Demanding perfection between the white lines
"We're in a fight, you boys are doing all that you can do, everybody can see that," said coach boone. As we go into the second half down.
"Win or lose.. We walk out of this stadium with our head held high," Boone hesitantly said.
"Do your best that's all anybody can ask for," Crying out Coach.
"No, it aint, Coach," Julius responds with tears in his eyes.
"With all due respect, uh, you demanded more of us. You demanded perfection. Now im not saying that im perfect,' cause im not. And I aint gonna never be. None of us are. But we have wont every single game we have played till now. So this team is perfect. We step out on that field that way tonight. And uh, if its all the same to you Coach Boone, that's how we want to leave it." Julius says.
"Yeah," Coach Yoast yelled.
"I hope you boys have learned as much from me this year as I've learned from you. You've taught this city how to trust the soul of a man rather that the look of him. And I guess it's time I joined the club," Coach Yoast cry's willingly.
"Second half is our time! We gonna put Sushine, Gerry, Julius. You boys gonna play both ways, rest of the game," Coach Boone demands.
"I don't want a receiver to get across the line of scrimmage," Coach "Yoast tells the defense.
Julius and Gerry slowly walked on the field talking to each other, realizing this is their last game in high school together, realizing this state championship game is much bigger than their team. It's a game for their community to finally come together as black and white unite, realizing that color is only a color. Demanding that they make every single play between those white lines. They realize how far they have come from where they and their team stated, from foes to best friends on and off the field.
On the opponent 20 yard line down five points with ten seconds left on the clock. Enough time for one final play, Julius goes over to Coach Boone and Coach Yoast to call in the last play of their career.
"Whats it going to be coach?," says Julius.
Coach Boone calls their third and final timeout, gathering his thoughts. Realizing how much is riding on the state championship game.
The announcers in the press box are talking about this situation, "They have to pass. They have no choice but to pass, all their backs are out,"
Coach Yoast is tweakin right now because we aint got no running back.
"I need a running back," Coach Boone shouts to the bench.
"Gerry, can you do it?," Says Coach Boone.
"yes, sir," Gerry crys out.
"Can you hang on to the ball," Boone demands.
"This is my ball coach," says Gerry.
"All right now heres what were gonna do. I right wiggle, switchblade," Boone delivers the play to the offense.
Julius looks at Gerry without hesitation, telling him, "this is your time,". He gets to the huddle and says the play in pain, "I right wiggle, switchblade."
"For the state championship. I love all y'all, baby. I love all of ya. Lets go on one, ready? Break!," Crys out Julius.
"Twenty-two thousand people in the stadium, folks, and every seat is empty because everyone is on their feet," Says the announcers.
The offensive line digs in. The defense digs in to face it.
Julius. "Ready. Set. Hut"
Julius hands the ball off to Gerry, runs over a defender and another, looking like Walter Payton. Both teams pushing with all their mite, with blood, sweat, and tears. Clock strikes zero. Down to the one yard line.
"Is he in?," announcers shout.
"You got him short?," yells the official to the other.
"That's the ball game," announcers yell. With the opponents rushing on the field with such joy.
Coach Boone gathers all the players in the locker room after the game to give his postgame speech, with everyone bawling their eyes out.
"You men played like champions, you never gave up. And champions hold their heads high," Says Coach Boone.
"What you guys achieved goes way beyond the win-lose column, you achieved something people spend their whole lives trying to find. You gentleman taught this community to trust the soul of a man, rather than the look, and I am so damn proud of you"
Coach Yoast waits his turn to talk, and says, "Thank you all, and good luck to the seniors with their future plans, good luck to Gerry and Julius at the University of Notre Dame where they continue to pursue their playing career, and underclassman lets get right back to this game next season, I demand perfection between those white lines,"