Football Halftime Speech

Coach… Woody Harrelson

Taran Killam

Crandle… Jay Pharoah

[Starts with video clip of a football game]

Male voice: At the end of the first half, it’s Garrison 28 and Newton, 21.

[Cut to Newton’s locker room]

Coach: Get in here guys. Now, take a seat. We can win this. Where’s the defense? You all can’t tackle anybody.

Taran: It’s just, coach, it’s harder to tackle with the new rules.

[Cut to the coach.]

Coach: Oh, the new league wide concussion rules. That’s your excuse? Do we need to go over this again? [Cut to everybody] Okay. Fine. Crandle, come on. Get up here.

[Crandle walks in front]

[Cut to coach and Crandle]

Now, what is so hard about this? It’s the same tackle you fellas have always done. It’s just a little safer on the nugget. You see a man, right? That’s your target. Okay. So, we wanna plaque, arch that back, shoulders over feet guys, then engage. [coach holds Crandle. Crandle is feeling uncomfortable.] That brings him up. Then as he goes down, you cup the neck open up and down supporting him and lower him gently to the turf like a prince putting his princess to bed. Back of the head–

[Cut to everybody]

Everybody: Put your princess to bed.

Coach: Good! Now, as he’s going down, we’re gonna want to check handle them. Cran, are you feeling supported?

Crandle: I feel safe, coach.

Coach: Okay, good. Now that he’s on the ground, you assess his cognitive awareness. Does everybody have their pen lights?

[Cut to everybody]

Everybody: Yes, sir!

Coach: Okay. Check their eyes. Remember, if the pupils dilate…

Everybody: You did great!

Coach: Okay. Now, can we do that?

Everybody: Yeah!

Coach: Can you do it?

Everybody: Yes.

Coach: Can you do it cautiously without intent to harm?

Everybody: Yeah!

Coach: Alright, then. And to help, I’ve brought special guest to you. He’s the greatest player to ever come out of Newton High. Please say hello to nine times Pittsburgh steeler, Mr. DC Timmon.

[Mr. DC Timmon walks in. The players are excited.]

Mr. DC Timmon: Alright. Ae, okay. I’m looking around, and I don’t know if y’all really wanna win tonight. Here’s what I’m saying. Forget the new rules. In my day, we never had these rules. You go out there, hit hard. Coz, that’s football. I never had these rules. Because you can forget them really. So, you out there, and you never had these rules, never! And never did! Coz, that’s football. I never football. Never!

[Cut to Mr. DC Timmon showing his hand]

You see this? I got four rings, baby. Four!

[Cut to everybody]

Beck: You’re not wearing any rings.

Mr. DC Timmon: Who said something about some rings? Just leave. One day. This one’s for all of my bros. This is Superbowl. Go out there and never football. Coz, you are all prep members of the New York city jazz, yeah!

[Mr. DC Timmon walks to a door]

Coach: Hey, DC, that’s a closet.

Mr. DC Timmon: Hey, man, I know what it is.

Coach: Yeah, you see? You understand the importance of these new rules? Okay, now I got more good news. We got brand new helmets provided for you by the people.

[A guy brings in the helmets. The helmets are too large for heads.]

You look great. You look great. Okay. Get them on three, one, two, three.

Everybody: Get them.

Coach: One, two, three.

Everybody: Get them.

Coach: Now remember, somebody’s tired out there.

[players trying to run with over sized helmets but can’t go out the door.]