-
[on Alan's "singing"]
Blue Stanton: Does the term "cruel and unusual punishment" mean anything to you?
-
Coach Yoast: I think this is a very good time for prayer and reflection...
Bertier: Coach, I'm hurt. I'm not dead.
-
Coach Boone: Are your parents here?
Bertier: There's my mother.
Coach Boone: Good.
[nods his head at Gerry's mom]
Coach Boone: You take a look at her. Cause once you step on that bus you aint got your mama no more. You got your brothers on the team and you got your daddy. You know who your daddy is, doncha? Gary, if you want to play on this football team, you answer me when I ask you who is your daddy? Who's your daddy, Gary? Who's your daddy?
Bertier: You.
Coach Boone: And who's team is this, Gerry? Is this your team? Or is this your daddy's team?
Bertier: Yours.
Coach Boone: Now get on the bus. Put on your jacket first and then get on the bus.
-
Sheryl Yoast: Y'all are acting like a bunch of sissies! Quit it!
-
Bertier: Hey, Julius I was thinking we could...
Ronnie "Sunshine" Bass: He's taking a shower.
Bertier: What do you want, man?
Ronnie "Sunshine" Bass: You know what I want.
[kisses him and Gary starts trying to punch him. The team is holding Gary back]
Big Ju: There's too much male bonding in here.
Bertier: Enough!
Big Ju: What is going on here?
Bertier: He kissed me!
-
Bertier: Listen, I'm Gerry, you're Julius. Let's just get some particulars and get this over with.
Big Ju: Particulars? Man, no matter what I tell you, you ain't never gonna know nothing about me.
Bertier: Listen, I ain't running any more of these three-a-days
Big Ju: Well, what I've got to say, you really don't wanna hear 'cuz honesty ain't too high upon your people's priorities list.
Bertier: Honesty? You want honesty? Alright, honestly, I think you're nothing. Nothing but a pure waste of God-given talent. You don't listen to nobody, man! Not even Doc or Boone! Shiver push on the line everytime and you blow right past 'em! Push 'em, pull 'em, do something! You can't run over everybody in this league, and everytime you do you leave one of your teammates hanging out to dry, me in particular!
Big Ju: Why should I give a hoot about you, huh? Or anyone else out there? You wanna talk about the ways you're the captain, right?
Bertier: Right.
Big Ju: You got a job?
Bertier: I've got a job.
Big Ju: You been doing your job?
Bertier: I've been doing my job.
Big Ju: Then why don't you tell your white buddies to block for Rev better? Because they have not blocked for him worth a plug nickel, and you know it! Nobody plays. Yourself included. I'm supposed to wear myself out for the team? What team? Nah, nah what I'm gonna do is look out for myself and I'ma get mine.
Bertier: See man, that's the worst attitude I ever heard.
Big Ju: Attitude reflects leadership, captain.
-
Ray Budds: I didn't hear it... swear to God!
-
[Julius visits Gerry in the hospital]
Nurse: Only kin's allowed in here.
Bertier: Alice, are you blind? Don't you see the family resemblance? That's my brother.
-
Bertier: Left side!
Big Ju: Strong Side!
Bertier: Left side!
Big Ju: Strong Side!
Bertier: Left side!
Big Ju: Strong Side!
-
Petey Jones: Hey, hey, Lastik man what happened to you?
Louie Lastik: [holding back, in fake pain] Man I just gave your momma a piggy-back ride and she weighs twice as much as I do!
Petey Jones: That ain't funny!
-
[after Petey makes a fumble]
Coach Boone: Petey, how many feet are in a mile? How many feet are in a mile?
Petey Jones: [mumbles]
Coach Boone: 5,280 feet! You pick this ball up and run every one of 'em! You're killing me, Petey! You're killing me!
-
Coach Boone: We will be perfect in every aspect of the game. You drop a pass, you run a mile. You miss a blocking assignment, you run a mile. You fumble the football, and i will break my foot off in your John Brown hind parts and then you will run a mile. Perfection. Let's go to work.
-
Coach Yoast: All right, now, I don't want them to gain *another yard!* * You blitz... all... night!* If they cross the line of scrimmage, I'm gonna take every last one of you out! You make sure they remember, *forever*, the night they played the Titans!
[defense cheers]
Coach Yoast: Leave no doubt!
-
Petey Jones: [has hand raised for a high-five and is smiling]
Coach Boone: Put your hand down.
[Petey does as told]
Coach Boone: You're smiling.
Petey Jones: Yes.
Coach Boone: Yes, sir. Why are you smiling?
Petey Jones: 'Cause I love football. Football is fun.
Coach Boone: Fun, sir? It's fun?
Petey Jones: Yes.
Coach Boone: You sure?
Petey Jones: I think...
Coach Boone: Now you're thinkin'. First you smile, then you thinkin'. You think football is still fun?
Petey Jones: Uh, yes.
Coach Boone: Sir.
Petey Jones: Yes- no, sir.
Coach Boone: No?
Petey Jones: Um, it was fun.
Coach Boone: Not anymore though, is it? *Is* it?
Petey Jones: Not right now, no.
Coach Boone: No, it's not fun anymore. Not even a little bit.
Petey Jones: Uh... no.
Coach Boone: Make up your mind. Think since you're thinking. Go on, think. Is it fun?
Petey Jones: No, sir.
Coach Boone: No? Absolutely not?
Petey Jones: Zero fun, sir.
Coach Boone: [addresses team] All right, listen up! I'm Coach Boone. I'm gonna tell you about how much... *fun* you're gonna have this season.
-
Coach Boone: We leave for camp: Gettysburg College, August 15th, 7:29 am. If you show up at 7:30, you will not be playing football this season, you will be watching. You will wear a jacket and tie. If you don't have one, buy one. Can't afford one, borrow one from your old man. Don't have an old man, find a drunk, and trade for his. Cause I guarantee you, there ain't a bum on the street that looks as raggedy and ridiculous as what I'm looking at. This is no democracy. It is a dictatorship. I am the law. If you survive camp, you will be on the team. If... you survive.
-
Coach Boone: This is where they fought the battle of Gettysburg. Fifty thousand men died right here on this field, fighting the same fight that we are still fighting among ourselves today. This green field right here, painted red, bubblin' with the blood of young boys. Smoke and hot lead pouring right through their bodies. Listen to their souls, men. I killed my brother with malice in my heart. Hatred destroyed my family. You listen, and you take a lesson from the dead. If we don't come together right now on this hallowed ground, we too will be destroyed, just like they were. I don't care if you like each other of not, but you will respect each other. And maybe... I don't know, maybe we'll learn to play this game like men.
-
Coach Boone: I'm not gonna talk to you tonight about winnin' and losin'. You're already winners 'cause you didn't kill each other up at camp.
-
Coach Boone: [to his players] Tonight we've got Hayfield. Like all the other schools in this conference, they're all white. They don't have to worry about race. We do. let me tell you somthing: you don't let anyone come between us. Nothing tears us apart. In Greek mythology, the Titans were greater even than the gods. They ruled their universe with absolute power. Well that football field out there, that's our universe. Let's rule it like titans.
-
[last lines]
Older Sheryl: People say that it can't work, black and white. Here, we make it work every day. We still have our disagreements, of course, but before we reach for hate, always, always, we remember the Titans.
-
Blue Stanton: Coach we need a water break, we been out here all day!
Coach Boone: What did you say?
Blue Stanton: Said, we need a water break.
Coach Boone: A water break? Water is for cowards. Water makes you weak. Water is for washing blood off that uniform and you don't get no blood on my uniform, boy you must be outside your mind! We are going to do up-downs, until Blue is no longer tired, and thirsty.
-
Coach Boone: Now I may be a mean cuss. But I'm the same mean cuss with everybody out there on that football field. The world don't give a damn about how sensitive these kids are, especially the young black kids. You ain't doin' these kids a favor by patronizing them. You crippling them; You crippling them for life.
-
Coach Boone: I don't scratch my head unless it itches and I don't dance unless I hear some music. I will not be intimidated. That's just the way it is.
-
Older Sheryl: People say that it can't work, black and white; well here we make it work, everyday. We have our disagreements, of course, but before we reach for hate, always, always, we remember the Titans.
-
Coach Boone: You look like a bunch of fifth grade sissies after a cat fight! You got anger, that's good you're gonna need it, you got aggression that's even better you're gonna need that, too. But any little two year old child can throw a fit! Football is about controlling that anger, harnessing that aggression into a team effort to achieve perfection!
-
Sheryl Yoast: Coach Boone, you did a good job up here. You ran a tough camp from what I can see.
Coach Boone: Well I'm very happy to have the approval of a 5 year old.
Sheryl Yoast: I'm 9 and a half, thank you very much.
Coach Boone: Why don't you get this little girl, some pretty dolls or something coach?
Coach Yoast: I've tried. She loves football.
-
Bertier: I love you, sugar.
-
Petey Jones: [Sunshine is running his hand through his newly-cut hair] Hey now, all that rubbin' ain't gonna make them golden locks grow back no faster, now, you know that, right?
-
Sheryl Yoast: In Virginia, high school football is a way of life, it's bigger than Christmas day. My daddy coached in Alexandria, he worked so hard my momma left him, but I stayed with coach, he needed me on that field.
-
Coach Boone: I'm a winner. I'm going to win.
-
Petey Jones: Why the clouds, Sunshine?
-
Carol Boone: Sometimes life is hard for no reason at all.
-
Coach Boone: What are you?
Team: Mobile, agile, hostile!
Coach Boone: What is pain?
Team: French bread!
Coach Boone: What is fatigue?
Team: Army clothes!
Coach Boone: [Coach puts hand to his ear] Will you ever quit?
Team: No! We want some mo', we want some mo', we want some mo'!
-
Coach Paul 'Doc' Hines: You have twelve brothers and sisters?
Coach Boone: Eight.
Coach Paul 'Doc' Hines: Yeah, twelve sounds better.
-
Blue Stanton: Five, Six, Five Six Seven Eight!
Team: [Echoed] Everywhere we go -Everywhere we go-, people wanna know -people wanna know-, who we are -who we are-, so we tell them -so we tell them- We Are The Titans! -We Are The Titans!- The Mighty Mighty Titans! -The Mighty Mighty Titans!...
-
Bertier: [the Titans have just had a touchdown scored against them in the State Championship] NO! Nooooooooo!
Nurse: [Nurse comes running in] What's wrong, Gerry?
Bertier: Do *not* come in here!
[Nurse exits hurriedly, followed by a projectile]
-
Coach Boone: It's all right. We're in a fight. You boys are doing all that you can do. Anybody can see that. Win or lose... We gonna walk out of this stadium tonight with our heads held high. Do your best. That's all anybody can ask for.
Big Ju: No, it ain't Coach. With all due respect, uh, you demanded more of us. You demanded perfection. Now, I ain't saying that I'm perfect, 'cause I'm not. And I ain't gonna never be. None of us are. But we have won every single game we have played till now. So this team is perfect. We stepped out on that field that way tonight. And, uh, if it's all the same to you, Coach Boone, that's how we want to leave it.
Coach Yoast: Yeah. 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 than the look of him. And I guess it's about time I joined the club.
-
Louie Lastik: I'm Louie Lastik, I'm offensive lineman, naval family just moved here from Bayonne, someone said football, so I come runnin'. What's goin' on everybody?
[awkward silence]
-
Coach Boone: What, you say your name was Jerry?
Bertier: [annoyed] Gerry.
Coach Boone: No, you must have said Jerry. Jerry Lewis, which you make *you*
[looks towards Dean]
Coach Boone: Dean Martin.
[towards parents]
Coach Boone: Ladies and gentleman! I've got an announcement to make. We got Jerry Lewis, and Dean Martin going to camp with us this year. Jerry tells the jokes, Dean sings the songs and gets the girl. Let's give em a round of applause.
[begins to clap, inching closer to Gerry, parents are quiet]
Coach Boone: Where's your folks... Gerry?
-
Alan Bosley: [act naturally playing in the background] Huh? Yes! This one... I don't even have to ask but, I will. What do you think of this one?
Blue Stanton: [rubbing head] Does the term, cruel and unusal punishment mean *anything* to you?
-
Blue Stanton: [begins to silently sing, gradually getting lowder] 'Cause baby there ain't no mountain high enough, ain't no valley low enough, ain't...
Big Ju: [slaps Blue's arm] Blue. Shut up. I don't want to see your smilin' and shuff in' and hear all your minstrel show singing on this bus.
[looks towards other singer]
Big Ju: You too.
Bertier: Got that right.
Big Ju: [turns towards him, annoyed] You can shut up too.
-
Bertier: [sees Sunshine get out of car with long hair] Hey fellas! Look at that fruitcake!
Coach Yoast: Gerry, just keep your mouth shut and get back on that field!
Colonel William G. Bass: Coach Boone, I'm Colonel Bass. We just got transferred here from Huntington Beach, California. This is my son, Ronnie, he's a quarterback.
Coach Boone: [shakes Sunshine's hand] How you doin' Ronnie?
Colonel William G. Bass: Coach Yoast.
Coach Yoast: [shakes Sunshine's hand as well] My pleasure.
Coach Boone: We're pretty set at the, uh, quarterback Colonel. But if the boy's any good, you might want to check out Wilson or Annandale.
Colonel William G. Bass: Well, I met Coach Taber. He won't let blacks play on his team. The way I see it, if these boys can fight a war together, they can play football together. Now, he's a pretty good runner...
[Sunshine throws football towards Gerry, who is standing far away. The football hits Gerry square in the back. He turns around, angrily]
Big Ju: [laughing hysterically] Yeah, a fruitcake, huh?
-
Ronnie "Sunshine" Bass: I can't make that pitch Coach.
Coach Boone: Yes you can. When I was fifteen years old I lost my mother and my father in the same month Ronnie, same month. 12 brothers and sisters I was the youngest one of them, now I wasn't ready either, but they needed me. Your team needs you tonight, you're the Coronel, you're going to command your troops! Twins right 48 zero read, *go!*
-
Coach Yoast: This isn't about me, I'm worried about my boys.
Coach Boone: Well I'm not going to cut 'em and eat 'em. The best player will play, color won't matter.
Coach Yoast: From the looks of our little situation we got us here, I think that's about all that does.
Coach Boone: Yeah, you're right. We're in a tough spot, coach. You, me, the whole city. I think it'd go a long way to smooth things over if you'd stay, work on the staff, be a defensive coordinator, assistant head coach.
Coach Yoast: Work under you.
Coach Boone: If that's the way you see it.
Coach Yoast: Good night, Coach.
-
Bertier: [lying down on bed] I ain't looking at that for 2 weeks man. Take it down.
Big Ju: Well, you can close your eyes for 2 weeks for all I care. Why don't you look at your wall and I'll look at mine.
Bertier: [getting up] I'll look wherever I want to, and I dont wanna be looking at that for 2 weeks.
Big Ju: Then you better use your x-ray vision, Superman, and look right through it, cause it ain't coming down.
[fight breaks out]
Alan Bosley: [opens door, and shouts] Fight!
Team: [team comes into room and joins the fight]
-
Big Ju: What you doin' man?
Louie Lastik: Eatin' lunch.
Big Ju: I see you eatin' lunch, but why you eatin' over here? Why not go eat over there and eat with your people?
Louie Lastik: Man, I don't have any people. I'm with everybody, Julius.
Petey Jones: Yeah, he's just a light-skinned brother.
Big Ju: Yeah, and I'm a dark-skinned cracker.
Petey Jones: [laughs]
Jerry 'Rev' Harris: Come on Julius, he's just another blessed child in God's lovin' family.
Blue Stanton: [Blue starts to hum]
Big Ju: Come on, Blue. Let me...
Petey Jones: [Petey joins in with Blue]
Jerry 'Rev' Harris: God, we come before you today. To ask you to soften Big Julius Cambell's heart.
-
Coach Boone: Lastik. I want you to tell me something about one of your black teammates.
Louie Lastik: [shouts] Sir yes, Sir! I'm roomin' with Blue, sir! And I noticed that he wears that leopard-spotted underwear, Sir! Bikini-style, Sir!
Coach Boone: Ok. How about someone who's not your roommate.
Louie Lastik: Sir, I eat lunch with Rev. That's Jerry Harris, sir. People call him that 'cause he's always praying and he won't abide with a foul tounge, Sir!
Coach Boone: And what's the Rev going to do after High School?
Louie Lastik: I don't know. Go to college and all that stuff, I guess.
Coach Boone: What about you? You going to college?
Louie Lastik: [laughs] No, not me coach. I ain't a brainiac like Rev.
Coach Boone: Think you got a future in football?
Louie Lastik: Heck no! I figured as long I'm going to be in school, I might as well hit some people while I'm at it.
-
Coach Yoast: [upon seeing Marshall's first offensive play] ... shotgun? Who do they think they are, the New York Jets?
-
Coach Yoast: [after winning the state championship] I know football, and what you did with those boys. You were the right man for the job, Coach!
Coach Boone: You're a Hall-of-Famer in my book!
[both raise game ball in victory]
-
Coach Boone: [after Gary got into his car accident] I don't know mama, maybe Yost was right. Maybe I pushed him too hard.
Carol Boone: Gary had an accident. Sometimes life's just hard, for no reason at all.
Coach Boone: Do you think I was blinded by my own ambition?
Carol Boone: Whatever kind of ambition it took to do what you did around here, this world could use a lot more of it Herman.
-
[Three seperate situations happening at the same time]
Coach Boone: [Talking to official] Ref! He's lining up offsides! Look, he's *lining* up offsides!
Official: [ignoring Coach Boone]
Coach Ed Henry: [talking to player] Twins right, 99 Z. Go!
Coach Boone: [to Official] Ref! I *know* you can see him, you've got eyes!
Official: [still ignoring Coach Boone]
Coach Ed Henry: [talking to different player] Gun right, 84 stat! And tell Tommy to watch the free safety.
Coach Yoast: [talking to Blue] Get back in there! You know what I'm talking about. You can't be afraid of him!
Coach Boone: [gesturing 'offsides' with arms] Offsides! He's lining up offsides!
-
Bertier: Well, you think I look banged up, you should see my Camaro.
Big Ju: Man, I sure am sorry, man. I should have been there with you.
Bertier: What are you talking about? You would've been in that bed right next to me.
Big Ju: You can't be hurt like this. You - you're Superman.
Bertier: I was afraid of you, Julius. I only saw what I was afraid of, and now I know I was only hating my brother.
Big Ju: I'll tell you what, though. Um, when all this is over... me and you are gonna move out to the same neighborhood together. OK? And, um... and we'll get old, and we'll get fat. And there ain't gonna be all this black-white between us.
Bertier: [Chuckles] Left side.
Big Ju: Strong side.
-
Big Ju: [after sacking the opposing QB] You better make yourself comfortable down there. Real comfortable.
-
Coach Boone: Welcome to my life, Yoast.
-
Carol Boone: [When she sees all the neighbors cheering for her husband] Well, I'll be John Brown!
-
Coach Yoast: Titus!
[walks angrily towards official]
Coach Yoast: [in a quiet voice] I know all about it, Titus.
Crooked Official: What are you talking about, Bill?
Coach Yoast: You call this game fair, or I'll go to the papers. I don't care if I go down with you. Before God, I swear I'll see every last one of you thrown in jail.
Crooked Official: You dig your own grave.
-
Coach Boone: Lastik, what's the matter?
Louie Lastik: I'm eligible.
[walks over to Boone and embraces him]
Coach Boone: [talking awkwardly, while still being embraced by Lastik] Well, um, I'm glad to hear that, son, but I'm already married.
Louie Lastik: I got a C-plus average, Coach. I'm going to college.
Coach Boone: [talking while hugging] Lastik, that's fantastic.
-
Title Card: [CUTTING ROOM-FLOOR VERSION OF EPILOGUE: early drafts of the screenplay found the real-life T.C. Williams Titans joining the actors who portrayed them, a la SCHINDLER'S LIST, at Gerry Bertier's grave... starting with Herman Boone and actor Denzel Washington, followed by Boone's wife and daughters, and by the actresses who played them in the movie] Herman Boone coached the Titans' football team for five more years. He is now retired and living in Alexandria.
Title Card: [as the Boones and their movie counterparts each lay a rose on Gerry's grave, they are joined by Bill Yoast and Will Patton, who also place roses on the grave] Bill Yoast assisted Herman Boone for another four years. He retired from coaching in 1990.
Title Card: [Yoast, the Boone family, and their actor-counterparts walk off together] Herman Boone and Bill Yoast became good friends. They continue that friendship today.
Title Card: [Actor Ryan Hurst approaches the grave and places a rose on it] Gerry Bertier was a two-time all-American. He became a leader, and an inspiration, to the handicapped community in Virginia... He was killed when a drunk driver ran his car off the road in 1981. The gym at T.C. Williams High School was renamed after him.
[Hurst turns from the grave and fades away while walking off]
Title Card: 'Big Julius' Campbell was named to the 1971 all-American team. After his football career was over, he began working for the city of Alexandria.
[Actor Wood Harris, along with Julius Campbell, approaches the grave. Both lay roses on it]
Title Card: Julius Campbell and Gerry Bertier remained close friends until the latter's death.
Title Card: [Harris and Campbell walk off. Actor Kip Pardue, along with Ronnie 'Sunshine' Bass, approaches the grave; both place roses on it] Ronnie 'Sunshine' Bass became the starting quarterback at the University of South Carolina at Greenville. He still lives there, and now works for ABC.
Title Card: [Pardue and Bass walk off. Actor Donald Faison, along with 'Petey' Jones, approaches the grave; both lay roses on it] Peter 'Petey' Jones ended his football career shortly after graduating from TC Williams High School. Since then, he has worked for the Alexandria school system.
Title Card: [Faison and Jones walk off. Actor Craig Kirkwood, along with Jerry 'the Rev' Harris, approaches the grave. Both place roses on it] Jerry 'the Rev' Harris retired from football after the 1971 season. He attended Federal City College and currently works for US Air.
Title Card: [Kirkwood and Harris walk off. Actor Ethan Suplee, along with Louie Lastik, approaches the grave; each places a rose on it] Lewis Lastik played four years of varsity football at Austin Peay State University. He graduated with honors, and is now a successful businessman in Tennessee.
Title Card: [Suplee and Lastik walk off. Actresses Hayden Panettiere and Tess Panzer approach the grave; they are carrying a large and beautiful wreath along with a stand, both of which they set up beside the grave] Sheryl Yoast continued to help her father on the field until his retirement in 1990. She married Ike Matthews in 1992. They welcomed a daughter, Elizabeth, the following year.
[Panettiere and Panzer turn from the grave. As they walk off, both fade away]
Title Card: In 1996, Sheryl died of a heart inflammation. She was 34 years old... Julius Campbell, Ronnie Bass, Peter Jones, Jerry Harris, and Lewis Lastik served as pallbearers at her funeral.
[photo of the real Sheryl Yoast]
Title Card: This film is dedicated to Sheryl's memory.
Remember the Titans Quotes
Extended Reading
