Episode Report Card Drunken Bee: B+ | 2 USERS: A+ YOU GRADE IT Getting In
By Drunken Bee | Season 3 | Episode 9 | Aired on 03.13.2009
In a hurry? Read the recaplet for a nutshell description! Finished? Click here to close.The Panther-Arnett Mead game gets picked to be the nationally-televised High School Game of the Week, making it extra special when Matt makes a game-winning play as receiver. Grandma Saracen and his mom have been arguing, but they put it all aside to watch Matt play.
Tim also plays a hell of a game, which is lucky because a recruiter is in town from San Antonio State scoping him out. When the recruiter catches Tim after practice, he's kind of zoned out about the whole college thing. Lyla tries unsuccessfully to get him to focus. Meanwhile, Mindy has dumped Billy, and Billy is a mess, which conveniently enough for Tim means lots of tequila-in-sympathy. Lyla has had enough of Tim's hijinks, so who better to commiserate over the Riggins with than Mindy? Lyla and Mindy tie one on big time, trying to create a no-Riggins zone, but that zone is quickly declared, basically, penis-deficient. Billy shows up and Mindy drunkenly throws herself at him once he assures her she DOESN'T have to quit stripping if she doesn't want to. The next morning, Tim shows up at Lyla's to apologize, tell her he's signed with San Antonio State (that was quick!), and tease her for smelling like a brewery.
It's Tami's birthday and she declares she doesn't want to celebrate it. Coach can read between the lines, and so makes plans to reserve a hotel room for them after the game, champagne, chocolate-covered strawberries, the whole thing. Just when they're about to slip into their hotel robes ("we can steal 'em!" Coach exclaims), Tami's cell phone rings and she picks it up. It's Tyra, who's been in Dallas the whole episode with Cash, who just gets clammier and sleazier by the minute. He owes some dudes money, and starts man-handling Tyra when she asks what the hell is going on. So, Tyra calls Tami, because she doesn't have anyone else to turn to, and Tami and Coach leave their romantic Hampton Inn getaway to go get Tyra in Dallas. When they arrive, Cash is on the brink of hauling off on Tyra to prevent her from leaving. Coach intervenes, Tyra gets in the car, and everyone breaths a sigh of relief, except it seems like Tyra may have done irreparable damage to her relationship with Tami, who seems at a loss at how to deal with her any more.
Want more? The full recap starts right below!Tim pulls up to the Playgirl Ranch in a cab, presumably on his way home from the airport returning from New York. He is welcomed by the sight of his truck crashed into a tree in the front yard. It's pretty smashed up; Tim mutters "unbelievable." He walks in the front door -- the camera shows us him coming inside the house, shot from a low angle, behind rows and rows of beer bottles on the kitchen counter. Billy is passed out on the couch in his underwear. Tim starts shouting at Billy about paying to fix the truck, Billy painfully raises his sloshing brains from the pillow and mutters "She left me." Tim simmers down and says he's sorry. Billy sits up and says the wedding's off, Tim asks if he wants to talk about it. That's when Billy stands up and we realize he's totally just wearing a banana sling; he sort of saunter-lurches out of the room, and we see that he's got a playing card stuck to his back. I have a quick 'Nam flashback about recapping The Real World Road Rules Challenge.
Coach plays with Gracie on the floor, Julie's at the breakfast bar. Tami walks into the kitchen, says good morning, wants to know who put the milk away empty again. Coach tells Tami that Gracie has just let him know that someone's birthday is coming up. Tami, looking hot in a white sweater tunic belted at the waist (oh, how I love writing things like "tunic" and "belted at the waist" like I'm Judith Krantz), says that she's been thinking she just isn't going to have her birthday this year. Coach and Julie are surprised and confused; Tami admits that she feels old, and the best present they could give her would be to let her not have a birthday.
Football field. The boys have taken a knee around Coach as he psyches them up for their first playoff game against Arnett Mead. Coach tells them to take a look around them, think about what they've all been through together, think about the good, think about the bad, what are they willing to do for each other? This is like Coach Mad Libs. "Look to the BLANK of you. Look to the BLANK of you. What are you willing to BLANK?" Having brought the boys to the serious place, Coach then decides to take them to the revving place, tells them to have a good practice, claps his hands, and the boys spring up, anxious to run into one another on the field. Cut to practice, Matt playing receiver. He completes a pass, but the defenseman pulls up at the last minute and doesn't tackle him. Coach yells at the defense, but Wade jumps in and apologizes, saying he told the defense not to hit Matt so he doesn't get hurt. Coach is all business; if Matt's going to play receiver, he's going to have to take some hits. Now it's on. Matt takes hit after hit, every time, the ball pops out of his hands with the impact.