My Many Sons

My dad always told us...

nothing good ever happens after midnight.

Who would'’ve thought that the very worst thing would

happen during broad daylight?

-What? -It'’s your dad and Jerry up here.

Show me.

I don'’t care if it'’s after midnight.

You'’re going to stay here until whoever was screwing around

and broke that mirror takes responsibility.

Jerry.

I was sleeping.

What'’s your name again?

I'’m Wade Tomlinson.

Did you break that mirror?

No, sir.

Of course not.

Keep '’em working here until somebody fesses up.

I'’ll be in my office.

Why didn'’t you just fess up?

Coach Meyer is scary.

His jokes are funny,

but I'’m not sure I want to play for him.

He'’s kind of intense.

Yeah, I'’m glad he'’s not my father.

He'’s my dad.

And that was my childhood.

School, basketball and those long summer basketball camps.

My dad strived for perfection.

He expected me to be perfect.

That'’s results.

But worse, I expected it of myself.

He was always studying stats and recruiting new talent.

Hey, nice game.

I'’m Coach Meyer from Lipscomb.

I know, Coach Meyer. I'’ve been going to your camp for seven years now.

Oh! No wonder your fundamentals are so good.

You'’re awful skinny, but maybe you can play for us at Lipscomb.

I have something to say to all of you freshmen who might'’ve decided on Lipscomb

because we won the national championship.

There'’s something you need to understand.

The reason we won the national championship

is because we play as a team,

not a bunch of individuals.

Everyone knows their role and executes it well.

So, if you were a big scorer in high school,

I have news for you. You may not be a big scorer here.

Your role might be something else.

We'’ll let you know what that is.

Jiminy Christmas, Wade, you look like puke.

Did you eat like I told you to?

-Yes, sir. -Well, not enough.

Fill your plate, son. Skinny is easy.

Muscle is hard. You look like a bean pole.

I'’m still growing, sir.

Well, don'’t worry, you'’ll hit puberty soon.

I'’m not here to entertain you.

We'’re about ready to start a new season.

You'’re all out of shape. Baseline.

Pick it up! Pick it up! Pick it up!

I'’m talking to you, Bob Ford! Move your butt!

-I am, Coach. -Oh, I don'’t see it.

I think you'’re coasting. I think you'’ve fallen in love

with us winning the national championship.

You'’ve got yours last year. What about your new teammates?

Don'’t they deserve your best effort, too?

I don'’t want satisfied players!

You don'’t want me on your team?

I quit!

Leave your shoes in the locker.

Hey, what are you stopping for, sitting around watching?

Did you pay for admission, numbnuts?

I guess you heard.

What I heard was that Bob Ford cleared out his locker.

Ah, he'’ll be back.

I don'’t know. Left school.

-Drove home. -Good.

His mom will send his sorry butt right back here.

I met her. I wouldn'’t bet against that.

But you'’re going to call him, right?

Let him stew for a day.

It'’s 2:00 in the morning. I shouldn'’t be seeing your face at my door.

Why hello to you, too, Ma.

Coach is crazy.

I quit.

What did you say? You'’d be the crazy one.

Your father works two jobs to put food on the table,

and you have to walk over my dead body

before you walk away from that scholarship.

Now you better screw your head back on your neck.

Turn your butt right back around and go back to school.

And don'’t you come back here without a degree.

Ma, you don'’t understand what Coach puts us through.

All I know is Coach promised me he'’d take good care of you and he'’s kept his word.

Don'’t you roll your eyes at me. You go on right now.

Go! Get!

Ma, I'’m tired. I need some sleep.

Well, you'’re not getting comfortable here.

You can sleep on the couch.

Boy.

Hello?

Just a minute.

Bob.

Bob!

-Mmm? -You have a phone call.

Mmm-hmm.

Bob, Coach Meyer.

Hi, Coach.

I heard you left school. Not smart.

Your thinking'’s not too clear right now, Bob.

Better head on back here before you get behind on your classes.

You gotta think of the big picture.

Yeah, okay.

Oh, and Bob, say hi to your mom for me.

See, that'’s what I'’m talking about.

He just hung up without saying goodbye.

That'’s all right. I'’ll say it.

Goodbye.

Coach, look at Bob.

Don'’t make life harder than it already is

by doing stupid things.

The road was like his second home.

He drove thousands of miles to recruit new players.

If I didn'’t catch him at the breakfast table, I barely saw him.

Hey, Coach Meyer.

-Hey. -It'’s a pleasure to meet you.

Oh. Sorry I'’m late.

It was a little further than I thought.

No. No, problem. Come on in.

Thank you.

Ah, have a seat.

Anything to drink?

-No. -Are you sure?

I'’ve been looking forward to talking to you and your wife about Pete.

I'’ve been watching him and he'’s averaging 27 points per game.

Yeah, we'’re real proud of him. He'’s been playing really hard, Coach.

Pete'’s mom passed away last summer.

I'’m sorry.

Yeah, she was murdered in New York.

Oh, wow.

Well, that must'’ve been rough on Pete.

You know, it'’s just one of those things where it was just Pete and it was his sister here

with me and it happened

and we'’ve been here the last eight years.

Just the three of us.

And to be honest, I needed to get Pete out of New York.

He was starting to make some bad decisions.

Hi, Coach.

Tennessee is a big switch from New York.

Yes, sir.

My dad packed us out one day and brought us out here...

in the middle of nowhere.

Well, I have another recruit to get to tonight, so...

let me get right to the point.

We want to offer Pete a basketball scholarship.

Can I think about it and let you know?

This is my first offer and...

I'’m kind of waiting to hear back from a few schools up north.

I have other point guards to see, so...

don'’t think about it too long.

Thanks for the scholarship offer, Coach.

Drive safe.

Really?

I could never play for that guy.

Why do you say that?

Because I'’ve been to one of his clinics, Pops.

He'’s a drill sergeant. I mean, all his players have

to shave their head like they'’re in the military.

Little discipline would do you some good.

Yeah, maybe, but I want to play up north.

Where are you going to play? You don'’t have any other offers.

I'’m gonna walk on at RPI in New York.

Walk on?

You'’re not passing on this scholarship, Pete.

Are you sure about this?

Baby, I can'’t live without you.

I mean, don'’t you feel the same way?

You know I do.

Okay, listen, I can'’t stay here and sneak around for another four years.

Now trust me, you'’re going to love New York.

People think differently up there.

What about your scholarship to Lipscomb?

I turned it down.

Are you sure about the job in New York?

It'’s a family business. I mean, my uncle'’s waiting for me.

You'’re still coming, right?

Yes, I'’m coming.

So you'’ll meet me here tomorrow?

Yeah, at 9:00.

The Athletic Director says you haven'’t yet turned your paperwork in.

I can'’t do the pre-season conditioning with the team until you do.

I'’ll do it today.

Jerry, do you know a John Pierce?

Yeah, I know John. He goes to Dad'’s camps.

-Why? -Well, I went on a date with him

the other day and he was hoping he'’d see you here.

John Pierce was here?

He'’s a darn good ball player.

Well, Dad he came in and said hello, you never looked at him.

-What? -It'’s nothing new.

I was watching a movie.