19 quotes
Confrontation Over Violence and Accountability
Roger Weathers
Mr. Porter?
Sean Porter
Gettin beatin in the middle of the night, how'd you like it, Roger? You like that?
Roger
Whatchu hitting me for?!
Sean
What you hit Kelvin Owens for?!
Roger
He dissed my hood!
Sean
And now he's out there asleep and you're stuck in here. So what does that make you?
Roger
Hey, man. Can you do dat?
Sean
Can I do what?
Roger
Be smackin me and shit.
Sean
I guess I can.
Roger
SHIT, man!!!
Sean
Roger, you're 17-years-old. Where you gonna be in four years, huh?
Roger
I don't know.
Sean
Answer me. Where you gonna be when you're 21?
Roger
Probably in jail.
Sean
What? Look at me! What'd you say?
Roger
In jail.
Sean
No. You're not gonna be in jail. You're gonna be dead. You're a good kid, Roger. But you're gonna be back out on the streets tomorrow. Back in your hood with your homeys. You wanna stay alive, you gotta make a life for yourself outside of your set. If you don't do that, if you don't find an alternative, you're gonna die. If you want any kinda help, if you want to talk, I'm here for you. Think about it.
[Bends down to talk with Roger; Stands up, grabs the newspaper, and walks away]
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
The Power of Self-Belief
Sean Porter
Ya got nobody but yourself, but, goddamn it, that's all you need. Believe in yourself and knock me on my ass!
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Transformative Outcomes Beyond the Game
Sean Porter
We played the championship game the next week. We lost 17-14. But we played a helluva game. And no one called us losers. I told em, far as I was concerned, they were champs. Since then all the kids have been released. 24 are goin to school. Three are working full-time jobs. And only five are back in jail. That's a lot better than the average failure rate of 75 percent. After his release, Junior Palaita got a job working for a furniture company and lives with his family. Kelvin Owens recovered from his bullet wound. He's gonna play for Washington High next season. Miguel Perez and Donald Madlock went back to their old gangs and are now in California Youth Authority prisons. Kenny Bates is goin to school in Redondo Beach and living with his mom. Leon Hayes is trying to resist the crack dealer's lifestyle. He's gonna play football for Dorsey High this year. Bug Wendal was killed in a drive-by shooting in Compton. Willie Weathers got a full scholarship to play football for a top boarding school. A school that's long way from 88th Street. And how'd things change for me? Not a whole lot.
[Closing lines]
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Pushing Limits to Discover Potential
Sean Porter
I know you're a good football player. You may even be great. And I am gonna push you until we find out.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Embracing Gaming and Competition
Leon Hayes
Yeah. I played games. I play Madden!
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Proving Worth Beyond Confinement
Sean Porter
It's time to prove to everyone out there that even though you're locked up, you are somebody.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Confrontation on the Football Field
Sean
What was that about?!
Willie
Man, just send me to the boxǃ
Sean
No, you start trouble on a football field, we finish it on a football fieldǃ
Willie
I ain't doin shit wit imǃ
Sean
Why not?!
Willie
Was his set smoked Rajaǃ
Kelvin
88s killed my best friendǃ
Sean
Shut upǃ How long your sets been at war?
Kelvin
Ancient times, dude.
Sean
How'd it get started? You even know?
Kelvin
They started that shit, dawgǃ
Willie
Man, that's a goddamn lieǃ
Sean
Shut upǃ Willie, lemme ask you something. How'd you feel when Roger died? Did you cry? How bout you, Kelvin? How did you feel when your friend was killed? Did you cry?
Kelvin
Yes, sir, I did.
Sean
Yeah. So it's just gonna go on like this forever? Killin each other cause ya live five blocks in the wrong direction? How bout we call a peace right here? Goddamn it, why not?!
[Both boys refuse]
Willie
I mean, we just, like, little gangsters. It wouldn't even mean nothin'.
Sean
It'd mean somethin here. Right here, right now, it would mean somethin'.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Teamwork and Commitment in Football Training
Sean
You wanna play football with this team, you're gonna live with the team, eat with the team, and work with the team.
Miguel Perez
Is practice gonna be hard?
Sean
It's a lot harder than five homeboys beatin up a security guard, Perez.
Perez
Then I'm in.
Sean
How bout you, Bates?
Kenny Bates
I don't know.
Sean
Don't be scared.
Bates
I'm not scared.
Sean
You're on the team.
Leon Hayes
Yo. I'll play quarterback.
Sean
You got any experience, Leon?
Leon
Man, I got so much experience I could give some away and still have more than I could use.
Sean
All right.
Junior Palaita
I'll play.
Sean
I can't use you, Junior.
Junior
Why not?
Sean
Cause you got no discipline. You'll be tryin to start fights every time I turn my back.
Junior
You ain't even gonna give me a chance?
Sean
You've had plenty of chances. Who else? How bout you, Owens? You played defensive back, didn't you? For Washington? You wanna check your calendar and get back to me? Or maybe you got another liquor store to rob.
[Kelvin doesn't answer]
Kelvin Owens
Yeah, I'll play.
Sean
How bout you, Evans?
Jamal Evans
I mean, I played Pop Warner when I was younger but that's about it, though.
Sean
You're on the team.
Bug Wendal
I got experience. I played for, like, three years.
Sean
What position'd you play?
Bug
Out to the side.
Sean
Was that out to the side on offense or defense?
Bug
If the ball's thrown from... man, I don't know what I'm talkin'.
Sean
All right, Bug. How bout you be water boy?
Bug
Cool.
Sean
All right.
Donald Madlock
Yo, Mr. Porter. Can I play?
Sean
You're getting out in a week, Madlock.
Madlock
I wanna stay in.
Sean
You wanna stay in jail?
Madlock
Yeah, man. South Central in summertime gets hot. Gets crazy. People start shootin each other and stuff.
Sean
I'll talk to your case worker. All right?
Madlock
All right.
Sean
New booty? What's your name?
[To Willie Weathers]
Willie Weathers
Willie Weathers.
Sean
Get vertical when you talk to me. You any relation to Roger Weathers?
[Willie stands up]
Willie
He was my cousin, man.
Sean
I want you to play on this team, Willie.
Willie
Naw, man, it's a'ight.
Sean
You're playin'.
Willie
Why?
Sean
Cause I want you to live longer than your cousin.
Leon
Hey. Who we gonna play against?
Sean
We'll let you know.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Consequences of Choices Among Teenagers
Sean Porter
Most 16, 17-year-old kids, they make a bad choice, something gets broken, they screw up in class, hurt somebody's feelings, show up at the prom drunk, they get sent to the principal's office, have their car keys taken away, or get grounded. Then there's kids, they make a bad choice, somebody ends up shot dead in a parkin lot. Those kids get sent here.
[First lines]
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
A Father's Regret and Aspiration
Sean
You got a pass, Junior?
Junior
I had a phone call.
Sean
From who?
Junior
It's my boy's birthday, man. He's two-years-old. He's two-years-old and I missed it. I wanna be a Mustang, coach.
Sean
Why should I trust you?
Junior
Cause I ain't gonna mess up.
Sean
That's what you told the judge the last time you got out.
Junior
No more. I'm tired of bein a loser, man. Makin a mess of everything. Coach, I wanna show people I can play. I can do somethin with my life. I just wanna make my son proud.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Embracing the Challenge of the Impossible
Sean Porter
Then let's try the impossible, because the possible just ain't workin'.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Transforming Losers into Winners Through Teamwork
Sean
All right, everybody, listen up. Whatever neighborhood you came from, whatever gang you claim, whatever hood you're from, this is your hood now. You're no longer a Blood, no longer a Crip, no longer an esé. You're Mustang. This football program will be three-pronged. Number one, the dorm. You're gonna have to learn to get along with people from other neighborhoods. Different backgrounds. Number two, school. You're gonna have to apply yourself. Become a better student. And number three, the gridiron.
Bug
Hey, coach. What's the gridiron?
Sean
You're standin on the gridiron. The gridiron is a football field. On the gridiron, we play football. On the gridiron, we do it my way. Not your way, my way. Your way got you here. And you're here, cause ya lost. Right now, you're losers. Mustangs are winners. And if you accept this challenge, when it's all over come December, you're gonna be winners.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Belief in Team Strength and Resilience
Sean Porter
Lemme tell you somethin else, I still don't believe that they're 38 points better than you. I still don't believe that they're the better team. I would not trade you for them. I want you to hold your heads up high.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Building Leadership Through Team Sports
Sean
Listen, Paul, we convince a kid to stop gangbanging, all we do is create a void. And unless we fill that void with somethin better, we're gonna lose em. According to the teaching staff, the kids here have trouble being punctual, responding to authority, being a member of a team, and accepting criticism. What one activity can improve em on all these areas?
Paul Higa
You wanna start a football team?
Sean
Exactly.
Paul
Sean, look at them. Our whole system's designed to prevent them from making contact.
Sean
Our whole system right now is a joke.
Ted Dexter
Malcolm, you're not buying into this, are you?
Malcolm
Seventy-five percent of our kids end up back in jail. How much worse could it be?
Ted
Well, who are they gonna play against?
Sean
I'll find em high school teams to play.
Ted
Wait a minute, you wanna take em out of the camp? You really think you can trust these kids?
Sean
Not now, no. But if they were a football team...
Ted
Oh, come on, Sean. It's-it's impossible.
Sean
Then let's try the impossible, because the possible just ain't workin'. Paul, we've got to give these kids a target and we've gotta fill that void. You played football, didn't you?
Paul
Defensive end. Second Team All League. All right, we'll give it a try. But your neck is way out on this.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Consequences of Choices in a Dangerous Environment
Sean
I just got back from the hospital. Kelvin's gonna be okay.
Willie
Better for me if the nigga was dead.
Sean
Ya think so? I really don't think it matters cause you're screwed either way, Willie. Your homeys know what you did yesterday. So you go back to the hood, they're gonna put a bullet in your head, cause they think you're not down for the set anymore. No matter what you say now. You know what? I think they're right.
Willie
Manǃ
[Lunges at Sean before being put into a chokehold]
Sean
You better be good to me, asshole, cause I'm all you gotǃ
[Lets go of Willie]
Willie
Man, fuck youǃ
[Throws a pillow at Sean, who grabs it and throws it aside]
Sean
Who else cares about you?!
Willie
I don't need nobody elseǃ
Sean
You don't give a shit about me or anybody elseǃ
Willie
Man, that's rightǃ
Sean
Then why'd you try to save Kelvin yesterday?! Huh? Answer me thatǃ Why'd you side with the enemy over your own homeboy?!
Willie
Man, cause-a youǃ And this damn football team, manǃ
Sean
That's bullshitǃ You made a choiceǃ
Willie
No, I didn'tǃ I ain't even what was happenin to meǃ It was just so... everything so quickǃ I don't what's happenin to me, man.
Sean
I do. You're not the loser you were when you first got here, Willie. You're just not used to bein a winner.
Willie
My father said I was a waste of his time and his money.
Sean
Your father was a loser, Willie. My old man was the same way. He spent so much time tellin me I was no good, tellin me I was nothin'. I believed him.
Willie
That why you so pissed off all the time?
Sean
Yeah, that's probably got somethin to do with it. I know how you feel, Willie. You get to the point where you expect to screw up. You expect to fail. If we wanna win, we gotta let em go. Forgive em and move on.
[Sits down with Willie]
Willie
Forgive em?
Sean
Forgive em. Otherwise we give em too much power over us. And they don't deserve it.
Willie
Well, how long it take you to forgive your dad?
Sean
Till just now. Till just now.
[Stares deep into space and thought for a moment]
Willie
Kelvin's gonna be okay?
Sean
Yeah.
Willie
Whole football team's done, though, huh?
Sean
Maybe not.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Overcoming Early Setbacks in Team Performance
Sean
First one is always the toughest. We made a lotta mistakes out there today. All of us. Me too.
Willie
No shit.
Sean
They were ready. They've been playin together for three years. We've been together for three weeks. Lemme tell you somethin else. I still don't believe that they're 38 points better than you. I still don't believe they're the better team. I would not trade you for them. I want you to hold your heads up high. We got nine games left. We're just gonna have to work harder.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Belief in Team and Personal Growth
Willie Weathers
They ain't that good, man. We're better. And it means much more to us. You know? When this all started, man, coach, he said we'd be winners. I thought he was full of shit, man. I hated y'all. Didn't want no part of it. But then we made a team. We showed people somethin'. Coach is right. We changed. We're not losers no more. All we gotta do is go out there and show it one more time. You know what I'm sayin'?
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Motivation and Team Spirit in Practice
Sean
All right, bring it in. Great practice, great practice. Way to work, way to work. Everybody in close. Get in close. Take a knee. You guys worked really hard this week. You should be proud. You haven't heard that a whole lot, have you? You've earned it. Boys, it's a whole new world out there when you earn things. All right, bring it in. Everybody in. Everybody in. Mustangs on three. One, two, threeǃ (Everyone: "MUSTANGSǃ")
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Embracing the Mustang Challenge Together
Sean
This is it. The day you've been waitin for. I know you're nervous. So am I. My first game too. Now it's time to go out there and put it on the scoreboard. Now it's time to see who has the heart. Now is the time to prove to yourselves and prove to everybody out there that even though you're locked up, you are somebody. And you are worthy of somethingǃ And you're able to do something special that no one else in the world can do, which you can walk through those doors, hold your heads up high and call yourselves Mustangsǃ Are you ready to go out there and take what's yours? (Players: "Yeahǃ") What you've worked hard for? (Players: "Yeahǃ") Are you ready to accept the Mustang challenge? Lead usǃ Lead usǃ
[The players cheer]
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.