214 "All-Americans"

Leap Date:

November 6, 1962

Episode Adopted By: Sherdran <AKA> Eleiece
Additional Info provided by: Shane Smith and Brian Greene

Synopsis:

Sam leaps into a Hispanic high school football player who must stop his best friend Chuey from throwing the championship game and ruining his life. Chuey needs to find a way to pay off his mother's gambling landlord. Rooooaaarrr, Jaguars!

Audio from this episode!

TV Guide Synopsis 
Place
Leap Date
Name of the Person Leaped Into
Broadcast Date
Music
Project Trivia
Sam Trivia
Al Trivia
Al's Women
Al's Outfits Worn in the Episode
Miscellaneous Trivia
Kiss With History
Guest Stars
Guest Cast Notes
Guests who appeared in other Quantum Leap episodes
Say What?
Quotable Quotes
Best Scene
Synopsis & Review
Production Credits

Production # 65418

TV Guide Synopsis:
Sam is a high-school quarterback who must prevent his best friend, a wide receiver, from throwing the city-championship game. Chuey: Richard Coca. Celia: Ruth Britt. Manuel: Pepe Serna. Ruben: Fausto Bara. Sam: Scott Bakula.

Place:
El Camino High School in Southern California

Leap Date:
November 6, 1962

Broadcast Date:
January 17, 1990 - Wednesday

Name of the Person Leaped Into: 
Eddie Vega

Music:
“Big Girls Don’t Cry” by Frankie Valli & the 4 Seasons
“Tequila” by The Champs
“The Stripper” by David Rose (cover by Velton Ray Bunch)
“The Twist” by Chubby Checker
“Sleepwalk” by Santo & Johnny
“La Bamba” by Richie Valens
"Heartbreak Hotel" by Elvis Presley (sung by Chuey in locker room)

Project Trivia:
At the championship game, Al mentioned to Sam that he had been
watching Super Bowl XXX and that the Steelers were down by three points, which meant that the date back at the Project was Sunday, January 28, 1996, a time difference of almost 28 years from the time Sam was in. In real life, the Pittsburgh Steelers played the Dallas Cowboys at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. Dallas beat Pittsburgh 27-17. They were down three points twice during this game. Ziggy predicted the real-life future, six years before it actually happened!

Sam Trivia:
When Sam goes to the kitchen to get the salsa for Celia, Al’s comment of, “There was this one cheerleader with these beautiful pomelos,” tweaks Sam’s memory… “Al, pomelos are grapefruits….” reminding him that he speaks Spanish.

In this episode, Sam begins the tradition of saying "Oh, Boy" in the opening sequence just before the theme songs rolls. This would stay in place until the series ended.

Al Trivia:
Al loves football and in the future he is watching Superbowl XXX.

Al carried a cigar throughout most, if not all, of this episode.

Al's Outfits Worn in the Episode:
1) -  Leap in scene on the football field - Gray leisure suit, brightly-colored large patterned floral shirt, a bolo tie, two-tone shoes, narrow silver bar pin on left lapel; black-banded watch with gold face.

2)  - The football practice scene: Silver and gray pants & dark green vest with a green patterned shirt and a purple & white diagonally striped tie.  Black belt with a silver buckle.

3) -  The championship game and the victory party after the game – brown jacket, light gray colored pants, a gold & black striped shirt and a shimmery black tie and black shoes.

Al's Women:
Al loves cheerleaders!

Al demonstrates to Sam his knowledge of Spanish language: “To casa o mi casa?” which means suggestively, "Your house or my house?"

Miscellaneous Trivia:

The most notable bit of miscellaneous information is that Richard Coca
(Chuey Martinez) and Scott Bakula worked together again in 1999
in the film Luminarias in which Scott had the leading male role (Joseph).

In the scene at the party after Sam gets the coke, he leaves to talk to Al and it cuts to an extierior look of the party. It's actually a scene from the movie "La Bamba." The guy on the Indian bike is Esai Morales.

Kiss With History:
Talking with Chuey and Eddie’s dad at the truck, Sam memory gets tweaked, when he tries to twist the top off a bottle of Coke for Carla, and is reminded that twist-off tops on soft drink bottles hadn’t been invented yet. At the same time he also remembered that Diet Coke also hadn't yet been invented.

The next day at practice, Chuey telling him that the coach says he has to lead calisthenics combined with Al’s comment, “I hate calisthenics… unless they’re being led by Jane Fonda!” triggered Sam’s memory about
aerobic exercise classes.

Regular Cast:
Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell




Guest Stars:
Richard Coca as Chuey Martinez
Ruth Britt as Celia Martinez
Pepe Serna as Manuel Vega
Fausto Bara as Ruben de Guerra
Robert Benedetti as Coach
Ralph Monaco as Hal
Otto Coelho as Otto
Marie Caldare as Carla
Christi Alvarez as Maria Martinez
Corey Smith as Eddie Vega
Deborah Pratt as Narrator (until series conclusion)





Guest Cast Notes:

Richard Coca as Chuey Martinez: Richard Coca was born in Los Angeles, California, USA. He is known for The Mexican (2001), Minority Report (2002) and The Truth About Cats & Dogs (1996).

Ruth Britt as Celia Martinez: Ruth Britt is known for Reality Bites (1994), MacGyver (1985) and What About Bob? (1991).

Pepe Serna as Manuel Vega: Durable Mexican-American actor Pepe Serna has appeared in more than 100 feature films and 300 television shows, but is most recognized for his gritty support performances in a variety of motion pictures, including Scarface (1983) as Al Pacino's ill-fated cocaine partner, as well as the western Silverado (1985) with Kevin Costner, the crime yarn The Rookie (1990) starring Clint Eastwood and Charlie Sheen, and the drama American Me (1992) starring Edward James Olmos. In a career surpassing five decades, Pepe's characters have played on both sides of the law -- from drug peddlers to sheriffs. He was born (and raised) in Corpus Christi, Texas on July 23, 1944, the son of a naval base interpreter for Latin American pilots and a hairdresser. His desires to become an actor happened early in life, moving to Hollywood in 1969 to finally pursue his dreams. He didn't have to wait long to find steady Latino work on film and TV. Making an inauspicious debut in the exploitation film The Student Nurses (1970), Pepe found more "A" quality work after being discovered by producer Hal B. Wallis for the coming-of-age film Tim Belcher starring Richard Thomas and Catherine Burns and the western Shoot Out (1971) starring Gregory Peck. Specializing in urban, streetwise roles, he went on to mix a number of popular films (The New Centurions (1972), The Day of the Locust (1975), Car Wash (1976), A Force of One (1979), Walk Proud (1979), Honeysuckle Rose (1980), Inside Moves (1980), Deal of the Century (1983), Red Dawn (1984), Caddyshack II (1988)) with a slew of popular TV crime dramas such as "Mannix," "Police Story," "Adam-12," "The Rookies," "The Rockford Files," "Baretta," "Kojak," "CHiPs," "Barney Miller," "Scarecrow & Mrs. King," "T.J. Hooker," "Simon & Simon," "Hill Street Blues," "Miami Vice," "Cagney & Lacey" and "Diagnosis Murder." He also played the role of Jennifer Lopez's disapproving father in the one-season crime mystery series Second Chances (1993) and it's equally short-lived sequel Hotel Malibu (1994). In addition to support roles in such millennium films as Picking Up the Pieces (2000), Exposed (2003), The Black Dahlia (2006), Downsizing (2017), Road to Juarez (2013), Green Ghost and the Masters of the Stone (2021), The Margarita Man (2019) and The Planters (2019), as well as the Asian-American movies of writer/director Dave Boyle including Big Dreams Little Tokyo (2006) and White on Rice (2009), Pepe, after a 45-year career, was handed a film lead by Boyle as a sheriff in Man from Reno (2014). He also was given leads in the movies Gino's Wife (2016) and Flavor of Life (2019). As a producer, Pepe's credits include Kill or Be Killed (2015), Aguruphobia (2015), From the Dead (2019) and Going Rogue. Long married to wife Diane, Pepe is a noted keynote teacher and motivational speaker who tours colleges and universities. His strong sideline as a painter has been met with critical success, having been commissioned quite frequently. His vibrant paintings and one-man stage shows reflect a serious return to his Mexican roots and was the subject of the 2015 short documentary "Life Is Art."

Fausto Bara as Ruben de Guerra: Fausto Bara was born on January 21, 1952 in Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico. He was an actor, known for Eliminators (1986), Remington Steele (1982) and Quantum Leap (1989). He died on February 19, 1994 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

Robert Benedetti as Coach: Robert Benedetti was born on February 27, 1939 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988), Miss Evers' Boys (1997) and A Lesson Before Dying (1999). Dr. Robert Benedetti (he holds a doctorate from Northwestern University) has won two Emmys as producer of the Best Television Movie. The first was for the 1997 HBO film, Miss Evers' Boys; he won his second Emmy in 1999 for ‘A Lesson Before Dying’, also for HBO. In 1996 Mr. Benedetti wore 2 hats, namely that of producer and screenwriter of the  remake of 'The Canterville Ghost' starring Patrick Stewart.  Another of his ‘2 hat’ projects occurred in 1994 when he wrote and produced the NBC air rescue film, Mercy Mission starring Robert Loggia and Scott Bakula.  Mercy Mission continues to be a perennial favorite of QL fans.  He also acted the role of Harry, Jay Parkins’ boss in MM.  (Guess that makes this a ‘3 hat trick’ project for him, doesn’t it?) Moving right along, add to that impressive list the fact that from 1991 to 1996 he was president of Ted Danson's Anasazi Productions, and was executive producer of a Paramount feature film, Pontiac Moon. 1974 to 1981 - dean of the School of Theatre at the California Institute of the Arts. Prior to his tenure at the California Institute of the Arts, he served as head of the acting program at the Yale Drama School and chairman of theatre at York University in Toronto. Mr. Benedetti has been a master teacher at the National Theatre School of Canada, the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Australia and the O'Neill Theatre Institute. Robert Benedetti is an accomplished published writer.  One example of his talent as a writer is the book he wrote in 1970 titled ‘The Actor atWork'; that book is presently in its 8th printing.

Ralph Monaco as Hal: Ralph Monaco is known for Ghostbusters II (1989), Ed Wood (1994) and Sneakers (1992).

Otto Coelho as Otto: Otto Coelho is known for Live Shot (1995), Quantum Leap (1989) and My Life and Times (1991).

Marie Caldare as Carla: Marie Caldare is known for Star Trek: Voyager (1995), Desperate Housewives (2004) and Glee (2009). Marie is a Canadian by way of British Guyana. She studied in New York and appeared in several off Broadway plays before moving to Los Angeles.

Christy Alvarez as Maria Martinez: Christy Alvarez is known for Beverly Hills Cop III (1994), Quantum Leap (1989) and Live Shot (1995).

Corey Smith as Eddie Vega: Corey Smith is known for Quantum Leap (1989), Nikki (2000) and Mylène Farmer: Mylenium Tour (2000).

Guests who appeared in other Quantum Leap episodes:
Director of this episode, John Cullum, guest-starred in another QL episode, “Catch A Falling  Star”.  In real life, in 1965 the multi-talented Mr. Cullum understudied Richard Kiley in the Broadway production of “Man of La Mancha.”  (In 1967 Mr. Cullum took over the role of Don Quixote for several months.)

Otto Coelho, who played Otto in this episode, was a production assistant  and appeared in "Disco Inferno."

Say What?
Reuben's visor disappears between shots in the locker room.

Al's shirt blows in the wind when Sam leads the excercises.

The timing of the game clock is off by several seconds.

The shirt numbers are out of place in some scenes due to the usage of stock footage. After Chuey removes himself from the game, you can still see #86 on the field.

Quotable Quotes:
Sixteen?  You think I waited until I was sixteen?
-- Al to Sam, "All-Americans"

Try your teeth next time, it's really macho.
-- Chuey (instructing Sam on opening a Coke bottle), "All-Americans"

Sixteen?  You're kidding, you're not kidding! Sixteen?
-- Al, "All-Americans"

They're that close?
Yup, just like me and you.
-- Sam and Al, "All-Americans"

They could have killed me!
They still might.
-- Sam and Al, "All-Americans"

That pass was like a $10 hooker, it wasn't pretty, but it got the job done.
-- Al, "All-Americans"

How come you aren't out there acting my age?
Your age?
Yeah, 16, I'll always be 16 in my heart.
-- Al and Sam, "All-Americans"

I don't think I heard you, punk!
I'll write it down if you can read.
-- Rueben and Sam, "All-Americans"

You think I waited until I was sixteen to lose my virginity?
Sorry, I forgot who I was talking to.
-- Al and Sam, "All-Americans"

Sam, you gotta stop thinking with your heart and start thinking with your noggin.
-- Al, “All-Americans”~Sam: Say something to me in Spanish.
Al: Uh, tu casa o mi casa.
Sam: My place or yours-- Al! "All-Americans"

Best Line:
Coach to Sam in the locker room:  “Vega!  In thirty-two years of coaching that was the ugliest pass I’ve ever seen…but I loved it!  ROAAAR JAGUARS!”

Best Scene:
At the party when Sam goes after Ruben to confront him about Celia – Sam’s just warned him to stay away from Chuey and Celia:

Ruben, up in Sam’s face, tone menacing:  “I don’t think I heard you,
punk.”

Sam: “I’ll write it down if you can read.”

Synopsis & Review:

Dr. Samuel Beckett finds himself at El Camino High School in Woodland Hills, California, as he leaps into the middle of a football game as star Mexican-American quarterback Eddie Vega (the leapee Eddie is played in the episode by Corey Smith) playing for the El Camino Jaguars, and receives the ball following a snap. Still disoriented from the leap and getting his bearings, Sam is immediately tackled by members of the opposing team. The ball is jolted free from Sam's hands, and is caught by one of his teammates, Eddie's best friend Chuey Martinez (Richard Coca), who runs the ball downfield. As Sam gets to his feet, Al is at his side, having arrived to watch the game. Chuey throws the ball back to Sam, who looks up to see more opposing team members rushing to tackle him again. Sam reacts quickly, backs up and throws a wobbly, spiralling pass to Chuey, who catches the ball, avoids two defenders, and scores a touchdown that wins the game for the Jaguars.

Meanwhile, Eddie's father Manuel Vega (Pepe Serna), little sister Maria (Christy Alvarez), and Chuey's mother, Celia Martinez (Ruth Britt), are at Manuel's Mexican Food truck listening to the game on the radio. The two adults scream excitedly as their sons win. Manuel picks Celia up and twirls her around. The two then regain their composure and laugh and smile at each other as he puts her back down.

Back at the game, a man named Ruben de Guerra (Fausto Bara) is in the stands celebrating the Jaguars' victory. He accepts some money from the man next to him, having just won a bet on the game.

On the field, Al compliments Sam on the shaky but effective pass. They assume that Sam was there to win the game and wait for him to leap again. When that does not happen, Al consults the handlink to find out what else Sam might be there for. One of the Jaguar players approaches Sam, and enthusiastically gives him the team's patented victory cheer by shouting, "Roar, Jaguar!" and slamming his fists down on Sam's shoulders, knocking him to the ground. Sam gets to his feet, only to be knocked down again by the same cheer from another of his teammates.

The team heads back to the locker room and Sam tries in vain to open the combination to Eddie's locker. Chuey, standing nearby at his locker, slams his hand against the door and opens it for Sam. Sam looks at his teenage reflection on the inside of the locker door, as Chuey asks him if he saw the scouts in the crowd during the game. He tells Sam that the two of them have to stick together - either they both get offered college scholarships, or neither of them will go. Worried about the effects of the tackle Sam received, Chuey checks him for a concussion, then tells him to take it easy tonight and to stay away from a girl named Carla (played by Marie Caldare). The team coach (Robert Bendetti) approaches Sam, and tells him that his pass to Chuey was the ugliest pass he's ever seen, then admits that he loved it, and gives Sam the "Roar, Jaguar!" salute, causing Sam to wince in pain despite still wearing his shoulder pads.

That night, Sam and Chuey are at a victory party at the housing complex where they live with their respective parents, Manuel and Celia. Sam is approached by Carla, who is one of the El Camino High cheerleaders. She asks Sam for a Coke and then flirtatiously thanks him as she walks away. Manuel warns Sam to stay away from her, because he has to think about college and medical school, not girls. Celia arrives, and Manuel tells her there were scouts at the game from UCLA, which has a good medical school. Celia is happy to hear the news, until Manuel adds that there were also scouts from southern California and Arizona at the game, and that next week's championship game against the Bulldogs will have scouts from as far away as Texas. Celia doesn't like the thought of the boys going to college so far away, but Chuey explains that they have to go where the scholarships are, and they'll be back in the summer and on holidays. He reminds her that Manuel will still be there, and Manuel is eager to help, but Celia is still doubtful. Sam notices Al, and offers to go into the kitchen to get some more food, so that he and Al can talk privately.

Inside, Sam asks Al what happened to him after the game. Al says that while Sam and the other players were celebrating their victory, he was checking out the cheerleaders. Sam has realized that he knows how to speak Spanish and asks Al to say something in Spanish so he can translate it. Al gives him a phrase which Sam translates as, "My place or yours?" Sam wants to get back on topic, and asks Al what will happen to Eddie. Al tells him that Eddie will get a football scholarship with UCLA, which will make Manuel very proud. Sam says Manuel seems interested in Celia, and Al explains that Celia was best friends with Eddie's mother, Rosa, who died while giving birth to Eddie's little sister, Maria. Celia never married, and Chuey thinks that his father died accidentally in Mexico before he was born. Celia illegally crossed the Mexican border into El Paso three days before giving birth to Chuey so he could be born in America. Sam is happy to hear that Chuey now has a promising life ahead of him thanks to Celia and his football skills, but Al has some bad news. Chuey is going to throw next week's game, costing the Jaguars the championship, and ruining his chance at a scholarship. Meanwhile, Chuey is enthusiastically leading the party goers outside in a "Roar, Jaguar!" chant.

Later, Chuey finds Sam sitting alone with a worried look on his face. He asks Sam what's wrong, and Sam asks him if he thinks the team can really win the championship game. Chuey thinks Sam is joking, but Sam says he's got a feeling that they're going to lose. Chuey tells Sam that they've been working too hard to lose the game, and seems genuinely angry that Sam would suggest otherwise.

Meanwhile, Celia is serving food while Manuel tells her about the restaurant he's going to buy. Celia wonders why the restaurant closed down if it's as nice as he says it is, and he answers that the previous owner died. Celia is mortified to hear that Manuel is buying a dead man's restaurant, but Manuel claims that the owner didn't die in the restaurant. He tells her that people die and that someone may have even died in their home, which Celia immediately denies. She goes inside to get some more food and promises to bring Manuel an extra portion. Manuel watches her go with a smile.

Sam and Al are watching the party and Al tells him that in his heart he'll always be sixteen. Sam guesses that Al lost his virginity at sixteen, and Al is amazed and offended that Sam thinks it took him that long. Sam returns to the subject of Chuey and tells Al that there's no way Ziggy's prediction that Chuey is going to throw the championship game is correct. Al insists that Chuey will throw the game, although they don't know why.

Inside the house, Celia is surprised by Ruben, who is there to collect eight hundred dollars in rent that she has yet to pay him. Celia insists that she pays him what she can and that she isn't getting paid enough at her job to cover the rent she owes him. She promises to pay him the money as soon as she has it. Ruben says he has had enough of her promises and Celia sadly admits that she doesn't have the money. Ruben suggestively tells her that she doesn't need the money, because there are other ways she can pay him. He leans in to kiss her, but Celia tries to fend off his advances and offers to write him a check. Ruben is offended by this and tells her that now he wants the money by noon tomorrow, or she'll be evicted. Celia tearfully begs him to reconsider and assures him that she'll get the money this week. Ruben asks her what will happen if she can't get the money, but Celia has no answer. They move toward each other again, but are interrupted by the arrival of Sam and Chuey.

Chuey is surprised to see Ruben and asks him if he bet on the game today. Ruben tells Celia that Chuey helped him win a thousand dollars on the game, although Sam nearly lost it for him with his horrible pass. Ruben asks Chuey about the team's chances in the championship game and wants to know if any players get injured during practice. Sam interjects, telling Ruben that giving away information like that is illegal and no scout is going to give them a scholarship if they find out they've been cheating. Ruben responds that he won't tell anybody and laughs. Before leaving, he tells Celia she has until Friday, then he expects delivery one way or another. Chuey wants to know what Ruben was talking about and Celia covers by saying that she's sewing some shirts for him. Sam and Chuey look at each other in confusion for a moment, then Chuey and Celia go back out to the party.

Noticing Celia's worried expression, Sam decides to confront Ruben before he leaves. He thinks that Ruben is the reason he's there and says that whatever is going on between Ruben and Celia is going to affect Chuey somehow. He tells Ruben to stay away from Celia and Chuey. Ruben calls Sam a punk, then laughs and tells Sam that he's talking like a man. As he gets into his convertible, his expression turns cold and says he hopes Sam is ready to be treated like a man. Then he drives away, leaving Sam to stare after him in concern.

The next day Carla and the other cheerleaders are playing songs on a record player and practicing their cheer routines as the football players take the field for their own practice. Carla greets Sam as he passes, but Sam doesn't respond to the disappointment of Al as he watches on. Carrying a folder onto the field, Sam insists that he is trying to learn the team's plays. Chuey approaches Sam and tells him the coach wants him to lead the team's calisthenics session, and to do it right, or he'll have to run fifteen laps around the football field. Al remarks that he hates calisthenics, unless they're being led by Jane Fonda, which gives Sam an idea. He asks Carla to play one of her records and attempts to lead the team in a Fonda-esque aerobics workout. The other players are confused, but eventually make a half-hearted effort to follow Sam's movements, while Al dances along behind Sam. Soon enough, the coach arrives and angrily orders Sam to run fifteen laps.

While the rest of the team is practicing their plays, Sam is running his laps. He asks Al about Ruben and Al explains that Ruben is a slum lord who owns several small houses and rents them at high prices to people who don't have anywhere else to go, mainly illegal immigrants like Celia. Ruben also makes frequent bets on high school football and basketball games and according to Al, he is going to pay Chuey to throw the championship game against the Bulldogs. Sam stops running and again expresses his disbelief, but Al insists that Chuey will only catch one pass in the entire game and the Jaguars will lose by five points. On the field, the coach notices Sam having stopped and seemingly talking to himself and orders him to run another twenty laps.

Later, Chuey is in the locker room while Sam is still running laps. Ruben comes in, and starts talking to Chuey about having enough money to help support Celia. Chuey says that when he becomes a doctor, he'll have enough money to buy Celia whatever she wants. Ruben tells Chuey that Celia is being underpaid at her job and owes him three months rent. Chuey is surprised and saddened by this news. Ruben tells Chuey that he is the man of the family and Celia isn't a legal American citizen. Chuey asks Ruben to give him some time to get the rent money, but Ruben tells him that by next week, Celia will owe him a thousand dollars. Chuey remembers that Ruben won that much by betting on the Jaguars' last game and proclaims that he can win more than that when the Jaguars win the championship. He insists that their winning is a sure thing, but Ruben responds that losing is a sure thing. He offers Chuey a deal: if the Jaguars lose the game, he'll forget about the money Celia owes him. He then motions to Chuey to keep quiet as Sam walks in.

Angry to see Ruben and Chuey together, Sam pushes Ruben aside and tries to talk to Chuey, but Ruben punches Sam. Sam fights back and the two of them crash into a row of lockers, knocking them over. Having heard the ruckus from outside the coach arrives and he and Chuey break up the fight, pushing Sam and Ruben apart. The coach wants to know what's going on and asks Ruben who he is and what he's doing in the locker room. Chuey covers for Ruben by telling the coach that Ruben and Sam were fighting over a girl. The coach tells Ruben to stay out of the locker room and Ruben leaves. The coach tells Sam and Chuey that if the team didn't need them, he'd suspend them both and then leaves in anger. Sam tells Chuey that he can't throw the game. Chuey pretends not to know what Sam is talking about, but when Sam presses the issue, Chuey pleads with Sam not to throw him the ball.

The day of the championship game arrives. The Jaguars run out onto the field to the applause of their fans. Celia and Ruben are both in the crowd. Manuel is nearby working in his taco truck, listening to the game on the radio. The Bulldogs kick off and the ball falls toward Sam and Chuey. Chuey avoids the ball, calling for Sam to catch it, which Sam does before quickly being tackled. Chuey helps Sam up and the two of them stare at each other intently. Sam calls a play and from the snap. He throws a long pass to Chuey, who leaps and catches it successfully. Sam is pleased with Chuey's effort to win, until Chuey claims to be hurt and is assisted from the field. Celia looks concerned, while Ruben smiles.

The game continues with Chuey sitting on the bench and the Jaguars are not faring well. Chuey looks despondent as the Bulldogs dominate more and more of the game, and Sam tries in vain to keep the Jaguars in the contest. Sam is sitting on the bench when Al arrives, having been watching a Super Bowl game. The Jaguars are behind by five points, just as Al predicted, and the game is almost over. Sam explains how Chuey took himself out of the game and Al tells Sam to do the same thing. Sam realizes that because Eddie and Chuey are so close, Chuey won't be able to watch his best friend ruining his own chance at a scholarship without doing something to help. Sam takes off his helmet and tells the coach that he can't play. Chuey is shocked and tries to convince Sam to change his mind. A concerned Manuel joins Celia in the stands. Chuey tells Sam not to throw to him and the two of them re-enter the game together. Ruben starts looking worried.

Sam gets the Jaguars together in a huddle and calls a play in which he will throw the ball to Chuey. As the players take their positions, Chuey tells Sam that he'll drop the catch, to which Sam replies, "That's up to you." As Chuey takes his position, he looks up at Ruben for a moment. Sam receives the ball and Al yells at him to duck as a Bulldogs player attempts to tackle him. With one second remaining, Sam throws the ball and Chuey tries to catch it, but it's out of his reach. The ball goes out of bounds and the game is seemingly over before the referee flags an illegal play against the Bulldogs, giving the Jaguars another possession. Sam calls another play and leads a "Roar, Jaguar!" chant. He throws a long pass to Chuey, who catches the ball for a touchdown, winning the game and the championship for the Jaguars. In the stands, Manuel and Celia are ecstatic, while Ruben looks angry. Sam and the rest of the Jaguar players lift Chuey into the air in victory, before another "Roar, Jaguar!" salute from a teammate knocks Sam to the ground again.

Later, a victory party is happening outside Celia and Chuey's house as Sam and Al watch Chuey dancing with Carla. Sam wonders why he hasn't leaped yet, but when Ruben arrives accompanied by three men who go into the house to start removing Celia's belongings, Sam realizes he still has work to do. Ruben warns Sam that while he lost a lot of money on the championship game, Celia is going to lose more. Celia rushes over, accompanied by Chuey and Manuel, and begs Ruben not to kick her out. Manuel offers to pay Ruben the money Celia owes him, but Celia refuses, telling him that money is for his restaurant. Manuel says the restaurant can wait and adds that Celia hates the restaurant idea anyway. Celia thinks it would be better to buy more taco trucks instead and Al tells Sam that she's right, because their catering trucks could turn into a million dollar business, as long as Sam finishes this job.

Ruben and his movers come out with the first pieces of Celia's belongings and Sam tells him to put everything in Manuel's yard. He announces that Chuey can sleep in his room and Celia can sleep with Manuel. Chuey is offended by the suggestion at first, but Sam explains that if Manuel and Celia were to get married, it would solve all her problems. Celia smiles and tells Manuel that she wouldn't be marrying him just to solve her problems, because she loves him. Manuel and Celia embrace, to the delight and applause of Sam, Chuey and the other party goers. Al tells Sam that Manuel and Celia are going to survive financially and have four more children along the way.

Ruben threatens to call immigration and turn in Celia as an illegal immigrant, which makes Chuey angry. Sam assures Chuey that because Manuel is an American citizen, the marriage will make Celia a legal citizen too. Chuey hugs Sam, then leaves to follow Celia and Manuel, leaving an unhappy Ruben watching them go over Sam's shoulder. Al urges Sam to "do it" and Sam spins around to give Ruben a "Roar, Jaguar!" salute. As his fists slam down on Ruben's shoulders, however, he suddenly leaps. Source

Production Credits:

Music by: Mike Post
Supervising Producer: Deborah Pratt
Co-producers: Paul  Brown, Jeff Gourson, Chris Ruppenthal
Produced by: Harker Wade
Created by: Donald P. Bellisario
Written by: Paul Brown and Donald P. Bellisario
Directed by: John Cullum

Executive Producer: Donald P. Bellisario
Associate Producers: David Bellisario
Director of Photography: Michael Watkins
Production Designer: Cameron Birnie
Edited by: Gary Griffen
Unit Production Manager: Ron Grow
First Assistant Director: Ryan Gordon
Second Assistant Director: Rob Mendel
Casting by: Ellen Lubin Sanitsky
Set Director: Robert L. Zilliox
Costume Designer: Jean-Pierre Dorleac
Costume Supervisors: David Rawley & Donna Roberts-Orme
Sound Mixer: Mark Hopkins McNabb
Stunt Coordinator: Diamond Farnsworth
Contributing Musical Composers: Velton Ray Bunch and Jerry Grant
Sound Editor: Paul Clay
Music Editor: Tom Gleason

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Copyright © 1990 by Universal City Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The characters and events depicted in this photoplay are fictitious. Any similarity to actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental.

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