Bulls on Parade

by
Julio Newman
EXT. FOOTBALL FIELD - NIGHT

The camera enters high from an angle above the football

field. ALHAMBRA HIGH SCHOOL is playing against SAN GABRIEL
HIGH SCHOOL. The stadium is full of fans waiving towels,
screaming, and cheering. Signs on the stands read:

LET’S GO AHS!

BEAT SG!

The players are on the cold, damp field. ALHAMBRA has the
ball on offense. QUARTERBACK ERIC HUNT takes the snap from
his center and drops back. He throws it to a wide open DARREN
WATSON down the middle of the field. Darren breaks 3 tackles
and scores a touchdown.

CUT TO:

JULIAN WATSON rushes the San Gabriel quarterback and hits him
so hard that his helmet comes off. Julian gets up and screams
in excitement.

CUT TO:

EMMANUEL HERNANDEZ kicks a field goal.

CUT TO:

DAN SULZINGER makes a big hit on the opposing running back.

CUT TO:

THE SCOREBOARD: “ALHAMBRA 10, SAN GABRIEL 0”

CUT TO:

Eric Hunt runs an option down the sideline for 20 yards.

CUT TO:

INT. LOCKERROOM - NIGHT

COACH LOPEZ
PICK IT UP GODDAMMIT! YOU’RE
PLAYING FOR THE CITY CHAMPIONSHIP!
DON’T BACK DOWN. WE HAVE 2 MORE
QUARTERS LEFT!
 2.

EXT. FOOTBALL FIELD - NIGHT

Eric gets the shotgun hike from the center at the 45 yard
line, rolls out to his right, sees that nobody is open, and
starts to run with the ball. He gets a block at the 30 yard
line from DARREN WATSON, races down the sideline, and scores.

CUT TO:

Eric gets the shotgun hike from the center at the 30 yard
line. He takes a 3 step drop and throws it down the sideline
to Darren, who makes a one handed catch.

CUT TO:

Darren and Eric are both playing defensive backs. Julian

rushes the opposing quarterback. The quarterback avoids the
sack and throws a pass down the field. Darren and Eric run
towards the opposing receiver as he is about to catch the
ball. Darren hits the player as the ball hits his hands. The
ball pops out and Eric dives and intercepts the ball just
before it hits the ground.

CUT TO:

SCOREBOARD: ALHAMBRA 17, SAN GABRIEL 0

CUT TO:

EXT. SIDELINE - NIGHT

Coach Lopez is standing on the sideline with his headset on.

He is yelling for one of his coaches.

COACH LOPEZ
Kemp!

KEMP
Yeah, coach.

COACH LOPEZ
Pull Gasson out. Put in Lopez.

KEMP
Got it.

Kemp turns around and yells for Lopez.

COACH LOPEZ
Sir?
 3.

KEMP
Get in there.

JOHN LOPEZ goes into the game. He grabs Eric, signaling him
to go to the sideline. Eric refuses.

COACH LOPEZ
Hunt! Get the fuck off the field!

Eric comes running off of the field.

ERIC
Why are you taking me out, coach?
There are recruiters in the stands.

COACH LOPEZ
You’re done. We’ve got this game
locked up. Take it easy, son. Good
game.

ERIC
But I want to finish the game.

COACH LOPEZ
Sit your ass down!

Eric walks away with an angry look on his face. As he walks

to the bench, he passes a few players.

PLAYER #1
Why did they pull him out?

PLAYER #2
I have no idea there’s still 12
minutes left in the game.

PLAYER #3 walks into the conversation.

PLAYER #3
Take a wild guess why the pulled
him out.

PLAYERS #1 and #2 look at each other oddly, not knowing what

to say.

PLAYER #3 (CONT’D)
Lopez! Hello! He’s the coach’s son!
Think about the big picture, Hunt’s
a Junior. Lopez is a Spohomore.
Think about it. He’s trying to get
his son noticed.

Lopez takes the snap. His first pass is intercepted by the

defense and returned for a touchdown.
 4.

PLAYER #1
That sucked.

PLAYER #3
Yeah, tell me about it. We’re gonna
have to put up with this shit next
year.

KEMP
Coach, what about Hunt? Shouldn’t
we put him back in?

COACH LOPEZ
No.

KEMP
Why not?

COACH LOPEZ
Let’s give Lopez a look.

KEMP
Coach, we’re playing for the
championship.

COACH LOPEZ
Get back to coaching the defense
Kemp.

Coach Kemp walks away.

The scoreboard now reads: “ALHAMBRA 17, SAN GABRIEL 7”

SAN GABRIEL gets the ball again. The quarterback drops back
and throws a pass deep down the sideline. His receiver
catches the ball and crosses the end zone.

CUT TO:

SCOREBOARD: ALHAMBRA 17, SAN GABRIEL 14

Lopez gets the ball from the center. He drops back to pass.
He throws a wobbly pass down the middle for Darren. The ball
goes high over his head and is nearly intercepted.

EXT. BLEACHERS - NIGHT

Parents are angry and wondering what is going on with the

team.
 5.

EXT. FOOTBALL FIELD - NIGHT

ALHAMBRA punts the ball to SAN GABRIEL. Their return man

catches the ball, breaks a couple of tackles, and runs down
the side of the field. It appears as though he is about to
score but he is run down by Darren at the 5 yard line. The
first play from scrimmage, SAN GABRIEL’S running back scores
a touchdown.

WITH 5 MINUTES LEFT TO PLAY, THE SCOREBOARD READS: “ALHAMBRA

17, SAN GABRIEL 21”

COACH LOPEZ
Hunt.

ERIC
Yes coach?

COACH LOPEZ
Get in there, son. Win us the game.

Eric looks upset when he is given the order by the coach.

EXT. FOOTBALL FIELD - NIGHT

Eric is in the huddle with the rest of his team. There is

less than 5 minutes left on the game clock. He looks at his
players. They are all tired and breathing hard. The ball is
on the 20 yard line.

ERIC
Red 28 sweep boot left. Let’s get
down the field guys.

Eric calls the play and the huddle breaks. The players get to
the line of scrimmage. Eric takes the snap, fakes the run to
the right, and rolls out to his left. He sees Julian open on
the flat and throws it to him. He catches the pass and runs
up to the 45 yard line. There is now 4 minutes to play.

ERIC (CONT’D)
Hurry up! Get to the line!

Coach Lopez gives the play to the receiver going into the
game.

COACH LOPEZ
Blue 32 dive. Go, get the play in.

RECEIVER
Blue 32 dive.
 6.

The team runs the play. The running back gains 5 yards. There
is now 3 minutes to play.

The team huddles up again.

RECEIVER (CONT’D)
Same play.

ERIC
Why are we running the ball? We
need to pass it.

RECEIVER
That’s what coach wants.

ERIC
Fuck it, I’m changing the play.
Trips 985 flat. Darren, take that
streak to the corner.

DARREN
You got it man. Just give me a
chance to catch it.

The team breaks the huddle. There is a minute and a half left
on the clock. Eric gets the ball from the center and drops
back. He fakes to the left and sees Darren open on the right
side.

CUT TO:

COACH LOPEZ
What the hell is Hunt doing? Hunt!
That’s not the play I called!

Eric throws the ball down the sideline. It is a perfect

spiral. Darren jumps up and reaches for the ball. It hits his
hands, falls, and the defensive back from SAN GABRIEL catches
the ball. He falls as he intercepts the ball. The SAN GABRIEL
crowd goes wild. Eric looks stunned. The SAN GABRIEL offense
quickly takes the field.

COACH LOPEZ (CONT’D)

I WANT HUNT OFF THIS FIELD! GET HIM
THE HELL AWAY FROM THIS TEAM!

KEMP
Coach, it wasn’t his fault.

Eric comes off of the field.

COACH LOPEZ
You son of a bitch, you’re done.
Get out of here.
 7.

ERIC
I’m sorry, coach. We had to go for
it.

COACH LOPEZ
Who the hell are you to take
matters into your own hands. Go to
the locker room. Get out of my
sight.

Eric walks away. The buzzer sounds. The scoreboard reads:

ALHAMBRA 17, SAN GABRIEL 21.

Members of the SAN GABRIEL high school band and fans race
onto the field to celebrate the championship. ALHAMBRA fans
look stunned.

COACH LOPEZ (CONT’D)

That asshole isn’t stepping foot on
this field again.

FADE TO BLACK.

TITLE READS: “BULLS ON PARADE”