Q:Build a movie plot around this: whose players are taller and more athletic? South Bend Central Bears
A:
On an October morning in 1951, Norman Dale (Gene Hackman) drives through the Indiana countryside. In the afternoon he arrives in the small rural town of Hickory and enters the high school. He notices, on a shelf in the hall, basketball trophies won in previous years. As the bell rings to end the school day, he encounters teacher Myra Fleener (Barbara Hershey). She realizes that Norman must be the new basketball coach and teacher of history and civics. She directs him to the office of principal Cletus Summers (Sheb Wooley), where the two men recall how they met many years ago at Buffalo State Teachers College. They had lost touch until recently, when Cletus tracked down Norman and asked him to come coach at Hickory. When Norman thanks Cletus for the opportunity, Cletus interrupts and says, "Your slate's clean here." They proceed to the gym, where student Jimmy Chitwood (Maris Valainis) is shooting baskets. Cletus introduces Norman, but Jimmy ignores the new coach and keeps shooting.That evening on his farm, Cletus explains to Norman that Jimmy has been strongly affected by the recent death of the previous coach, who was like a father to Jimmy. Now the young man has withdrawn from almost everything and everyone and has decided not to play basketball this season. Cletus adds that Jimmy is the best player he has ever seen. As they finish talking, Norman cryptically mentions that he hopes things will work out for him this time.That night, Norman meets some of the townsmen in the barbershop, who bombard him with questions. He tells them he last coached 12 years ago, in Ithaca, New York, and that he has been in the Navy for the past 10 years. The men voice their opinions on what Norman should do with the team. They all agree that Jimmy must rejoin the Huskers for them to have a winning season. Losing patience with all the questions and unwelcome advice, Norman cuts short the meet-and-greet and leaves.The next morning, before school begins, Myra tells Norman that Jimmy is her neighbor, and she has been looking out...