Blue Chips

"Dwayne, you can get through college half-assed. Richard, you can get through LIFE half-assed. But I'll guarantee you boys one thing: sure as hell, I'll guarantee you this: you cannot win half-assed!"

"Think, think, think! It's the thinking man's game!"

"You took the purest thing in your life and corrupted it, for what? For what?"

"Boys, the rules don't make much sense. But I believe in the rules. Some of us broke them. I broke them. I can't do this. I can't win like this."

"Y'know, I'll tell you something else. Y'know, someplace, someplace in America right now, there's some 10 year old kid. He's out there on that playground, and he's playin', he's dribbling between his legs, he's goin' left, he's goin' right, he's already above the rim, he's stuffin' it home. You know what's gonna happen to this kid? Five minutes from now, he's gonna be surrounded by agents, corporate sponsors and coaches. Y'know, people like me. Just drooling over this kid because he holds our future employment in his hands. I mean, that's what we've made this game. That's what we've done. Y'know, the best coaching job I ever did, that wasn't tonight. It was last season. Y'know, when we were 14 and 50 and we had a losing season. But goddamnit, those kids, they gave me their hearts! They gave me everything they had! They played up to the maximum of their ability! They gave it everything! And y'know, it wasn't good enough! It wasn't good enough for me, it wasn't good enough for you, it wasn't good enough for anybody! That's pathetic. I mean, that's really pathetic. I've become what I despise. And, y'know, I cheated my profession. Cheated myself. I cheated basketball. There's two words I didn't think'd ever come out of my mouth. I didn't think I'd ever be able to say 'em. [a long pause as he regains his composure] I quit."

"I own you, Pete. You're mine!"

"Victory Doesn't Come Cheap"

"If You're Going To Win At Any Cost, Be Prepared To Pay The Price"

"Nick Nolte - Coach Pete Bell"

"Mary McDonnell - Jenny Bell"

"J. T. Walsh - Happy Kuykendahl"

"Ed O'Neill - Ed Axley"

"Alfre Woodard - Lavada McRae"

"Bob Cousy - Vic Roker"

"Larry Bird - himself"

"Matt Nover - Ricky Roe"

"Shaquille O'Neal - Neon Boudeaux"

"Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway - Butch McRae"

"Anthony C. Hall - Tony"

"Marques Johnson - Mel"

"Robert Wuhl - Marty"

"Cylk Cozart - Slick"

"Jim Beaver - Ricky's Dad"

"Louis Gossett, Jr. - Father Dawkins"