The Replacements

Last Sunday, I saw a team on the field play as hard as they could to win the football game. We lost. Not because of effort or desire but because of lack of leadership and trust. One's been resolved. But leadership means nothing if we don't believe in each other. Players spend years together before they develop trust. I'm asking you to do it in a week, not reasonable but these aren't reasonable times. I know you all have concerns about this Sunday. But a real man admits his fears. I'm asking you to do that here, tonight. Who wants to start? Let's talk about fears. Fears. Fears.

- I'm scared of spiders, coach

- That's not what I meant

- I'm afraid of spiders too. Goddamn spiders freak me, too, fellas

- Well, I didn't mean that...

- Ever get one of those spiders crawling up your arm?

- Crawling on you? Damn! Thanks, Jumbo you can just rock me to sleep tonight

- Okay, that's great, but I'm talking about what scares us on the field

- Like spiders on the field?

- Can we get beyond the spiders, please?

- Bees

- Bees?

- Bees?

- Bees

- Anybody here afraid of anything other than insects? Come on.

- Quicksand

- Shit, yeah! Quicksand's a scary mother, man. It sucks you right in and even if you scream, you get that muck...

- I don't think that's it. That's not what he had in mind

- What's he talking about, then?

- Ask him

- What's up, Shane?

- You're playing and you think everything is going fine. But then one thing goes wrong. And another. And another. You try to fight back, but the harder you fight, the deeper you sink. Until you can't move. You can't breathe because you're in over your head. Like quicksand

- That's some deep shit. Some deep shit...

- Anything else?

- Going back to the mini-mart

- The shipping yard

- The auto plant

- Prison

- Yeah, all right. The truth is, you guys have been given something that every athlete dreams of. A second chance. And you're afraid of blowing it. We all are. But now our fear is shared and we can overcome it together. Let's lose that fear this Sunday and put it into San Diego!

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I wish I could say something classy and inspirational, but that just wouldn't be our style. Pain heals. Chicks dig scars. Glory... lasts forever.