Fatigue Makes Cowards of Us ALL

Rux, Leo, Zayd, and Dom sit at a table at an Italian restaurant finishing up eating some pasta and salad.

Rux, a middle-aged man, with a protruding belly, used to coach the high school basketball team on which this trio of young Seniors still play.

The three have come to Rux for advice as the team they're on is on the brink of the state championship.

Rux: Fatigue makes cowards of us all!

Dom: Coach, c'mon, we know how you always preached conditioning.

Zayd: And we've been working hard this whole year that you've been gone.

Rux; Retired, I'm not dead, Zayd. And why are you guys coming to ME in the 11th hour and not Coach Dave?

Leo: Cuz Coach Dave's an idiot! Don't get me wrong, nicest guy in the world, but YOU coached us to State last year, and the only reason we're going again this year is cuz WE'VE basically been running the team.

Rux: You three?!

Dom: Well, you ARE looking at the core nucleus of the team.

Zayd: A championship caliber team.

Leo: Yeah, IF we can win it this year?

Rux: (Glaring at Leo) Don't remind me about WHY we lost last year, Mr. Dribble It Off Your Foot!

Leo: Hey, I'm not the point guard, that's Zayd, I'm the small forward!

Rux: And under no threat of ever being called a POINT forward.

Leo: Look, Coach--

Dom: I think we're getting off topic here. We came for advice about how to win the championship game this weekend.

Rux: That's easy. Don't let Leo handle the ball at crunch time.

Leo bangs his hand on the table as spaghetti flies onto the tablecloth.

Leo: It wasn't like Dominic was DOMinating the paint last year.

Dom: I had a double/double in that game.

Leo: You're the center, and how many offensive rebounds did you have? ONE! Without second chance points we're DEAD! You know our gunners had been shooting blanks all year.

Dom: Including our small forward! 30% from 3 point range! And did you ever bother to drive it to the hoop?

Leo: Why? Nobody would've been there to REBOUND if I missed.

Dom: Do you know how many 3 second violations I had in that game?! I can't camp out in the paint waiting for YOU to make a move.

Leo: I'm not the one that's supposed to make moves. The point guard's supposed to break down the defense, and in that game Zayd was moving like he was wearing cleats!

Zayd: Hey! I tweaked my ankle in the first quarter. I was in pain.

Dom: So was I every time you tried to run a pick and roll, and I rolled to the basket, while you limped into a trap.

Rux: (Clears his throat, LOUDLY) Gentlemen... Fatigue makes cowards of us all, But playing the blame game is pointless.

Leo: Hey, you were just blaming ME?

Rux: I was pointing out your shortcomings, with :10 seconds left in the game. But, that was last year. I was there. All three of you SUCKED in your own way. Is that why you're feeling so uncertain about this weekend's championship game?

Zayd: No, we don't think we could PLAY any worse than last year's game.

Leo: Yeah, the Seniors all cried in the locker room.

Rux: That's becuz you three Juniors blew their last chance at a State Championship.

Dom/Leo/Zayd: (In unison): Thanks, Coach.

Rux: So if you're so sure you're going to be up to the task, what's the problem?

Zayd: Coach Dave... Rux when he diagrams a play on the white board during a time out... With all the lines going this way and that way, it's like...

Leo: (Holding up a huge rolled forkful) This spaghetti.

Dom: He keeps wanting to set up like three screens off of an inbound pass.

Zayd: And half the time we end up running into each other.

Rux: Yeah, Dave was always a fan of the fancy stuff.

Leo: Yeah, a fan, but not an expert.

Zayd: And we can't just ignore him.

Dom: I know I try to.

Leo: We're getting stomped on in the 4th quarter. Barely holding onto leads.

Zayd: And not becuz we're out of condition. You preached that fatigue line since I was a freshman.

Rux: Do you remember what it means?

Zayd: Sure. It means at the end of the game, if you're in condition, if you're still ready to run up and down the court, late... While the other guy is sucking wind or upchucking on his bench, cuz he's got nothing left in the tank. That guy becomes a coward, that guy is scared, cuz he knows he's gonna lose. And not becuz he and his crew have any less talent or any less ability, but becuz they didn't do the basic thing you need in all athletic endeavors... Out work the other guy. Out sweat him. Out run him. You taught us that's the heart of the team... And you can't win without heart.

The table goes quiet for a moment as Rux sips from his wine glass.

Rux: Zayd... That, right there, is the reason you were my number one point guard since you were a 9th grader, and undersized. You always got it. You still do.

Dom: But Coach, we still can't win when Dave puts us in 2-3 Zone with 10 minutes left, when man to man had been working all game long

Leo: Or when he plays the bench for too long between the 3rd and 4th quarters.

Zayd: Yeah, he thinks he's giving us a break to keep us fresh at the end of the game, but all he's really doing is cooling us off, so we're stone cold when we go out there again to try to close it out.

Dom: Coach Rux, we can TAKE this Championship, but only if Coach Dave gets out of our way.

Rux pours a touch more wine into his glass. The boys all moan knowing they can't share in the Merlot, though they ALL feel they could use a snort.

Rux: So... Coach Dave... Nice guy. Nice wife.

Dom/Leo/Zayd: (In unison) HOT wife!

Rux: Shut up! Nice family. Cute kids as I recall.

Zayd: Yeah, his 11 year old, Nick, he knows his basketball.

Leo: Personally, I think he'd do a better job coaching us.

Rux: Guys, I can't interfere. And you really didn't ask me out for fine Italian... And you guy ARE buying by the way... You didn't call this meeting so I could solve your problem. You already KNOW the solution to your problem. You gotta be honest with Dave. You just wanted to hear it from me. But I can't grow your balls for you. Fatigue makes cowards of us all. But it isn't the ONLY thing that makes the coward in us come out. Sometimes it's becuz you're afraid of hurting somebody. Somebody you know is trying his best for you. Now you have to meet with him just the way you met with me tonight... And lay your cards out on the table. Tell him he'll have to step aside and let you guys run the show, and win the game. You must've worked around him pretty good to get here, but you're worried that's not gonna be enuf to whip that massive team from upstate that you'll be playing on Saturday. And ask yourself this question, boys... What would be worse for Coach Dave? You telling him exactly how he might have to adjust what he's doing to actually HELP to win a championship that you and HE have worked hard to get to? Or losing it, when you've gotten so close? You three are gonna be in college next year. Probably different colleges. This will be the LAST time you get to play together. How do you want it to end? With honesty, even tho it's difficult? Or letting it slip thru your fingers, cuz you didn't have the strength to be honest?

Silence.

Leo: (Whispering to Zayd) Are we really paying for the dinner?

Zayd: Shut up.

Leo: What? That bottle of wine cost 30 bucks!

Dom: 50, he ordered the good stuff.

Zayd: ENUF, both of you!

Rux chuckles as he finishes his wine.

Zayd: Coach... We'll talk to Dave tomorrow morning before practice, and hope he doesn't bench us all for the final.

Rux: Well, I would. But Dave's a lot nicer than I am.

They raise their glasses, Rux's filled again with Merlot, the boys with assorted tea and soda.

They toast.