Swagger (2021–…): Season 2, Episode 4 - Through the Fire - full transcript

[siren wailing]

[spectators cheering]

Hey, come on…

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

[Jace] Quick! Quick!

[players clamoring]

- It's not his fault, you gotta calm down.
- Go, go, go, ball in.

Hey. Come on across court.

- Go!
- [spectator] Come on…

[speaks indistinctly] Keep that ball up!
Keep that ball up!

- [spectators clamoring]
- [Musa grunting]



- Time-out. Time-out.
- [whistle blows]

- [Bells cheering]
- [Musa groans] Damn it!

Run!

[cow bells clanging]

Listen, all right? They are coming
for y'all, and they're not gonna stop.

This right here comes with the territory.
Can you rise to the occasion?

Oh, Subpoena Prep, welcome to New York.

- [spectators laughing]
- They been talking shit all day.

Don't let it rattle you, okay? Use it.

Nah, I got you Cedar Cove.

- Justice by any means necessary.
- Yeah.

[spectator] Don't y'all want
Kings County Criminal Court?

- It's on Atlantic and Smith.
- [spectators laughing]

Man, I'm sick of this shit!
Let's shut them down y'all.



- That's right y'all, come on. Let's go.
- [Phil] Yeah.

[Musa]
"Shut 'em down" on three, one, two, three!

- [players] Shut 'em down!
- CJ, you're in for Musa.

Let's go!

[Seymour sighs]

Breathe.

Now tie your shoes.

- [Ike] CJ, get to the corner!
- You got this, CJ.

[Ike] Go, Phil!

[Drew grunting]

Damn it, Drew.

You're doing too much, bro. Too much.

- Defense!
- Come on! [groans]

[taunts]

- [buzzer sounds]
- [Naim] No, no, no! No! No. No.

- [chuckling] Yeah!
- [Naim] No. CJ, look at me.

["Ring My Bell" playing]

[cow bells clanging]

[mouthing words] Let's go.

It's just some Internet rumor, Ma.

In two weeks they'll be talking
about something else.

I love you too.

[sighs]

[knocking]

[Jace sighs]

What's up, man?

What up?

Yeah, what happened today?

- [Jace sighs]
- We lost to a team that's not even top 25.

[sighs] I know how you feel.

- Do you?
- Yeah.

Not being able to help your team
down the stretch sucks.

We didn't lose 'cause I didn't suit up.
We lost 'cause we're not a real team.

- [Phil] What?
- What you mean?

Course we're a real team.
It was just a bad loss.

They're calling us vigilantes,

Crystal's henchmen, heroes, thugs.

[scoffs] You got nothing to say
about that?

- Do you?
- No!

- 'Cause I have shit to do with it.
- Neither did we.

I got the Puerto Rican national team
looking at me now.

Do you know what that could mean for me?

I'm fighting to come back
from this injury, man.

I don't need scouts
questioning my character too.

If you could just make this right...

Like he said, it's not real.

Man, whatever.

[door opens, closes]

[sighs]

Y'all are speculating about who beat up
Coach Warrick and who's responsible.

So, here's the truth.

I found out Warrick was messing
with his players…

and I had to do something.

I was 14.

And I didn't know what else to do,

so I got three guys from my old
neighborhood and took care of it.

Crystal didn't ask me to do it.
She didn't even know about it.

And my teammates, they weren't there.

So now y'all can stop speculating.

Stop all the heat you've been
putting on them. It wasn't them.

It was me. Jace Carson.

["Day Ones" playing]

Mom?

- Mom, I g... got something to tell you.
- Do you know what you've done?

- I know.
- You admitted to a felony on TikTok.

All the work you've done.
You were so close.

- And you put it all at risk.
- I had to.

Everyone was going after Crystal.
Going after my teammates.

- They have nothing to do with it.
- You didn't think it through, Jace!

- You never think it through.
- You taught me to respect women.

I taught you to use common sense.

Other athletes have done way worse
and still kept their scholarships,

- still made it to the league.
- This is not just about basketball.

You could go to jail.

Why didn't you tell me what was happening?

Crystal didn't want anybody
to know about it.

But she also wanted it to stop.

There were other ways.

I never thought I'd be going through this
with you, Jace.

Not like this.

Mom, he was 14.

It was Crystal.

[sighs]

[sighing]

Who were the other three guys
from the neighborhood?

- I'm sorry, Mom.
- Sorry, what?

[Jace softly] I...

I... I can't tell you.

You told me your solution
was to say nothing.

- I saw what...
- That was the plan.

[stammers] I saw what people
were saying about you.

"Crystal's henchmen"
and all that bullshit.

It would have died down.
People would have stopped.

- No, it wouldn't.
- You made sure of that.

I made sure they were talking
about me, not you.

And you do realize there isn't
a "me" and a "you"? There can't be.

When you say, "can't"... [sighs]

There can't be. You get that, right?

I get that.

Figure out how to save myself
so you can stop trying.

Drop me off right here.
If we get any closer,

I don't want anyone
from my school seeing us together.

Bye, Jace.

[Ike] I told them it comes
with the territory.

But I don't think that's true.

The way that they coming at the team.
Not just other kids, but adults too.

They want Jace to topple.

Then he turned around and lied to my face.

Babe, Jace just turned 18.

It's not personal. He's just trying
to figure out what it means to be a man.

[grunts]

Look, Mommy, I'm flying.

- I see you, baby.
- Mm-hmm.

[chuckles]

- Okay, here we go.
- Hi. Good morning.

- [Ike] Hey, hey.
- Okay.

We love you, baby, okay?

- [kisses]
- Okay?

- Love you.
- Go.

Love you too.

So what you think the reaction will be?

At Cedar Cove? Think they'll think
that Jace did something stupid.

But what do you think?

I had a sociology professor

who would explain how we often let
right and wrong occupy the same space,

from a moral standpoint.

Example, we say that killing is bad,
but we engage in war.

So, do I think what Jace did was stupid?
Yes.

But I also think he was right.

[sighs] Unfortunately, right and wrong
can't occupy the same space at Cedar Cove.

I need to make sure
he's ready for the storm.

Scouts, college coaches,
and your... your NIL opportunities...

They're all gonna start to pull back.

Damn.

I'm sorry.

Hilltop Central is one of the best teams
in the Chi.

And they got two guys
ranked just below me.

If I give 'em 40 on Friday,
they gonna be lining up again.

Right now, do this for me.

No more posts, no social.

Don't talk to anyone.

And keep your head down, please. Okay?

Okay. [sighs]

[stammers, sighs]

And about you lying to me...

I ain't feel like I had a choice.

So you told TikTok instead?

Why you ain't tell me?

I just couldn't.

Look.

Don't blindside me again.

No doubt.

[door opens, closes]

- Thank you for seeing me so quickly.
- Mmm, of course.

Alonzo and I go back a ways. [chuckles]
Went to school together.

I'm glad he connected us.

And this is, uh, completely on my dime,
so you don't have to worry about anything.

I'm grateful for both of you. [sighs]

[chuckles] I've seen Jace's admission.

And while I haven't made any calls yet,

I think
we can make a couple of assumptions.

First, the police will officially reopen
the investigation into the incident.

The second is that they are going to want
to question your son at some point.

[Alonzo] Now, Erika and I were talking
before you got in.

So, it's important to remember
the context of all of this.

It happened when Jace was a kid.

Warrick was convicted
of assaulting little girls.

Mm-hmm. And the district attorney
is not going to see this

as a case to score political points.

[sighs] Uh,
Jace is not only a good student,

but he has community support, so...

The most important thing right now

is that you and Jace
don't talk to anyone else about this.

Hmm.

Let me get into it and see
if the DA's office has a plan yet.

Thank you.

- [Alonzo] Of course.
- You're welcome.

"It is the problem of developing
the best of this race

that they may guide the mass away

from the contamination and death
of the worst."

Du Bois said that.

Jace isn't contaminating anyone.
He brought your program into prominence.

And it could sink lower
than it has ever been.

Listen, Ike.

Six percent of the population
on this campus is African American.

And I am not content with the numbers
of our people being admitted.

The African American kids currently here
have to understand they are pioneers.

They can open the door for more of us.
And they can just as easily close a door.

You are the only coach at Cedar Cove
with a hue.

If I mess up my job, you never get yours.

You see? We stand on the shoulders
of each other.

Jace stands on my shoulders.

And I won't let him down.

You need to see that.

When did you first hear about the attack?

- Same as you. When it hit the airwaves.
- Are any other players involved?

According to Jace, no one.

According to Jace?

I'd like to question the other seniors.

No. I'll handle that.

I'll await your response. In the meantime,

Jace Carson is suspended
from all basketball activities,

games and practices.

Everyone is watching
to see how we deal with this.

Now is the time to stand with the kid.

Our school's reputation is at stake!

Jace's career is at stake!

Cedar Cove
produces Pulitzer Prize winners,

Academy Award winners, two winners
of the National Medal of Science,

thousands of Ivy Leaguers! [sighs]

This school has never put athletics first,
for good reason.

This from the school's Athletic Director?

For all you know, I'm on the short list
to replace the head of school.

- That's your damn angle?
- [chuckles]

[Ike sighs]

You know, people like you… [sighs]
…they look straight ahead.

I look up.

What does Jace Carson need to do
to be reinstated?

The board will meet
on the matter tomorrow.

[Ike sighs]

[Ike] I'ma continue to appeal.

But as of now, this is where things stand.

For how long?

School board is reviewing your case.

I'm sorry but that's... that's all I got.

[Jenna]
What are they going to say to the press?

[Ike] They haven't formed a statement yet.

Jace, there's something I gotta ask.

Uh, in the video you made,

you said it was three guys
from your neighborhood that helped you?

[Jace] I'm tired.

- I think you made it worse, Jace. [sighs]
- Me too.

Check my IG page and check yours.

I'm the only one catching the heat.

For now, bro.

And what about the cops?

If the cops get in the picture,

all you need to know
is that I would never rat on y'all. Never.

Still a question
we haven't asked ourselves.

Y'all think what we did that night,
four years ago, was wrong?

Knock, knock.

- Yo.
- Yo, so what we talking about?

Hooping.

Yeah? What about it?

I was just about to tell them
I'm suspended.

No games, no practices.

- For how long?
- [Jace] I don't know.

How are we supposed to beat
Hilltop Central without you?

Hey, doc cleared me. I got y'all.

[school bell rings]

Drea. Hey.

[Drea] Hi, Drew.

It was... It was fun getting to know you
at that party.

- It was. Look...
- Is something wrong?

I heard some things
about you and your teammates.

How you might be trouble.

Look, I don't get caught up
in what people say.

I'm not one of these rich-ass kids, Drew.

I'm part scholarship, part financial aid.

I take two buses to get to Cedar Cove.

And I avoid guys in my neighborhood
who are trouble.

So I'm not trying to link up
with someone from my prep school...

And I'm not one who plays games.

I'm not trouble. I think you know that.

Can I take you out after the game?

- Can I ask you something?
- Yeah.

Aren't there enough white girls
in this school for you to talk to?

There aren't enough girls in this school
as beautiful as you to talk to.

- Smooth.
- I try.

All right. After the game.

[players chattering]

At least without Jace,
they're gonna have no idea what to expect.

I got a private with CJ.

- How'd that happen?
- He asked.

His dad might have put him up to it.
But either way, we're gonna need him.

Hey, Coach. [sighs]
I got, uh, debate team now.

All right, go ahead.

[players chattering]

Ernesto.

I hate to admit it,
but Emory raises a good question.

I don't see Jace
rolling with a bunch of guys

that he can call whenever he wants
to beat somebody up. What do you think?

If Jace needed help with something,
he's gonna call on his brothers.

[Ike sighs] We gotta get ahead of this.

Anything you can tell me about the attack?

My son would never be involved
in something like that.

- [speaking Spanish]
- [parent] No.

[in English] I know
what happened to Crystal is terrible.

But I had nothing to do with the attack.

Whatever went down… [scoffs]
…Jace kept me in the dark.

Are you serious? No, I wasn't there.

We're friends, teammates.

But none of them would expect me
to come through for them like that.

Not in that way.

What would make you say that?

I tend to avoid conflict.

In this instance,
that's a good thing, Roy.

Drew, you need to tell us right now
if you had anything to do with this.

No. We weren't there with him.

Drew, you just said,
"We weren't there with him."

[Drew] Right.

So, who exactly is "we"?

[stammers] I mean, like... like, anyone.

Anyone… [sighs] …like who, Drew?

[sighs]

Allahu Akbar.

Allahu Akbar.

Ameen.

[Musa] Ameen.

[both sigh]

Bismillah, we need to talk.

Is it about the team?

- Sort of.
- I've been getting a lot less minutes.

It's... I mean it's starting to feel
like Coach Ike doesn't want me

running the offense anymore.

Just keep working… [stammers]
…and keep your focus.

- You'll get the minutes back.
- Yeah.

That's not what we need to discuss.
[sighs]

When you were in LA…

you were depressed.

- You said you wanted a change of scenery.
- [sighs] Yeah. Yeah, I...

Is that because of the pandemic
or something else?

It was everything, Dad.

Just feeling isolated.

It was Granddad dying.

Anything else?

[scoffs] Is that not enough?

What can you tell me about the night
Crystal's coach was beaten?

No, I do... I-I-I don't...

May I remind you
that you just said your prayers.

[crying]

[breathes shakily]

[crying]

[sniffs, crying] I'm just... I'm... I'm...

- I got you, son.
- [crying continues]

I got you.

I got you.

Have a seat, son.

[Phil sighs]

It's about the attack on Warrick.

Jace's video said he had three guys
from the neighborhood help.

O-Okay.

"Okay"?

Phil, we think it's more to it than that.

And I hope you know that everyone in here
is someone that you can trust.

Dad, I'm…

I'm glad you took
your anger management classes.

And thank you for doing that.

[Mr. Marksby] Of course.

We have Miss Tonya to thank for that.
[sighs]

[Phil] And Ma…

since you been out of jail,
I... I just ain't been the same.

I'm... I'm just not.

[inhales sharply] I'm... I'm happy.

And I... I can't lose you again.

[sighs]

Just... Just tell us what happened, Phil.

[sighs]

[exhales deeply]

Jace said he needed help with something.

He said that someone
was hurting one of his friends.

I didn't even ask why.

Deep down, I don't…

I don't even think I was beating on
that coach to help Jace.

[sighs] I was just so angry.

You were hitting me.

[sighs]

I'm sorry.

[sniffles]

I'm sorry.

[sighs]

[sighing]

[sniffles] Come here.

Come here.

[sniffles]

[sighs]

When I think about it,
what Jace did to you...

What he did to me?

Jeopardizing your scholarship offers,
all your future opportunities, everything.

Yeah, way to help, Carson.

- He was trying to be a 24-hour person.
- A who?

Twenty-four-hour person.

It's something our coach told him.

It means, being consistent.

Being the type of person who won't
abandon you in a time of crisis.

A 24-hour person is someone
you can count on 24-hours a day.

[laughs]

That's so stupid. [laughs]

I know you were kids, but still.
[chuckles]

[scoffs]

[Naim breathes shakily]

My son…

he tells me,
four years ago… [inhales sharply]

…he attacked a man…

because Jace desperately needed help.

Never for a minute to stop and think,

what if this man had a gun or a knife?

What if the cops were there?

I just wanna keep my son safe.

There's too many ways
that this could have gone horribly wrong.

That's real.

[sighs]

I spoke with the other families
this morning.

They agreed… [inhales sharply]
…to stay silent…

until everyone obtained counsel.

Does that work for you?

Yeah.

Okay.

Check this out.

[students chattering]

- [Phil] Wow.
- [chuckles]

Yeah. [chuckles]

Where'd you get these?

Pascale screen-printed 'em
at his dad's shop.

- I handled the letter designs.
- No way.

Mm-hmm. Yeah.

How'd you...
How'd you get everyone to come out?

I mean, even if he wasn't your boy,

we still can't let the school treat him
like that.

He's done nothing wrong
since he's been here,

and they're really trying to jam him up
off old news?

For defending a sister from a pedo?

- Nah, there's no way we can sit here...
- No, I got it. I got it.

Oh, thank you.

- Jace is a real one.
- Yeah.

So we got tipped off that some students
have something big planned at the game.

Big like what?

Big, as in they wanna put certain athletes
on campus in their place.

But don't worry about it.

Black students from other private schools
are ready to show up and show out.

So we got his back.

[Meg] Yep, shot.

- [grunts]
- [grunts] Let's go!

[grunts]

- [Meg] That's okay. It's okay.
- [Camden] Come on, CJ!

Mental toughness.

Can you not?

Ex-Excuse me. My bad. [stammers]

[Meg] All right. Let's go.

Stay low, stay low.

[exclaims] Yep, eyes.

Slow, slow. [exclaims]

- [clapping]
- [Camden] There you go!

That's what I'm talking about.

Next time I wanna see you
make that shot with a hand in your face.

Really?

I don't want to get pulled
into everything that's happening.

My parents are concerned,

and I don't wanna jeopardize
anything college related.

I'm sorry, Jace, but I don't think
we should see each other anymore.

You have nothing to be sorry about.

Thanks for understanding.

[Erika] The system doesn't get much right,
especially when it comes to our young men.

But the police and the DA understand
there's a greater good to serve here.

They're not gonna charge him?

[Erika] We're still hashing that out,
but if he cooperates,

I think I can make it go that way.

What do you mean cooperate?

You're going to have to name
whoever else took part in the beating.

[sighs]

[Jackie]
This is Jackie. Tell me something good.

[voice mail] At the tone,
please record your message.

When you've finished recording
you may hang up

- or press one for more options.
- [voice mail beeps]

Yo, Jack.
I'm trying not to go crazy right now.

Please let me know if we can link up.

[chuckles] And y'all know he deserved it!

[sniffles]

[hip-hop music playing]

Hey. Hey.

Really? A party?

It's just a get-together.

Okay, it's just to unwind, to let it go.

[partygoers chattering]

[music continues playing]

You a freshman?

- [Jace] Huh?
- I haven't seen you around before.

Oh. Yeah. I'm new.

Oh. [chuckles]
Well, I'll give you some advice.

Everybody comes to college
trying to prove how grown they are,

but you can't have the grown-up
without the kid in you.

[partygoers chanting]

- [chuckles] Hey, yo.
- [Jackie chuckles]

[mouthing words] I love you.

I love you too.

You know you're welcome here anytime
you need to get away.

Thanks.

You know, when this year started,

I challenged myself to see
if I could go a whole year

without saying the word, "can't."

[chuckles] How'd you do?

Lasted about a month.

[both chuckle]

But then I thought,
adults don't think that way.

They say the word, "can't" all the time.

So I stopped trying.

And right now…

I can't figure out
how to survive all this.

You know what adults couldn't do?

They couldn't protect Crystal.

But the guy who never said "can't" could.

Thank you.

You don't even know.

I know.

Back in effect, Keys to the Kingdom
coming to you live on Instagram,

on YouTube and as always,
posted on SoundCloud.

My name is Drew Murphy,
and I'm here with my cohost, Musa Rahaim.

That's right. And, uh,
this is a special broadcast,

so, we're gonna dive straight into it.

Someone asked us to give him some airtime,

and we are more than happy to oblige.

So, please welcome our guest.

The most famous high school senior
in the world right now,

our brother, Cedar Cove's Jace Carson.

I appreciate you two
for putting me on the show.

But I'll say from the jump

that if your listeners came for the drama
and controversy,

they're gonna be disappointed.

I came on tonight to talk about one thing.

Basketball… [chuckles]
…and how much I love this game.

[chuckles]

Since I was a kid,

before the love and the hate on social,

before the predictions

and…

all the noise,

I fell in love with this game.

Even then I felt like I could fly.

And when I'm gliding through the air,

it's like pressing mute
on everything else.

[cheering]

I thought I could do anything.

What about you?

Wha... What about me, what?

[Jace]
Bring us back to when you were a kid.

When did you fall in love with the game?

[chuckles]

I mean, it was…

it was in the car.

My Pops, he-he'd drive me to tournaments
in DC, Baltimore, Virginia.

And we'd listen to music.

Sometimes R & B.

Mostly hip-hop.

[hip-hop music playing]

I mean… [chuckles] …it was...

it was like basketball
was... was my girlfriend…

[chuckles]

…who introduced me to her really,
really cute friend named Music.

What's your love story for the game,
young fella?

I came home with a trophy.

MVP of the game. [chuckles]

[Drew] And then it broke
so I started crying.

And then my dad told me something
I never forgot.

[sighs] He said, "Always remember.

Win or lose.

Drew, you are the trophy."

[chuckles]

[hip-hop song playing]

[Jace] Thanks, y'all.

I really needed this.

[sighs] Me too.

Me too.

[chuckles] Y'all my boys, you know that?

Outta here, boy. [chuckling]
What's wrong with you?

[board members chattering]

Ladies and gentlemen.

Thank you all for coming together
at such short notice. [sighs]

We have not been receiving the type
of notoriety that we are accustomed to,

and our head of school has been inundated
with calls from concerned parents.

We'll first hear from a huge supporter
of Cedar Cove athletics,

head of Community Relations
at Gladiator Sneakers, Alonzo Powers.

Thank you.

At 14 years old,
Jace Carson enrolled at Cedar Cove.

He was enrolled after being recruited
by the former varsity basketball coach

and our current Athletic Director.

Now, before all of that,

he attacked a man
with the help of three others.

Now, did he rob this man? No.

His motives were very simple.

To stop this man
from hurting a young woman...

a girl at the time,
who also had a very promising future.

He did not fail.

The systems put in place
to protect our children have failed.

Right now,
we have an opportunity for a redo.

We couldn't stand with them before,
but we can now.

Today will be the second game

that the team will be suited
in Gladiator sneakers and apparel.

And on behalf of Gladiator,
I would like to say we would be proud

to have Jace Carson suited with them.

So, thank you.

Thank you.

- Thank you, Mr. Powers.
- Of course. Of course.

Thank you, guys, for your time.

- We'll get something worked out.
- Thank you.

[sighs]

What are your thoughts?

Well, to penalize him for something
that occurred long ago does seem unjust.

But I'd imagine
if you polled our families and students,

the vote would be split as to whether
Cedar Cove is better without Mr. Carson.

Now, we can't react to the whims
of all of our families,

but we can't ignore them either.

[head of school] As head of school,
my concern

is that he's become a distraction,

compromising not only the brand
of our athletic programs,

but everything that we, as a school,
stand for.

What he did, regardless of motive,
was illegal.

Um, excuse me for my blunt question.

Nick Mendez is coming back.

- And CJ is a rising star. [chuckles]
- Thank you.

Can we win without Jace Carson?

[crowd cheers]

Thought we told him
to take it easy on his first game back.

We did.

[scoffs]

We gotta figure out what we're gonna do.

Love you.

[sighs] Mmm.

Aw.

See? This is the stuff I'm talking about.
This is unacceptable.

[crowd booing]

We are Jace Carson.

- [crowd clamoring]
- We are!

- [supporters] Jace Carson!
- [Rae] We are!

- [supporters] Jace Carson!
- [crowd applauding, cheering]

- [whistle blows]
- Tip violation!

Give me the ball.

- [whistle blows]
- [referee] Technical foul!

[crowd clamoring]

[supporters cheering, applauding]

[opponents booing]

[applauding]

[slow ballad playing]

Hey! What the hell is this?

If they can get at Jace
for defending Crystal,

they can get at us for anything, Coach.

If he doesn't play, we don't play.

We are Jace Carson.

[breathes deeply]

Musa.

[chuckles] Wha... Wha... What's happening?

It's, uh... Just substitutions.

- Coach. Coach. Are you forfeiting?
- Wait. Hold on. Hold on.

[referee] We need five. Or you forfeit.

Johnny. Lewis. Royale.

[crowd applauds]

- Okay.
- Let's go, Johnny.

- [Meg] Let's go!
- [Ike] Let's go. Focus. Focus.

- I'm sorry, Coach.
- What the hell?

Coach! Coach!

Eddie! Come on.

[crowd applauds]

[referee] Back up. Back up.

[Benny chattering]

Yo, Jarrett. We got the gym now.
Time to go.

Nah, I ain't going anywhere.
Y'all can wait.

[player scoffs] Oh, wow. Hey,
you better do what she says, Benny.

Or she'll get one of her hit men
to take you out. [chuckles]

The infamous Crystal Jarrett.

I have to come to the gym
after it's closed for the day

if I wanna work out.

But now these boys are telling me
I can't even have that.

I'm the top 25 recruit,

and you come in here
to kick me out of the gym?

I'm more heralded
than any male athlete at this school,

but I gotta make way for you?

Benny, when y'all practice
on Tuesdays and Thursdays,

where do the girls practice?

We practice outside.

Even during the winter. Why don't you
ask me how I feel about that?

You made a comment.

You said I should get one of my...
what did you call them? My... My hit men?

That's all you know about me.

I'm the girl who got her coach beat up.

It doesn't matter what the truth is.

It doesn't matter… [sighs]
…what else I am.

Because you never see us.

No one is ever interested in seeing us
for who we really are.

The little bit you've decided to know
about me

is something that happened four years ago.

Something horrible that stopped

because my best friend stepped up
and did something about it.

Something adults weren't capable of doing.

He protected me.

Because people see what they wanna see,

Jace Carson is being treated
like he did something wrong.

But what's really wrong
is how people try to tear us down…

[sighs] …like it's their sport.

But, this is my sport.

This is my life.

This is Jace's sport. This is his life.

And you can't take that away from us.

So, if you want me out of here,

you better be ready to drag me out.

'Cause I ain't going nowhere.

[chuckles] It's not even worth it.

Let's go, boys.

- [player 1] Did all that.
- [Benny] For nothing.

[grunts]

[cheering, shouting]

[CJ] Yes, sir, let's go!

[cheers, speaks Spanish]

Push it!

[Nick] Throw it to my hand,
throw it to my hand.

[CJ] Come on. Corner, corner, corner.

[spectator shouts]

- [spectators cheer]
- [CJ] Yes, sir!

- That's what I'm talking about! CJ Ryder!
- All right, CJ! Come on! Let's go!

[grunts]

- [spectators cheer]
- Let's go! Let's go, baby!

Whoo!

Take that off.

And that too.

[Johnny chattering]

- [Nick] Huh? [panting]
- [Johnny] Defense! Defense!

[grunts]

- [spectator] Come on. What was that?
- [crowd cheering]

[both grunting]

[whistle blows]

[cheering, applauding]

[grunts]

[buzzer sounds]

[reporters clamoring]

[reporter 1] Excuse me,

do you think there'd be any more protests
like this in future games?

How do you feel
about Jace Carson's suspension?

Do you think he's played
his last game as a Mustang?

Why didn't you play?
Are you protesting Carson's suspension?

[camera shutters clicking]

I didn't play, 'cause I was there
that night with Jace Carson.

[crowd gasps, murmuring]

The hell's going on here?

I sat out tonight 'cause I was there
that night with Jace Carson.

- [reporter 2] You were there too?
- [reporter 3] To what extent?

- Meg. Meg, what the hell is going on?
- I don't know.

- [reporter 4] What about you, Royale?
- I...

He wasn't there that night.

But I was.

[reporters clamoring]

We stand with our brother.

His punishment is inequitable and unjust.

We are Jace Carson.

- We are!
- [supporters] Jace Carson!

- Hey! Hey!
- [supporters] Jace Carson!

- [Phil] We are!
- [supporters] Jace Carson!

What happens to the team now?
Are you concerned...

- Okay, that's enough. You can step back.
- That's enough.

- [chanting] We are!
- [supporters] Jace Carson!

[chanting continues]

- Say it louder!
- [supporters] Jace Carson!