From the Rough

Come on! Three good minutes!

Hustle! Hustle! Let's go!

Come on! Do it!

Watch the pool. Watch the pool!

Good morning, ladies!

- Stacey! - Yes?

2:09:64 at Central Florida in March 200-meter butterfly.

Hey! Eyes up here!

I can rattle off numbers all day long for everybody in here.

I watch a lot of film.

Another thing, Stacey.

35, what does that number mean?

- That's my MCAT... - Speak up!

- It's my MCAT score! - That's right!

For those of you that don't know,

35 means Stacey can go to any medical school she pleases.

Let me tell you how she did it.

Work.

First in the library, last out every night,

and that deserves a round of applause.

4,550 career-receiving yards,

328 career receptions.

Kendrick Paulsen's name is already all over

TSU's record books,

and we are proud to have him back

as our newest athletic director.

But before I have him speak,

I'd like to acknowledge the Paulsen family.

Kendrick Paulsen, Sr. Specifically,

and his 20 million dollar grant to our endowment fund.

But without further adieu, Kendrick Paulsen, Jr.

Thank you, Dean Winters.

The first order of business

we have a total noncompliance issue.

The baseball team will need to be cut

and replaced with two smaller teams

to have an equal balance of male and female athletes.

The women's team is set at lacrosse,

but we have not decided what the men's team will be.

How about golf?

- Golf? - You know what I heard?

They got the name The Masters from the slave masters,

plantation owners!

- Really? - That's what I heard.

That's my point exactly. Now you take a sport like golf

that's so hostile to us and show 'em what's what.

Like Tiger Woods.

There you go.

Here's... here's the problem with golf.

There's no access for most black kids.

There's no such thing as an inner city country club.

Didn't stop Grambling, Jackson State,

they got programs.

I mean if Grambling and Jackson State have programs,

that leaves X number of kids that won't be coming here.

Why wouldn't they?

We've got tradition.

We produced 59 Olympic athletes.

Now, that's more than most countries.

I'm just telling you that golf is not a popular sport

with the kinds of kids that come here, and it's expensive.

Expensive? Look, every year I give more and more,

and I see less and less. I'm done.

We need a better football program, better basketball,

track and field, and golf.

Hey, you heading out?

Yeah.

First day on the job kick your butt?

Who's light is on?

That's Starks, ladies swim coach.

Didn't the season just end?

You haven't met Starks have you?

She wouldn't leave early if the school is burning down.

Good night, boss.

The price of success is and has always been sacrifice.

The truly exceptional do not work nine to five,

rarely take vacations

and struggle deeply to maintain pers...

Everyone wants to be at the top.

If you are willing to do what it takes to...

I didn't mean to startle you.

I saw the light on. I figured I'd drop in.

It's no problem.

Catana Starks, swim coach.

Kendrick Paulsen, Jr. I'm the new athletic director.

Kendrick Paulsen?

Nice to put a face to the name.

Heard a lot about you.

What have you heard?

Well, 4,500 career-receiving yards.

That was a long time ago.

Yeah, but it's still impressive.

I can respect what it takes to be an athlete.

Well, I got out of football before it got me.

I, didn't need the injuries,

and I definitely didn't need the money, so...

Well, yeah, your dad's pretty loaded.

- He gives a lot of money. - Thank you.

You... you know, I don't know how often it gets publicized,

but I left football to pursue a Master's in business.

I manage portions of my father's company

so I'm part of that success too.

Great.

How was your first day?

Unbelievable.

The board wants me to put together a men's golf team.

Golf?

Yeah, why?

I just... I... I used to play when I was in college.

I got kind of a sentimental attachment to the game.

You got any candidates lined up?

No, not yet. I'm just getting started.

I'll take it.

Excuse me?

I... I'm just saying I'm interested.

I'll take it.

But you've never coached golf before,

and like I said, it's our men's team.

I heard you.

Well, if you love the sport so much,

then why did you stop playing it?

You know, you got to devote your life to golf,

and I wasn't gonna half it.

Couldn't find work coaching it, so I did other things.

Look, I'm just asking that you consider me, please.

It was a pleasure to meet you.

You too. Welcome.

Thank you.

Listen... listen, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

You'll start in on the ground floor and work your way up.

You'll have my support.

You'll have scholarships. You'll have funding.

You'll have everything you need.

It's an easy answer.

The question is, are you in or are you out?

Okay.

Yeah.

All right.

Well, as long as you're out, you know anyone who coaches golf?

Just give it to Starks, Ken.

I can't. I don't know if she can do the job,

and I need someone I feel comfortable with.

So you're cold calling country club employees?

I mean, look at her. She's half my size.

No college athlete's gonna give her the respect a coach needs.

Starks has been tested many times.

She has earned it.

With the budget you got, she's your best option.

She can do more with less.

Night, Roger.

Thank you. I can't tell you

how excited I am to get back to golf.

There's no contract yet.

- We're working out the terms. - Okay.

I should let you know upfront. Funding's gonna be tough.

Yeah. Well, funding's always tough. I'm used to that.

I can't give you scholarships.

Excuse me?

I'm trying to run a whole department,

and money's needed elsewhere.

My hands are tied.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the A.D.

decides how the money gets spent, and you're the A.D.

so who's hands are tied?

You want the job or not?

Well, since there's no contract and no funding,

what do you suggest I do next?

Well, there's a desk in the men's office after you move.

I suggest you hold tryouts.

Right. Thank you.

Catana Starks, coach of the TSU golf team.

Excuse me. Excuse me.

I'm with Tennessee State golf team, and I was just...

I have a full scholarship at Brantley State.

Okay. Never mind.

No, no. You can try to pitch to me.

I mean, Brantley's only won the National Minorities Championship

five years running. Maybe you got something to offer too.

- Who's the coach? - I am.

You're the coach?

Well tell me about your school.

The opportunity sounds amazing.

Yes, we are Division One.

We don't have a record yet.

We were just recruiting. We're starting.

This is something new we're doing at TSU.

63 strokes?

Yes, ma'am.

When did you shoot that?

My brother took me to one of those,

one of the nine hole courses, and

we were just out there. What?

Nine hole? What about 18?

Well, I mean there's no problem. That's just like a what?

A pair of nine holes?

Thank you for your time.

- Morning, sunshine. - Hey, Roger.

Nobody wants to play here.

Let me tell you something.

I go bowling with a guy who works at a plant downtown.