Quotes

Dialogue

Coach Dale: You know, if everyone is as nice as you, country hospitality is gonna get an awful name. Myra Fleener: What a pleasant thing to say.

Dialogue

Coach Dale: First of all, let's be real friendly here, okay? My name is Norm. Secondly, your coaching days are over. George: Look, mister, there's... two kinds of dumb, uh... guy that gets naked and runs out in the snow and barks at the moon, and, uh, guy who does the same thing in my living room. First one don't matter, the second one you're kinda forced to deal with. Coach Dale: Translate. That some sort of threat? George: I don't know why Cletus drug your tired old bones in here, he musta owed you somethin' fierce. Fact is, mister, you start screwin' up this team, I'll personally hide-strap your ass to a pine rail and send you up the Monon Line! Coach Dale: Leave the ball, will you, George? [to himself] OK, let's see what kind of hand I've been dealt.

Dialogue

Coach Dale: Strap? [to Rade] How long is he going to go on like this? Rade Butcher: I don't know. He'll come when he's ready, not before. Coach Dale: Hopefully that'll be sometime before tip-off.

Dialogue

Coach Dale: [as Rade gets up to check in the first game after Merle fouls out, even though Coach Dale has benched him] Where are you going? [Rade, puzzled, looks at him] Sit down. Rade Butcher: You gotta have five out there! Coach Dale: Sit... down. Referee: You need one more, coach. Coach Dale: My team is on the floor.

Dialogue

Myra Fleener: [about Jimmy] Leave him alone, all right? He's a real special kid and, and I have high hopes for him and... I think if he works really hard, he can get an academic scholarship to Wabash College and can get out of this place. Coach Dale: Why, do you have something against this place? Myra Fleener: A man your age comes to a place like this, either he's running away from something or he has nowhere else to go. Coach Dale: What I'm doing here has nothing to do with you. Myra Fleener: Just stay away from Jimmy. I don't want him coaching in Hickory when he's fifty.

Dialogue

Myra Fleener: [about Jimmy Chitwood] You know, a basketball hero around here is treated like a god, er, uh, how can he ever find out what he can really do? I don't want this to be the high point of his life. I've seen them, the real sad ones. They sit around the rest of their lives talking about the glory days when they were seventeen years old. Coach Dale: You know, most people would kill... to be treated like a god, just for a few moments.

Dialogue

Rollin: [as Jimmy walks in on the town meeting that determines Coach Dale's fate] What can I do for you, Jimmy? Jimmy Chitwood: I got something to say. Rollin: All right, you better say what you've got to say. Jimmy Chitwood: [Crowd buzzes] I don't know if it'll make any change, but I figured it's time for me to start playing ball. [Crowd cheers.] George: [above crowd noise, pointing to Dale] I told you, once we got rid of him! Jimmy Chitwood: But, there's just one thing... I play, Coach stays. He goes, I go. [Crowd gasps.] George: Uhhh, the coach is ... dismissed by a vote of 68 to 45... Opal Fleener: [jumping to her feet] I think we should vote again! Rollin: All those in favor of the coach staying, say 'Aye' [majority of crowd says 'Aye'] all opposed... [a handful say 'nay', tears up George's tally sheet with a grin] ...Coach stays! [George shakes head; Norman is swarmed by well-wishers]

Dialogue

Everett Flatch: [Shooter is coaching the team at a critical moment after Coach Dale was ejected] You think number four is gonna take their last shot, Dad? Wilbur 'Shooter' Flatch: [Nervously] Yeah, probably... they been pickin' low all night. [Straightens up; he has the answer] Rade, let yourself get taken out! [Rade looks at Shooter, astonished.] Uh, Buddy, you drop down and take his place! [Buddy nods] Close that lane! [team breaks huddle] Wilbur 'Shooter' Flatch: Time! Time! [Brisk and confident] C'mon in, c'mon in. Alright, now listen to me. This is the last shot that we got! Alright? We're gonna run the picket fence at 'em! Merle, you're the swingman, Jimmy, you're solo right! Everett, Merle should be open swinging around the the end of that fence! Now, boys, don't get caught watchin' the paint dry!