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EXT. CAMPUS STREET -- DAY
TITLES: Cascade, Oregon August 1968
Students and Townspeople wander past
record and drug paraphernalia shops. On a telephone pole, a long-haired Activist nails up a Morse For Senate flyer...next
to an RFK campaign poster that remains up, months after the shooting.
JAKE Powell, 20, athletic build, hair flying,
runs down the sidewalk, dodging pedestrians or stepping around them into the street. He wears a black denim collared shirt
with a “RE-ELECT SENATOR MORSE” pin on it, and blue jeans. A medium-sized box, closed with flaps, is under his
arm.
A Professor, carrying a satchel, passes a Cascade Times-Register newspaper rack. Headline: "Packwood
Leads Morse in Poll."
Jake runs by him.
Outside the university bookstore, a sandwich board sign on the sidewalk advertises:
AVOID THE RUSH, BUY YOUR FALL SEMESTER BOOKS NOW. A PRANKSTER takes a magic marker, draws a line through "RUSH"
and scribbles "DRAFT" above it.
Jake runs by.
EXT. ADMINISTRATION BUILDING -- DAY
ANNIE Laughlin, 21, who looks more sorority girl than radical,
is on the building steps. She has a homemade sign attached to a yardstick resting upside down at her side. It says: “No
More Grapes, No More Strawberries.”
A bearded TROUBADOUR is near her, with his guitar. He begins
singing, “Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man.” Annie turns to him. Still singing, the Troubadour lets the guitar drop out
of hands to the end of the strap. He quickly reaches down to his guitar case, snatches a bunch of wildflowers and hands them
to Annie.
Jake charges up the stairs, still carrying the box under one arm. He has witnessed the exchange.
JAKE Nice flowers. Sorry I’m late.
INT. PRESIDENT’S OFFICE, RECEPTION
AREA -- DAY
SECRETARY types furiously. On the closed door beyond her: DR. NEAL HASSLER University President
INT. PRESIDENT’S OFFICE, INNER OFFICE -- DAY
Neal HASSLER, mid-40s and
bespectacled, is behind his desk. Among the many pictures and diplomas on Hassler’s wall is a framed, grainy shot of
several grinning military pilots, in flyers’ helmets.
The door opens, and Secretary sticks her head in.
SECRETARY They’re set up on the stairs. And they’re not alone.
Hassler sighs,
stands and starts out of the office.
EXT. ADMINISTRATION
BUILDING STEPS – DAY
Holding her sign, Annie faces a crowd of protesters. Jake still holds his box.
CROWD No more grapes! No more strawberries!
ANNIE (to the crowd) Every table grape and strawberry
this university buys condones the horrible treatment of the migrant workers! Support Cesar Chavez! (cues the crowd) No more
grapes! No more strawberries!
The Crowd joins in. Hassler suddenly appears behind her. The crowd notices before she
does and starts directing the chant at him. He holds up his hand to ask for quiet. Annie has seen him now, but continues to
lead the chant. Jake takes a slight step over and, taking a hand off the box, holds it up, asking for quiet. Annie keeps chanting,
but the crowd gradually heeds the request. Annie stops, too.
HASSLER Your appointment was for a meeting in the office. Not for a show on the steps.
JAKE We were on our way in with the petitions.
Annie talks over Jake.
ANNIE You think this is a show? I went to those camps. I saw how they lived. I saw the way
the growers treated them. And the students know it. You’ll see all the signatures we got – and it’s summer
school!
HASSLER Miss Laughlin, I don’t
doubt your sincerity. I –
Annie turns this into a speech for the crowd.
ANNIE If you don’t order the university to stop buying grapes and strawberries, there
will be trouble! And the same with the military recruiters. They don’t belong on campus!
ROARS from below.
Hassler continues to talk as if this just the three of them, and only the closest students can hear.
HASSLER Threatening me won’t work. And give me credit: I’ve heard about these petitions
you’ve been passing around. On the grapes and strawberries, there will not be a boycott. You seem to forget that students
already have voices in what the university orders. The cafeteria lines. Menus. But I'll think about whether there's something
besides a boycott that recognizes some individual students are concerned. ANNIE That’s nothing!
VOICE FROM THE MOB That’s
bullshit!
Four campus police officers appear behind Hassler. He motions them further back. He speaks up louder now,
addressing the crowd more directly.
HASSLER And the military
recruiters will be allowed on campus on selected days, like any other corporate recruiters.
ANNIE They say you’re
different. (points at Jake) He says you’re different. Maybe you are. You’re worse because you’re in a position
to do something and you won’t!
HASSLER I’ve told
you what I thought. Now I have some work to do.
He starts back into the building, escorted by the campus police and followed by chants
and derisive taunts. Jake follows, carrying the box of petitions. They talk as they walk.
JAKE Please think about this.
HASSLER Oh, I will. (beat) Don’t you have to get to practice?
Jake looks at his watch.
JAKE Oh shit!
He rushes through the office
suite doorway, drops the box outside the entrance to Hassler’s inner office and starts back out. As he passes Hassler,
he turns and talks on the run, moving backwards.
JAKE If I’m late,
will you put in a word for me with Coach Benson?
HASSLER Sure. But I’m
not sure you’d like the word.
Jake bolts out the door. KIT Dunleavy, a student reporter, long hair, big round glasses
that make her so much more alluring, you wonder if they’re an affectation, is in his path and tries to stop him. She’s
holding a notebook and a pen and is poised to take notes.
KIT Jake, can I ask you about a couple of things?
Jake slows down and talks as he walks backwards, toward the steps.
JAKE Sorry, Kit. I’ll
have to let Annie speak for us alone this time.
KIT You sure you want
to do that?
JAKE No. I said I had to.
Jake turns around
and charges down the stairs.
EXT. FOOTBALL
PRACTICE FIELD -- DAY
With Hobson Court, the basketball arena, in the background, the Cascade Fishermen are going through
an intra-squad scrimmage. Even the players not involved in the play at the moment are wearing their helmets. Because of the
hair hanging out of helmets, many of these guys wouldn’t look out place playing bass in a psychedelic rock band.
The offense is
in blue, the defense in white. They’re playing under game conditions, except the quarterbacks – Jake Powell, RICK
Bouton and DONNIE Dawson – are wearing red vests, marking them as off-limits from contact.
Larry BENSON,
mid-40s, crewcut, and his coaching staff are gathered about 15 yards behind the line of scrimmage on the field. Among the
eight assistants, Howie HALLSTROM, Pete SALISBURY and Stan ALEXANDER are in their early 30s, Rex GAMBERG and Carl STEELE in
their late 20s.
Jake is standing in the group, too, holding a clipboard and a pencil.
Rick throws a deep-down-and-out
to end KEITH Oldham along the sideline.
Jake scribbles.
TIMMY Hilton – tall, black and quick -- takes a pitchout, skirts left end, dances
a bit and gains about 10.
Rick fakes a handoff to the fullback, rolls to the right, turns back to his left and tosses down
the other sideline to Timmy, who has drifted out of the backfield. He’s alone, makes the catch and scampers in for a
touchdown.
The four defensive coaches, including Steele, are chewing out the defensive players, making hand motions
about where players should have been, but weren’t.
Hallstrom pats Jake on the shoulder pad, hits Timmy on the
butt, and animatedly congratulates the whole unit. Gamberg, the offensive line coach, is more subdued. Gamberg goes through
the motions of congratulating his linemen, but his heart doesn’t seem to be in it.
As the squad moves back up
the field to begin the next series, Gamberg is walking with Hallstrom.
GAMBERG Let’s work on running it down their throats.
HALLSTROM What we just did didn’t work?
GAMBERG We won’t be going against our defense all the time. And if Bouton gets hurt, we’ve got to use the fuckup
quarterback.
Gamberg motions toward Jake.
Benson blows his whistle.
BENSON OK, second offense! Second defense!
Jake is excited. He tries to hand his clipboard to someone, but drops it.
EXT. FOOTBALL PRACTICE FIELD – DAY
Now it’s the second offense,
with Jake at quarterback.
Jake scrambles out of the pocket and runs for 15.
The Backup Fullback barrels up the middle for
5.
Jake throws a slant pattern across the middle to a Backup End for 17.
The Backup Tailback takes a pitchout
and runs for 8.
Jake throws a nice sideline route to the Backup End for 14.
The Backup Fullback runs for 2.
Jake throws an
incompletion over the middle.
Jake is sacked for a loss of 6.
Jake holds for the field goal attempt, and the
kicker – coming straight at the ball – boots it through from 42 yards. Barely.
EXT. FOOTBALL PRACTICE FIELD – DAY
Now the players are lining up on one
goal line for post-workout wind sprints. Helmets are off.
Jake, hair flying, finishes a sprint with a group of about
15 offensive backs. He is well behind Timmy, who has an Afro Jimi Hendrix would be proud of. But Jake is in the middle of
the pack and that’s not bad for a quarterback.
Benson lifts the whistle to his mouth and lets loose with
a blast.
BENSON Bring it in!
Hooting and hollering in
celebration of the end of the sprints, the players trot over to converge in a haphazard semi-circle around the head coach.
Steele and Hallstrom remain at his side. The other coaches are among the players.
Jake is standing with the other two
quarterbacks, Rick and Donnie.
BENSON Good work! We’ve
made a lot of progress in a week and it helped that most of you reported in good shape.
A Scrub is bent over at the
waist among the players. He feels something coming on – or, rather, up – and quickly charges over to an empty
garbage can on the sideline. The Scrub loses breakfast into the garbage can. There is mild laughter among the players, and
Benson gestures toward the Scrub.
BENSON (cont.) Most of
you.
He pauses to survey the faces.
BENSON (cont.) Now, I
think most of you have met Bill Wyden, who was promoted last spring to athletic director. He’s asked to speak to you.
. . (beat, and this is barbed) . . . and he will keep it brief. Bill WYDEN steps out from among the players.
WYDEN Thanks, Coach Benson. (Now to the players) I’m
looking forward to great things from you this season. I’m proud to tell you that the booster contributions are up 35
percent this year after we finished second in the conference last season!
Jake snorts scornfully.
JAKE Where’s our cut?
The players LAUGH.
BENSON Jake, zip it.
JAKE But he just said they –
Benson blows the whistle. It can be heard in
Idaho.
BENSON Back on the line! Two hard!
Alexander, the
big defensive line coach, is the “starter” with his whistle. The players run a 100-yard sprint. Timmy and Keith
lead the way.
Gamberg, the big offensive line coach, is the “starter” at the other end. He is about
to send them back.
REX Be sure you let Powell know
how much you appreciate this!
Gamberg blows his whistle. When the players finish the second sprint, Benson blows
his whistle again and announces . . .
BENSON OK, that’s
it! Powell, be in my office after you shower.
Wyden is exasperated. He turns to Benson.
WYDEN But I wasn’t through!
Benson doesn’t acknowledge him.
Jake is in a group
with Rick Bouton; Timmy Hilton; linebacker ALEX Tolliver; Keith Oldham; and offensive tackle TODD Hendricks. Todd stands out
because he has a crewcut.
ALEX Ecclesiastes says
there’s a time and a purpose for everything. You need to learn that.
TODD He means shut the fuck up sometimes.
Timmy laughs.
TIMMY Don’t you see what coach was doing? He was just trying to cut off Wyden’s speech.
KEITH Yeah, Wyden was about to tell us to get haircuts, stay out of campus politics and show
we’re real jocks by beating up some hippies. I’ll trade two more sprints for listening to that shit any day.
Todd stops in
his tracks and puts one knee to the ground, assuming the traditional football resting position. He’s gassed.
The other three
walk toward the middle of the field.
KEITH (cont.) You seem
to forget sometimes that if Todd decides to miss a block, he can get you killed.
Jake laughs.
JAKE If I ever play.
Sequence of shots of the quarterbacks -- including Jake, Rick, and Donnie -- tossing
passes to Timmy, Keith, and the other receivers, working on their routes in informal post-practice work.
They finish. Managers
pick up the balls as the quarterbacks and receivers walk off the field.
EXT. FOOTBALL PRACTICE FIELD -- DAY
Benson is standing with a grizzled reporter, Dusty HARRIS. This guy looks as if he
should be squinting over a poker hand, deciding whether to stay in or fold. He’s got a notebook in hand and he’s
taking notes.
BENSON . . . and I’m confident the
defense will come around.
Harris stops writing and puts his notebook down to his side.
HARRIS Was that extra running because Khruschev popped off?
BENSON I assume you mean Powell.
HARRIS Shit, he is head of the Young Communists.
BENSON Campus Coalition.
HARRIS Same thing. Christ, Larry, how do you put up with him? You, of all people? How many
missions did you fly?
BENSON Everybody who came back flew
the same number.
HARRIS Huh?
BENSON Not one too many.
He walks away.
INT. BENSON’S OFFICE -- DAY
Outside shot shows the football offices are
in the ancient basketball arena above the practice fields on campus. Then inside, Benson’s office is Spartan.
Jake is sitting
opposite Benson’s desk, and he is leaning forward, listening as if he’s poised to sneak a word in. Benson is wearing
his practice clothes, but Jake has showered and changed back into his street clothes. His hair still is wet.
BENSON So you know, President Hassler called and asked if you got to practice on time. Then
he gave me the full report.
Benson waits for Jake to react. He doesn’t.
BENSON (cont.) Actually, he said you were the reasonable one. Again. But half the problem dealing
with you two is that I can’t keep track of what cause you’re fighting for which day. You’re the head of
the Campus Coalition for Peace –
JAKE Campus Coalition
Against the War.
BENSON And Annie is the head of the Students
Against Everything.
JAKE Actually, the state SDS chapter.
BENSON That’s what I said. The Students Against Everything.
JAKE Her heart is in the right place.
BENSON I’m not sure I know what that means anymore. (beat) We need to go over this again.
JAKE But --
BENSON I’m not going to tell you what you can and can’t do outside of football,
whether with the Coalition or anything else. Within reason, within the law and within the same rules everyone else has to
live under on this campus. Fair enough?
JAKE That’s why
a lot of us are here.
BENSON You do cross any of those
lines, though, all bets are off.
JAKE Understood.
BENSON I’m not telling you to make football your life. I’m telling you to make
it your focus when you’re with us. This is not a forum. This is a football team, and you have to respect our authority.
When you pop off like you did out there, with Bill Wyden, you make me wonder if I’m being naïve.
JAKE Coach –
BENSON You can’t
be a smartass with the athletic director, so he comes in here and says that kind of talk from a campus troublemaker shows
why I need to tighten the reins on everyone in this program.
JAKE Sorry. What did you say?
BENSON That sometimes
I wanted to take those reins and strangle you myself.
JAKE Gee, thanks.
BENSON I also said your dad would
be proud of you.
JAKE Well, at least in football. The rest,
I don’t know.
BENSON I bet he could have handled
it. My sons and I debate this one and I haven’t disowned them.
JAKE Are you coming around?
BENSON I wonder. I wonder
what it would have been like if we rebelled when we were your age.
JAKE But that war was diff –
BENSON That’s beside
the point. And the incident with Wyden isn’t important on its own. It’s the overall issue. We’ve shown a
lot of faith in you as young men, and I’m telling you – again -- not to abuse it. (beat) That’s not
a request.
JAKE I know.
BENSON (more sternly) Then act
like you know it from now on.
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