shampoo. Hello, get out much?
Talk about living on planet hillbilly.
Is there a problem, Jace?
-(BEEPING)
-Somebody took my tape recorder.
Well, whoever has Jace's recorder,
return it to him, please.
(ALARM BELL RINGS)
Okay, that is the fire bell.
Now, let's take this seriously.
We don't know if it's a drill
or the real thing.
So, please, evacuate as quickly
and as calmly as possible.
(JACE GRUNTS)
MAN: (OVER PA)
Attention, students and faculty,
this is a fire drill.
-(ALARM BELL RINGING)
-All students and faculty
must evacuate the premises at once.
Make your way to the nearest exit.
Attention, students and faculty,
this is a fire drill.
All students and faculty
-must evacuate the premises at once...
-(ALARM BELL RINGING)
(INAUDIBLE ANNOUNCEMENT OVER PA)
Hey!
MAN: (OVER PA) This is a fire drill.
Hey! Somebody help me!
MAN: (OVER PA)
Please proceed with caution.
Please proceed with caution.
Don't keep staring.
For your safety,
monitors will direct you
to designated safety areas.
Please remain there
until further instructions.
(DRUMS AND GUITAR PLAYING)
(MUSIC COMING FROM ABOVE)
(MUSIC COMING FROM ABOVE)
(SIGHS)
(BELL RINGS)
Hello, hello. You're early.
All right, let the learning begin.
Let's go. Let's go.
Good afternoon. Good afternoon.
Give me some.
Give me some. Give me some.
-MARY BETH: Jace, are you listening?
-Give me some. Come on. Get up.
JACE: Yeah.
MARY BETH:
'Cause we only have a few minutes.
In the early days of colonization,
many Europeans considered
the Native Americans
to be acutely naive
and quite uncivilized.
In their remarkably narrow view,
they equated those differences
with inferiority.
Welcome to my world.
What's that supposed to mean?
Oh, yeah, like you haven't noticed.
People here have no idea
how to deal with me.
Do you know how many times
somebody starts
talking really loud in my face?
Hello, I'm blind, not deaf.
You wanna know the truth?
People don't care that you're blind.
Okay. They're turned off
because they think you're a total snob.
What are you talking about?
All your New Yorkers rule stuff,
the Hicksville jokes,
don't you think it gets really annoying?
JACE: I'm sorry but I never wanted
to be here in the first place.
MAY BETH: Well, you are here, aren't you?
So, you might as well quit blaming us
and lose the attitude.
MR. WYATT:
Mr. Newfield, you plan on joining us?
-(CHEERING)
-(BAND PLAYING)
Hey, Newfield,
why aren't you out there
playing for the home team?
Oh, I was going to,
but my seeing eye dog
kept pawing everyone's helmet off.
(LAUGHS)
-You're a funny guy.
-JACE: I don't see you laughing.
Oh, wait!
You're the one who's supposed
to be making the lame blind jokes.
You know, I would love a real chance
to take that guy down.
I really would.
Maybe you should go out for a team.
Please don't make it archery.
Oh, yeah, that's good. Look out!
I was thinking wrestling.
I'm sorry. I think she said wrestling.
Can he do that?
Please, don't encourage her.
Why not?
You could go out for our wrestling team.
My dad's the coach.
He and I went to the Regionals last year.
And saw this blind kid from Denver
who won his weight division.
(WHISTLE)
Are you two looking at me?
MAN: (VIDEO)
The only special consideration
afforded the sightless challenge
competitor
is that they and their
opponents begin each match
in full contact position.
Although each contestant
may subsequently move
and change the starting position
as long as there is some kind
of contact
between the two contestants,
the wrestling continues.
-Once contact is broken...
-(DIALING)
-...the referee must blow the whistle...
-(LINE RINGING)
-...and reestablish contact...
-Mary Beth?
(MAN TALKING ON THE VIDEO)
Okay, I'll do it.
Okay, stop laughing.
Stop...
I...
(BANGING PHONE ON THE TABLE)
Stop laughing.
Hello?
(BANGING PHONE ON THE TABLE)
FLY: How did I get roped into this?
Come on, Fly.
It'll be good for you.
Wrestling is the one sport
where the little dudes
are just as valuable
as the big monsters.
Yeah, but the little dudes get eaten
-by the big monsters.
-(JACE CHUCKLES)
Hey, coach?
Hiya, Jace.
-Who's your friend?
-Vince Shue.
You can call me Fly,
everyone does.
Good to meet you.
Word is, you guys wanna join the team.
Well, not exactly, we were...
Absolutely, sir. We are very keen.
Keen? Huh.
Well, have you ever wrestled?
A little with my dad.
Well, starting from scratch,
I mean, it'd take an incredible
amount of hard work.
Great! I love hard work.
Fly?
Yeah, what he said.
Jace, do you mind me asking
why you even think you'd wanna try this?
Just looking for a way to compete
around here, coach.
All right.
These are some tapes
from our matches last year.
I want you guys to watch them and...
Fly, why don't you describe the...
the moves to Jace, the major action.
And you guys come back
and see me next week.
If you're still interested,
we'll work something out. Questions?
Approximately, what are the odds
of me getting smushed?
(CHUCKLES) Thanks, coach.
Fly.
Oh, funny guy.
See you next week!
I don't understand.
MOM: Wrestling just seems so gross.
So sweaty.
Mom, everybody does
some sport around here. Why fight it?
Since when do you do things
just because everybody else is doing it?
That's never been who you are.
It's like I told you,
except for when I'm with Fly,
I'm either the blind guy
or I'm invisible.
Tom, don't just sit there. Help me.
I... I think he should do it.
Haven't we always told him he could do
whatever he puts his mind to, right?
So why should this wrestling
be any different?
Because it sounds dangerous.
Mom...
my whole life is dangerous.
Just walking out the front door
is dangerous.
It doesn't mean I should sit
in my room and hide.
First off, promise me you didn't forge
your mom's signature on this waiver.
If it's signed neatly on the line, you
can pretty much guarantee it wasn't me.
All right.
One forty-three.
That could work for us right now,
it's Luke Nolan's spot,
but we've got nobody in backup.
Mr. Shue.
One-o-three.
That weight class is open.
All right, here's the deal.
Anybody's welcome to work out with us.
But if you commit,
I expect you to show up regularly.
Now, if you wanna earn the right
to compete in a league meet,
you have to win your weight class
in a wrestle-off,
which I hold every two to three weeks.
Any questions?
Got it.
If you guys really wanna try this,
be at the gym after school Monday.
We'll see what you got.
Thanks, coach.
Yes!
No.
-Fly?
-No.
Come on, Fly.
All right, everybody
to the south end of the mat!
Freshmen, that's on my right.
-Sorry, coach.
-Yeah, sorry.
Okay, shot drill on my whistle.
(FLY GRUNTS)
Hey, Luke,
twenty-five bucks says the gimp
and the wimp don't last two weeks.
-LUKE: You're on.
-COACH: Chest over knees!
Watch yourself there, Jace.
Keep good head position, Fly!
Bottom man, sit out.
Top man, chop.
Bottom, sit.
Top, chop.
Tuck your elbow. Hip-heist.
Top man, follow his hips.
-That's it.
-(MIKE SCREAMS)
Dude, what was that?
JACE: Oh, man.
You okay?
MIKE: No, you head-butted me in my nose.
You probably broke it.
-COACH: Take it easy. Settle down.
-Hey, good call, coach.
Bringin' some guy in here
who can't even see what he's doing.
-Thanks a lot.
-COACH: That's enough, Mike.
Just get some ice.
Don't worry about it, Jace.
Accidents happen.
Especially when you hire the handicapped.
Let's get back to the drill.
Concentrate on your technique.
Referee's position, Jace.
When you sit out,
don't extend your head back.
It throws your balance off, okay?
-Okay.
-Ready? Go!
Good.
Perfect. Let's do it again.
Pressure first, Fly, pressure first.
Good job. Watch your hip angle, Tim.
What's your favorite nursery rhyme,
Three Blind Mice?
-Just do this.
-Big third eye blind fan, are you?
Or is it blind melon?
Quit it, freak! Get off of me!
COACH: Hey!
That's enough!
(GRUNTING)
Get off of me!
Luke, knock it off!
If you got aggression to work out,
get a punching bag.
This is wrestling, not street brawling.
And whether you were provoked or not,
I'm not gonna have one of my guys get hurt
because you can't control
your temper.
-The guy was tryin' to...
-What? He was what?
Luke...
Look, wrestling is not just
about brute strength.
It's about intelligence, Jace.
Now, you've got a good brain,
so why don't you start using it.
Okay?
Are we done?
So, how is wrestling going?
It's not like I'm in any danger
to making it into an actual meet.
I'm basically there to be
Luke Nolan's tackling dummy.
-Step.
-Thank you.
Our first scrimmage is on Monday.
The Wasatch cowboys. I know.
-The Wasatch what's it's?
-Cowboys.
(CHUCKLES) Cowboys.
How perfect is that?
Does their gym
have a hitching post out front?
What, do their uniforms
come with ten-gallon hats?
Hey, careful.
That is sounding an awful lot
like the sarcastic Jace
that you promised to stifle.
Sorry. I just don't know
why everyone's acting
like it's such a big deal.
Ancient rivalry.
Plus, their star T-Rex Turner
has been Lambrix's archenemy
since forever.
I mean, he is the defending state champ,
the only one that John has never beaten.
Wow. My palms are sweaty already.
GIRL: Come on, Boomer!
-(AUDIENCE CHEERING)
-(BOYS GRUNTING)
Yes! Yes! Yes!
GIRL: Come on!
Come on, Sheldon! Win!
You're going down, my man.
Yeah, all over you for the pin.
(WHISTLE)
-(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
-(AUDIENCE CHEERING)
Come on! Fight! (WHOOPS)
-Come on, come on, come on!
-COACH: Hey.
What was that about?
Nothing.
Nothing?
Hmm. I changed my mind.
You're gonna sit this one out today.
-What? Why?
-Because I'm not having you dive
into some personal grudge match and maybe
get hurt before the season even starts.
I'm not gonna get hurt,
I'm gonna kick his butt.
John, listen to me.
You're a senior.
This is your last chance at a state title.
Now, you're on the bench.
I'm putting Luke in your spot,
and that's the end of it.
Now, go sit down and set an example
for the younger guys.
MAN: Be strong! Be strong!
MAN: That's it, hustle!
Coach benched me.
What?
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
(GRUNTING)
Come on, Luke! Get him!
Yeah! Come on!
(BOTH GRUNTING)
Takedown, red.
Neutral, green.
(LUKE SCREAMS)
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
LUKE: My shoulder!
COACH: Better grab Dr. Norman.
Deep breath, Luke. Deep breath.
Deep breath.
(LUKE GROANS)
Try to lay still.
Try to lay still.
FLY: They took the dude away
in an ambulance, Jace.
An ambulance!
Oh, come on.
That kind of stuff happens in every sport.
Which is an excellent reason
to avoid athletics altogether.
My dad says it's a broken collarbone.
Luke's gonna be out
for at least two months.
You know what this means, Jace.
He's giving the 145 slot to you.
Why would he do that?
Because he says you've worked harder
than anybody. You've earned it.
Besides, you're the only one he's got
who fits the weight class.
First match is tomorrow.
(WHIRRING)
Hey, Jace?
Your first official match is Thursday.
Your dad and I can both be there.
His last class ends at 1:00.
Mom, you're not listening.
I don't want you there.
Why not?
Because I'll be nervous enough.
Having you and dad there will only...
I just want all my focus
to be on the match, okay?
-It's nothing personal.
-It feels personal.
I promise.
I'll let you guys come later
in the season,
as soon as I figure out
what I'm doing.
Okay.
As long as I'm still alive.
The freak is still here.
And I owe Luke 25 bucks.
How much does that stink?
Everybody thinks it's so great
he's on the team.
Do they even care how it affects
the rest of us?
No, it doesn't matter.
Everybody's too busy
being politically correct.
Hey, Boomer.
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
(FLY GROANS)
(AUDIENCE CHEERING)
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
Boo!
Hey, Fly.
Anybody can sit over there
in the crowd and boo.
You showed up out there.
Keep your head up.
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
Jace, you're on deck.
-Make sure you're loose.
-Thanks, coach.
BOOMER: Hey, Jace.
Good luck out there, man.
Good luck, man.
-Thanks, Boomer.
-Sure, sure.
(BOYS LAUGHING)
(AUDIENCE SHOUTING)
Boo!
-(LAUGHING)
-(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
(GROANS)
(AUDIENCE SHOUTING)
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
(LAUGHING)
COACH: Good job, Billy.
That's it.
Jace.
-How do you feel? You ready to go?
-Yeah.
All right. Think about
what we worked on.
Thanks, coach.
COACH: About ten more steps.
GIRL: Jace! Jace!
-Come on, Jace! You can do it, Jace!
-(BOYS LAUGHING)
Somebody sit up all night
planning this out?
When you disrespect a teammate,
you disrespect yourself.
-It's was just a joke, Coach.
-No, John. Jokes are funny.
I won't have a bully on my team.
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
Come on, get him, Jace!
GIRL: Way to go, Jace!
(WHOOPING)
This is pathetic.
He's gonna hurt us.
-(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
-(BOOING)
COACH: Go! Go!
Go!
Go!
Go!
Repeat! Repeat!
Go!
(GRUNTING)
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
(FLY SCREAMS)
(FLY STRAINING)
(AUDIENCE GROANS)
(CHEERING)
Oh, man.
(JACE HEARS OVERLAPPING NOISES)
Go, Huskies!
(JACE GROANS)
(MUSIC PLAYING
ON THE PORTABLE STEREO PLAYER)
(HUMMING)
-MARY BETH: He's at the end of the bench.
-JACE: Thanks, Mary Beth.
Nice groove.
Motown?
Late '70s, early '80s?
Maybe Funk Brothers on backup?
Nice ear, Mr. Newfield.
Nice ear.
Detroit, 1985.
Not the Funk brothers,
but definitely inspired by.
Something tells me that
you did not seek me out
simply to discuss 32 bar blues.
Well...
you know, I realize
we haven't... gotten along that great.
And I've been having a rough time.
And it seemed...
like you were the only one
that could relate.
Is this about music?
Wrestling.
Yup, I heard a rumor
that you joined the squad.
I'm getting hammered.
Besides, a bunch of the guys really
resent me for being there.
Why'd you join up in the first place?
I wanted to be part of one thing
where my disability
was totally irrelevant.
And your music doesn't give you that?
(SCOFFS)
Yeah, if I wanna be a walking cliché.
Me, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles,
-Jose Feliciano.
-Me.
-Sorry.
-No, don't apologize, man.
I'm happy with who I am.
Are you?
Doesn't it ever tick you off?
That when people look at you,
the only thing they see is a blind guy?
What?
I'm blind?
How am I gonna get home?
(MR. WYATT LAUGHS)
Man, of course! I'm a blind guy.
So are you. So what?
Thanks for your advice.
MR. WYATT: What do you want me
to say to you, huh?
"Wait. Stay the course. It gets easier."
Well, guess what, man? It doesn't.
People are gonna treat you differently
always because you are different.
Tell me something I don't know.
MR. WYATT: Okay.
Okay, I will.
You have been walking
around here with a chip
on your shoulder a mile high.
You might as well have
this little blinking light
right on your shoulder that says,
"Look at me. Pity me.
Poor, misunderstood me."
Look, why don't you...
play your song another way?
People listen to the music you make.
Play it so that they can see you
as you really are.
Wait up. I gotta grab my jacket.
(SOMEONE PUFFING)
Hey, Newfield.
Anybody tell your practice ended
a half an hour ago.
Yeah.
Maybe for you guys
that have been winning.
(GRUNTS)
Hold on. Let me grab that for you.
No, thanks, John.
I got it.
You know,
even if I don't score us
one point this season,
I don't want anyone to be able to say
I didn't work my butt off.
-Hey, Mary Beth.
-Hey, John.
Weren't we supposed to be reading?
I'm sorry. Just...
I gotta do something to turn
this wrestling thing around.
I know you're not asking for my advice,
but can I give it anyway?
(GRUNTS AND SIGHS)
Shoot.
After listening to my dad and my brothers
for a million years,
seems to me that maybe the reason why
you haven't won a match yet
is because your balance is off.
I mean, wrestling, it...
it's like dancing.
Every move should flow
from your body's center.
I mean, learn that natural rhythm,
and you'll be fine.
Great. How do I do that? (CHUCKLES)
Well, first off, you can hire me
to be your dance coach.
(DOORBELL RINGS)
(KNOCKING ON THE DOOR)
Good morning, Mrs. Newfield.
Hello, Mary Beth.
Nice dog.
And this is supposed to help me wrestle?
Yes. But first, we need some music.
All right, no problem.
I got it.
(BEATBOXING)
You know what?
I kinda brought my own.
Fine. Just trying to help.
(MUSIC STARTS PLAYING)
Now let's dance, okay?
Put your hands on my waist.
I promise I've had all my shots.
So have I.
This isn't ballroom dancing.
It's wrestling, okay?
Contact position.
Okay, we're gonna move right and left.
Just go with the flow, okay?
One, two, three,
four, five, six,
seven, eight. Now, back.
One, two, three, four.
Forward. One, two, three...
(THUMPING NOISE ABOVE)
(POTS CLANGING)
One, two,
-three, four.
-All right.
-This is working.
-One, two, three, four.
-Okay. This is working.
-One, two, three, four.
-And spin.
-Okay, this is not working.
-(MARY BETH CHUCKLES)
-There's no spinning in wrestling.
I know.
I just thought it was pretty funny.
-Okay.
-Okay.
This is Jesse the wonder dog.
-He's gonna be your wrestling partner.
-(GRUNTS)
Every move should flow
into the next, okay?
Your opponent acts, you react.
So, now show me referee position.
Okay. In a reversal,
step one is to bring
your right knee up.
Step two, swing your left knee through.
Step three, lean on your left elbow.
Step four, you grab the outside leg
and the inside arm and you flip.
So, how does that feel?
(SNORTS)
Furball.
MAY BETH: I remember when my youngest
brother Tim told dad
that he was gonna play golf
instead of wrestle.
My poor father felt so betrayed.
JACE:
Both your other brothers are wrestlers?
Oh, big time.
Billy was a state champ
his junior and senior year.
Man, how does your mom handle
all that testosterone?
Are you kidding?
She's even more into it than my dad.
I mean, there could be
10,000 people at a meet
and you could hear her screaming
over everybody.
That is, until I start screaming.
And then we're like
dueling maniacs, yelling
and carrying on until everybody
else clears out around us.
JACE: Huh...
What?
This is the first conversation
we've ever had
that hasn't ended up being all about me.
So?
So, why am I such a selfish jerk?
Selfish jerk? That's a little harsh.
No, seriously, Mary Beth.
Why would you ever
want to hang out with me?
Because you don't care that I look
like a hideous mutant she-beast.
That's not true.
How would you know?
Because somebody like you
would have to have a face
that matches her heart.
That's so sweet.
Hey...
let's not get too excited.
I'm only flattering you so you'll keep
showing up to cheer me on.
Go, Jace.
Go, Jace!
-Go, Jace!
-Go, Jace!
REFEREE: Takedown, red.
Come on!
-Two, reversal.
-Force it! Force it!
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
That's three! Near fall.
-AUDIENCE: Ohh...
-Green, injury time! Red!
Man, what is with you today?
All you gotta do is...
feel the flow.
Great fat man's roll.
-Yeah.
-Timing's good today.
-(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
-Thanks, Coach.
So, in wrestling, you have a team score
and a match score. Okay?
Each match has three tuned periods.
And you can score points
by using reversal
or an escape or pin,
which ends the match.
-Escape?
-Got it.
Here, I brought you some books.
Why don't you read up on it?
Oh, homework. Great, thanks.
-Go, Jace!
-JACE'S MOM AND DAD: Go, Jace!
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
Go for the hip toss, Jace!
(YELLS) Toss his hip!
(BLOWS THE WHISTLE) Out of bounds!
-Yeah!
-Come on!
What's going on? Is it over?
No, Jace is ahead by a point.
-That's good, right?
-Yeah.
REFEREE: Center.
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
MARY BETH: Do the hip toss, Jace!
REFEREE: Takedown two, red!
COACH: (VOICE ECHOES)
Turn him! Turn him!
Keep your head down!
One, bring up your right knee.
COACH: (VOICE ECHOES)
Come on! Pull your left!
Two, your left knee swings through.
COACH: (VOICE ECHOES)
Yes! That's it.
Three, drop to your left elbow.
Four, turn on a 90-degree angle.
AUDIENCE: Yeah!
Five, grab the outside leg and inside arm.
(AUDIENCE CHEERING)
(WRESTLING BOYS GRUNTING)
COACH: That's one! No, no! Nothing.
That's it! Center!
(WHOOPING)
JACE'S MOM: Is it over? Did he win?
No idea! Just cheerin' anyways!
-Go, Jace!
-Yeah!
Shake hands.
Green!
AUDIENCE: Yeah!
REFEREE: Victory, green!
Unbelievable.
Yup.
Buddy, you won.
Come on, man.
-JACE: No sweat.
-FLY: That's what I'm talkin' about.
(WHOOPING) Go, Jace!
And you would like to cheer
with my friend, Jace
He'll smack you in the face
He's blind as a bat
But I don't even mind that 'cause...
(JACE BEATBOXES)
Jace. Jace.
That's him right there.
-Thanks. Jace Newfield?
-Yeah.
Phil Pavone
from The Mountain Valley Times.
JACE: How's it going?
PAVONE: Great. Listen,
I'm interested in doing a story...
-What do you think of my freestyle, man?
-...on you for the Sunday sports section.
Well, my folks are kinda waitin'
for me upstairs.
We can certainly schedule
for another time.
Thanks. You know,
I'm really flattered and everything.
But there's a bunch of guys on that team
doing much better than I am.
-Why wouldn't you want to interview them?
-PAVONE: Humble, too. That's good.
Yeah, they're great, but listen,
with you, it's different.
With you, there's more of a...
Freaks and geeks angle?
That's not it at all. It's...
It's a wonderful human-interest story.
Mr. Pavone,
can we make a deal?
How about waiting
till I win a few more matches?
You know, really doing something
for the team.
Then we'll talk, okay?
Fair enough.
Good job, kid.
Thanks.
(BELL RINGING)
Study the vocabulary words
on page 79 of your workbooks.
Please expect a quiz.
Yeah, what are you worried about, Boomer?
You're doing fine.
Mike, did you get one?
Mr. Lambrix, I need to talk to you
for just a minute.
Just a bit of a problem, John.
If you're not able to manage
at least a "B"
on the upcoming midterm,
you're gonna have a "D" in this class.
That means you lose
your athletic eligibility.
But Mr. Kamen, you can't do that to me.
We're right in the middle of the season.
I'm not doing anything to you, John.
Those are the rules, okay?
It just means you have to work
a little harder over the next few weeks.
Well, I can't.
I don't get this stuff.
It's... it's like...
It's like a foreign language to you?
-Yeah, exactly.
-Yeah, yeah.
Well, maybe you should just
find somebody to tutor you.
(SPEAKING SPANISH)
-(SPEAKING SPANISH)
-Huh?
What'd you just say?
Relax.
Means "I can help you" in Spanish.
Oh...
You'd do that?
After the hard time
we've been giving you?
Yeah, well...
maybe I realized I haven't been
the easiest guy to be around.
Okay. Thanks.
You help me with my Spanish,
I'll help you amp up
your weight training.
Deal?
Deal.
(BELL RINGING)
JOHN: Up. Good job.
JACE: Very good.
JOHN: What'd I do?
JACE: Nothing. I'm saying tell me
"Very good" in Spanish.
-(SPEAKING SPANISH)
-Excellent.
(SPEAKING SPANISH)
No.
I'm saying, "Excellent",
'cause you knew "Very good."
What?
(SPEAKING SPANISH)
-I need water.
-(JOHN CHUCKLES)
-Here.
-Thank you.
Okay. How do you say,
"handshake" in Spanish?
Oh. It's, um...
It's...
(SPEAKING SPANISH)
Um...
What the heck is it?
-(DEVICE BEEPS)
-JACE: (SPEAKING IN SPANISH)
Just think, "to operate."
You know, the surgeon shakes your hand
before he operates on you.
(SPEAKING SPANISH)
JACE: Yeah.
-(MUSIC PLAYING)
-That's tight. Who is it?
Um... It's me.
For real?
Yeah, it's a fight song.
I'm still working on it.
You should keep working on it.
It's good.
All right, grab your gear.
Let me show you something.
Okay.
Here.
All right.
You ready?
All right, listen.
-JOHN: All right. Ready?
-JACE: Okay.
JOHN: All right,
go into your little over-under.
(JACE GROANS)
Okay.
-What was that?
-All right. Now, that
was my bread and butter move, my friend.
I mean, you learn that,
and you're golden, all right?
Here. One more time, huh?
-Okay. Yeah.
-Yeah? Ready? All right.
(BOTH GROANS)
(BELL RINGING)
(GUITAR PLAYING)
(MR. WYATT CLAPPING HANDS)
Very, very nice.
Feel like some company?
You think you can keep up?
Did you... Did he just say that to you?
Yeah, he did.
Go ahead. Come on, wrestle boy.
Go ahead. (HITS THE CYMBAL)
That's it?
(PLAYS FASTER)
(TAPS HIS FOOT)
(BOTH PLAYING UP-TEMPO)
Hey
All right
-Hey
-Yeah
Here it comes.
Better watch. Here I go.
Make it dirty. Come on!
Five, six...
(BOTH STOP PLAYING)
(CHUCKLES)
That was cool.
Well, told you
you could be a team player.
-I just took your advice.
-What was that?
And please, don't scare me
by telling me that you actually listened
to something that I said.
I got rid of that chip on my shoulder
the size of Brooklyn.
Yeah. Good for you, man.
It's kinda hard to wrestle when you got
a weight like that on you, right?
Thank you.
So...
Wanna go again?
Are you kidding?
I'm just getting started.
-All right.
-One, two, three, four!
-Thank you, Salt Lake! (WHOOPS)
-(JACE STARTS PLAYING)
(CHEERING)
Takedown! Two, three!
(JOHN GROANS)
-What?
-John got the pin!
-Two, fall!
-(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
Yeah!
Yeah!
All right, John!
Winner, red.
Good job.
Yeah!
CHEERLEADERS: Go, fight, win!
Go, fight, win!
(BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
(BOTH PLAYERS GRUNTING)
Takedown! Two points!
One, two,
fall!
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
REFEREE: Winner, red!
Shake hands, guys.
AUDIENCE: Jace, Jace, Jace, Jace, Jace!
Jace, Jace, Jace, Jace!
-Hey, there he is.
-Hey, Fly.
Fly! Hey, Fly.
-Wait up, man.
-Hey, guys.
Where'd you run off to so quickly?
We're gonna have victory burgers.
-You're coming, right?
-No, I've...
Gotta help my...
cousin with her math.
What cousin?
You don't know her, all right?
I'll see you tomorrow, okay?
See you, man.
I'm fine. Doc says I'm healed
a hundred percent.
It's only been five weeks, Luke.
All right? Let's give it
a little bit more time.
You start working out with us again,
but take it slow.
Coach, I don't wanna take it slow.
I'm ready now!
Let's think about your future, okay?
You're gonna be much more valuable to me
next year as a senior.
What's the point of risking
permanent damage
-to have you...
-Coach...
We're gonna take a few more weeks, okay?
Go, Jace! (WHOOPS)
How's it going, Newfield?
-All right, guys.
-You! Newfield!
-Hey, what's your problem?
-What's my problem?
You wrecked my life.
That's my problem!
What are you talking about?
You took my slot, Newfield.
Now coach doesn't wanna give it back!
Hey, I earned that spot
after you got hurt, Nolan.
Now coach is happy with what I'm doing.
So, deal with it!
What was that all about?
Jerk actually thinks he's on the team
because he's good,
not because he's coach's charity case.
Well, he has been winning lately.
You're gonna defend him now?
Dude, I don't need to defend him.
He can defend himself.
(BELL RINGING)
Coach Rice?
-Coach?
-Over here, Jace. What's up?
I want a wrestle-off, me and Luke.
Winner wins the 145 slot.
I've already told Luke
that he's not ready to come back yet.
Yeah, well, he thinks he is.
He also thinks that's the only reason
you're not giving him a chance
is because you like keeping me
around here for the freak factor!
All right, you listen to me.
You listen good.
I've been coaching for 15 years.
And I have never once made a call
that was not in the best interest
of my team.
You wanna think of yourself
as some kind of freak,
you go right ahead.
What I see is a kid
who's worked his tail off
and earned his slot.
Now, get your gear on, Jace.
-Step.
-Thank you.
You know, it really ticks me off
that you guys are so quick
to question my father's judgment
but you never stop
to think how hard it all gets for him.
I mean, no matter what,
someone always is crying and complaining
how they're getting ripped off.
You're like a stupid bunch
of spoiled babies.
Okay. I screwed up.
Do you want me to go and apologize?
I don't care. Do what you want.
Where did that come from?
You said do what you want.
But hey, if it freaked you out,
then we can just pretend
like nothing ever happened.
-Jace?
-Yeah?
Shut up.
Good idea.
(BOARD BEEPING)
(BEEPING)
(BIKE WHEEL CRANKING)
Fly?
Hey, I know you're there. Talk to me, man.
If you really wanna avoid me,
you gotta quit wearing
that stanky deodorant.
Man, you and your supersonic senses!
(METAL CLANGS)
Ow!
FLY: Hey, man, are you all right?
Are you okay?
Are you?
Please tell me what's going on.
I'm sick of being a loser, okay?
So, you're ticked at me for winning?
Yeah! At least when you suckered me
into this, we're both equally pathetic.
But, now, I can't even quit
or everybody will really think I'm a wimp.
-(CAR HORN HONKS)
-BOY 1: Let's go, Newfield!
BOY 2: Yeah, come on, man.
The party's already started.
All right. I'll be right there.
Hey, can we talk about this later?
-I gotta...
-Sure.
Wouldn't wanna keep
your superstars waiting.
-Fly...
-Look...
I get it, Jace.
You don't owe me anything.
Talk to you later, man.
(BIRD CAWING)
Didn't you have a party to go to?
I told them to hit it without me.
Why?
Care to dance?
Excuse me?
-Fly, you gotta trust me on this one.
-(MUSIC PLAYING)
If it worked for me,
it's gonna work for you.
All right, here we go, buddy.
Okay. You ready?
Keep your knees bent. Balance.
-Okay.
-Yes.
-Step.
-All right.
-Step.
-Okay.
-Step.
-All right.
-Back.
-Okay.
And hip toss.
Dude.
Hip toss?
Hip toss.
You got it?
You feeling the flow?
No, man. Actually, no offense,
but I'd rather be dancing with Mary Beth.
Come on. One more time.
No, no, no.
Since, you know, you taught me one,
now, I'll teach you one, all right?
So, watch this.
It's like...
Oh. Oh.
Fly?
-Oh, oh, oh!
-Fly. Fly.
Fly.
I'm the blind guy.
Oh...
-Yeah. Good one, though.
-All right. Yeah.
Well, I'm gonna have
to teach you that one, all right?
-You'll have to teach me. One more time.
-Okay.
By the way, in real life,
you go like this...
(BOTH GRUNT)
Looking good, Newfield. Looking good.
Nice fit.
Looking good.
How's yours fitting, Fly?
I look like the team mascot.
What?
This thing's humongous!
Why don't you take it back
and get a small?
This is a small.
Nice jacket, Fly.
What'd you do,
steal it from somebody's older brother?
It's mine, Yardley.
Give me this thing.
-Come here.
-(BOTH GRUNT)
Takedown! Two points!
-Come on, Jace.
-What'd you do, Fly?
You're next!
Running away!
JACE: KO'd Yardley?
FLY: Yeah, man.
Wish you could have seen it!
BOOMER: One fifty-eight.
I don't get it, Coach.
The scale doesn't lie.
All I know is this, you wanna face T-Rex,
you need to lose six by Friday.
Boomer. Tell me.
MARY BETH: From thence forward,
he doubled the pains
he had been at to instruct me.
He brought me into all company
and made them treat me with civility.
Because as he told them privately,
this would put me into good humor
and make me more diverting.
Hey, are you even listening?
-Huh?
-Where's your head at, kid?
Oh. Friday's our last wrestling meet.
And?
And I'm amazed
at how soon it's gonna be over.
Well, unless you make it into states.
Which we won't
unless Lambrix beats T-Rex...
Which he won't even get a shot at
unless he loses six pounds in two days.
Pressure's on, huh?
JACE: Remind me why I wanted to do this.
Wow. That was...
That was really...
That was bad. That was really bad.
No, I'm just kidding.
It's okay. We can... We can fix it.
Do you wanna...
learn to play something for real?
It can't be harder than the flute.
Oh, the flute!
Okay. Do the bass drum. Go.
Hey, we'd make a pretty good team.
You don't wanna do that.
I don't?
Well, who do you want bugged at you more,
my dad or your coach?
Aren't they the same guy?
Exactly.
Good night.
Hey, Coach!
Hi, Jace.
(BELL RINGING)
(SPEAKING SPANISH)
-Got about a minute.
-JACE: Hola. Gracias.
Hey, Newfield.
Did you read today's paper?
Oh, my bad.
He can't unless it has little bumps.
So here, let me read it for you.
"Speaking of his visually impaired
spark plug, Jace Newfield,
Coach Rice said,
'The great thing about Jace is,
whether we're winning or losing,
I know he's a real inspiration.
to every kid who sees him out there.'"
That's funny.
He tells us he's only doing
what's best for the team.
But he tells the paper that he's keeping
you around to be his poster boy.
(GIRLS CHATTER)
Coach!
If you don't put me into
a wrestle-off with Luke Nolan,
I am quitting and that's the end of it.
Is that a threat?
Oh...
Look, what's the point
of holding on to my position,
if I can't prove once and for all
I am the best guy for that slot?
All right, let's get this going.
Contact position.
Hope you had fun while it lasted.
Hope you like watching the sectionals
from the stands.
COACH: Ready.
Take him, Jace!
Wrestle!
Yes!
That's a pin!
I taught him that.
Shake hands, guys.
-(JACE GROANS QUIETLY)
-Good job.
What's up?
(GRUNTS)
Pain. (CHUCKLES)
Popped out.
Yeah, means you can just
pop it back in, right?
I can, but it's gonna kill.
Can't be any worse than it already is.
All right, trust me.
Try... relax, let me have the weight.
Let me have the arm.
Let me have the arm.
Hey, Mary Beth.
-(JOINT POPS IN)
-(JACE YELLS)
Ice.
Ice it good.
All right, let's go.
One fifty and a quarter pounds.
He's in, Coach.
GROUP: Yeah.
All right, fellas, you've worked hard
for this, you deserve it.
Now let's go out there and get it, huh?
Come on!
(BOYS SHOUTING)
Go, go, go, go, go!
Yeah, come on.
Get out there, let's go.
Whoa.
John, you okay?
Yeah, I'm fine.
You don't sound fine.
Hey look,
maybe you shouldn't do this today.
Maybe you're too wiped out.
You don't get it, do you?
This isn't just a sport for me.
It's who I am.
It's all I've got.
Unlike you, I don't do music.
All right? I... I... I stink in school.
I mean, you take away wrestling...
I don't even know who I am.
I mean, how sad is that?
-Come on, Jace!
-Go, Jace!
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
(CHEERING)
That's three... Pin! (BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
(AUDIENCE CHEERING)
All right! Jace!
The winner, green.
Winner, green.
(APPLAUSE)
Jace Newfield of the Huskies
wins the match
-over the Cowboys, Dante Romano.
-Jace! Good job!
-The team's score now is...
-Good job!
...eighteen to twelve for the Huskies.
All right, John.
We studied the film.
You know he's susceptible
to fireman's carry.
I want you to set it up
the way we talked about.
I got this guy, Coach.
Don't worry about it.
John, you need to focus, all right?
Work the game plan.
It's what you trained for.
Let's go.
-Come on, John.
-Go, John!
COMMENTATOR: This is the match
we've all been waiting for.
Two undefeated champions
and longtime rivals.
In the 152-pound match,
it's Homestead's John Lambrix,
versus our very own
Wasatch Valley Cowboy
T-Rex Turner!
-REFEREE: Shake hands, please.
-COMMENTATOR: All right. Here we go.
Shake hands like gentlemen.
Let's shake hands like gentlemen.
Shake.
Ready. (BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
COMMENTATOR: And here's the tie-up.
In a single leg attempt.
-John dive-rolled out, man.
-What's going on now?
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
COMMENTATOR: They're in the center
of the mat again. To tie-up...
John got a fireman's takedown, man!
REFEREE: Two! Takedown green!
-Two, reversal red.
-Oh...
REFEREE: Two! Two red!
That's it!
He's got him.
He's got him, Jace!
(PAYERS GRUNTING)
Takedown, red! Takedown, red!
Dude, T-Rex just tossed John.
(GRUNTS)
All right, John. Let's go.
Find your good position.
COMMENTATOR: Lambrix looks tired.
Doesn't have his usual energy.
BOY: Let's go, John.
Come on, man.
FLY: Come on, John. You got him.
-Let's go.
-BOY: Come on, John.
COMMENTATOR: Here comes Lambrix
at the center of the mat.
-Turner looks...
-(REFEREE BLOWS WHISTLE)
COMMENTATOR:
There's the lift and takedown by Turner!
-BOTH: Go, John!
-COMMENTATOR: He may have Lambrix pinned.
-John!
-Let's see what happens.
Referee looking, looking to the shoulders.
Bridge! Bridge!
(JOHN GROANING)
(BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
COMMENTATOR: T-Rex gets the pin.
The score tied.
The Huskies 18, the Cowboys 18.
We're tied now.
The rest is up to you.
Good luck.
COMMENTATOR:
Here we are in the last match of the day.
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
COMMENTATOR: We've got a few seconds left
in the third period.
Come on, Fly!
COMMENTATOR:
They're small, but they're strong.
Very wiry.
And Shue picks up his opponent
and drives him off the mat.
-REFEREE: Two! Takedown!
-(BUZZER)
COMMENTATOR:
Looks like the match is over on the clock.
We'll wait to see what the referee says.
-Go, Fly!
-Here they come.
-Good match, guys!
-It's a win!
A surprise win
for Vincent "The Fly" Shue.
Oh, a big disappointment
for the Cowboy fans.
But they'll be looking forward
to next week
when they'll meet again
in the Regionals.
(CHEERING)
Go!
Go!
Go!
Go!
Go!
Keep moving, keep moving.
(BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
All right, circle up, grab a knee.
Come on, double time, let's go.
I just wanna say
I'm really proud of you guys,
you've been working real hard.
And as you can see,
you're starting to reap the rewards.
I think this Husky team has what it takes,
not only to go to state
but to bring home the hardware.
-Yeah!
-Yeah!
-Yeah!
-Yeah.
-(WHOOPS)
-That's what I'm talking about, Coach.
And to give us the best possible chance
in the sectionals Friday,
I'm gonna put in a few changes.
John, I appreciate the sacrifice
you made for the team,
trying to get down to 52 and stay there.
But it's obviously not working.
You're going back to 160, okay?
What? No.
Coach, you do that,
I don't get my rematch with T-Rex.
You were half-dead out there.
You're lucky you didn't get hurt.
So what? I'll sleep more.
I'll power down protein drinks
and vitamins.
No, I've made my decision.
Dieting like that is dangerous
for a guy of your frame.
You're going back to 160, okay?
No, it's not okay.
Okay, guys.
That's not gonna be a distraction,
I'll handle that later.
But we have four days left, okay?
I want everybody to focus in.
Think about all the things
we worked on all year,
think about your technique.
I want you to think about
what you've sacrificed
to be here at this point
with the chance to accomplish something.
One last thing.
Luke, you're back in at 145.
Jace, you're going up to 152.
You're gonna take on T-Rex.
Motion drill, on your feet!
(COACH BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
Wait a second.
Did he just say
I'm going up against T-Rex?
Nice knowing you, buddy.
COACH: Chest over hip. Chest over hip.
Wow!
Felt that one.
Something we need to talk about?
T-Rex is gonna snap me like a twig.
You could always forfeit.
Yeah, right.
Then never show my face at school again.
On the other hand, you know,
if you truly feel
like you're not up to it,
your mom's right, you don't have to do it.
We're not gonna think any less of you,
that's for sure.
Look, not to take the easy way out,
but just... listen to your heart.
-Mr. Wyatt?
-That's me.
Why aren't you at lunch?
I wasn't hungry.
Well, you gotta pardon me for eating,
because I am starvin' like Marvin.
Hey, that was really nice, though.
Play that...
(VOCALIZING)
Thanks.
(PLAYS SOFT MELODY)
You know what I hate?
When people talk how brave
and courageous I am
for doing things
that sighted people do every day.
Like wrestling?
Yeah.
You know, bravery had nothing
to do with it.
And now they all expect me to go out there
and wrestle a guy like T-Rex Turner.
How messed up is that?
Well, Coach obviously thinks
you can handle it.
Yeah, but he's not the one
going out there, is he?
Yeah, I'm sick of almost
killing myself to fit in.
I'm really sick of it.
You're sick of what?
Aren't you the one
that joined the wrestling team?
-I was just trying to...
-You're just trying to... No, no, no.
You joined the wrestling team
to be just like everybody else.
Well, I got some news for you, Jace.
Everybody's afraid, man.
Especially people your age,
trying to figure out who they are
and where they're going
and who they're gonna be.
Man, it is absolutely terrifying.
But, see, what you gotta do right...
is you have to treat that fear
like one of your opponents.
You have to wrestle it to the ground,
and then you have to get on top of it.
You get me?
-Yeah.
-(BELL RINGING)
Cool.
But you made me miss my lunch.
Get ready for class.
JACE: Don't tell me you're bailing on us.
It's over, Jace. Just let it go.
Maybe I don't wanna let it go.
Maybe I've worked my butt off
this entire season
because I got the stupid idea
that this whole thing
-was about being part of a team.
-What's your point?
You're the one that said
wrestling's all you are,
all you have.
Finish what you started, man.
What does it matter if you wrestle
T-Rex Turner or Joe Faceless?
We don't care, all we care about
is you go out there and you win.
Hey, if anyone should run away, it's me.
I mean facing T-Rex, it's...
It's insanity.
You're gonna do this thing?
I mean,
because I can pretty much guarantee
he's gonna put some serious
hurt work on you.
I know.
JOHN: But you're gonna show up anyway?
I will if you will.
Who am I kidding, huh?
I'm totally addicted to the glory rush.
-Come on.
-All right.
COMMENTATOR: We're under way
with this year's
All-State Regional Wrestling Tournament.
And tonight's two winners
will get that coveted berth
in next weekend's State championship.
And there's a takedown and six-point lead,
an early lead for the cowboys.
Go, Huskies!
COMMENTATOR:
And now, heating up this crosstown rivalry
and moving up
to the 165-pound weight class,
for the Huskies, It's John Lambrix
And Andrew Krieger for the Cowboys.
-(CHEERING)
-(WHOOPING)
COMMENTATOR:
And we're underway, and here we go.
Come on, John!
COMMENTATOR: And here they go, they're
jockeying for position, here we go.
And Krieger gets his first takedown
with a fireman.
...a great escape and one point there.
REFEREE: One escape, green!
REFEREE: Two! Two takedown, green!
-Three, four.
-GIRL: Go, John.
COMMENTATOR: And we've got a pin.
Yes, we've got a pin,
and that ties it up.
Six points each for the Huskies
and the Cowboys.
Yeah!
(CHEERING)
Yeah, yeah!
Yeah, yeah!
And now, the Huskies' Vincent Shue
takes on the Cowboys' Grant Geisler
in the 103-pound category.
And here we go, and Shue's on the left..
-REFEREE: Takedown, green.
-Get him, Fly!
-Yeah.
-COMMENTATOR: ...trying to get him off.
REFEREE: Two!
(BOTH GRUNTING)
COMMENTATOR:
And there's the pin for the Huskies.
-He pinned his guy!
-No!
-He pinned his guy!
-Yeah.
Fly!
You know, they call him The Fly,
and he certainly flew through that,
as Vincent Shue grabs his win
and picks up another six points
-...for the Homestead Huskies.
-Yeah!
Now, that's what I'm talking about!
Come on, yeah!
JOHN: Good job, Fly! Good job, man!
Yeah, buddy. Way to go, man!
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
REFEREE: Two! Red.
COMMENTATOR: Nolan's getting up, he spins
back out, and looking for an advantage.
(CHEERING)
COMMENTATOR: Now we got a nice takedown
under the back arch, we flipped up.
-(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
-And there's the pin
and another win for the Cowboys.
Good match.
All right, folks, as we head
into the final match of this roundup,
remember, the Huskies lead at 34-29.
And anything but a pin
will send the Huskies on to state.
All right, here we go!
Remember what I told you, okay?
T-Rex loves the legs.
He's gonna go in for that sweep single,
so make sure you watch it, all right?
Got it.
How you feeling?
-Like a dinosaur snack.
-(JOHN CHUCKLES)
Come on, you can do this, all right?
-Let's go, Jace!
-Go, Jace.
Come on, Jace.
You got this, you got this.
Come on, Jace.
Come on, Jace.
BOY: Take him down.
Ready to go, man.
Jace.
Like the man said,
all you gotta do
is keep from getting smushed.
-Right, Fly?
-That's right.
I already know
you're not gonna get pinned.
You've worked so hard this year,
you should be proud of yourself.
I can't wait to see
what you're gonna go out here
and accomplish
in front of all these people.
Go get him!
Okay.
COMMENTATOR: All right, folks.
Here's another Husky competitor
who's moving up in weight class.
REFEREE: Contact position.
COMMENTATOR: This promises to be
the all-star match of the evening.
Come on, Jace!
It's the one that
everyone's been waiting for.
-Go, Jace!
-Let's go.
Right now, it's two-time
defending state champion,
T-Rex Turner taking on
Homestead's blind sensation,
Jace Newfield.
And what a contest this will be.
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
COMMENTATOR: Grappling for position.
Went for the leg sweep and didn't get it.
Still looking around.
Jace... and tries again
with another leg sweep.
-Finally it's there. Got the takedown.
-Two, red, takedown!
COMMENTATOR: Two-point takedown for T-Rex.
REFEREE: No change!
Go, Jace!
All right, buddy!
-Go, Jace.
-All right, come on! Come on!
-Roll out! Roll out!
-REFEREE: One escape, green!
-(BUZZER)
-(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
COMMENTATOR:
And that's the end of the first period.
BAND: (CHANTING) Jace! Jace! Jace!
(OVERLAPPING SHOUTS)
-COACH: Overpower him.
-(BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
COMMENTATOR:
And here we go into the second period.
He's got him. Throws him down.
No points.
Jace seems to escape once again.
Another body slam
and these have to take their toll.
FLY: Come on, Jace.
Get out of it!
COMMENTATOR:
Jace, looking for an escape.
And another...
back drop body fall.
(EXCLAIMS)
COMMENTATOR: That one looked like it hurt.
-(BUZZER)
-And that's the end of the second period.
REFEREE: Contact. Come on.
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
COMMENTATOR: Grappling for position.
Come on!
Still no advantage.
(GRUNTING)
-Break out! Come on, Jace, you got him...
-Jace manages to...
-You just gotta break out!
-Four! Five!
Yeah! That's it!
(GRUNTING)
-Come on, Jace, that's it.
-Go, Jace!
-Get up, buddy!
-Come on!
-Get up! Come on!
-Roll him over!
COMMENTATOR:
And he's out. That's a one-point escape.
-Hold on.
-And there seems to be a time-out called
for Jace Newfield.
-Yes, it's an injury call.
-Oh, no.
-An injury call has been taken.
-REFEREE: Coach, I think he's hurt.
This could spell disaster
for these Huskies.
Is he all right?
-Remember, there's an injury time limit.
-Are you okay?
That means that Newfield
will have to answer the referee's call.
Pop out again?
No, it just hurts.
-Can you go?
-Yeah.
All right, 28 seconds left, Jace.
You're in this thing.
Now, he knows you're hurt there,
so he'll probably attack it.
Use it as bait.
Leave it open, set up a lateral drop.
But you can't get pinned.
So, if it doesn't work out,
get back to your base, fat man's roll.
(BAND PLAYING ENERGETIC MUSIC)
You ready to go, son?
Ready, ref.
Everything you've got,
leave it on the mat.
-Let's go!
-DAD: He's... He's gonna be all right.
Yeah! See, right there!
Go, yeah!
T-Rex only has 28 seconds
to pin this incredibly feisty opponent.
Jace, come on!
And as Wasatch Valley team knows,
no pin, no win.
So, the question is,
can Jace Newfield hold on
and clinch the victory for the Huskies?
Ladies and gentlemen,
we're about to find out.
(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
Jace hits his lateral drop. There it is.
Two-point takedown.
-Yeah!
-Yeah.
Two! Two, three, near fall.
COMMENTATOR: T-Rex with a reversal there,
a two-point reversal.
(GRUNTING)
-COMMENTATOR: Another drop but no points.
-Get it steady.
Jace worked for the fat man roll.
And there it is.
One, two, three, no.
One, two... no.
-One, two, three.
-(T-REX GRUNTING)
-(BUZZER)
-(REFEREE BLOWS THE WHISTLE)
AUDIENCE: Yeah!
REFEREE: Two, fall green! Great match.
COMMENTATOR: What an incredible match!
Shake hands.
What an amazing turnaround.
The win goes to Turner,
but the team win goes to the Huskies,
and they're on to state!
Yes! Yes! Yes!
Good job.
Good job, Newfield.
I'll see you at state.
I'll be there.
And that move of yours...
it won't work again.
Jace!
Yeah.
FLY: We won, Jace!
(CHEERING)
(TEAM WHOOPING)
Jace, Phil Pavone
from The Mountain Valley Times.
Now, do you feel you've earned the right
to have me do a story on you?
-I guess.
-Okay,
listen, I'd like to get
a little background first,
if it's okay with you,
talk to some of your teammates.
Sure, knock yourself out.
-John. John.
-Yeah.
Phil Pavone
from The Mountain Valley Times.
Hey, you've been wrestling for four years,
what makes this season so different,
having a blind teammate?
Wait, who's blind?
Well, this... This guy right here,
Jace Newfield.
Jace is blind?
Are you serious?
Gosh, I hadn't even noticed!
Hey, Mallon, Mike, Mallon,
did you know that...
-That Jace is blind?
-No way!
Yeah, that's what this guy's
trying to tell me.
Sounds like the dude
better check his facts.
I hang out with this dude all the time,
and it's...
It's never occurred to me
that he's like that.
Yeah, I don't know, man...
you might wanna go do some more research.
-DAD: Well, look who's here.
-MOM: Hey.
-DAD: It's the man of the hour.
-Hey!
JACE: What's up, guys?
-Ow, watch the shoulder.
-Oh, sorry, sorry!
-You were amazing tonight, Jace.
-Thank you.
Hey, uh, do you guys think
you could give us a minute?
Sure. No problem.
Yeah, we'll... We'll be out front.
-Thanks. I'll be right there.
-(MARY BETH CHUCKLES)
I'm so proud of you.
Cool.
Would you...
care to dance?
I'd love to.
You know,
I hear it's a lot like wrestling.
All you gotta do is feel the flow.
To the mat, we attack
And we'll never let up
You'd better get up
And take one for the team
Or we'll get fed up
It's one for all
The sun will shine for us
We'll run you over like a bus
And leave you in the dust
To discuss just how hard we can hit
So now you like a mosh pit
You think this is it
It's a head lock
Pile drive up homies to the mat
Like it's bedrock
You can't catch me
I move too fast
And I proved that last time we had a meet
It ended in defeat for your team
Fatigue
You retreat to the back
When we start to attack
You retreat to the back
When we step to the mat
You retreat to the back
When we start to attack
You retreat to the back
Now you're goin' to the mat
We're goin' to the mat
It's a matter of fact
-Mat
-You're goin' to the mat
It's a matter of fact
-Goin' to the mat
-You're goin' to the mat
It's a matter of fact
-Goin' to the mat
-You're goin' to the mat
It's a matter of fact
-Goin' to the mat
-Goin' to the mat