Touched by an Angel (1994–2003): Season 4, Episode 3 - Nothing But Net - full transcript
The angels must help a teen and a basketball player. The basketball player is an aggressive player and lives his life with anger. His fan is the teen who wants to live his life like the player.
Touched By An Angel #402 "Nothing
But Net" CLOSED CAPTIONED
Call a foul! He
got him on the arm!
Ruth, Ruth, Ruth.
Oh, it's so good to have
you back in casework.
It's so quiet without you.
Hey, Tess, tell me something.
Are these the best
seats we could get?
I mean, come on,
we've got connections.
Who's that player, Tess?
Which one, baby?
The Saint
who just put the
ball in the basket.
Eric Mony?
If he's a Saint, I'm a frog.
But then again,
miracles do happen,
and that's what we're here for.
Hey, ref, that whistle's
not for decoration.
Yeah? What's it to you?
Ah, Ruth, don't you think
you're being a little
rough on the ref?
Yes, Ruth, really.
He's probably feeling
bad enough about being
so much shorter
than everybody else.
I'm a fan, that's what fans do.
Ah, Ruth, darling, sweetheart,
sit down and watch the game.
Your assignment is to observe.
So sit back, relax, and observe.
'Cause nobody can just
jump back into casework
after an eternity behind a desk.
I wouldn't say "eternity."
Baby, you were doing
paperwork before there was paper.
That's right.
That's right.
Good bye.
Where are you going?
I was a little hard
on the referee.
I'm gonna apologize.
Well, I've got to go to work.
♪ Oh, when the
Saints go marching in ♪
♪ Oh, when the
Saints go marching in ♪
♪ Oh, Lord, I want
to be in that number ♪
♪ When the Saints
go marching in. ♪
Eric Zachariah
Mony, or E.Z. for short.
He is the Saints best player,
and he's a man with
a lot of problems.
And he's our assignment, hmm?
Yeah, he's a superstar.
He's a truly great player,
and a very angry man.
He's very rebellious.
He breaks any rule
he can get away with,
and he ridicules anything
and anyone who
tries to play fair.
And?
And every kid wants
to be just like him.
They worship him.
But he hates
kids, so fortunately,
no kid's really ever
gotten close enough
to see the real E.Z.
Come on, baby.
Come on, come on!
I'll show you, I'll show you.
What's up with that?
Two shots and
the ball on the side.
What are you talking about?
You went for his head, E.Z.
I could see why
he needs an angel.
He's an angry man.
He's always trying to fight
the whole world at once.
Oh, for heaven's sake.
Excuse me. Pardon me.
Ref!
Ref, moment of your time, sir?
Do you know who
you're talking to?
Gentlemen!
Foul, number 31. Eric Mony.
Can this wait?
I just have something...
Two technicals! You're gone!
Was that necessary?
Come on, E.Z.!
Come on, man!
Get off of me,
man. Get off of me.
Hey, E.Z., show them what's up.
Hey, over here, over here!
Over here, over here!
Here, E.Z.! It's mine!
Lady, get outta the
way! Here it comes.
Yeah!
That was my shirt!
That was my shirt!
Oh, come on! Thanks a lot, lady.
Whoa! Thank you, thank you.
One poor sport...
and one happy kid.
And one very unhappy angel.
Sam?
What are you doing here?
Oh, man, let me guess.
The jersey he just threw?
Went to the wrong fan.
I mean, the absolutely
wrongest fan.
Well, I'll speak to the...
I'll just speak
to the ref later.
No harm, no...
foul, Sam?
I'll just... I'll go
somewhere and observe.
Captioning sponsored by CBS
PARAMOUNT TELEVISION
♪ When you walk down the road ♪
♪ Heavy burden, heavy load ♪
♪ I will rise ♪
♪ And I will walk with you ♪
♪ I'll walk with you ♪
♪ Till the sun
don't even shine ♪
♪ Walk with you ♪
♪ Every time, I tell
you I'll walk with you ♪
♪ Walk with you ♪
♪ Believe me, I'll
walk with you. ♪
His name is Darnell Thomas.
Until a minute ago,
he was just a fan.
Now, thanks to Ruth,
he is an assignment.
He's 14 years old.
He lives at the poverty level
in the Projects with
his grandmother.
Now, he's Eric Mony's
number one fan.
Oh, dear.
Well, Sam,
what makes this a
Special Forces case?
It wasn't supposed to be.
The moment that Darnell caught
that jersey, everything changed.
This, this assignment is
not just about E.Z. anymore.
It's... well, it's
very complicated.
And that's why you're here?
In a very real way, a
bond has been formed
between that little
boy and that man.
Hmm, if you want
to call him a man.
Well, if you're a little
boy that has no father,
no stable home,
no dreams that he could
ever imagine coming true,
that... that jersey
isn't just a simple souvenir.
It's a talisman.
It's something that tells him
that he is something special.
Sam, every child is special.
Well, of course
they are, to God.
But this little boy
thinks he's special
to someone named E.Z. Mony?
I mean, this is a man this
little boy is gonna worship
from now on, unless
we do something.
Hey, yo, Mr. Mony, man,
can I get your autograph?
I'm sorry, kid. I got a date.
Hey, man, please.
It'd mean a lot to me.
I mean, I caught your
jersey tonight in the stand.
Open the door, man.
Hey, Mr. Mony... Hey, huh?
He just straight
blew you off like that.
It's all good, man.
He says he has a date.
The man's busy.
One day I'm gonna
be that busy, too, yo.
Gonna drive me a fat
ride, just like that one.
Sure.
I'm open! I'm open!
Come on, pass! I'm open!
Pass!
Yo, mama's boy.
Man, pass the
ball once in a while.
Quit pushin', punk. Come on!
Stop that.
Hey, hey, you're here
to learn teamwork, son,
not how to showboat.
Man, when's Coach
Parker coming back?
All in good time.
Hey, everybody, gather 'round.
There's some people over
here I'd like you to meet.
Come on.
Hello.
Guys, this is Monica,
and her friend Ruth.
Ruth is just observing today,
so she won't be here very long.
You gotta slide
your feet on defense.
The minute you cross
over, you're done for.
What the heck's
she talkin' about?
What did she just do?
Thank you.
Gentlemen, gentlemen,
Monica is going to
be your new tutor.
Hey, hey, hey.
Now, you all know you can
only belong to this Boys' Club
if you keep your grades up.
Now some of you have,
but some of you have not.
Ha.
Don't look at me.
And please, don't think
of me as just someone
who's going to make you study
because I'll be helping
Sam out on the court as well.
Wait, what can you possibly
do on a basketball court,
besides mop it?
Sam, maybe I have
the ball please?
Thank you.
I am going to take this ball
and I'm going to throw it
over my shoulder like this.
And it's going to bounce
once on the foul line,
and go into the basket.
How do you say it?
Swoosh, hmm?
That's swish.
Yeah, swish.
All right.
How did you do that?
Nothing but neat.
Net.
Aren't you supposed
to be observing Andrew?
I'm on my way.
Thank you.
Guys, on the TV!
Come on!
I'm in the Saints locker room
where yesterday's
win over Seattle
may have been a costly one.
E.Z.?
E.Z., there's a
lot of speculation
around the league today
that today may be your
final practice for a while.
Any comment about the
possibility of a suspension?
I've been needin' a vacation,
and now I'll be gettin' one.
Now, you... you actually
grabbed the official.
What kinda message
does that send to your fans?
Especially, E.Z., to kids?
Except that I don't have kids.
Their parents should
be an example to 'em.
I play ball.
That's all.
Well, there you have it.
E.Z. says he's no role model.
Back to you, Bob.
The man is always tryin' to
pick on my boy E.Z., dude.
Bunch of chumps.
That's just 'cause he won't
pick up the
garbage, you know it.
Sounds so good, man.
No, it's true.
It's totally true.
Disappearance of pro hockey
star Winston Del Camillo...
Hey, fellas, come
back and check this out.
The all-star goalie has
been missing for five days,
and local authorities
have not ruled out foul play.
Del Camillo is rumored to
have sizeable gambling debts.
What? Hey, looks
like he got blown away.
Hey, that's life for
you, pay up or die.
You know it. You know it, dude.
I'm not a nice man.
Oh, there goes my boy! E.Z.!
I play basketball.
Basketball is not a nice game.
Bowling is a nice game.
Croquet is a nice game.
Badminton is a nice game.
But I don't play nice games.
Yeah!
Basketball.
One says E.
The other says Z.
Yeah!
You better let them know, boy!
Man, he got me going.
Man, do y'all want
to run or what?
Let's go. I'm E.Z. You know it.
I'm E.Z.
He doesn't seem like the kind of
man worthy of someone's worship.
Well, this has been
going on for centuries.
The bad guy is the good guy.
In the Old West, the outlaws
were the heroes.
During the Roaring
Twenties, it was the gangsters.
Being bad means having fun.
Being good means being boring.
That's not true.
Well, you know
that and I know that.
Now, all we have to
do is make one little boy
truly believe it.
Sam...
what really happened
to Winston Del Camillo?
Monica, just focus on
what you can change.
Hey, how ya doin'?
No comment.
No, wait, I...
No, what part of no comment
don't you understand?
Let's try this again.
I'm your ghost writer.
Your publisher sent me.
I'm Andrew.
Hey, why didn't
you say something?
You writing my book.
Hey, I apologize about that.
I thought you were somebody...
Just someone who
wasn't making you money.
Exactly, exactly.
Now listen up.
I been thinkin'
about some titles.
How's this?
To Know Me Is To Hate Me.
Tell you what.
Let's think about titles later.
Right now, what I need from you,
is I need for your life
to be an open book.
I need my life to be
a best selling book.
You know what I'm sayin'?
Give me the loot.
Give me the loot.
Ooh, hi.
Don't worry.
I've been in Ancient Rome.
Nothing shocks me.
Ruth, what are you doing here?
I'm observing.
Ruth... Hi, hi there.
There are some things that
don't need to be observed.
Hello, E.Z.
I'm a very big fan.
You need to work
on your cross-over...
Dribble.
Dribble.
Otherwise a quick point
guard will pick your pocket.
Who are you?
Ruth, I'm observing.
Well, actually, you
know, Ruth was observing,
and now what Ruth
is doing is-is leaving.
I'm leaving. That's
right, here we go.
Bye, E.Z. Bye, guys.
Bye-bye.
Are you okay, Ruth?
Is anything wrong?
Yes.
I'm not doing anything.
You are doing something,
you're observing.
That's what observing means.
You stand around and watch
everybody else do things.
I wanted to make a difference.
All I did was make a mistake.
Everyone makes mistakes,
Ruth, but you will get
your chance to make
a difference, I promise.
Heads up!
Shouldn't put the ball behind
your head when you shoot.
It's bad mechanics.
Works for E.Z.
Well, just 'cause
it works for E.Z.,
doesn't mean it's
gonna work for you.
You have to make sure
if you copy somebody
that it's somebody
worth copying.
Otherwise you just
learn bad habits.
From E.Z.?
What are you talkin'
about? He's cool.
Well, just because he's cool,
that doesn't mean he's
somebody you wanna be like.
Oh, yeah?
Why not?
When he says he's no role model,
he's not kidding.
He's, he's not nice to people.
His table manners leave
something to be desired.
You know what else?
He can't read.
Can't read?
I haven't heard that about E.Z.
That's 'cause it's a secret.
Well, if it's a secret,
how come you know?
Well, I used to be
in Files and Records,
and things like that get
into peoples' records.
He, he walks around terrified
somebody's gonna find out.
Is that how you wanna live?
No, ma'am.
Very good.
You're a smart person.
Well, I'm glad we
had this little chat.
Yeah, yeah, so am I.
You are?
All right.
♪ Oh, when the Saints
go marching in... ♪
So then I'll talk to
some of your friends
so I can get some, some
background for the book.
I don't have friends.
E.Z., hang on.
Hi.
Ted Bender, Saints' Publicity.
Hi, I'm Andrew.
I'm working with
E.Z. on his book.
Let's start referring to it
as his "best seller," okay?
E.Z., can I talk to
you for a minute?
Andrew can hear
whatever you have to say.
It's one of them tell-all books.
I don't have nothin' to hide.
It's about your
trip to Manhattan.
Andrew, hang on.
Listen, do us both a favor.
Stay away from the
gambling, all right?
At least until this
Winston Del Camillo
thing blows over.
What happened
to that guy anyway?
Who knows, but it can't
be anything good, all right?
Nice meeting you. Thank you.
Trip to Manhattan?
Yeah. He's also my travel agent.
Yo, E.Z.!
Hey, isn't that the kid
that caught your jersey?
Come over here, kid.
Now remember.
Kids buy shoes and
their parents buy tickets.
Be nice.
Hey, E.Z.
What's your name, son?
Darnell.
Darnell Thomas.
Darnell, I guess
you know who this is.
How ya doin', kid?
I'm doin' fine, man. Real fine.
E.Z. was just telling me,
he was hoping we could find you
so he could sign the jersey.
Well, what's up, man?
Here I am and here it is.
So here you go.
Let's give them a little space.
I think I'll stay
here. What for?
Let the boy meet his hero,
besides, I got something
to talk to you about.
Here you go.
E.Z., Number 31.
Could, uh...
could you put "To My Man
Darnell" across the top?
Can't.
The shoe people say I
gotta sign everything "E.Z."
That's all.
That all they let you write,
or is that all you can write?
You know, Mr. Mony...
I know you got a secret.
I know you can't read or write.
I'm not sure this is okay.
What, you're worried 'cause E.Z.
doesn't have a child-
friendly reputation?
Yes, yeah, I am.
And another thing, E.Z.,
I got the hardest of
time keepin' secrets.
So what is it you want?
What you got, man.
I wanna live a night
in the life of E.Z. Mony.
You told him what?
Ruth, you're only
supposed to observe.
I know, I know.
But I thought I could
make up for my mistake,
and then I saw
him out there alone
on the court and I, I thought..
Sorry, Sam.
Just slipped.
You're an angel,
you don't just slip.
I know, and... and
this is no excuse,
but I think I got
through to him.
He has absolutely
no interest any more in
a fellow like E.Z Mony.
Hi, yo, Sam, I'm
leavin' early tonight.
I'm goin' out on the town
with my road dog, E.Z. Mony.
Well, it's waning.
Oh, Mr. Mony, sorry. No
minors allowed in the club.
He's allowed,
'cause he's with me.
Yes, sir, Mr. Mony.
Man, Manhattan club.
I didn't know there were
places like this in this town.
You're not supposed to.
You know, most kids just
wanna go one on one with me.
Yeah, well, that's for
future basketball players,
not future superstars.
What's with the kid, Mr. Mony?
He kinda won a contest.
So, a big date with
E.Z. Mony, huh?
All right, but you
were never here.
You got that, kid?
I'm gonna play craps,
do what you want.
All right, place your bets now.
Place your bets. New shooter.
How ya doin'?
One row of 25 K.
$25,000 dollars?
About to be 50.
Come on, give it to me, baby.
Here you go, Mr. Mony.
Whoa, craps. Line
away. Pay the field.
You lost, man. Why
ain't you bummin'?
Pocket change.
No joke, huh?
I'm going to make
it back right now.
Another $25,000 on pass.
You the man, E.Z.
You the man. Come on.
You got that right.
Three. Craps. Line away.
Pay the field.
Snake eyes.
Craps. Line away. Pay the field.
My marker's good.
Hey, I guess that's life
in the big city, huh, man?
Mr. Mony, may we have a word?
No, man, I'm busy! So are we.
You got one minute.
Thanks.
Yeah, so talk.
Your marker's no good...
You're over your limit.
You're gonna get your
money; you always do.
Well, we don't want the money.
Look, your first game
back is Saturday night.
The Saints are
ten-and-a-half-point favorites.
I think you're gonna
be a little rusty.
Maybe you'll only win by five.
You want me to shave points?
Man, get out of my face.
Maybe you forget
you're on suspension.
One call to the commissioner
could be your career.
We don't even want to mention
the name Winston Del Camillo.
The hockey guy?
What does he
have to do with this?
Hockey's an individual
kind of game, you know?
Basketball stars are
more team players.
What in the hell are
you talking about?
Man, I don't even know
why I'm wasting my time
talking to you two clowns.
Clowns?
You know, maybe we
belong in the circus.
The circus.
That's all right.
You read the paper
tomorrow, Mr. Mony.
Have a good evening.
So, uh, what's shaving points?
It's when your team
is favored by a lot,
but you win by a little,
so the gamblers
can win their bets.
That don't sound right.
Team wins, nobody gets hurt.
You know, that ain't
nothing but a thing.
Lose it on Monday,
win it back on Tuesday,
lose it, win it, lose it.
There's always more
where that came from.
I got more money
than the president...
and I can't read nothing.
Word, man.
You know you're
my road dog, right?
Road dogs. Yeah, man.
Forever, man, forever.
Now, for whatever reason,
this assignment has
gotten way out of hand.
I'm sorry.
Shh.
So I've decided to make
a change in the lineup.
Wha-What, n-now?
In the middle of everything?
Well, it was my idea, angel boy.
It's all right to change
horses midstream
when the river decides to
flow in a different direction.
But, Sam, we already have
five angels working on this.
Well, meet number six.
Hey.
Man, back on up, back on up.
All you Saints fans put your
money where your mouth is.
I'm taking all bets
on the game tonight.
Got you for five, ten...
Yo, what's up, kid?
Who are you?
I'm your mother.
What do you care?
What's going down, man?
Taking care of some business
on the Saints game tonight.
Betting the Monarchs
keep it close.
That's not gonna happen.
I can't believe you're
going against your man E.Z.
What can I say, man?
Business is business.
Besides, the spread's
ten and a half.
Well, that's a lot
of money there.
What'd you say your
name was again?
Rafael.
Well, uh, Ra-fa-el...
you want to get some action?
Nah, kid.
Gambling is a sign
of an emotional void.
It's like your life's
missing something,
and if you bet and get
something for nothing,
you know, you
make it whole again.
Man, whatever you say.
Ah, there you are.
Well, I just came
to say good-bye,
because as of today, you
boys will have a new tutor.
But looks like you
already met him.
Hello, Rafael. Hey.
Wait a minute.
You're the new tutor?
Yep. I don't look as good
as Monica, but that's all right,
I'm not as nice, either.
Okay, so I know
the big game is tonight,
and surely no one
will want to miss it,
but I also know there's
still a lot of studying
to be done today,
so come on, let's go.
Darnell.
I don't want to ever see
that around here again.
All right?
All right, man.
'Kay.
You caught him red-handed,
but you just let him walk away.
I have a different
way of handling things.
Well, I hope your plan works.
I wouldn't have
handled it that way.
This arena is buzzing,
anticipating the
return of E.Z. Mony,
his first game back
from suspension
since pushing a referee.
Now, I talked to E.Z.
before tonight's game.
He's excited to get back
on the basketball court,
and from my perspective,
look for E.Z. to have
a big game against Las
Vegas, a last-place team
and a team with a lot
of defensive problems.
Yes, E.Z.
is gonna light it
up tonight, man!
Yeah. We'll see.
Craig Ostertag, Alonzo Mourning,
and at point guard, E.Z. Mony.
And we're close to tip-off.
Well, Ryan, it should be
a one-sided game tonight
against last-place Las Vegas,
with E.Z. Mony back in the...
E.Z., did you read
the paper today?
Come on, I don't got time to
read the paper... I got a game.
Winston Del Camillo is dead.
What? He was
shot a few days ago.
They dumped his body
last night up by the circus.
The circus?
Be careful. Real careful.
We're number one!
Alonzo Mourning controls
the tip, over to Ostertag.
Ostertag to E.Z. Mony.
E.Z. Mony dribbles
quickly on the right side.
He pulls up, spins,
head-fakes his man,
and that's his shot.
And Saints score.
Saints lead, 2-0.
Even E.Z. seems
surprised that one went in.
He might be a little bit rusty,
but he looks like he's
right back on track.
He's answered
the question early.
He has not lost a thing...
This is what I call
some easy money.
Whoa. What up, Darnell?
Where'd you get them
kicks? Those are nice.
Man, those are the E.Z.'s.
Yo, where did you
get those, man?
Bought 'em.
With what money?
Man, my money.
No, man, you mean our money.
Well, see, uh, it
was your money,
then it was my money, and
now it's the store's money.
Shouldn't matter if I'm
gonna buy 'em today
or buy 'em tomorrow,
I'm still gonna buy 'em.
All right, brother, you better
hope E.Z. has an off night.
Oh, don't worry, he will.
E.Z. Dribbles across mid-court.
He spins off it and
throws up a wild shot.
Yeah! Damn! Yes!
E.Z. is on fire!
Yes! That's right, E.Z.,
go ahead, take 'em, baby.
Saints lead by 20 at the half.
Man, he's hot.
Man, look, dude, it's
only half-time, okay?
E.Z. Mony has set an
all-time scoring record
for the first half
for the Saints,
and they've been some of
the wildest shots I've ever seen.
He just throws them
up, and they go...
There's another one!
Three points for E.Z. Mony!
He sets up again, a
30-footer... goes in!
More incredible
shots from E.Z. Mony.
I can't believe this, Ryan.
He's, like, he's not even
looking at these and they go in.
A 30-footer, it goes in as well!
Three more points!
E.Z. Mony is on fire.
What an incredible night...
I can't even believe this.
What a night for
the Saints and E.Z.!
52 points for the Mony Man!
He couldn't miss
a shot if he tried.
Saints by 30. And
what do you bet
he has one shot left?
Let's see.
Seven, six, five,
four, three, two...
What a way to end it!
This is the best game
of E.Z. Mony's career!
Oh-ho-ho! Unbelievable!
He's Houdini!
E.Z.! E.Z.! E.Z.!
E.Z.! E.Z.!
Fans are swarming
onto the court...
Yo, Darnell, we
want our money, man.
Oh, man, he's gone.
We got to get him, man.
No, we got to get him, man.
Come on, let's go,
let's bounce. Right now.
No time to waste.
Well, that wraps
it up from here.
A big Saints win here tonight.
Big game for E.Z. Mony.
He left the court
looking very unhappy.
Maybe he was disappointed
he didn't score a hundred.
You the man! You the man!
Saints records, and
two league records.
So, uh, Ryan, why
don't you tell us...
E.Z., great game!
Hey, listen, a couple
of your friends are
out there looking for you...
I didn't catch their names.
You want me to
send them back here?
No.
I don't want to see anyone.
Okay.
Okay.
Clowns?
You know, maybe we
belong in the circus.
Winston Del Camillo is dead.
They dumped his body
last night up by the circus.
You played me, man.
You were supposed
to shave and you didn't.
Cost me everything.
Boy, you don't know
what everything is.
Man, you were supposed
to be missing all night.
I know. Don't you think I know?
I tried to miss them,
but they went in anyway.
I shot looking the
other way, it went in.
I shot with my eyes
closed, it went in.
I shot with my left hand!
I can't shoot with my left hand.
It went in.
I don't how or know why...
but I do know what
happens to me now.
Yeah, you're gonna be
paying me back my money.
I don't care about your money!
And I don't care about you!
You're nobody!
You're just a kid!
You're nothing!
You ain't never
gonna be like me!
You ain't never gonna
have a limo, a woman
or nothing!
You livin' poor, and
you gonna die poor!
And there's nothing
you can do about it.
Now, get out of my face
before I throw you out.
I thought you were
my road dog, man.
Well, that's your own
damn fault, ain't it?
You're a big man on
the court, aren't you?
Yeah, well,
Winston didn't learn.
Looks like you didn't, either.
Please, God, help me.
Please, Lord, dear God.
Please, dear God, help me.
Please, Lord.
Please, dear God.
God wants you to
walk away right now.
You will be hearing
from him soon,
and you will pay for
what you've done.
There are other angels
handling those two men.
They won't be back.
You got this covered, Andrew?
I gotta go get the kid.
You want to tell me
what's going on here?
Yes, I do, and
you're gonna listen.
I'm an angel sent by God.
God... as in the
alpha and the omega,
the Great I Am,
the Creator of the
Universe... God.
God has given
you this life, Eric,
and he's the one
who saved it just now,
and the only thing that's gonna
save you in the future is Him,
and your faith in Him.
You know, so far the only thing
that you've managed
to have faith in is you,
and it almost got
you killed, didn't it?
Eric, you have to learn
to worship something
higher than you.
God says that you
have a lot to learn,
and one of the things you're
gonna learn is how to read.
You see, I'm coming
back, and when I do,
I'm gonna bring you a book.
It's a book that
you're gonna love,
and I'm gonna tell
you how it ends.
You live, Eric.
You live.
Nobody knows
how you feel, right?
That's what you're
thinking, right?
Yeah.
You know, there's a lot of power
in knowing somebody's secret.
It's like you're holding a
little piece of their soul.
You have a secret of your
own though, don't you?
No.
No, huh?
I know you, Darnell.
I know you sit and you stare
at a box of cereal every morning
with some millionaire
sport superstar on the front,
and all you got to put
on that cereal is water.
You sit in your bed
at night and you
turn up the game
on the TV real loud
so maybe, just maybe
you won't hear those
gunshots out on the street,
and the sirens, and somebody's
mama crying on the corner,
and you just hope that
it's not your best friend.
You don't know
nothing about me, okay?
I do know, Darnell.
No, you don't.
You go without...
and you learn to live without.
You know, sometimes...
I can't take it anymore.
I don't know what to do.
Hey, you ever see those
crazy-looking people
out on the corner,
they got the signs
that say "repent, repent,
the end of the
world is near," right?
Truth is, the world's
just beginning, brother.
You are the future of the world,
and your sun is just rising.
Don't go hanging your
dreams on their lies.
You go ahead and
you dream, little brother.
You dream as big as you can,
and then you hand it to somebody
who really cares
about what you're doing.
God has sent me to
tell you this, Darnell.
I'm an angel, and
my name is Rafael.
That means "healing."
That's the name that He gave me,
and that's what I'm
bringing to you today.
You know what "Darnell" means?
If you look it up
in the dictionary,
it tells you that Darnell means
a weed in a field of grain.
You know what a weed is?
Well, you think it's
some annoying little thing
that nobody wants lying around,
but it's really
something beautiful,
'cause it's a living thing,
and it refuses to die.
It says, forget that.
I'm gonna live, no matter how
hard the world makes it for me.
I'm gonna live and
I'm gonna grow.
So that's what Darnell means.
But God loves you.
He loves you, kid.
He wants to give you
another name today.
So from now on, your
name means victory, too.
True victory.
Not the kind that
wins basketball games,
the kind that wins the
game of life, all right?
You want a role model?
You look a lot
higher than some guy
who can knock
down a three pointer.
Look up.
You look all the way up.
I know you can do it.
But the question is, will you?
Ruth?
One of my favorite Psalms,
number 31, same
as E.Z.'s jersey,
"In thee, O Lord,
do I take refuge.
Let me never be put to shame."
Guess I blew that one.
I've been looking
for you everywhere.
You missed the game.
Well, I didn't wanna
cause any more trouble.
Ah, Ruth... No, I
messed up, big time.
I know it, you know
it, God knows it.
Yes, but... But nothing.
Father gave me chance
after chance after chance,
and what did I do?
I turned every
one of the chances
into a big fat banana peel,
whew, flat on my keester.
We're messengers of God, Ruth.
All He asks is that
we do our best.
He knows what's
inside your heart.
Come on, Monica.
I wasn't created yesterday.
I know the score.
Are you sure, Ruth?
If I were you, I'd
take another look.
I just love the way He works.
So what's it gonna be, man?
You're never gonna believe this.
You'd be surprised.
You know what that says, man?
What?
It says... "God loves you."
God loves you.
God loves me.
Well, I think it's...
time I started
learning how to read.
Looks like they're finally ready
to play ball.
Captioning sponsored by CBS
PARAMOUNT TELEVISION
But Net" CLOSED CAPTIONED
Call a foul! He
got him on the arm!
Ruth, Ruth, Ruth.
Oh, it's so good to have
you back in casework.
It's so quiet without you.
Hey, Tess, tell me something.
Are these the best
seats we could get?
I mean, come on,
we've got connections.
Who's that player, Tess?
Which one, baby?
The Saint
who just put the
ball in the basket.
Eric Mony?
If he's a Saint, I'm a frog.
But then again,
miracles do happen,
and that's what we're here for.
Hey, ref, that whistle's
not for decoration.
Yeah? What's it to you?
Ah, Ruth, don't you think
you're being a little
rough on the ref?
Yes, Ruth, really.
He's probably feeling
bad enough about being
so much shorter
than everybody else.
I'm a fan, that's what fans do.
Ah, Ruth, darling, sweetheart,
sit down and watch the game.
Your assignment is to observe.
So sit back, relax, and observe.
'Cause nobody can just
jump back into casework
after an eternity behind a desk.
I wouldn't say "eternity."
Baby, you were doing
paperwork before there was paper.
That's right.
That's right.
Good bye.
Where are you going?
I was a little hard
on the referee.
I'm gonna apologize.
Well, I've got to go to work.
♪ Oh, when the
Saints go marching in ♪
♪ Oh, when the
Saints go marching in ♪
♪ Oh, Lord, I want
to be in that number ♪
♪ When the Saints
go marching in. ♪
Eric Zachariah
Mony, or E.Z. for short.
He is the Saints best player,
and he's a man with
a lot of problems.
And he's our assignment, hmm?
Yeah, he's a superstar.
He's a truly great player,
and a very angry man.
He's very rebellious.
He breaks any rule
he can get away with,
and he ridicules anything
and anyone who
tries to play fair.
And?
And every kid wants
to be just like him.
They worship him.
But he hates
kids, so fortunately,
no kid's really ever
gotten close enough
to see the real E.Z.
Come on, baby.
Come on, come on!
I'll show you, I'll show you.
What's up with that?
Two shots and
the ball on the side.
What are you talking about?
You went for his head, E.Z.
I could see why
he needs an angel.
He's an angry man.
He's always trying to fight
the whole world at once.
Oh, for heaven's sake.
Excuse me. Pardon me.
Ref!
Ref, moment of your time, sir?
Do you know who
you're talking to?
Gentlemen!
Foul, number 31. Eric Mony.
Can this wait?
I just have something...
Two technicals! You're gone!
Was that necessary?
Come on, E.Z.!
Come on, man!
Get off of me,
man. Get off of me.
Hey, E.Z., show them what's up.
Hey, over here, over here!
Over here, over here!
Here, E.Z.! It's mine!
Lady, get outta the
way! Here it comes.
Yeah!
That was my shirt!
That was my shirt!
Oh, come on! Thanks a lot, lady.
Whoa! Thank you, thank you.
One poor sport...
and one happy kid.
And one very unhappy angel.
Sam?
What are you doing here?
Oh, man, let me guess.
The jersey he just threw?
Went to the wrong fan.
I mean, the absolutely
wrongest fan.
Well, I'll speak to the...
I'll just speak
to the ref later.
No harm, no...
foul, Sam?
I'll just... I'll go
somewhere and observe.
Captioning sponsored by CBS
PARAMOUNT TELEVISION
♪ When you walk down the road ♪
♪ Heavy burden, heavy load ♪
♪ I will rise ♪
♪ And I will walk with you ♪
♪ I'll walk with you ♪
♪ Till the sun
don't even shine ♪
♪ Walk with you ♪
♪ Every time, I tell
you I'll walk with you ♪
♪ Walk with you ♪
♪ Believe me, I'll
walk with you. ♪
His name is Darnell Thomas.
Until a minute ago,
he was just a fan.
Now, thanks to Ruth,
he is an assignment.
He's 14 years old.
He lives at the poverty level
in the Projects with
his grandmother.
Now, he's Eric Mony's
number one fan.
Oh, dear.
Well, Sam,
what makes this a
Special Forces case?
It wasn't supposed to be.
The moment that Darnell caught
that jersey, everything changed.
This, this assignment is
not just about E.Z. anymore.
It's... well, it's
very complicated.
And that's why you're here?
In a very real way, a
bond has been formed
between that little
boy and that man.
Hmm, if you want
to call him a man.
Well, if you're a little
boy that has no father,
no stable home,
no dreams that he could
ever imagine coming true,
that... that jersey
isn't just a simple souvenir.
It's a talisman.
It's something that tells him
that he is something special.
Sam, every child is special.
Well, of course
they are, to God.
But this little boy
thinks he's special
to someone named E.Z. Mony?
I mean, this is a man this
little boy is gonna worship
from now on, unless
we do something.
Hey, yo, Mr. Mony, man,
can I get your autograph?
I'm sorry, kid. I got a date.
Hey, man, please.
It'd mean a lot to me.
I mean, I caught your
jersey tonight in the stand.
Open the door, man.
Hey, Mr. Mony... Hey, huh?
He just straight
blew you off like that.
It's all good, man.
He says he has a date.
The man's busy.
One day I'm gonna
be that busy, too, yo.
Gonna drive me a fat
ride, just like that one.
Sure.
I'm open! I'm open!
Come on, pass! I'm open!
Pass!
Yo, mama's boy.
Man, pass the
ball once in a while.
Quit pushin', punk. Come on!
Stop that.
Hey, hey, you're here
to learn teamwork, son,
not how to showboat.
Man, when's Coach
Parker coming back?
All in good time.
Hey, everybody, gather 'round.
There's some people over
here I'd like you to meet.
Come on.
Hello.
Guys, this is Monica,
and her friend Ruth.
Ruth is just observing today,
so she won't be here very long.
You gotta slide
your feet on defense.
The minute you cross
over, you're done for.
What the heck's
she talkin' about?
What did she just do?
Thank you.
Gentlemen, gentlemen,
Monica is going to
be your new tutor.
Hey, hey, hey.
Now, you all know you can
only belong to this Boys' Club
if you keep your grades up.
Now some of you have,
but some of you have not.
Ha.
Don't look at me.
And please, don't think
of me as just someone
who's going to make you study
because I'll be helping
Sam out on the court as well.
Wait, what can you possibly
do on a basketball court,
besides mop it?
Sam, maybe I have
the ball please?
Thank you.
I am going to take this ball
and I'm going to throw it
over my shoulder like this.
And it's going to bounce
once on the foul line,
and go into the basket.
How do you say it?
Swoosh, hmm?
That's swish.
Yeah, swish.
All right.
How did you do that?
Nothing but neat.
Net.
Aren't you supposed
to be observing Andrew?
I'm on my way.
Thank you.
Guys, on the TV!
Come on!
I'm in the Saints locker room
where yesterday's
win over Seattle
may have been a costly one.
E.Z.?
E.Z., there's a
lot of speculation
around the league today
that today may be your
final practice for a while.
Any comment about the
possibility of a suspension?
I've been needin' a vacation,
and now I'll be gettin' one.
Now, you... you actually
grabbed the official.
What kinda message
does that send to your fans?
Especially, E.Z., to kids?
Except that I don't have kids.
Their parents should
be an example to 'em.
I play ball.
That's all.
Well, there you have it.
E.Z. says he's no role model.
Back to you, Bob.
The man is always tryin' to
pick on my boy E.Z., dude.
Bunch of chumps.
That's just 'cause he won't
pick up the
garbage, you know it.
Sounds so good, man.
No, it's true.
It's totally true.
Disappearance of pro hockey
star Winston Del Camillo...
Hey, fellas, come
back and check this out.
The all-star goalie has
been missing for five days,
and local authorities
have not ruled out foul play.
Del Camillo is rumored to
have sizeable gambling debts.
What? Hey, looks
like he got blown away.
Hey, that's life for
you, pay up or die.
You know it. You know it, dude.
I'm not a nice man.
Oh, there goes my boy! E.Z.!
I play basketball.
Basketball is not a nice game.
Bowling is a nice game.
Croquet is a nice game.
Badminton is a nice game.
But I don't play nice games.
Yeah!
Basketball.
One says E.
The other says Z.
Yeah!
You better let them know, boy!
Man, he got me going.
Man, do y'all want
to run or what?
Let's go. I'm E.Z. You know it.
I'm E.Z.
He doesn't seem like the kind of
man worthy of someone's worship.
Well, this has been
going on for centuries.
The bad guy is the good guy.
In the Old West, the outlaws
were the heroes.
During the Roaring
Twenties, it was the gangsters.
Being bad means having fun.
Being good means being boring.
That's not true.
Well, you know
that and I know that.
Now, all we have to
do is make one little boy
truly believe it.
Sam...
what really happened
to Winston Del Camillo?
Monica, just focus on
what you can change.
Hey, how ya doin'?
No comment.
No, wait, I...
No, what part of no comment
don't you understand?
Let's try this again.
I'm your ghost writer.
Your publisher sent me.
I'm Andrew.
Hey, why didn't
you say something?
You writing my book.
Hey, I apologize about that.
I thought you were somebody...
Just someone who
wasn't making you money.
Exactly, exactly.
Now listen up.
I been thinkin'
about some titles.
How's this?
To Know Me Is To Hate Me.
Tell you what.
Let's think about titles later.
Right now, what I need from you,
is I need for your life
to be an open book.
I need my life to be
a best selling book.
You know what I'm sayin'?
Give me the loot.
Give me the loot.
Ooh, hi.
Don't worry.
I've been in Ancient Rome.
Nothing shocks me.
Ruth, what are you doing here?
I'm observing.
Ruth... Hi, hi there.
There are some things that
don't need to be observed.
Hello, E.Z.
I'm a very big fan.
You need to work
on your cross-over...
Dribble.
Dribble.
Otherwise a quick point
guard will pick your pocket.
Who are you?
Ruth, I'm observing.
Well, actually, you
know, Ruth was observing,
and now what Ruth
is doing is-is leaving.
I'm leaving. That's
right, here we go.
Bye, E.Z. Bye, guys.
Bye-bye.
Are you okay, Ruth?
Is anything wrong?
Yes.
I'm not doing anything.
You are doing something,
you're observing.
That's what observing means.
You stand around and watch
everybody else do things.
I wanted to make a difference.
All I did was make a mistake.
Everyone makes mistakes,
Ruth, but you will get
your chance to make
a difference, I promise.
Heads up!
Shouldn't put the ball behind
your head when you shoot.
It's bad mechanics.
Works for E.Z.
Well, just 'cause
it works for E.Z.,
doesn't mean it's
gonna work for you.
You have to make sure
if you copy somebody
that it's somebody
worth copying.
Otherwise you just
learn bad habits.
From E.Z.?
What are you talkin'
about? He's cool.
Well, just because he's cool,
that doesn't mean he's
somebody you wanna be like.
Oh, yeah?
Why not?
When he says he's no role model,
he's not kidding.
He's, he's not nice to people.
His table manners leave
something to be desired.
You know what else?
He can't read.
Can't read?
I haven't heard that about E.Z.
That's 'cause it's a secret.
Well, if it's a secret,
how come you know?
Well, I used to be
in Files and Records,
and things like that get
into peoples' records.
He, he walks around terrified
somebody's gonna find out.
Is that how you wanna live?
No, ma'am.
Very good.
You're a smart person.
Well, I'm glad we
had this little chat.
Yeah, yeah, so am I.
You are?
All right.
♪ Oh, when the Saints
go marching in... ♪
So then I'll talk to
some of your friends
so I can get some, some
background for the book.
I don't have friends.
E.Z., hang on.
Hi.
Ted Bender, Saints' Publicity.
Hi, I'm Andrew.
I'm working with
E.Z. on his book.
Let's start referring to it
as his "best seller," okay?
E.Z., can I talk to
you for a minute?
Andrew can hear
whatever you have to say.
It's one of them tell-all books.
I don't have nothin' to hide.
It's about your
trip to Manhattan.
Andrew, hang on.
Listen, do us both a favor.
Stay away from the
gambling, all right?
At least until this
Winston Del Camillo
thing blows over.
What happened
to that guy anyway?
Who knows, but it can't
be anything good, all right?
Nice meeting you. Thank you.
Trip to Manhattan?
Yeah. He's also my travel agent.
Yo, E.Z.!
Hey, isn't that the kid
that caught your jersey?
Come over here, kid.
Now remember.
Kids buy shoes and
their parents buy tickets.
Be nice.
Hey, E.Z.
What's your name, son?
Darnell.
Darnell Thomas.
Darnell, I guess
you know who this is.
How ya doin', kid?
I'm doin' fine, man. Real fine.
E.Z. was just telling me,
he was hoping we could find you
so he could sign the jersey.
Well, what's up, man?
Here I am and here it is.
So here you go.
Let's give them a little space.
I think I'll stay
here. What for?
Let the boy meet his hero,
besides, I got something
to talk to you about.
Here you go.
E.Z., Number 31.
Could, uh...
could you put "To My Man
Darnell" across the top?
Can't.
The shoe people say I
gotta sign everything "E.Z."
That's all.
That all they let you write,
or is that all you can write?
You know, Mr. Mony...
I know you got a secret.
I know you can't read or write.
I'm not sure this is okay.
What, you're worried 'cause E.Z.
doesn't have a child-
friendly reputation?
Yes, yeah, I am.
And another thing, E.Z.,
I got the hardest of
time keepin' secrets.
So what is it you want?
What you got, man.
I wanna live a night
in the life of E.Z. Mony.
You told him what?
Ruth, you're only
supposed to observe.
I know, I know.
But I thought I could
make up for my mistake,
and then I saw
him out there alone
on the court and I, I thought..
Sorry, Sam.
Just slipped.
You're an angel,
you don't just slip.
I know, and... and
this is no excuse,
but I think I got
through to him.
He has absolutely
no interest any more in
a fellow like E.Z Mony.
Hi, yo, Sam, I'm
leavin' early tonight.
I'm goin' out on the town
with my road dog, E.Z. Mony.
Well, it's waning.
Oh, Mr. Mony, sorry. No
minors allowed in the club.
He's allowed,
'cause he's with me.
Yes, sir, Mr. Mony.
Man, Manhattan club.
I didn't know there were
places like this in this town.
You're not supposed to.
You know, most kids just
wanna go one on one with me.
Yeah, well, that's for
future basketball players,
not future superstars.
What's with the kid, Mr. Mony?
He kinda won a contest.
So, a big date with
E.Z. Mony, huh?
All right, but you
were never here.
You got that, kid?
I'm gonna play craps,
do what you want.
All right, place your bets now.
Place your bets. New shooter.
How ya doin'?
One row of 25 K.
$25,000 dollars?
About to be 50.
Come on, give it to me, baby.
Here you go, Mr. Mony.
Whoa, craps. Line
away. Pay the field.
You lost, man. Why
ain't you bummin'?
Pocket change.
No joke, huh?
I'm going to make
it back right now.
Another $25,000 on pass.
You the man, E.Z.
You the man. Come on.
You got that right.
Three. Craps. Line away.
Pay the field.
Snake eyes.
Craps. Line away. Pay the field.
My marker's good.
Hey, I guess that's life
in the big city, huh, man?
Mr. Mony, may we have a word?
No, man, I'm busy! So are we.
You got one minute.
Thanks.
Yeah, so talk.
Your marker's no good...
You're over your limit.
You're gonna get your
money; you always do.
Well, we don't want the money.
Look, your first game
back is Saturday night.
The Saints are
ten-and-a-half-point favorites.
I think you're gonna
be a little rusty.
Maybe you'll only win by five.
You want me to shave points?
Man, get out of my face.
Maybe you forget
you're on suspension.
One call to the commissioner
could be your career.
We don't even want to mention
the name Winston Del Camillo.
The hockey guy?
What does he
have to do with this?
Hockey's an individual
kind of game, you know?
Basketball stars are
more team players.
What in the hell are
you talking about?
Man, I don't even know
why I'm wasting my time
talking to you two clowns.
Clowns?
You know, maybe we
belong in the circus.
The circus.
That's all right.
You read the paper
tomorrow, Mr. Mony.
Have a good evening.
So, uh, what's shaving points?
It's when your team
is favored by a lot,
but you win by a little,
so the gamblers
can win their bets.
That don't sound right.
Team wins, nobody gets hurt.
You know, that ain't
nothing but a thing.
Lose it on Monday,
win it back on Tuesday,
lose it, win it, lose it.
There's always more
where that came from.
I got more money
than the president...
and I can't read nothing.
Word, man.
You know you're
my road dog, right?
Road dogs. Yeah, man.
Forever, man, forever.
Now, for whatever reason,
this assignment has
gotten way out of hand.
I'm sorry.
Shh.
So I've decided to make
a change in the lineup.
Wha-What, n-now?
In the middle of everything?
Well, it was my idea, angel boy.
It's all right to change
horses midstream
when the river decides to
flow in a different direction.
But, Sam, we already have
five angels working on this.
Well, meet number six.
Hey.
Man, back on up, back on up.
All you Saints fans put your
money where your mouth is.
I'm taking all bets
on the game tonight.
Got you for five, ten...
Yo, what's up, kid?
Who are you?
I'm your mother.
What do you care?
What's going down, man?
Taking care of some business
on the Saints game tonight.
Betting the Monarchs
keep it close.
That's not gonna happen.
I can't believe you're
going against your man E.Z.
What can I say, man?
Business is business.
Besides, the spread's
ten and a half.
Well, that's a lot
of money there.
What'd you say your
name was again?
Rafael.
Well, uh, Ra-fa-el...
you want to get some action?
Nah, kid.
Gambling is a sign
of an emotional void.
It's like your life's
missing something,
and if you bet and get
something for nothing,
you know, you
make it whole again.
Man, whatever you say.
Ah, there you are.
Well, I just came
to say good-bye,
because as of today, you
boys will have a new tutor.
But looks like you
already met him.
Hello, Rafael. Hey.
Wait a minute.
You're the new tutor?
Yep. I don't look as good
as Monica, but that's all right,
I'm not as nice, either.
Okay, so I know
the big game is tonight,
and surely no one
will want to miss it,
but I also know there's
still a lot of studying
to be done today,
so come on, let's go.
Darnell.
I don't want to ever see
that around here again.
All right?
All right, man.
'Kay.
You caught him red-handed,
but you just let him walk away.
I have a different
way of handling things.
Well, I hope your plan works.
I wouldn't have
handled it that way.
This arena is buzzing,
anticipating the
return of E.Z. Mony,
his first game back
from suspension
since pushing a referee.
Now, I talked to E.Z.
before tonight's game.
He's excited to get back
on the basketball court,
and from my perspective,
look for E.Z. to have
a big game against Las
Vegas, a last-place team
and a team with a lot
of defensive problems.
Yes, E.Z.
is gonna light it
up tonight, man!
Yeah. We'll see.
Craig Ostertag, Alonzo Mourning,
and at point guard, E.Z. Mony.
And we're close to tip-off.
Well, Ryan, it should be
a one-sided game tonight
against last-place Las Vegas,
with E.Z. Mony back in the...
E.Z., did you read
the paper today?
Come on, I don't got time to
read the paper... I got a game.
Winston Del Camillo is dead.
What? He was
shot a few days ago.
They dumped his body
last night up by the circus.
The circus?
Be careful. Real careful.
We're number one!
Alonzo Mourning controls
the tip, over to Ostertag.
Ostertag to E.Z. Mony.
E.Z. Mony dribbles
quickly on the right side.
He pulls up, spins,
head-fakes his man,
and that's his shot.
And Saints score.
Saints lead, 2-0.
Even E.Z. seems
surprised that one went in.
He might be a little bit rusty,
but he looks like he's
right back on track.
He's answered
the question early.
He has not lost a thing...
This is what I call
some easy money.
Whoa. What up, Darnell?
Where'd you get them
kicks? Those are nice.
Man, those are the E.Z.'s.
Yo, where did you
get those, man?
Bought 'em.
With what money?
Man, my money.
No, man, you mean our money.
Well, see, uh, it
was your money,
then it was my money, and
now it's the store's money.
Shouldn't matter if I'm
gonna buy 'em today
or buy 'em tomorrow,
I'm still gonna buy 'em.
All right, brother, you better
hope E.Z. has an off night.
Oh, don't worry, he will.
E.Z. Dribbles across mid-court.
He spins off it and
throws up a wild shot.
Yeah! Damn! Yes!
E.Z. is on fire!
Yes! That's right, E.Z.,
go ahead, take 'em, baby.
Saints lead by 20 at the half.
Man, he's hot.
Man, look, dude, it's
only half-time, okay?
E.Z. Mony has set an
all-time scoring record
for the first half
for the Saints,
and they've been some of
the wildest shots I've ever seen.
He just throws them
up, and they go...
There's another one!
Three points for E.Z. Mony!
He sets up again, a
30-footer... goes in!
More incredible
shots from E.Z. Mony.
I can't believe this, Ryan.
He's, like, he's not even
looking at these and they go in.
A 30-footer, it goes in as well!
Three more points!
E.Z. Mony is on fire.
What an incredible night...
I can't even believe this.
What a night for
the Saints and E.Z.!
52 points for the Mony Man!
He couldn't miss
a shot if he tried.
Saints by 30. And
what do you bet
he has one shot left?
Let's see.
Seven, six, five,
four, three, two...
What a way to end it!
This is the best game
of E.Z. Mony's career!
Oh-ho-ho! Unbelievable!
He's Houdini!
E.Z.! E.Z.! E.Z.!
E.Z.! E.Z.!
Fans are swarming
onto the court...
Yo, Darnell, we
want our money, man.
Oh, man, he's gone.
We got to get him, man.
No, we got to get him, man.
Come on, let's go,
let's bounce. Right now.
No time to waste.
Well, that wraps
it up from here.
A big Saints win here tonight.
Big game for E.Z. Mony.
He left the court
looking very unhappy.
Maybe he was disappointed
he didn't score a hundred.
You the man! You the man!
Saints records, and
two league records.
So, uh, Ryan, why
don't you tell us...
E.Z., great game!
Hey, listen, a couple
of your friends are
out there looking for you...
I didn't catch their names.
You want me to
send them back here?
No.
I don't want to see anyone.
Okay.
Okay.
Clowns?
You know, maybe we
belong in the circus.
Winston Del Camillo is dead.
They dumped his body
last night up by the circus.
You played me, man.
You were supposed
to shave and you didn't.
Cost me everything.
Boy, you don't know
what everything is.
Man, you were supposed
to be missing all night.
I know. Don't you think I know?
I tried to miss them,
but they went in anyway.
I shot looking the
other way, it went in.
I shot with my eyes
closed, it went in.
I shot with my left hand!
I can't shoot with my left hand.
It went in.
I don't how or know why...
but I do know what
happens to me now.
Yeah, you're gonna be
paying me back my money.
I don't care about your money!
And I don't care about you!
You're nobody!
You're just a kid!
You're nothing!
You ain't never
gonna be like me!
You ain't never gonna
have a limo, a woman
or nothing!
You livin' poor, and
you gonna die poor!
And there's nothing
you can do about it.
Now, get out of my face
before I throw you out.
I thought you were
my road dog, man.
Well, that's your own
damn fault, ain't it?
You're a big man on
the court, aren't you?
Yeah, well,
Winston didn't learn.
Looks like you didn't, either.
Please, God, help me.
Please, Lord, dear God.
Please, dear God, help me.
Please, Lord.
Please, dear God.
God wants you to
walk away right now.
You will be hearing
from him soon,
and you will pay for
what you've done.
There are other angels
handling those two men.
They won't be back.
You got this covered, Andrew?
I gotta go get the kid.
You want to tell me
what's going on here?
Yes, I do, and
you're gonna listen.
I'm an angel sent by God.
God... as in the
alpha and the omega,
the Great I Am,
the Creator of the
Universe... God.
God has given
you this life, Eric,
and he's the one
who saved it just now,
and the only thing that's gonna
save you in the future is Him,
and your faith in Him.
You know, so far the only thing
that you've managed
to have faith in is you,
and it almost got
you killed, didn't it?
Eric, you have to learn
to worship something
higher than you.
God says that you
have a lot to learn,
and one of the things you're
gonna learn is how to read.
You see, I'm coming
back, and when I do,
I'm gonna bring you a book.
It's a book that
you're gonna love,
and I'm gonna tell
you how it ends.
You live, Eric.
You live.
Nobody knows
how you feel, right?
That's what you're
thinking, right?
Yeah.
You know, there's a lot of power
in knowing somebody's secret.
It's like you're holding a
little piece of their soul.
You have a secret of your
own though, don't you?
No.
No, huh?
I know you, Darnell.
I know you sit and you stare
at a box of cereal every morning
with some millionaire
sport superstar on the front,
and all you got to put
on that cereal is water.
You sit in your bed
at night and you
turn up the game
on the TV real loud
so maybe, just maybe
you won't hear those
gunshots out on the street,
and the sirens, and somebody's
mama crying on the corner,
and you just hope that
it's not your best friend.
You don't know
nothing about me, okay?
I do know, Darnell.
No, you don't.
You go without...
and you learn to live without.
You know, sometimes...
I can't take it anymore.
I don't know what to do.
Hey, you ever see those
crazy-looking people
out on the corner,
they got the signs
that say "repent, repent,
the end of the
world is near," right?
Truth is, the world's
just beginning, brother.
You are the future of the world,
and your sun is just rising.
Don't go hanging your
dreams on their lies.
You go ahead and
you dream, little brother.
You dream as big as you can,
and then you hand it to somebody
who really cares
about what you're doing.
God has sent me to
tell you this, Darnell.
I'm an angel, and
my name is Rafael.
That means "healing."
That's the name that He gave me,
and that's what I'm
bringing to you today.
You know what "Darnell" means?
If you look it up
in the dictionary,
it tells you that Darnell means
a weed in a field of grain.
You know what a weed is?
Well, you think it's
some annoying little thing
that nobody wants lying around,
but it's really
something beautiful,
'cause it's a living thing,
and it refuses to die.
It says, forget that.
I'm gonna live, no matter how
hard the world makes it for me.
I'm gonna live and
I'm gonna grow.
So that's what Darnell means.
But God loves you.
He loves you, kid.
He wants to give you
another name today.
So from now on, your
name means victory, too.
True victory.
Not the kind that
wins basketball games,
the kind that wins the
game of life, all right?
You want a role model?
You look a lot
higher than some guy
who can knock
down a three pointer.
Look up.
You look all the way up.
I know you can do it.
But the question is, will you?
Ruth?
One of my favorite Psalms,
number 31, same
as E.Z.'s jersey,
"In thee, O Lord,
do I take refuge.
Let me never be put to shame."
Guess I blew that one.
I've been looking
for you everywhere.
You missed the game.
Well, I didn't wanna
cause any more trouble.
Ah, Ruth... No, I
messed up, big time.
I know it, you know
it, God knows it.
Yes, but... But nothing.
Father gave me chance
after chance after chance,
and what did I do?
I turned every
one of the chances
into a big fat banana peel,
whew, flat on my keester.
We're messengers of God, Ruth.
All He asks is that
we do our best.
He knows what's
inside your heart.
Come on, Monica.
I wasn't created yesterday.
I know the score.
Are you sure, Ruth?
If I were you, I'd
take another look.
I just love the way He works.
So what's it gonna be, man?
You're never gonna believe this.
You'd be surprised.
You know what that says, man?
What?
It says... "God loves you."
God loves you.
God loves me.
Well, I think it's...
time I started
learning how to read.
Looks like they're finally ready
to play ball.
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